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  Matthew Spear Dr. Juniper Ellis EN346D.01 Seminar: Humor Studies 27 Mar c h 2023 Humor and Sexual Assault             In the article “Why I Use Humor When Talking About My Sexual Assault” by Myriam Gurba, the author speaks on why she chooses to use a humorous and comedic tone when talking about her sexual assault. She cites the reverent and near-pious language used within society to discuss the sensitive topic of sexual assault. She says “According to [prevailing storytelling methods about sexual assault], experiencing sexual violence is the worst moment in a survivor’s life, period. It centers violation as a baptismal experience that defines one’s person and in many ways, all womanhood.” (Gurba 2018). She seeks to break down this language and says that though many believe rape culture makes sexual assault too normalized in society, she thinks it is not normalized enough, and that our hesitancy to discuss it except in the most careful of language reflects society’s trepidat

  Laura Latham  EN 446D 01  March 27, 2023 Comedy and Social Justice These articles are centered around comedy’s place in areas of social reform, which is the most prevalent focus of modern comedy. The impact of comedy in social justice is astronomical. For instance, in the Gurba article, she is using comedy to address her experience with sexual assault which is a large issue in the United States and internationally. She uses the joke about not wearing the correct underwear to be raped. This allows the audience to laugh because they understand not wearing appropriate clothing and underwear for an occasion, but at the same time, the audience can think of how her situation differs in that wearing the wrong pair of underwear was the least uncomfortable part of her day. The audience then is forced to put themselves in Gurba’s shoes and understand that there should be a solution to prevent these sort of atrocities from occurring. The Comedy and Social Justice article also expresses how co

     After reading, all I could think about is if anyone would be offended after reading Gurba's article or her  book about  using humor to talk about sexual assault. She writes , " I tell myself silly stories in order to  laugh  because I’ve been   sexually assaulted   a nd sometimes, rape seems like the sickest practical  joke  ever invented" (Gurba). I think part of Gurba is pointing of the fact that we have not found  the  right way to talk about sexual assault seriously or maybe that we might never find a way to  talk  about it. But, in the meantime, Gurba is going to explore what works best for her to talk about  her  own experience.  The humor that she finds in her sexu al assault is totally justifiable. We  would  never label sexual assault as a funny topic but Gurba wants to be able to use humor so  survivors  are allowed "to really be alive" (Gurba).  She says that a lot of the language surrounding  sexual  assault fails us.      Recently in another li

 Humor can create a sense of intimacy for the subjects that we have deemed taboo. We see it with how we approach sex, mental health, and social justice. The conversations necessary to promote and educate ourselves on these topics have been deemed uncomfortable and inappropriate to the point that many of us would prefer to ignore the issues altogether. However, humor allows us to bridge the gap between, as Gurba put it, "the intersection of horror and humor." It is not the only way to discuss such topics, of course, but it is a meaningful way to approach them for those who would otherwise avoid them because of their serious nature.  When it comes to joking about serious matters, the line is drawn with experience. A person who has never been sexually assaulted can only go so far as to joke about something like sexual assault until it becomes offensive because it  begins to isolate them from their audience and make light of a situation they don't know intimately. For example

 When discussing complex subjects, condolences and solemn voices are utilized as individuals navigate the sensitivity of the horrific topic. I, too, treat instances of sexual assault and rape with the highest sensitivity and care, although Myriam Gurba channels a different approach when aggressing her encounter of rape. She jokes, saying, “I wasn’t really dressed for rape:” when talking about the cheetah wedges she wore while chasing down her assaulter. These instances are so tragic and devastating, so why, ever, would we address them with comedy? I think the answer to this question is that if the comedy is perpetuating healing, it is healthy for victims of SA to express their tragedy through humorous coping. That being said, it is never appropriate for the perpetrator of SA to joke about it in any way, shape, or form or for those who have not experienced SA to joke about it. Doctor Jack Saul claims that “a survivor’s ability to exercise spontaneity is his sign” of healing and recovery

      These two short pieces were truly poignant, presenting noteworthy insights on humor's ability to make difficult topics easier to talk about. Oftentimes, issues such as assault can bring about traumatic memories and negative emotions. For this reason, it is difficult to find the words to even begin to discuss the issue. While it may not come to mind initially, humor proves to be successful in starting these heavy conversations, and continuing to shed light upon these issues.      Throughout the readings, I was struck by numerous ideas, one being the phrase, "comedy should be 'punching up,' not 'punching down'" (Spitfire). In other words, using humor to cultivate positivity and support, as opposed to using it at the expense of others, is an effective way to build a group of united activists. We will be more motivated to speak out about injustices in society when we feel comfortable enough to discuss the issue.      I found Gurba's piece on using hu

