Melissa P. Brown Black Comedy, Why?
4/19/15
Wow
what a shocking turn from the event of Arnold’s first ball game to but a
wonderful and mature ending. The
Absolutely True Diary of an American Indian, displays its biggest strength,
which is using its simply language to give Arnold a sense of humor and
realistic positivity even in the dark parts of his life, more then ever then in
these final chapters. An example include chapter “Red versus White.” “Red versus White” starts off with Arnold
describing how wonderful and “tolerant” his grandmother is but only to confess
to the reader that a drunk driver had struck and killed her. Arnold’s dialogue
describes his thoughts on his grandmother death using black comedy. The next
two characters, involving the death of Eugene and his sister, work out in a
similar fashion but less and less so by the end of the last of these chapter. I
begin to wonder why the novel uses its black comedy to describe such heart
braking moments, moments that affect the character so deeply. Direct examples
include Arnold’s comics on page 170 and 171. Not all of the dialogue uses it
but the black comedy is still there. But looking back I realized Arnold’s black
comedy was Arnold trying to keep his rational mind but also bring himself
comfort in these situations.
1. Do
you think the black comedy was appropriately used and used well?
2. Do
you think the way Arnold thinks in these situations? Would you have thought the
same?
3. What
was your favorite moment in the book that used black comedy and did it well?
I think that the dark humor that Alexie employs in the book represents both his and Arnold's way of dealing with tragedy. If sadness can become a comic, a book, or at very least an ironic, darkly humorous memory, it is easier for one to disassociate with it. In the end, i think it saved him. Had Arnold fallen to pieces after the first death in the story, he would have been obliterated by the time his sister passed. I can't say that i react the same way to tragedy that Arnold/Alexie do. I find stoicism much more therapeutic than humor. Laughing can quickly get out of hand and roll right in to weeping. This our protagonist knows all too well.
ReplyDeleteI agree i think that it's Arnold's coping mechanism, throughout the book he utilizes it when ever he is uncomfortable or sad, so of course he would use it at his grandmother's death. I think it was used well because it shows how Arnold was hurt and also offered a good juxtaposition of coping, him and his humor his dad and his drinking.
ReplyDeleteBlack comedy was appropriately written in this book; Arnold presented his situation with humor. It was a way of adapting and adjusting to the horrible life of reservation inhabitants. Without humor, there would be no hope. There would be no spunk and defiance within the despair.
ReplyDeleteI think his sense of humor is very fitting with the way the novel is told. I feel like some it comes out of bitterness and maybe some grudges. Also, one of me easiest ways of getting through a very tough time is through laughing about it. Even if it is hysterically after his sister died in the end.
ReplyDeleteI probably would not have thought in the same way junior did, because I didn’t have those experiences. I can understand him, and try to sympathize, but I don’t think I could think the same if I were in his situations.