Author Topic: Humor, Wit and Satire ~ Short Stories (Read 62856 times)

BooksAdmin · « **on:** March 15, 2009, 10:48:52 AM »

Humor
Wit
Satire
in
Short Stories

WELCOME!

Linked below is Our Story Of The Week - Our Sunday Funnies - Each Sunday another story - Share with us where the story hit your funny bone. See if you can nail the difference between Humor, Wit and Satire. Enjoy our story while together we discover what makes us laugh.

Our links: (All underlined words are links)

Short Story - What happened - Who did it happen to - What are the bigger issues - How does the protagonist change or make you whole because of something he or she says or does.

Humor - laughter - comedy

Comedy: From Aristophanes to the Present

Wit - "Brevity is the soul of wit," Shakespeare -

Satire - Vice or folly attacked through irony, derision, or wit.

Our Story of the Week

"LUCK" by Mark Twain

Was there a punch line?
Did you identify with Scoresby? If so, how?
Do you think History is affected by Luck?
Is this story an example of Humor, Farce, Wit, or Satire?

Discussion Leader: BarbStAubrey

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #1 on:** March 15, 2009, 06:33:28 PM »

We have started - Pull up a chair and join us - this is our 'Funnies' page -

Our first Humorous short story was - FAST DELIVERY - NO EXPENSE - all on-line - a P.G.Wodehouse - just his name spelled fun - Jeeves in the Springtime

Another addition to our SeniorLearn bounty of discussions.

In keeping with "Learn" that is in our name - "SeniorLearn" - we can become acquainted with how Humor, Wit and Satire work in story telling.

Again, in the heading is the connecting link to Jeeves in the Springtime where we can enjoy this focus on laughter or at least a wry smile.

There will be an opportunity the last few days of each discussion starting in March to get your suggestions in if you have an idea for a story that fits our criteria to be included in the three that are chosen -

Remember the short story must be on-line and it must use Humor or Wit or Satire or all three. So many of the 18th and 19th century authors from Mark Twain to Oscar Wilde and in the 20th C. how about Eudora Welty who all have short stories that will fit our discussion - a lot to choose from.

Help us launch this new Discussion Please...

Frybabe · « **Reply #2 on:** March 15, 2009, 11:08:39 PM »

marking. Catch ya'all in the morning with Jeeves.

hats · « **Reply #3 on:** March 16, 2009, 07:58:01 AM »

Hi Barbara, Frybabe and All,

I am soooo excited. Just got a notice in me email. I haven't read the header. I'll come back.

CallieOK · « **Reply #4 on:** March 16, 2009, 11:17:39 AM »

Marking my place as I have in the other discussion. Sounds interesting.

Domestic Duties call; I'll be back later to do my homework.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #5 on:** March 16, 2009, 11:33:13 AM »

hahaha 'homework' I love it - to tell the truth until I got into this I did not realize there was different 'named' kinds of comedy - I knew there was what we call slap stick versus what we see on Saturday Night Live - but somewhere I read a bit that English Lady said something to the affect that using Wit is not hitting someone across the head with a baseball bat to get your message across. A bell went off in my head and that is when I started to look at the differences.

I am looking forward to this conversation - I want to hear what everyone thinks and how you are able to translate humor into the written word - That to me is the real trick.

All that to say glad you peeked in Callie and looking forward to your posts.

nlhome · « **Reply #6 on:** March 16, 2009, 12:21:42 PM »

This sounds like a fun time.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #7 on:** March 16, 2009, 12:47:46 PM »

what a good idea..........i'll be back...........jean

EvelynMC · « **Reply #8 on:** March 16, 2009, 04:53:23 PM »

Marking.

Evelyn

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #9 on:** March 16, 2009, 05:23:57 PM »

nlhome - mabel - Evelyn WELCOME - glad y'all peeked in - there is a lot to take in when we are considering stories of humor and so to start us off why not just share the titles of stories you know that are stories of Humor or that use Wit or Satire to make a point.

There are a lot of short stories but we are trying to focus on a certain group of short stories - I will make a list as you share.

