LITERARY TECHNIQUES

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 436.

STYLE

Treating the supernatural playfully the story is full of different types of humour.

1) Black humour of this story is based on the absurdity of tragic events being treated comically:

a) Does the tone of the opening dialogue suit its topic? How would you define the tone of this dialogue?

b) Comment on the tone of the dialogue following Laura's death. Which statements sound absurd in the given situation?

c) In what other episode or dialogue do you see black humour?

2. What language means and stylistic devices account for the humorous touch in the following:

...two of the hens pretended to be laying at the time, but I was firm

Egbert ...went out to superintend the strengthening of the poultry yard defences

...this Saturday-to-Tuesday business of dying by inches...

... the remaining survivors of the speckled Sussex were massacred...

The marauder's line of retreat seemed to have embraced most of the flower beds on the lawn

the otter ... raided half a salmon from the larder and worried it into scaly fragments on the Persian rug

...the escapades of an adventurous otter in search of a variation of diet ...

a hurricane of shouted curses, coming from her husband's dressing-room, in her husband's voice, but hardly in his usual vocabulary...

Pick out more examples of verbal humour.

3. Identify and comment on the effect of the following stylistic devices :

· climax

· hyperbole

The humour of the story is not only verbal but also situational and behavioral. Identify passages characterized by each.