Final answer:
Humor helps to create laughter and can deflate the perceived danger of societal taboos, but it does not help in effectively conveying serious thematic messages as it might distract audiences from the intellectual substance of a text.
Step-by-step explanation:
Humor, as a literary technique, is used to generate hilarity and laughter, featuring characters in comedies that face practical choices rather than ethical ones, depicted through questions like how to stealthily take something without getting caught. These situations are designed to have a happy ending and are relatable because they feature common people, often without much psychological depth. In terms of what humor does not help you to do, one primary limitation is that it does not necessarily aid in conveying serious, thematic messages, as it may distract from the intellectual understanding of a text. This becomes especially relevant when writers use techniques like irony and satire to criticize society or institutions. While humor can defuse dangerous situations by making them laughable, allowing people to feel relief from societal pressures, it simultaneously risks undermining the gravity of the subject matter. Consequently, being funny while also delivering a serious message is a delicate balance for a writer to achieve.