178k views
4 votes
In 2-3 well-developed paragraphs, analyze how humor devices are used to convey meaning. Use textual evidence to support your answer.

1 Answer

7 votes

Here's the excerpt;

"On turning round I saw that all the graves were open, that all the dead bodies had emerged from them, and that all had effaced the lies inscribed-engraved or written on the gravestones by their relations, substituting the truth instead. And I saw that all had been the tormentors of their neighbours-malicious, dishonest, hypocrites, liars, rogues, calumniators, envious; that they had stolen, deceived, performed every disgraceful, every abominable action, these good fathers, these faithful wives, these devoted sons, these chaste daughters, these honest tradesmen, these men and women who were called irreproachable. They were all writing at the same time, on the threshold of their eternal abode, the truth, the terrible and the holy truth of which everybody was ignorant, or pretended to be ignorant, while they were alive. I thought that SHE also must have written something on her tombstone, and now running without any fear among the half-open coffins, among the corpses and skeletons, I went toward her, sure that I should find her immediately. I recognized her at once, without seeing her face, which was covered by the winding-sheet, and on the marble cross, where shortly before I had read: "She loved, was loved, and died." I now say: "Having gone out in the rain one day, in order to deceive her lover, she caught a cold and died." * * * * * * * It appears that they found me at daybreak, lying on the grave unconscious."

Step-by-step explanation:

Interestingly, from the text, the author captivates the attention of his reader by employing humorous (funny/amusing) words to express what is in the mind of his narrator. For example, by saying "They (the dead) were all writing at the same time, on the threshold of their eternal abode, the truth, the terrible and the holy truth of which everybody was ignorant, or pretended to be ignorant, while they were alive" would certainly amuse most readers about what the truth is which they wrote.

Also, the most humorous device used came when he said "before I had read: "She loved, was loved, and died." I now saw". Obviously, at this point the reader wants to know what he now saw, he proceeded to state what he saw; "Having gone out in the rain one day, in order to deceive her lover, she caught cold and died". Yes, the moment finally came with the statement "in order to deceive her lover, she caught a cold and died" suggesting to the reader about the deadly consequence of planning evil against another.

User AymKdn
by
6.4k points