The one I can remember reading back in school I cannot remember the name of it or hehehe even the author - but I do remember the story - in the title was something about an Indian Chief - but it was a kid that was I think kidnapped - sounds terrible now - but the boy made such a ruckus that the kidnappers let him go -

I need to find which of the Mark Twain stories are short Stories and the same with Eudora Welty - those two authors pop into my head right away.

nlhome · « **Reply #10 on:** March 16, 2009, 06:19:53 PM »

The Ransom of Red Chief. I think O Henry. Yes, it was funny. And he has some others as well. Then there is James Thurber. I remember the Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #11 on:** March 16, 2009, 06:40:38 PM »

OH GREAT you remembered - yes, that is exactly the name - I wonder if it is on-line somewhere - you would think of all of the authors I would remember since we have the O'Henry cottage in Austin - before he moved east he lived here - need to look later and see if I can find the story -

So many times I have heard mention of Thurber - I remember his cartoons but I do not remember reading his short stories - another to look up on the internet - thanks nlhome we have started...

mrssherlock · « **Reply #12 on:** March 18, 2009, 04:10:09 PM »

When I read your header my mind immediately jumped to The Ransom of Red Chief. We must read this one. Here is the site: http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/ohenry/bl-ohenry-ransomred.htm

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #13 on:** March 18, 2009, 04:42:54 PM »

Yes we MUST - it is a story that brings back memories of school for many of us but it was a story that stuck in our heads as well so it had to be a good story with all that we have read over the years - yes we need to read it - thanks for finding an on-line copy and Welcome Mrs Sherlock [Jackie] love seeing your posts again.

JoanR · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2009, 03:08:52 PM »

After we read "The Ransome of Red Chief", do you think everyone would like to read "The Night the Bed Fell" by James Thurber for May? It is hugely funny, short and on-line. I checked to see if it was there and I laughed out loud all over again on re-reading it!!! So I guess that's my nomination!

mrssherlock · « **Reply #15 on:** March 24, 2009, 03:59:37 PM »

Thurber is an appropriate name to add to our list.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #16 on:** March 24, 2009, 08:14:37 PM »

The Thurber sounds like a winner - thanks Joan and the nod from Jackie - Here I am supposed to know what I am doing and y'all knew to post your druthers in this discussion where as I had a post about choices and suggestions in the Jeeves discussion - funny - I'll get it down - sorting and categorizing topics of conversation is obviously not my strong suite.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #17 on:** March 25, 2009, 04:47:43 PM »

I picked up a book at the library because i liked the title, thinking it was a novel.

It is by Elizabeth Berg and the title of the book is "The Day i ATe Whatever I Wanted." It turns out that it is a short story/essay in a book of 13 short stories. Some of them seem to me to be more essay-type, while others are longer and seem to be short-stories.

Anyway, if you like Elizabeth Berg, you will probably enjoy this book. That first story is funny! She has a day that most of us have probably craved in our later lives since having to be careful about what we are putting into our mouths, instead of eathing what REALLY tastes good. The sub-title of the book is: "and other small acts of liberation." ................... i think we have to, on occasion, do that!

Another about two old friends, one of whom is in the hospital, altho soon to be released is more short-story-like and has more pathos. There is a third one titled "The Day I Ate NOthing I Even Remorely Wanted." The narrator is sticking to her Weight WAtchers diet in that one. A couple others are related to food, or diet, also...................a fun read.............i haven't found it on-line, but i'll keep looking and just tho't some of you might like to look for it at the libary........

YES, YES, YES it is on-line...............

.http://books.google.com/books?id=hH4i94naTm0C&dq=the+day+i+ate+whatever+i+wanted&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=Ot6wqtedNW&sig=7KxisiZ6FFlyiPhqSBPU-Raizkg&hl=en&ei=EJrKSezhBM_JtgedsqGlAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result#PPA3,M1

........................jean

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #18 on:** March 25, 2009, 04:59:02 PM »

Thanks Mabel - it does look like a fun read - au courant - since this time of year where a young man's fancy may turn to thoughts of love, a young woman's fancy turns to her waistline and a new lipstick.

