Incongruity In American Culture

In Nancy Mairs’ article for The New York Times, “Disability”, published in 1987, she expresses her distaste with the media's representation of handicapped people. Mairs, who struggled with multiple sclerosis herself, clearly and sharply conveys this disgust by stating, “I’m not, for instance, Ms. MS, a walking, talking embodiment of a chronic incurable degenerative disease.” (Mairs 13), and that she is actually, “the advertisers’ dream: Ms. Great American Consumer. And yet the advertisers, who determine nowadays who will get represented publicly and who will not, deny the existence of me and my kind absolutely”(Mairs 14). Mairs is greatly upset that disabled people are defined by their disabilities and, therefore, are underrepresented in public media. This might lead to one asking themselves, but why are they? And the answer, according to Mairs, is quite simple, “To depict disabled people in the ordinary activities of daily life is to admit that there is something ordinary about disability itself, that it may enter anybody’s life”(Mairs 14). Mairs concludes by pointing out how this effacement could have dangerous consequences for both disabled people and, as she called everyone else, TAPs (Temporarily Abled Persons) alike. Treating disabilities as an abnormal characteristic (as opposed to viewing them “as a normal characteristic, one that complicates but does not ruin human existence” (Mairs 15)) can cause one of these repercussions, as it makes the

For example, when Melvin and Priscilla were being treated poorly by Monk, “...Priscilla had Monk in a hammerlock” (peck 345). The author uses unusual situations to create humor. This hilarious situation creates humor because Priscilla, a female, takes on the bully of the school, Monk. This creates an ironic, comic situations because you would never expect a girl to beat up a boy. This produces chuckles and grins from the readers since Priscilla play the role of a bigger person. Another example of a comic situation is when Priscilla had stuffed “..Monk into her own locker” (Peck 345). This laughable situation creates humor because Priscilla again plays the role of a bigger person by standing up for herself and the other students who had been bullied by Monk and his Kobras. The way the author described how Priscilla stood up to the bully resulted in the audience smiling and snickering. In summary, the comic situations in this short story display humor in forms of chuckles and snickers from the

One of the categories discussed is humor and how it may be one of the hardest tones to successfully incorporate in literature. Despite the variety of examples provided the inclusion of “Me Talk Pretty One Day” will further magnify the ways humorous material can be translated. In this particular pice Sedaris demonstrates humor through the use of tricolons. For example, this is seen when he compares himself to his classmates. He describes it as being uncomfortable because “ they were all young, attractive, and well-dressed, causing me to feel not unlike Pa Kettle trapped backstage after a fashion show”(Sedaris 11). As a result, by making reference to a model while continuing to describe how out of place he felt gives the reader a better sense

“As his vacant eyes moved across the crowd of amused onlookers, he slowly mirrored their smiles and finally broke into an uncertain grin at the joke which he obviously did not understand. I felt sick inside as I looked at his dull, vacuous smile, the wide, bright eyes of a child, uncertain but eager to please. They were laughing at him because he was mentally retarded. And I had been laughing at him too. Suddenly, I was furious at myself and all those who were smirking at him. I jumped up and shouted, "Shut up! Leave him alone! It's not his fault he can't understand! He can't help what he is! But for God's sake ... he's still a human being!" The room grew silent. I cursed myself for losing control and creating a scene. I tried not to look at the boy as I paid my check and walked out without touching my food. I felt ashamed for both of us. How strange it is that people of honest feelings and sensibility, who ­ would not take advantage of a man born without arms or legs or eyes-how such people think nothing of abusing a man born with low intelligence” (Keyes 185). It is beyond cruel to make fun of someone for their disability, especially when they are not able to understand what is going on. Having mental health issues is nothing to

Frances Gasparino of Rochester Institute of Technology suggests “the generative methodology offers the capability for the jokes and segments… to be analyzed against Burkean theory of comedic enlightenment. By looking to show that a means-end joke is an appropriate way in which to convey a message it would be seen that the message… would not be eclipsed by… the underlying message, to question the media and not take what is said for fact [got] across to the audience.” This tool of comedic critique can be dually entertaining as well as enlightening. The seemingly realistic script coupled with the serious expressions and tone of the actors creates the perfect milieu to reach the intellectual viewer as well as the average, blue-collar viewer; thus, increasing their total

Based on the researchers of The Bay Area Center for Voting Research the top twenty-five liberal cities in America share entirely different qualities than their conservative counterparts-many have a substantial African American populaces, most of the populations are single, numerous are bigger cities situated in urban environments, and have lower average of income and education. The top twenty-five liberal cities come generally from the customarily liberal Northeast and West coast, with an unexpected number of the cities on the top of the list originating from the Midwest. This affirms the Northeast and the West coast keep on being liberal fortifications in America; additionally it demonstrates that the Midwest is starting to move closer to

Think about your morning routine. Now imagine doing all that without using your arms or legs. Not so easy anymore is it? This is the life of a quadriplegic. The main character in “The Incomplete Quad”, David finds himself rooming with and caring for Peg, a girl with a disease that is gradually making her into a quadriplegic. In “The Incomplete Quad” David Sedaris shows how many people forget that disabled people share similar desires, humor, and mannerism with non-disabled people by using characterization , humourous tone, and informal diction.

