Garga Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 (edited) My family has a quirky sense of humor and we pride ourselves on the fact. I was thinking that somewhere in high school, I'd like to do a "Humor in Literature" class. Any suggestions? I was thinking of Rumpole of the Bailey books, books by P.G. Wodehouse, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...and what else? Do you think I should stick to fiction? Or should I add some Dave Barry or Bill Bryson or Irma Bombeck in there? I probably need a solid 10 books to read to make it into a year's worth of reading. Edited August 21, 2016 by Garga_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in SA Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 You could certainly do a course on comedy and humor. Throw in Shakespeare, Moliere, Swift, et al, and you have humor through the ages. I don't think it matters in the least as to whether it is all fiction, or a mix of fiction, drama, and nonfiction. I think the key is going to be in how you make it a serious topic. It should be structured like a college literature class would be - lots of analysis and comparative essays, and studies of literary devices which are particularly effective in comedic literature. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 This sounds like a great idea! And I think it would be totally appropriate to include nonfiction works as well. You could also spend a little time analyzing the similarities and differences between how literature and film approach humor. Also comic strips, that sort of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amateur Actress Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Oscar Wilde...The Inportance of Being Earnest or The Ideal Husband George Bernard Shaw-Pygmalion Noel Coward-Blithe spirit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 (edited) You could discuss works typically included in lit. classes but focus on the humor. Huck Finn Pride and Prejudice some of Eudora Welty's stories Catch-22 Cold comfort Farm Edited August 21, 2016 by Penelope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 If you like Dave Barry you could do his fiction books or maybe Carl Hiassen.....I think they're both hysterical. (And have new books out next month yay!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 (edited) My family has a quirky sense of humor and we pride ourselves on the fact. I was thinking that somewhere in high school, I'd like to do a "Humor in Literature" class. Any suggestions? I was thinking of Rumpole of the Bailey books, books by P.G. Wodehouse, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...and what else? Do you think I should stick to fiction? Or should I add some Dave Barry or Bill Bryson or Irma Bombeck in there? I probably need a solid 10 books to read to make it into a year's worth of reading. Bear in mind that for high school literature you'll need to *do* something with the works, other than just read them. While you can have some works that are read "just for exposure", you do have to "work" with a number of the books in some way to advance your studies in Literature. :) I do think a humor Literature is do-able. Just something to keep in mind: a lot of humorous works really wouldn't be studied, just read for enjoyment, so you'd have to think carefully what the goals are and what the "output" would be, as a typically, high school Literature is read, discussed, analyzed, written about, or has some other sort of output to show thinking and learning as a result of having read the work. Perhaps some of the works could be book basket solo reads for fun -- or read in support of the studied works? Works that might be more "study-able" (lol) than others: poets/poems - Ogden Nash - Edward Lear - Lewis Carroll - Billy Collins - My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Shakespeare) - Vision of Judgment (Lord Byron) - Resume (Parker) - Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House (Collins) - So You Want to Be a Writer (Bukowski plays - Shakespeare comedies - Pygmalion (Shaw) - The Importance of Being Earnest (Wilde) short stories - Lamb to the Slaughter (Dahl) -- black humor/irony - The Open Window (Saki) - The Ransom of Red Chief (Henry) - stories by James Thurber -- The Catbird Seat; The Secret Life of Walter Mitty... novellas - Farmer Giles of Ham (Tolkien) - Our Man in Havanna (Greene) novels - The Eyre Affaire (Fforde) - Mark Twain: Adventures of Tom Sawyer; A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Adams) types of humor comedy of manners - Northanger Abbey (Austen) - Pickwick Papers (Dickens) parody - Club of Queer Trades (Chesterton) -- short story collection parodying Sherlock Holmes mysteries satire - Alexander Pope poetry, such as "Rape of the Lock" - A Modest Proposal (Swift) - Candide (Voltaire) - excerpts from Don Quixote (Cervantes) - works by William Thackeray (personally, I despise his work for being so mean-spirited, but he is a good example of satire) - Thank You for Smoking (Buckley) heavy irony - Letters from the Earth (Twain) absurdist - Nikolai Gogol works: Diary of a Madman - A Confederacy of Dunces (Toole) - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Thompson) - Good Omens (Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman) "black humor" - The Loved One (Waugh) -- or others by Waugh - short stories by Flannery O'Connor -- "Southern Grotesque" -- she spoke of the humor she found in her "grotesque" portrayals of flawed characters who usually can't see their own foibles bawdy humor - some of the Canterbury Tales Edited August 21, 2016 by Lori D. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted August 21, 2016 Share Posted August 21, 2016 Just putting a plug in for Three Men in a Boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted August 21, 2016 Author Share Posted August 21, 2016 Bear in mind that for high school literature you'll need to *do* something with the works, other than just read them. While you can have some works that are read "just for exposure", you do have to "work" with a number of the books in some way to advance your studies in Literature. :) I do think a humor Literature is do-able. Just something to keep in mind: a lot of humorous works really wouldn't be studied, just read for enjoyment, so you'd have to think carefully what the goals are and what the "output" would be, as a typically, high school Literature is read, discussed, analyzed, written about, or has some other sort of output to show thinking and learning as a result of having read the work. Perhaps some of the works could be book basket solo reads for fun -- or read in support of the studied works? Works that might be more "study-able" (lol) than others: poets/poems - Ogden Nash - Edward Lear - Lewis Carroll - Billy Collins - My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Shakespeare) - Vision of Judgment (Lord Byron) - Resume (Parker) - Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House (Collins) - So You Want to Be a Writer (Bukowski plays - Shakespeare comedies - Pygmalion (Shaw) - The Importance of Being Earnest (Wilde) short stories - Lamb to the Slaughter (Dahl) -- black humor/irony - The Open Window (Saki) - The Ransom of Red Chief (Henry) - stories by James Thurber -- The Catbird Seat; The Secret Life of Walter Mitty... novellas - Farmer Giles of Ham (Tolkien) - Our Man in Havanna (Greene) novels - The Eyre Affaire (Fforde) - Mark Twain: Adventures of Tom Sawyer; A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Adams) types of humor comedy of manners - Northanger Abbey (Austen) - Pickwick Papers (Dickens) parody - Club of Queer Trades (Chesterton) -- short story collection parodying Sherlock Holmes mysteries satire - Alexander Pope poetry, such as "Rape of the Lock" - A Modest Proposal (Swift) - Candide (Voltaire) - excerpts from Don Quixote (Cervantes) - works by William Thackeray (personally, I despise his work for being so mean-spirited, but he is a good example of satire) - Thank You for Smoking (Buckley) heavy irony - Letters from the Earth (Twain) absurdist - Nikolai Gogol works: Diary of a Madman - A Confederacy of Dunces (Toole) - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Thompson) - Good Omens (Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman) "black humor" - The Loved One (Waugh) -- or others by Waugh - short stories by Flannery O'Connor -- "Southern Grotesque" -- she spoke of the humor she found in her "grotesque" portrayals of flawed characters who usually can't see their own foibles bawdy humor - some of the Canterbury Tales Yes! This is exactly the sort of thing I was thinking of, but didn't know how to articulate it or form it. I mean, I just thought up the idea this morning. Lori, HOW do you do this?!?! How do you come up with so much information in so many categories on the fly? Why aren't you a speaker at all the homeschool conventions? You teach us all so much about how to do homeschooling. I have a couple of years to think over this, but you're right that there needs to be decent output. I'll need to come up with some essay ideas for each book and some sort of comparison/contrast among the various works. But the first step was to even think of a bunch of titles--particularly ones that are by well-known and respected authors. I think your post covers that! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 (edited) Yes! This is exactly the sort of thing I was thinking of, but didn't know how to articulate it or form it. I mean, I just thought up the idea this morning. Lori, HOW do you do this?!?! How do you come up with so much information in so many categories on the fly? Why aren't you a speaker at all the homeschool conventions? You teach us all so much about how to do homeschooling. It amazes even me how procrastinating on my getting own work done, coupled with the "shiny" of someone else's exciting new project, sparks an "overflow of ideas post"… ;) And… thanks for the sweet thought, but I realize I don't need homeschool conventions when you guys are my willing victims… er, audience! :tongue_smilie: :smilielol5: ...I have a couple of years to think over this, but you're right that there needs to be decent output. I'll need to come up with some essay ideas for each book and some sort of comparison/contrast among the various works. But the first step was to even think of a bunch of titles--particularly ones that are by well-known and respected authors. I think your post covers that! And if you wanted, you could do a 9-week unit of humorous Lit. each year of high school, if it feels too overwhelming to do put together an entire year's program… just a thought! :) Have fun planning and researching! Warmest regards, Lori D. Edited August 22, 2016 by Lori D. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 For output, instead of an analysis paper you could have the student write a piece modeled on one of the signature styles. For example a satire or a humorous personal story a la Erma Bombeck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 One assignment we did for an online class was to analyze a tv comedy show to see which aspects of Latin New Comedy it included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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