  Joshua Singh Sexual Assault and Humor Both articles approach the topic of sexual assault in a very different manner than one would expect. Regardless, the authors provide a new understanding of the intersection that exists between humor and sexual assault. The Time article explains the author’s approach to her own sexual violence experiences. She compares how sexual violence is usually approached in a very solemn manner and how the victim’s story is told using very religious language, and she believes this language or way of approaching a victim’s sexual violence experiences distances the victim from us. The author explains that a new approach of spontaneity is needed. She explains that “Humor, however, disrupts stasis. Humor is a form of action. It requires spontaneity” (Time). By using humor when approaching such a grueling topic, the victim is humanized more and brought closer to the audience. Her explanation is reminiscent of the incongruity theory article. By approaching a ver

  Victoria S  Dr. Ellis  Comedy and Social Justice  I would agree with the overarching statements in both articles. I think that we tend to use humor because the world is depressing enough. It is easier to talk about depressing things without making them even sadder- we might as well laugh, but it will not stop them from happening. For women, it does not shock me that we use humor to cope with sexual assault- it is an easy way to deflect. Even if it does not go as far as assault- I know if something weird happens to my friend or me at a bar involving a man, instead of focusing on how bad it could have been, we exchange looks and laugh. Acknowledging the fear is always there, but it is easier to just laugh something off and not let it ruin our night.  We talked a few weeks ago about how comedy can inspire new people to care about issues they hadn’t in the past- and I think that is based on relatability. If I laugh at something I am not familiar with, I think I am way more likely to Go

 

“Spontaneity can only happen when avoiding death or injury stops being a survivor’s primary concern. Spontaneity happens when one is able to dwell in a moment for its own sake.” If you can use humor to communicate an experience, you have healed; its memory can no longer cause you pain. Rather, you are able to use it to educate, direct action, and advocate through telling your story. I don’t agree with the narrative that victims should “look the part” or speak of their experience at a general pace or with certain emotions; when in shock, everyone reacts differently! Someone can be crying, laughing, nervous, void of emotion, non-responsive etc.    Honestly, the term “rape culture” is something I had to search up because it sounded appalling and horrifying. For those three seconds while my screen loaded, all I thought was “Please don’t be the normalization of rape.” I don’t know why I expected something different if I know the statistics and have heard the stories. The statement, “I disag

     Thinking back to the readings we did for last class, looking at how humor functions in conversations surrounding death or depression, humor was often used to act as a relief from the anguish or dread that surrounds the topic. Making yourself or your audience laugh redirects and alleviates some of the uncomfortable feelings. While Gurba doesn’t cite this as her primary purpose when writing about her experience being sexually assaulted, I do think that it serves a similar role in her article. While recounting her own experience she ends the paragraph by telling the reader that she “wasn’t really dressed for rape” and recounts the sound of her leopard print wedges on the sidewalk. It's observation that is tonally in stark contrast to the previous description of the encounter. This use of humor provides relief to the reader and the writer while addressing the event.      Gurba also writes that the reason she uses humor in her writing is to push back on society’s imag

           Myriam Gurba's op-ed is extremely real, vulnerable, and completely valid. Sexual assault is a stain  on our society and humanity in general, so it has become something that people do not really want to talk  about. However, if we think back to the "Death over Dinner" insights, the author of that article said that  people often use humor to talk about things they are most scared of. Would it not make sense for  survivors of sexual assault to use humor in their healing process then as well? Gurba writes about the  importance of spontaneity in the healing process, and says "Humor, however, disrupts stasis. Humor is a  form of action. It requires spontaneity, and that's what's missing from the pious scripts about sexual  assault that bother me. They don't allow survivors to really be alive," (Gurba).           As we have said before in class, time and place matters when considering humor surrounding sexual  assault. This seems like something t

  Matthew Spear Dr. Juniper Ellis EN346D.01 Seminar: Humor Studies 20 Mar c h 2023 The Principles of Uncertainty             Maria Kalman’s The Principles of Uncertainty cries out to me as a desperate attempt to portray a faux reconciliation with death which the author may not be as comfortable with as she might like to believe. Kalman returns to the theme of death, and more specifically, the finite nature of life, multiple times during this book of illustrations and thoughts, For example, in the first section she uses exclamations such as “POOF” and “Goodbye *blank*” multiple times to refers to the passing or extinction of species and people such as Dodo birds, Baruch de Spinoza, and Johannes Kepler. In this manner I see the thin veil of Kalman’s nonchalant demeanor slipping. I believe based on my impressions from this boom that Kalman would like to believe herself to be and portray herself as someone who is comfortable with mortality, comfortable enough even to make light o

