Year 10 English Elective – Semester 2

Mrs Annabel Harris

What is laughter? What prompts us to laugh ? What is comedy? How is comedy performed?

The pretentious

Healing activity to help us feel better

From embarrassment, pain or fear E.g. Bawdy humour Political correctness

Slapstick Physical comedy Social and Political Satire Daily observational comedy Sit-coms Stand-up One-off jokes

USA Superbowl commercial

"When you look at Australians being funny, being amused by others, swapping blonde

jokes or talking about their favourite comedies on tv, you see...their bodies are

energised, their eyes are alight...Faced by a huge continent, so alien and desolate,

knocked around by droughts and bushfires and floods, early immigrants responded

with comedy. It helped the society to survive and eventually prosper."

John Marsden

The Chasers

Main purpose to attack some fault, pretension or hypocrisy by a person, society or nation. Aims to reveal abuses and ridicule them.

Works through exaggeration Analogy (ridiculous equivalent to real-

life) Reversal

Inappropriate use of confusing words which look or sound the sameKim: I just want to be effluentKath: You are effluent, Kim

Easily recognised characters The audience pre-judge and will either

approve or disapprove View satire of High School stereotypes View satire of High School stereotypes

after watching “Clueless”after watching “Clueless”

One person with a microphone Anecdotes, story with gags, series of

jokes Relies on charm, skill and confidence of

performer and reaction of audience