Humor in Literature

ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND

This well-loved classic is the fanciful tale of a girl named Alice and her adventures in a dream world called Wonderland. She meets characters of all types, from the white rabbit and his pocket watch, to the smiling Cheshire cat. Everything in the story is whimsical, exciting, and still loved by readers everywhere.

"As she looked down at her hands, she was surprised to see that she had put on one of the Rabbit's little white kid-gloves while she was talking.

'How can I have done that?' she thought. 'I must be growing small again.'

OXYMORON

Here, in one of the many scenes where Alice becomes a different size, she uses an oxymoron. After eating a small cake which makes her grow until her head touches the ceiling, she begins to fan herself, and uses the common term "growing smaller" to describe what's happening. The word "growing" usually implies an increase in size, whereas "smaller" does not.

THE ADVENTURES OF

TOM SAWYER

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

A well known American classic, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a tale about the mischievous boy who attended his own funeral, witnessed a murder, and got trapped in a cave with the man who wanted to kill him. Set in the sleepy south, Tom and his friends find adventures in every form, from playing pirates, to actually finding treasure.

HYPERBOLE

"Huck found himself drawing closer and closer to the alley, fearing all sorts of dreadful things, and momentarily expecting some catastrophe to happen that would take away his breath. There was not much to take away, for he seemed only to inhale it by thimblefuls, and his heart would soon wear itself out, the way it was beating. Suddenly there was a flash of light, and Tom came tearing by him:

'Run!' said he; 'run for your life!'

He needn't have repeated it; once was enough; Huck was making thirty or forty miles an hour before the repetition was uttered."

In this scene two hyperboles are used. First, Twain describes Huck's breath as coming in "thimblefuls" . We know that this was not actually the case, as a thimbleful of oxygen would never be enough, but we can tell that out of fear, he was taking very shallow breaths. The next is used when it says that Huck was running "thirty or forty miles and hour". Obviously nobody can run this quickly, but it helps us to see that he was running as fast as he possibly could.

Anne of Green Gables is the enchanting story of a young orphan girl with a big imagination, who is mistakenly adopted into the town of Avonlea on Prince Edward Island. The story is both hilarious and heartwarming, as Anne makes mistakes and finds friends while growing up.

SITUATIONAL IRONY

"I shut my Jersey cow up in our pen yesterday. This morning I went to Carmody, and when I came back, I saw a Jersey cow in your oats. Diana and I chased her out and you can't imagine what a hard time we had. I was so dreadfully wet and tired and vexed - and Mr. Shearer came by that very minute and offered to buy the cow. I sold her to him on the spot for twenty dollars. It was wrong of me. I should have waited and consulted Marilla of course. But I'm dreadfully given to doing things without thinking - everybody who knows me will tell you that. Mr. Shearer took the cow right away to ship her on the afternoon train."

One of Anne's many confessions of a mistake is shown here at the beginning of the second book in the series, Anne of Avonlea. Anne has previously been told off by the temperamental Mr. Harrison for allowing her cow to trample his oat field. Unfortunately, this time it wasn't her cow...

"I went home and after tea I went out to the milking pen. Mr. Harrison," Anne leaned forward... "I found my cow still shut up in the pen. It was your cow I had sold to Mr. Shearer!"

Pride & Prejudice

LITTLE WOMEN

Pride and Prejudice (probably my favorite book ever) is the timeless romantic comedy written by Jane Austen, over 200 years ago. When the story begins, the witty but judgmental Elizabeth, finds Mr. Darcy to be arrogant and rude; his opinion of her is not much better. Throughout the course of the book events unfold in a hilarious and memorable drama, which teaches them both that things may not always be as they seem.

"Mr. Bennett, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves."

"You mistake me my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least."

SARCASM

Possibly one of the most sarcastic characters in history, Elizabeth Bennetts' father starts right off at the beginning of the book with witty and dry remarks. Here his sarcasm is used to irritate Mrs. Bennett, when he talks of his "high respect for her nerves".

Little Women (one of my all time favorites) is a fictional coming of age story about four sisters living during the civil war. They each face different problems which they must learn to make the best of, while making friends along the way, and ultimately stealing your heart.

"For you don't have to go to school with impertinent girls who plague you if you don't know your lessons, and laugh at your dresses, and label your father if he isn't rich..."

"If you mean libel, I'd say so, and not talk about labels as if papa was a pickle bottle," advised Jo, laughing."

MALAPROPISM

Here the youngest sister Amy uses the word "label" incorrectly in an attempt to show of her vocabulary. Her older sister Jo corrects her, making for a humorous scene, which endears us to Amy.

HUMOR IN LITERATURE