                There are big questions in Kalman’s   The Principles of Uncertainty.  She uses her art in tandem with handwritten passages in the style of diary entries. She questions (to name a few) the purpose of life, war, and death all in less than 400 pages. In the first section of Kalman’s work she presents the reader with a map of the United States—absurd and endearring in how wrong it is. Pennsylvania is down by Texas , Florida takes up the place where Maryland would be, and Hawaii (no longer an island) makes a new home in New England. As we read on, in Kalman’s handwritten font, she divulges that her mother drew this for her: “This is the world through her eyes” (9). She shares many different stories throughout her work, each feeling as ephemeral as the next. She doesn’t share (typically) the grandest story that each of the notable have but more so the “little” details of their lives: their friends, their family, and their knick-knacks. The way she stylizes the people she draw

  Joshua Singh EN 346D Dr. Ellis 20 March Principles of Uncertainty Maria Kalman’s Principles of Uncertainty presents an entirely new structure of narration that we can understand through a humor study lens. Kalman’s book is defined by its inability to be defined; every page has something vastly different than the previous but still has a loose connection through Kalman’s narration. For example, the book begins with her asking, “How can I tell you everything in my heart? Impossible to begin” with the next pages referencing philosopher Baruch Spinoza’s attempts to find the meaning of life (Kalman 2-4). The humor aspect of this book is presented through this pattern. She presents a facet of her life or one of her experiences and then relates it to something else in life that is so distant and random it works.  Her narration style is also representative of the human consciousness. Her sentences are rather short and seem to cut off as the next idea emerges on the page. She tells the re

       Kalman's thoughts and perceptions about everyday people, objects and situations are beautiful. Her  ideas and painting are so random however in the perfect place. Kalman reiterates the idea that no one's  perceptions about the world are neither correct or incorrect. She points out simple actions that happen  every day to possibly help us understand the beauty in these actions. There's one painting of a woman at a  dinner party putting on red lipstick and Kalman writes under it "The application of lipstick" (137).  I love  these small little actions that she includes in this book because all of these actions lead to a bigger  picture. This woman is applying lipstick, why? Because she is at a dinner party and wants to look nice,  why? Maybe because this is how she wants to present herself. The questions could go on and on but they  are part of the bigger picture of dinner parties or social gatherings. There's a purpose to why we say and  do things and the

Maria Kalman’s The Principles of Uncertainty is a delightful and thought-provoking meditation on the human experience, legacies, and the meaning of life. The book is nothing short of a visual experience, its pages covered in whimsical painted illustrations and populated with handwritten captions and related thoughts. Kalman takes a stream-of-consciousness approach in her writing, flowing from one idea to another with seemingly no rhyme or reason, accompanied by stylized visuals that overall create the effect of having been placed inside Kalman’s completely sensational brain. She has such an eye for detail, and such an obvious love for humanity and the people around her, whether these people are her family, friends, or complete strangers. Strangers, in fact, she seems to enjoy especially, their gently painted visages and colorful clothing populating a great number of pages. Towards the end of her book, Kalman introduces her family first as strangers before bringing up her relation to

  Sophia Starkey   Dr. Ellis EN 346D  19 March 2023 Principles of Uncertainty Response             The idiosyncratic inner monologue that Maira Kalaman presents is exceptionally relatable and incredibly touching. She constantly is in a tug of war with Time and what anything means if it all disappears one day. She recollects “the realization that (you/me) going to die and the attending DISBELIF- is not that the central premise of everything? It stops me dead in my tracks a dozen times a day. Do you think I remain frozen? No. I spring into action. I find meaningful distraction” (46). I, too, have had the inevitable dread about the deeper meaning of everything I am doing and how my worries and anxieties are nonsense because they cannot change a thing. Her mention of meaningful distraction is so prevalent in finding meaning and purpose. I, too, can appreciate the beauty and elegance of fruit platters or sitting in a garden. Some things do not need to be pressing. Everything is not a fire d

 

  Laura Latham  EN 446D 01 March 20, 2023 The Principles of Uncertainty In her January 3, 2007 chapter, Maria Kalman breaks from her drawings and uses photos of people walking through New York City to show that everyone is on their own path, and that no matter what that path is, it is forward. She portrays this well by showing photographs of people who were dressed differently and visibly came from different walks of life. She ties in the message that even though they are different, they can all relate to each other. The words she uses to go along with these photographs are relatable to all and shows a sense of unity in the human experience. For instance, on page 201, along with the picture of the older woman, she writes “my eyes are so tired looking. Tired eyes. But I do not want to have plastic surgery. I want to grow old gracefully. Naturally. Is such a thing possible”. Although the decision of having plastic surgery isn’t universal, wondering and worrying about the future and wha