Print syllabusHumour in American Literature and Culture
General data
| Course ID: | 3301-LA2226 |
| Erasmus code / ISCED: |
08.302
|
| Course title: | Humour in American Literature and Culture |
| Name in Polish: | Humor w literaturze i kulturze amerykańskiej |
| Organizational unit: | Institute of English Studies |
| Course groups: |
(in Polish) Fakultatywne przedmioty dla studiów dziennych z literatury amerykańskiej |
| ECTS credit allocation (and other scores): |
(not available)
|
| Language: | English |
| Type of course: | elective courses |
| Short description: |
It is believed that humor along with the ability to narrate are the only truly human features. It is the capacity to laugh and to see the incongruous and the absurd that makes us human. This course is designed to help us understand the functioning of humor and laughter as well as to analyze the place of humor in American literature and culture. Why do we laugh? Why what some people find funny in others produces a smirk or even embarrassment? What is the difference between irony, parody, satire, burlesque or travesty? What are the major theories of humor? Are there ways to distinguish among various ethnic brands of humor in the U.S.? These are the issues I would like to address in this course. |
| Full description: |
It is believed that humor along with the ability to narrate are the only truly human features. It is the capacity to laugh and to see the incongruous and the absurd that makes us human. This course is designed to help us understand the functioning of humor and laughter as well as to analyze the place of humor in American literature and culture. Why do we laugh? Why what some people find funny in others produces a smirk or even embarrassment? What is the difference between irony, parody, satire, burlesque or travesty? What are the major theories of humor? Are there ways to distinguish among various ethnic brands of humor in the U.S.? These are the issues I would like to address in this course. We will start by building up a theoretical framework that will facilitate understanding the role of humor in literature and culture. Therefore the first classes will be devoted to the analysis of essays looking at humor from a theoretical standpoint. We will read essays by Freud, Bergson, Critchley and Morreall among others. Later on we will move on to the discussion of humor in American literature and culture beginning with Mark Twain, and ending with literary satirists of the twentieth century such as Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut. We will also look at the use of humor in selected film comedies such as Charlie Chaplin’s, Modern Times, or Woody Allen’s, Annie Hall to conclude with the discussion of the stand-up comedy represented by such comedians as Richard Pryor, George Carlin or Louis C.K. |
| Bibliography: |
Essays or book chapters: Noel Carroll, Humor: A Very Short Introduction. Simon Critchley On Humor Richard Zoglin’s Comedy at the Edge Megan Garber ‘How Comedians Became Public Intellectuals' Nancy Walker “What is Humor? Why American Humor?”; Judith Lee Yaross, “From the Sublime to the Ridiculous” Sigmund Freud, “Humor” Joseph Boskin and Joseph Dorinson, “Ethnic Humor: Subversion and Survival” in Nancy E. Walker ed. What’s so Funny? Gerald Mast “Comic Films” in Nancy E. Walker What’s So Funny? Jonathan Greenberg, Ch1 and ch2 from The Cambridge Introduction to Satire. John Morreall, Comic Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor Fredrick Jameson, Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism David Foster Wallace, David Foster Wallace "E Unibus Pluram: Television and U.S. Fiction." Alan Dundes, “A Study of Ethnic Jokes: the Jew and the Polack in the United States; recapitulation; all response papers due Books: Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn George Schuyler, Black No More Joseph Heller Catch 22 Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse Five Films: Modern Times (1936, dir. Charlie Chaplin) Jo Jo Rabbit (dir. Taika Waititi, 2019) Blazing Saddles (1974, dir. Mel Brooks) Annie Hall (1977, dir. Woody Allen) The Big Lebowski (1998, dir. Joel and Ethan Cohen) |
| Learning outcomes: |
K_W02 understand key terminology, well established methods and theories of linguistics, literary studies and culture studies within English studies K_W03 describe methodology and recent developments in English literary studies and culture studies K_W04 describe the relation between language, literature, and historical and cultural processes on an advanced level K_U01 employ the terminology and methodological tools from linguistics, literary studies and culture studies K_U02 employ the methodology of literary and culture studies within English studies, respecting the ethical norms and copyright law K_U03 analyze linguistic, literary and cultural phenomena and draw generalizations on their basis with respect to the social, historical and economic context K_K03 value responsibility for one’s own work and respect the work of others, adhering to the professional and ethical norms in various projects and other activities undertaken at work, voluntary services, etc. K_K04 apply the skill to critically assess communicated content to think and act independently in various social situations K_K05 function effectively in social and cultural interactions, through various forms and media, thanks to the ability to express oneself in a cohesive and lucid manner K_K06 value cultural heritage and cultural diversity |
| Assessment methods and assessment criteria: |
Course Work: Response Papers 60 percent Presentations of a stand-up 20 percent Presentation of either an essay, fiction or a film 20 percent three absences are permited Students taking classes have to demonstrate the knowledge of English at the B2+ level retake session: response papers |
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