As it should be the suggestions for future reads are being posted in the Humor, Wit and Satire discussion - that discussion remains open where as this one will close the end of today Wednesday March 25. - so last chance to say what you will about Jeeves In The Springtime.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #19 on:** March 25, 2009, 05:34:16 PM »

These suggestions are both wonderful reads - almost wish that we were reading non- stop - I can see we are going to have to make a plan for choosing - we Have April chosen - Marj found that one on line for us - and now for May we have two great suggestions - Lets keep suggestions opened through the end of the week and then vote over the weekend till Monday so we have a story for May by Monday evening.

Our suggestions now are:
"The Night the Bed Fell" by James Thurber
"The Day i ATe Whatever I Wanted." by Elizabeth Berg

ALF43 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 28, 2009, 12:43:00 PM »

Barb? What is our next read and when will it start?

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #21 on:** March 28, 2009, 12:58:56 PM »

Alf the next is The Ransom of Red Chief by O'Henry suggested by I think Marj and will start on April 15 -

The two suggestions are for the May discussion - do you have a druther between

"The Night the Bed Fell" by James Thurber
"The Day i ATe Whatever I Wanted." by Elizabeth Berg

Both look like fun stories - Bottom line I think we may have both a May and June's selection but lets see if y'all have a druther between these two for May.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #22 on:** May 24, 2009, 05:01:38 PM »

OK stirring the pot - after two humorous short story discussions it was easy to see that more than a week on a short story is overkill.

We also have serious reading going on here on Senior Learn and so we did not need an in-depth discussion on yet another story.

However; as the newspapers had a section we called the Funnies it seems appropriate for Senior Learn to also have our version of the Funnies in the form of Funny Short Story discussion.

And so NEW PLAN - every Sunday evening a new humorous short story will be added to the bottom of our heading along with just a couple of questions to help focus the start of a post.

I am working harder this summer than I have in years and so I cannot promise to be here very often but the discussion really does not have to be managed - we are having fun - sharing what makes us laugh - what was funny in the story - and adding a bit of learning as we try to identify the type of humor in each story we read - is it a witty story, a story of satire a slap stick comedy, a farce -

Labeling the kind of humor is the only thinking in the entire discussion - the rest is just letting us know if you laughed, smiled or enjoyed the story and sharing your thoughts about any part of the story that hit your fancy or remind you of a real life experience along similar story lines.

And so please drop in and lighten up your day once a week with a short story from the funny side of life.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #23 on:** May 24, 2009, 05:06:22 PM »

And yes, the two short stories that were suggested earlier during this discussion will be included in the next few weeks - we are starting with one that seems more appropriate for Memorial Day weekend as we honor those who died for our country there are stories that lighten our ability to cope with history and Mark Twain has one of those stories for us.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #24 on:** May 24, 2009, 05:40:50 PM »

Barb: this format sounds like a winner.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #25 on:** May 24, 2009, 05:43:43 PM »

Glad you like it - we shall see what we shall see - but we will get something going on a good track before we are finished - let's hope this is the track -

To start us off here or late I sure unidentified with Scoresby - I am not seeing as well as I should and the glasses are not doing the job they used to - I have lip read since I was a kid with so many abscessed ears that were bandaged making hearing almost impossible and so I figured out I could tell what folks were saying by looking at their face. And now I am not always seeing their face as clearly as I used to so I am doing a lot of smiling without a clue what they have said.

So far so good - but God knows what I am smiling that may be creating a problem - and so I now wonder if luck is the reason I go forward without a major problem hitting me over the head. The Chinese look to Luck and good Fortune rather than all this goal setting control we are taught with the belief we are a whoos if we are not in complete control of our lives.

All I know is for some reason until I can have a good long belly laugh after a tragedy or uncomfortable happening I am in a gray zone as if hanging without feet on the ground. I know my grandboys were stunned when two days after my son died while I was visiting some inane thing happened and I started to noiselessly laugh so hard they thought at first I was crying till they were astonished saying to their mother - she is laughing. Then they all looked at me with this new look on their faces as if a dam broke and we all started to chatter away mixed with tears and laughter and life.

