Essay #4: Humor & Identity
Background: In this unit, we’ll watch two comedy specials that function as monologues: Hannah Gadsby’s “Nanette” and Hasan Minhaj’s “Homecoming King.” We’ll also read two writers who use dark humor as a part of the theme of their piece: David Sedaris’s “And Now We Are Five” and Ryan Van Meter’s essay “First.” We’ll also read critical essays on humor itself, and consider how these theories can help us understand these artists’ messages.
Each of these writers/comedians uses (and sometimes challenges) the form of comedy itself in order to say something about who they are as people. The way they tell their story is as important as the story itself.
The task:
- Choose one or two of the artists from this unit (at least one must be a Gadsby or Minhaj), and then
- Write a 2,000-word essay answering the following questions: How do your chosen writer/artists use their humor to convey a serious message about identity? What is that message?
How to do it: More detail
In this unit, you will combine all the skills you’ve learned throughout the semester. A reminder of those skills:
- Essay 1: Close “reading” of literary elements
- Essay 2: Broader, structural reading and pattern-finding; integrating an outside source
- Essay 3: Analyzing the relationship between form and content
You will be considering how the writers and comedians in this unit use humor to convey their message. You can choose to compare a comedian with a writer, or just focus on a comedian. Either way, you will be putting the chosen texts in conversation with each other and considering what they are trying to say.
Remember to analyze means to break down. You should treat your chosen text(s) the way you would any of the texts we’ve read this semester. Consider their elements (specifically, elements of comedy, like the setup, the payoff, metaphors and similes, structure, word choice, tone, etc) and how those elements come together in order to convey a message about identity (a theme!).
In short, you will always be considering not only what the artists say, but, more importantly, how they say it. As always, each body paragraph should avoid summary and answer the so what? question.
Research Requirement:
This essay also has a researchrequirement:
- Integrate at least one of the critical sources we discuss in class/I provide for you, AND
- Use the library databases to find at least one additional source to help support your reading of the piece (this can be critical theory OR statistics).
Use your research to help you find that real-world connection and guide your thesis. Your source should be integrated in a meaningful way, rather than just thrown in as a single quote. Like we’ve been practicing in class, show how the outside text helps you interpret the message of the creative text(s).
Need help? Review our brainstorming notes, your homework and prewriting assignments, make an appointment at the writing center, and come to see me! I’m happy to help.
Requirements (what to do to pass)
(A essays do these things very well and are highly polished)
- 2,000 words minimum
- Demonstrate your analysis and close reading skills throughout
- Demonstrate knowledge of literary elements
- Include a compelling introduction that includes a hook, introduces your chosen texts, and includes a thesis
- Include evidence—each body paragraph should include at least one quote from either your chosen artist or a critical source
- Meaningfully include at least two critical sources: 1 from the list I provided, and 1 additional from the library’s databases
- Includes a conclusion that answers the “and now what?” question
- Be thoroughlyproofread (especially for homonyms and lowercase i’s)
- Demonstrate knowledge of sentence boundaries
- Demonstrate deliberate paragraphing choices (one main idea per paragraph)
- Include a title
- Use a 12-point, readable font
- Be double-spaced
- Include page numbers
- Include an MLA Works Cited page
- Be original work—As stated on the syllabus: You may not pay someone else to write your essay. You may not Google what others have said about the book and use that to come up with idea. All ideas must be your own. Our class time will help you generate your own ideas! You must write your paper yourself. Consulting sources that specifically discuss the story or the author, in physical print or online, will be considered cheating unless it is properly and judiciously documented.
Deadline Checklist
Thursday, 11/29: Draft thesis statement due (by midnight): We will work on your thesis statements in class. Please upload them to Canvas to get feedback from me before midnight, after class.
Friday, 11/30: Annotated bibliography due: Please upload your annotated bibliographies with at least two sources to Canvas before midnight on Friday to get feedback from me.
Please upload your rough drafts to Canvas before class on Tuesday, 12/4. Please also bring a hard copy to class
You must upload to Canvas before class in order to receive a grade. Please also bring a hard copy to class. As this is our final class, please do not forget any of these steps! After the semester is over, it’s hard to track people down if you forget to upload your draft, and you don’t want a missing digital copy to be the reason you don’t pass this class.
