Public Restrooms

Being able to laugh at a stand up comedian is one of the best ways to remove yourself from the everyday grind for a few minutes. To get lost in the world of laughter almost has a medicinal affect. Dane Cook is a stand-up comedian that can most definitely take readers to the point where laughter actually hurts because you are laughing so hard and so much. In a Comedy Central clip Dane Cook does a performance about “Public Restrooms” this is a subject that people naturally tend to snarl those nose because people automatically think how nasty. He uses this common reaction to Public Restrooms to humor his audience. His eccentric movements are the majority of how his performances are so hysterical. He engages the audience by maintaining their attention because you don’t want to miss his energetic and random actions that go along with his jokes. In the public restroom skit one of the first thing that you really start laughing about is the way he talks about why is EVERYTHING wet? Then he acts out a shaggy dog shaking water everywhere, hilarious! He uses his wide range hand motions to help the audience imagine a public restroom where everything is wet. Also funny is his impersonation to someone relaxing as they walk into the restroom as his own response to why do people call it a restroom anyways? He then proceeds to make the audience laugh as he bashes on a common thing seen in public restroom stalls, graffiti, it is hilarious the way he “acts out” someone crapping and carving graffiti. He then makes another hilarious point when he talks about how people write they were there and then someone else crosses out that and puts they are a faget. He then goes on to talk about who comes back to check their graffiti anyways. Good point! Because it is such a common subject because most people have used a public restroom and how dramatic he is acting it out makes Dane Cook able to make hilarious performances on everyday subjects people experience.

YouTube Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl8K9TEBXh4&feature=related

Immoral, Unworthy, Lying...Bastard

Oscar Wilde used puns and witty dialogue throughout the entire drama, The Importance of Being Earnest. These comical lines allowed the audience to laugh their way through the unfolding story he has created to disprove Victorian social standards and culture. One specific joke that is immoral seems to justify the actions of Jack and Algernon. In the following dialogue Algernon is speaking to Jack-

Algernon: “Nothing will induce me to part with Bunbury, and if you ever get married, which seems to me extremely problematic, you will be very glad to know Bunbury. A man who marries without knowing Bunbury has a very tedious time of it.”

The interpretation of this sarcasm and satire states nothing can stop him from “Bunbury” (or living a double life) and if one were to get married he better know how to deceive his wife and “Bunbury”. He is saying husbands should know how to fool their own wife that they are going somewhere on important business, when really they are just going on a mini vacation for their pleasure. Along with the falseness of their absences, it suggests there is nothing wrong with the fact they are neglecting their personal duties. The corruption of this joke is within the context that he is treating such “behavior” and deceit with moral approval. There seems to be no importance placed on the value of truthful honesty inside the covenant of marriage. In contrast the joke suggests that marriage means the end of freedom, pleasure, wickedness, and the beginning of duty and following through with what is expected. Wilde probably used this dialogue to mock Victorian marriages suggesting that most husbands were living double lives and disregarding the importance of integrity in their marriage. No matter what the purpose of this wittiness, marriage should never be subjected to such humor. It is wicked to think before he even got married he had plans to be a lying bastard. The spectators of this play can clearly notice the immorality of the characters from the very beginning.

Endangered due to ignorance.

Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams is a book that is able to humor readers as they go through the adventures of traveling abroad to find endangered species. More importantly it makes readers question, why is this animal important to me, whether it survives or not? Initially, I was quite oblivious to the way this book would impact me. I immediately began to recognize my own ignorance as I realized in the beginning the fact that species were endangered or extinct did not bother me. It was people like me who caused these irreversible actions that led to the loss of the uniqueness of the planet. As Adams captured my attention in presenting a variety of species throughout the book and why they were beginning to be on the brink of extinction I saw the underlying common factor, humans. Humans tend to use land and resources that were once sacred habitats as means of whatever is most useful, or more likely what is most valuable for them. We make decisions to interrupt the natural roles of areas, which then impact multiple species on several ecological levels. The damage is done but we have gotten what was in our best interest. Adams suggested in the last part of the book that because of the extinction of the dodo we are “sadder and wiser” (204). On the next page Adams says “…we are now sadder and wiser but there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that we are merely sadder and better informed” (205). There is a valid point in these statements; we should have become wise because of the extinction, but as usual we failed to gain knowledge from a devastating loss. Although everyone’s passion might not be to save endangered species, the ones that do obtain that needed passion should not have to work alone. Others need to become aware of ways they can help also. It is only when people like Mark and Douglas take time to bring our attention to the numerous species that are endangered, do we even realize that we have created a problem. Adams make intrigues readers with his last statement “I have a terrible feeling that we are in trouble” (206). Adams leaves us with this remark to say that even after he has talked about so many different animals in danger we are really the ones in danger. We have to become more wise and aware of what we are losing. He thinks that humans’ destructive nature is more dangerous than anything else because the lack of understanding the uniqueness in the world we are losing. Our human mentality will be more difficult to change than preserving the last of any species. And Adams concluded this book best in his epilogue when he states why anyone should care, “And it is simply this: the world would be a poorer, darker, lonelier place without them”(213). Only wisdom on our behalf could see the importance every animal and plant has in our world. We should help in any way possible to keep them all in existence.

