Donald Barthelme's Black Humor in his Sixty Stories

• Main Authors: Hsin Jung Chang, 張欣蓉
• Other Authors: Nicholas Koss
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/34519255321530458733

碩士 === 輔仁大學 === 英國語文學系 === 95 === This thesis discusses twenty-three kinds of Barthelmeian black humor along with techniques and functions of black humor from Barthelme’s Sixty Stories. Throughout these chapters, I focus on how Barthelme relates his criteria and attitudes toward the dark sides of society and life. Humor is his technique to express his concerns. Chapter One deals with the distorted human relationships in which estrangement, hypocrisy and lies are uppermost. Nine main kinds of black humor are discussed through different relationships in the stories, “For I’m the Boy,” “Will You Tell Me?” and “Views of My Father Weeping.” Chapter Two discusses the special point of view of the first-person narrator in dealing with bizarre societal phenomena and attitudes. “The Balloon,” “The President” and “The Rise of Capitalism” are stories discussed in this chapter. Thirteen kinds of black humor are presented effectively in using the first person narrator as a role in the story and then offering a special perspective on society and life. Chapter Three, with different approach, deals with techniques and functions of black humor. By parodying classical tales, Barthelme smashes our conceptions of fairy tales and their figures. “The Emerald,” “The Glass Mountain” and “Heroes” are stories discussed in this chapter. This chapter will show how Barthelme’s black humor is exemplified in putting tale figures in a contemporary milieu and mocking both the characters’ and the readers’ reactions. In conclusion, Barthelme’s black humor in Sixty Stories exposes the problems and absurdity in society and life. In a humorous way, Barthelme ridicules the incompatibility between the milieu and the consciousness of human beings. He exaggerates the miserable and then distorts it and jests about it. Emotionally, he helps both characters in the story and readers get through their problems.