Review of Texts

 Katie West 

April 14, 2021

Blog Post 

Wow, No Thank You began the semester on a strong note, Ibry boldly and unapologetically shares her true self, even the more grotesque aspects of human life. Ibry also acknowledges her identity with no fear and not holding back. Plato, Hobbes, Kant’s article offered me a more serious and deeper understanding of humor. Each philosopher brought very different ideas to the table, yet all provided a way of thinking that became a foundation while reading modern humor writings. Kolvenbach’s “Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice in US Jesuit Higher Education” tied the course back to Loyola University’s core of humanities and cura personalis. And Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail '' showed us the power of language, writing, and words--whether it is humorous or not. It was also my first time reading this important piece and I was able to relate to it in my other English classes. Similar to Ibry’s novel, Sedaris’s novel The Best of Me gave me another example of how humorous texts are read and published--something I was not familiar with. The only time I read comedy was for fun and not taken in a serious manner. However, The Best of Me did an excellent job tying in humor and serious, deep life subjects and lessons. Descartes, Spenser, Freud's pieces gave me a more psychological understanding of humor--something I found very interesting. We also discussed how laughter can alter our mood and mindset. Gbadegesin’s article Gender and Humor in social media memes provided me a sense of humor in a 2021 lens, social media. Our lives have been transformed and shifted due to the drastic advancement of technology and social media apps, causing Newspapers, magazines, and Publishing companies to close due to how we use social media as a platform to share more than the written press. Gbadegesin’s article shared how humor is shown in this new digital outlet. Bury My Heart at Chuck E Cheese’s by Tiffany Midge was not only elegant but also humorous and truthful. Midge introduces her reader to the lens of a Native American sharing sweet, and funny family stories while also highlight the discrimination and unjust treatment her culture faces. Similar to Gbadegesin’s article, Midge also relates a lot to modern-day humor. Tommy Orange’s There There continued the theme of Native American culture through a deeper lens. Orange offered a personal, complex, and eye-opening text to Native American Culture and coming of age. “Irony in There There” highlighted the element of humor in Orange’s novel that is somewhat hidden at first read. It also explores the literary element of irony and how it is taken and understood in more serious texts. “The Surprising Benefits of sarcasm” analyzed another aspect of humor, sarcasm, and how it affects literature and our daily lives. The article shares how sarcasm can cause conflict, however, the most sarcastic people are often the most creative. Why I Use Humor When Talking About My Sexual Assault brought light to a very and somber serious topic, yet in a freeing light. Myriam Gurba showed how she is openly discussing and writing on her sexual assault in a humorous manner, introducing a new lens on this subject. Ralph Ellison’s ‘American Humor’ ties in American History and Native American Culture as he notes and critiques America's history. Kalman’s Principles of Uncertainty introduced me to a new way of writing and a new type of story. Kalman’s book is filled with colorful images, and creative words to match the images. She is very fluid and notes on important, serious, historic events while keeping an upbeat tone.