I have a good friend that reverses numbers all the time - the worst was driving all the way to Alvin, which is south of Houston, to meet her at her daughter's and she not only mixed up the instructions how to get there but reversed the phone number - I ended up having to go back home and wait for her call - oh dear - that was a 3 hour drive going and another 3 hours coming and at least an hour trying to dope it all out - but again, we laughed and laughed -

Somehow reading this story by Mark Twain put me in touch with how I handle some events - and yet, I know there are some events I am still chewing on 20 years later. Ah so - but the idea that I am in control has me scratching my head so that this story makes me wonder all over again.

What did the story bring up for you - were you identifying with Scoresby? hehehe I love the name Score-s-by

ALF43 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 25, 2009, 08:22:14 AM »

Oh Barb, how well I know the embarrassment of "misplaced" grief. I was executrix for my beloved aunt and when she pased away we were just in the middle of moving into a new home. I had flown back and forth from Florida to NY three times in that month so I was "whipped" and very concerned about her failing health.

At her funeral services, my girlfriend since forever came to show her respects and we started gabbing and then giggling. The giggle went from a chuckle to down-right laugh out loud (and I am not a quiet speaker) noises, with tears streaming down both of our cheecks everyone in the funeral parlor just gaped at us. That, of course, just made it funnier. I thought that my daughter was going to come unglued. "Mother are you alright, "she asked. Well that added fuel to the fire because everyone knew I was NOT alright. We all grieve differently I know but humor during a crisis always seems to do it for me.

I am so happy that we are doing these short stories. Thank you for taking us there and assuming this responsibility.
Short stories are like Jello, you can always find room for more.

I printed LUCK out and will read it when I get back later in the day from a golf outing and a picnic in honor of our veterans, at the Legion.

Babi · « **Reply #27 on:** May 25, 2009, 09:00:03 AM »

I read the Mark Twain story with great pleasure, and you know, I can readily believe such a thing could happen. Military history is full of really dumb blunders, some of which did turn out well.

ANNIE · « **Reply #28 on:** May 25, 2009, 08:22:18 PM »

Oh, Alf, I have been in that position. At my MIL's funeral, my SIL---probably one of my best friends until she passed---and I were looking out the window of the funeral parlor when I spied a business across the street and commented on the convenience of it's location---they sold grave markers, engraved stones, plants, decorate your gravesite stuff---the whole ball of wax. Well, things did not improve after that. Every time I opened my mouth, we would start laughing so hard that we cried. Then we found that the wife of her husband's dr was laid out in the room just below my MIL. How convenient, say I and by then we were out of control. Nothing would do but we had to pay our respects to that family and the whole evening ended in our leaving the funeral home and taking a long walk and agreeing not to speak to each other until this sad time was over.

ALF43 · « **Reply #29 on:** May 25, 2009, 09:08:55 PM »

hmmm- which illustrious Brit do you think Twain was referencing here?

He says what a fascination there is in a renowned name. There were four of them during the Crimean War:

British commanders

Earl of Cardigan- this guy led the battle of Light Brigade.
Lord Raglan
Sir Thomas James Harper
Sir Edmund Lyons (later 1st Lord Lyons)

Do you think he had one of them in mind while writing this short story that emanates such admiration by everyone BUT the instructor at Woolwich? He knows for a fact, this clergyman, that Scoresby was a dolt.

He makes the guy sound like an imbecile, uninformed and ignorant and takes pity on him by drilling and conditioning him to the "head of the class." hahah who's the dummy?

Babi · « **Reply #30 on:** May 26, 2009, 08:42:54 AM »

I was curious about that, too, ALF. Must not be the Earl of Cardigan, since the charge of the Light Brigade did not end well at all. Do you know anything about what the other three did during that campaign. Of course, it's possible the entire thing was fictional, but Twain did say it was a true story.