In the media today, people with disabilities are perceived as tragic heroes or as medical miracles. They are rarely seen for their intelligence or for their accomplishments excluding their overcoming disability hardships. The textbook, Everything’s an Argument, contains an excerpt from Charles A. Riley II 's book “Disability and the Media: Prescriptions for Change.” Riley, a journalism professor at New York’s Baruch College, uses appeal to ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade his audience that their methods of portraying disabled people are in dire need of change.

Disability has appeared frequently in recent films (Byrd & Elliot, 1988), a reflection of society’s interest in the subject. These films often misrepresent disability using stereotypes. These stereotypes reinforce negative and incorrect social perceptions of, and attitudes towards,

Popular culture arose in the 1950s, as many Americans were troubled by the foreign ideology of communism. Citizens felt safe by advocating for their opinions on political issues and in their social behavior. Young people in rebellious styles of dress, music, drug use, and communal living expressed counterculture. Rock music identified their protests and festivals were common events to attend. But, as a result of experimenting with such powerful drugs, Americans destroyed their lives, and the counterculture eventually died out by the 1970s.

Humor can be a powerful instrument in an arduous situation, although it may seem like a form of stupidity to some. Professor Mairs finds humor through self-deprecation even though she is sick. Professor Mairs wrote, “[a]lmost every pickle that I get into as a result of my weakness and clumsiness--and I get into plenty--is funny as well as maddening and sometimes painful” (Mairs, 259). The author is teaching the reader that having a good sense of humor makes a bad situation bearable, even a painful one. There are many forms of humor that are shown to be Mairs way of relieving the frustration that comes with being crippled, when she gives an account of her falling in a restroom at work due the disease’s effect on her body, and she laughs at herself.

A few years ago, my sister introduced me to the film ‘Benny and Joon,’ a story about a woman in her twenties with a disability that is more or less undefined throughout the film. She lives with her brother who works full-time but hires several “housekeepers” that he has watch over her at home. She comes off quite content, mainly painting all day and going about her everyday routines. At first, she may just come off as a “stereotypical temperamental artist”(Tibbets) but her painting at a rapid rate, extreme pickiness of food (eating mainly captain crunch and peanut butter smoothies), unique mannerisms, and outbursts suggest that she may be on the spectrum. There are scenes where she puts on a scuba mask and attempts to direct traffic in the middle of the street with a Ping-Pong paddle; an episode that the article ‘The Patronizing “adorable” side of Schizophrenia in Benny and Joon’ addressed could be an indication of schizophrenia or bipolar disorders. The most recent “housekeeper” quits after one of Joon’s “outbursts.” After reading critiques by people with disabilities themselves and other sources, I have begun seeing this movie a new light, introducing a sadly patronizing and demeaning representation of disability and her family/societies inappropriate response to her condition.

America, despite appearing as a beacon of hope for many, possesses very little glory once the American Dream facade fades. Throughout American history, every minority and underprivileged group fought tedious, uphill battles for the freedoms they hold today, yet many affirm America’s undoubted might. African-Americans, Native Americans, women, immigrants, and many other minorities persevered through generations of discrimination and loathing before any legal writ dictated their acceptance within American culture. Even now, decades after these laws came into existence, the xenophobic, discriminatory mindset still infects the psyches and consciences of many average American citizens. While individual freedoms and social issues support the lack

Dissecting a joke is a necessary, brutal process that kills the its original magic. Author Dan O’Shannon attempts this unfun science in his book What Are You Laughing At? O’Shannon expounds on the idea of a joke by redefining it as a “comedic event” (6). The comedic event does not have to be explicitly verbal; it could be a vocal distortion, gesture, or even silence. This multifaceted approach to comedy clears up confusion when it comes to discerning the “joke-ability” of a subject.

This week’s discussion dealt with Individuals and Disabilities. Over the years, people who have a “disability" have been subjected to prejudice and more. And the first way to diminish someone is through language, by using words or labels to identify a person as "less-than," as "the others—not like us," and so forth. Once a person has been identified this way, it makes