BLOG 18

Research Question:
I chose to analyze the first set of Shaggy Dog stories (first set) for my short analysis, posing the question, how do they make the reader laugh?
  
Analysis/Features:
 In The Shaggy Dog stories we are forced to look for the “meaning” of them, it seems as though we cannot just accept that they are simply for our enjoyment perhaps. The readers/audience always seems to be looking for more at first, before they get to the actual punch line of the story. The play on words plays a large part in these stories, without that feature the stories would be difficult to understand and a lot less entertaining. In some instances, you much know the particular “quote” in order to completely understand the story. With the Panda story being an example of confusion to me and having no connection to this particular story/ joke I did not find this one to make me laugh.  In other cases of the Shaggy Dog stories we see transliteration, when the first letter of the actual punch line may be switched with another word to complete the joke, I.e. from the Snake called Nate story we see the punch line at the end, :”it was better Nate than lever”. Punch lines like these are what make the reader laugh, especially if they have a connection to the quote.

    I had someone read this set of Shaggy Dog stories I was analyzing to gather some feedback on what made him or her laugh while reading these. They stated that in the beginning of each of the stories they were confused and thought it was boring until they got to the punch line or until they came to a line they had some connection to. In a few cases, especially the “Friar” and “Panda” story, they had to re-read them before they could get the complete gist of it. Some of the stories start out as if you are reading something serious or a real life story, then all of a sudden you are hit with the punch line and/or play on words, which is a great approach for the reader to truly enjoy the story, everyone always enjoy a happy or fun ending to a story. I have discovered that in most cases without some type of connection to the joke/ punch line, one will not be able to fully enjoy these stories. When a quote the audience knows is being used, you will find a stronger connection and understanding then just referencing something the audience may not know.



Codes/Categories
    Some of the codes and categories that I found to be resourceful and noticeable throughout these stories was the play on words, jokes, must know particular quotes, punch lines. I’ve found that if the reader is not familiar with the particular punch line, they will not be completely entertained by these stories, for example if you never heard the song “chestnuts roasting on an open fire“,  you would not find the last Shaggy Dog story to be funny.  Being that these stories are short, there is certainly enough time to analyze each line and pick what is truly funny or not funny at all to you.  Each one, however, tells a type of story, which may either involve animals, a plot that may involve violence, and usually a conflict which is most of the time ridiculous and not a reality.  Having these types of ridiculous features is what makes us laugh, and eventually leads us the the play on words, punchlines and connections to words we may already know.

 Transliteration                                                                                                 Punch line-At the end

Better Nate than lever	Chess nuts boasting by an open foyer	"Giant Panda lives in Chine, eats shoots and leaves"
Play on words  Only Hugh can prevent florist friars	Thank Friday! It’s God	"It's chess nuts boasting by an open fire"

Conclusion:

Overall, I feel that the stories are funny, and they are meant for just that, as readers we are continuously looking for something more or some type of purpose to what we are reading. These are the types of stories that have no real purpose, but to make the reader laugh and to entertain without making them work hard to get the meaning. As not only readers, but as students we are always taught to look deeper into things, but for once with these types of short stories we can sit back and enjoy them, while also finding the particular punch and play on words as we go along, which capture our attention and thus make us laugh.  In a sense these short stories "reinvent" the world, and take a us as readers to a place we are not use to. They make us take a step out of "reality" and give readers a chance to enjoy something without thinking too hard. The change of mood in some of these stories from a serious feeling to a ridiculous type of mood is something that also makes the reader laugh, and in a sense keeps them intrigued to continue reading on.