Vonnegut-Response to Question 13-Billy's happiest moment, or realization?

Throughout Slaughterhouse-Five Vonnegut uses strange events to catch reader’s attention and help the reader become more insightful to the underlying meaning of the text. On pages 250, and 251, is an example of the way a particular passage reveals Vonnegut’s view that he has cleverly been developing throughout the entire text. It is within two pages that he provides evidence for the readers to use in conclusion to the way Vonnegut feels about typical American’s behavior. As Vonnegut described Billy’s happiest moment- a nap in the sun after the war- Billy wakes up to a couple speaking to horses. After reading the pages that follow I was immediately able to understand why this could be Billy’s happiest moment. The illustration of a nap after the war, and waking up in the sun to what the couple expresses to him could be interpreted as symbolizing the way many Americans could have “woken up to the sun” or in other words the way the may have been shown the “light” in how insensitive Americans’ conduct had become. On page 250, “Billy opened his eyes.” Here is where the reader can anticipate a major idea is about to be revealed. Further in the text on page 251, “They were noticing what the Americans had not noticed—that the horses’ mouths were bleeding, gashed by bits…the horses were insane with thirst. The Americans had treated their form of transportation as though it were no more sensitive than a six-cylinder Chevrolet.” At this point the reader has most likely interpreted one very clear message Vonnegut is demonstrating. The way that Americans tend to treat things—as useful as they are to them in that moment, and as for the rest of time and purpose, and after they have thoroughly used it, there in no longer a need to be concerned with condition. Here the soldiers were more concerned with stealing remains from people who had been killed by tragedy and using animals to transport them in the process. The major issue is the way they are treating everything at this point, a lack of concern or care, there is no humanity remaining within their beings. It took the couple, as outsiders, to make Billy aware of just how horrific their actions resulted. When Billy’s reaction is described on page 252, “When Billy saw the condition of his means of transportation, he burst into tears. He hadn’t cried about anything else in war.” There are several things the author could want readers to interpret at this point. One major idea is that this is the first time Billy has been sensitive to something and it brings him to the reality of the devastation. Likewise, in analyzing the previous pages it could show the way Billy is beginning to comprehend how terrible war and destruction has been and it cannot continue to be unnoticed. Possibly the interpretation of the significance in these moments in the relation to the rest of the novel, it is the first time Billy truly realizes the destruction that Americans cause and the way they are also accustom to effortlessly ignoring the consequences. I believe that Vonnegut depicts many dislikable American characters and their behaviors’ in his novel to exemplify the way he feels about Americans, even though he is also American. Once again, unless it is directly affecting our being, it does not matter.

Vonnegut-Response to Question 3-Three Musketeer Bar?

Vonnegut has an exceptionally unique writing style throughout Slaughter House- Five. One aspect of his writing style and the effect he has on the readers is the way he mentions random details could easily go unnoticed, but, many times instead it will make the reader inquisitive. An example of this is on page 12, where Vonnegut notes the woman reporter eating a Three Musketeer Bar while talking about the death man that squashed by the car and elevator. After Vonnegut gives her the report it says that the woman reporter ask, “Did it bother you?” after he gives her details of what the squashed guy looked like. At the same time all this is she is also eating a Three Musketeer Bar. I have more than one opinion of why Vonnegut chose to mention the same woman was also eating the Three Musketeer Bar. I am not stating they are precisely the intention Vonnegut had, but is possible ways in which a reader could have interpreted the additional detail.

Previously, on page 11, Vonnegut describes how tough the reporters were that had taken the jobs of men that went to war. He also describes the women writer he spoke to as "beastly". Having this description before she asks the question suggests that the war made the writers tougher by experiencing harsher situations. Further, when Vonnegut notes she is casually eating a candy bar while discussing someone’s tragic death demonstrates her lack of concern and how the misfortune does not seem to have any distress on her at all. The fact that she asks the question, “Did it bother you?” shows how she is oblivious to the reality of devastation and disgust Vonnegut had already witnessed in the war and Dresden. I believe Vonnegut added the comment about her eating her Three Musketeer Bar in there to also show that commonly people could care less and not be bothered with death unless it directly influences their life. She is able to sit there and eat her chocolate while others, like Vonnegut are in the world experiencing death with his own eyes and memories. Death has a greater impression on those who have personally witnessed it.

Shit? Really...