ALF43 · « **Reply #31 on:** May 26, 2009, 11:04:03 AM »

I hate to admit it Babi but I don't have a clue about the others.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #32 on:** May 26, 2009, 12:43:35 PM »

According to chapter 16 in 'The Life of Sir Edmond Lyons' Raglan served with or under Sir Edmond and was killed as a result of wound received in battle at Sebastopol. http://tinyurl.com/plyb9y

Cannot find anything about Sir Thomas James Harper other than he is listed as a commander in the Crimean War - I knew very little about the war and come to learn it was the war that contributed to the abolition of serfdom in Russia as well as where Florance Nightingale did her thing. I always thought she started her nursing in a war in Africa - ah so - it appears it was in the Crimea

Nice article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimean_War

I am wondering if this is a Satire on the stupidity of a well planned war - that Mark Twain believes that war is more about Luck and that officers who follow rules that they think are more important equally lead to death as a self-motivated soldier or unit - there is footage on YouTube about 'The Luck of War' in 6 separate video's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNXZ-Vi4MAg&feature=related

Babi · « **Reply #33 on:** May 27, 2009, 08:41:48 AM »

Sir Edmund Lyons apparentlly went on successfully enough to have a biography written about him, BARB. Do you think it's possible Twain's story
could be a reference to him?

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #34 on:** May 27, 2009, 10:31:19 AM »

Hadn't thought of that - maybe...?!?

Babi · « **Reply #35 on:** May 28, 2009, 09:03:30 AM »

Just confirms the old saw, doesn't it. That guy with the pen can do you more
harm than the guy with the sword ever did.

ALF43 · « **Reply #36 on:** May 28, 2009, 10:43:35 AM »

I am SO frustrated. I just lost a 40 minute post by going to look in the online dictionary for the verb "gazetted." I lost my post and all of the comments about Scoresby's fortuitous triumphs.

Let me try this again and I will NEVER toggle again without copying first my comments.
anyhoo, whomeever this dude was in real life, let's examine HOW he got there.

#1. How did his LUCK and good fortune come about? Well, our charitable insturctor grilled him, limiting the questions that would be on the exam, thereby granting this innocent his first success.

#2. Fearing Scoresby's Math skills, he once again prompted him into the first place prize, with all the praise and adoration to boot.

#3. He was gazetted

into a position that was usually retained by an older and more mature gentleman)

Quote

not ...who could have foreseen that they would go and put such a load of responsibility on such green and inadequate shoulders?"

I'm going to post this and wait for a response before I add to it.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #37 on:** May 28, 2009, 12:14:41 PM »

Quote

#1. How did his LUCK and good fortune come about? Well, our charitable insturctor grilled him, limiting the questions that would be on the exam, thereby granting this innocent his first success.

Which is what teachers do to day preparing kids for the No Child Left Behind tests that rate the teacher through how well the kids do on these tests - and so are we educting a bunch of new Scoresbys...hmmm

ALF43 · « **Reply #38 on:** May 28, 2009, 12:23:33 PM »

Oh my Barb, I never gave that a thought but how true that is that we are doing the same thing to our kids. With any LUCK at all they too will tiumph. Destiny awaits them! $:-\$

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #39 on:** May 28, 2009, 02:12:34 PM »

I pray their destiny does not include being tested in battle - huhhh does it ever change...

What I like about most short story humor is the use of language - in one breath there are outrageous comments and then a vocabulary is used that is out of the ordinary and often has us grabbing the dictionary - I love it.

This bit from the story is a great example

Quote

Of course there had to be a war, I said to myself: we couldn't have peace and give this donkey a chance to die before he is found out. I waited for the earthquake. It came. And it made me reel when it did come. He was actually gazetted to a captaincy in a marching regiment! Better men grow old and grey in the service before they climb to a sublimity like that. And who could ever have foreseen that they would go and put such a load of responsibility on such green and inadequate shoulders? I could just barely have stood it if they had made him a cornet; but a captain - think of it! I thought my hair would turn white.
Consider what I did - I who so loved repose and inaction.

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Author Topic: Humor, Wit and Satire ~ Short Stories (Read 62856 times)