Response to R. Eric Thomas

     Out of each of the works we have read thus far in the semester, Here For It stands out as one of my favorites. R. Eric Thomas does a brilliant job combining bold puns and jokes with powerful insights and messages of hope. Oftentimes, I found myself laughing out loud at the satire in one paragraph, and reflecting on the profoundness of the very next paragraph. Thomas' style of writing with lighthearted humor and jokes becomes increasingly familiar to readers as the essays progress, allowing them to feel as though Thomas is an old friend. Personally, I feel that this sense of connection through humor allowed the more serious insights to impact me harder, because of the comfortability I felt with Thomas' voice and personality. 

    In the essay, "Someone is Wrong on the Internet," Thomas speaks of his use of satire in an article to expose the harsh realities of racism on a college campus. He notes, "my goal was for people to read it and say, 'you are very funny, and racism is bad.'... in the intervening years, I've learned how to be more, what's the phrase? Successfully funny" (90). His insight connects back to the idea that his writing exhibits an even balance between humor and activism. He is able to use his humor to make difficult topics easier to talk about and understand, for example, racism, homophobia, and mental health. As he notes, this skill of using humor to shed light upon injustices is one that must be refined with practice. However, it can be one of the most powerful in starting difficult conversations and raising awareness.

    One of my favorite essays featuring this use of humor to shed light upon important issues is the Epilogue. This essay takes the form of a satirical script in which future versions of Thomas speak to a 19-year-old Thomas, reassuring him that he must hold onto hope, for, all will work out in the future. The "script" is choc full of chiding remarks and jokes between each version of Thomas, for example, Fifty-One claiming that "the future is very yikes," or Seventy-Five questioning, "do you not know Beyoncé?" (249-252). However, beyond the humorous and satirical overtones of the essay, lies an important message about mental health, and persevering through even our darkest of moments. I found this writing to be some of the most profound of the entire collection, as the future Thomas' reassure Nineteen that "things get better" and that he will "find a way to gather himself up and push himself into the next day" (253). This reassurance was especially poignant knowing the mental and emotional struggles that Thomas endured throughout his life. The idea of a room full of Thomas' of all ages is a humorous one, however, the wisdom and insights that each version of Thomas provides in regards to holding onto hope cannot be undermined.