Amber Faith- Blog 3

Growing up in a small town can be a blessing and a cursing. Especially when it is one of “those” small towns where everyone seems to know everything. Everyone is supposed to have the same views and thinking process as the surrounding culture. When you choose to vary from the “typical” you are extremely radical, and not always viewed as radical being a positive behavior. The culture is known to be very conservative and religious based. In these cultures, only in the right crowd is it allowable to use taboo words. A major taboo word like ‘shit’ seems irrelevant to a piece of poetic literature. This culture would be a prime example of who would probably not appreciate the works of A.R. Ammons. When we break through our cultural constraints we have the ability to form our own judgments, even down to the topic of literature. Through reading the poem by A.R. Ammons I began to use a completely different application to the word shit. Ammons creatively used a common biological process of life to demonstrate many varied forms to humor the readers with the taboo word shit. This author’s unusual word choice reveals that this poem is only intended for mature audiences with an intellectual insight to translate the humorous parenthetical and how they vary based on different animals. He used our general assumptions and thoughts of these very diverse animals to relate them altogether with the one thing that will certainly have in common, shitting. Ammons’ boldness to compose a witty and entertaining poem about shit shows he assumes the reader will be able to be open minded culturally in order to laugh at his atypical humor about shit. More than likely, he also intends his audience will have some understanding and appreciation for biology with the numerous and comical references he makes toward this subject specifically. A biological reference in the poem such as “caterpillar shit (so many dark kinds, neatly pelleted as mint seed.)” implies knowledge of the defecating process of a caterpillar. Even without biological knowledge lines such as “…bull shit (the classic)…” could also be found amusing. When I initially read this poem I thought that it was too absurd to find humor within the text. Finally, I allowed myself to be more open-minded and press beyond focusing on the taboo word, shit. Once I directed my focus more to analyzing the text and meanings behind the text I found it an insightfully different form of literature that made a typically disgusting word into the most hilarious word ever written in poetic form. A.R. Ammons is not so full of shit after all.

Thomas Hobbes points out Emma's imperfection

Chapter 7 from Jane Austen's Emma initially was not easy to understand without knowledge of the characters. By the end of the chapter one thing you did know and understand fully was the characteristics of Emma. She was the one the author chooses to use in demonstration a lesson. That lesson was to understand what is appropriate and what is inappropriate as a group of individuals are joking with one another. Emma seemed to cross the line of inappropriate in the scenario with Miss Bates. While reading this particular text I did not experience laughter as the scene unfolded. Although I did not experience laughter while reading, I did laugh as I watched it. I would label myself laughing at Emma’s joke towards Miss Bates as a shameful laugh. A shameful laughter is when you initially hear or see something you snicker at what has just happened but as time progresses and the situation unfolds more and generally becomes more awkward you realize you probably should have been more cautious when you laugh. It is easier to see and experience sympathy as you watch Emma’s cruel joke towards Miss Bates. The characters depict the tension much better actually watching it than the image that forms as you are reading. Thomas Hobbes targeted individuals of Emma’s character when he states “…And it is incident most to them that are conscious of the fewest abilities in themselves; who are forced to keep themselves in their own favor by observing the imperfections of other men.” As you translate this quote in application to the same scene were previously discussed, Hobbes makes it clearer why Emma targeted Miss Bates so harshly. We learn Emma is conscious about herself from how the author depicts her selfishness and need for attention. Because of these flaws in Emma, she chooses to target someone she saw with an “imperfection” to aid her insecurities by pointing them out to everyone, when in return she only end up showing her own imperfections. Thomas Hobbes is clever in the way he helps others see what is the cause of joking cruelly and why the “joker” seems to act in such an illogical way. Hobbes quote implies that we should have not laughed at Emma’s joke of Miss Bates as it shows the lack of ability in her own character. Joking and laughing at someone’s joke should be something that you think through before it is at someone else’s emotional expense.

“ A pleasant experience- one of life’s best.”

Amber Faith - Blog 1 [Laughter]

Laughter is the most vital emotional expression for a happy soul. The ability to laugh shows the freedom of peace and happiness. There is no better medicine for life than a laugh that brings you to tears. This expression seems to be one of the most contagious expressions. The reasons for the expression of laughter are not easily explained but, Robert Provine attempted to explain laughing when he quoted,

“ Another attraction of laughter is its remarkable contagiousness. Think of the lat time you sat in an audience, laughing and letting waves of laughter wash over you. A pleasant experience- one of life’s best. But consider now the primal nature of the animal chorus and the way the members of the audience synchronize their noises. How odd that we can’t help laughing when we hear others laugh.”

Provine points out early “its remarkable contagiousness” there is a great amount of truth within this portion of his quote. Think of instances where there were many individuals in a common area and someone began laughing and the reason for laughter was not even know to everyone but everyone still even without knowing why, naturally laughed also. It is commonly recognized and one of the reasons laughing is so enjoyable. Within Provine’s thoughts of laughter he shows the positivity in laughing, and that is what makes his statement an easy one to agree with in comparison to the other quotes about laughter, such as Charles Baudelaire’s quote. He makes a reference to being wise and making laughing something to fear. In my opinion his statement seems invalid to any happy soul. As I reflect on some of my happiest moments in life- I clearly see the connection to remembering times of laughter, especially when this laughing involved a group of people. During these times not only the event that was taking place brought us closer together, but it was also laughter that made us more secure making the memory enjoyable. Laughing has created the most memorable moments in life. Laughing is best summarized in Provine’s words “ A pleasant experience- one of life’s best.”