Asking “Why the chicken crossed the road?” is a question that will receive a slew of answers, all of which will be met with laughter, but is it a joke that can bring change or usher in a new era of thought? To answer “Yes!” is almost as funny as the inquiry itself, but the truth is that humor is not usually thought of as the stuff one can use to illustrate a serious point—such hefty matters it seems are left to those of a somber nature who will write lengthy, well-thought out arguments which present every detail for their cause. Luckily, there are those who laugh in the face of convention, and do not shy away from using the comical to present their case in what is perhaps the most non-threatening way available. Fanny Fern is one of these wonderful non-conformists who recognized that through humor, she could make a strong, effective point, calling attention to injustices by exaggerating the absolute worst qualities of what was miring the women of her time.
Using shock to force people’s attention towards the problem is one method Fern used magnificently writing, “Next morning, ask him to leave you a ‘little money,’ he looks at you as if to be sure that you are in your right mind, draws a sigh long enough and strong enough to inflate a pair of bellows, and asks you ‘what you want with it, and if a half-a-dollar won’t do?’ Gracious king!” (1795). But why end it there? Continuing she writes, “O, you may scrimp and save, and twist and turn, and dig and delve, and economize and die; and your husband will marry again, and take what you have saved to dress his second wife with; and she’ll take your portrait for a fire-board!” (1795). To think that all marriage offers a lady is the chance to be a beggar of her husband, and what one may manage to save is of no consequence as she will surely die, and her spouse will simply move on to the next wife in line, is a miserable outlook. Of course, this is one of the most dreadful depictions of what marriage means for women, and was not indicative of every union. However, that does not mean that there is not a strain of truth behind such outrageous statements. For many women, if they wanted something, it was ultimately the husband’s discretion. For those who would argue that women would never be able to support themselves if allowed the same privileges as men, now may see the opposing side of the issue, noting women have never had the chance given the constraint and financial control granted only to husbands. Fern’s outlandish set-up is actually creating a well-placed argument for women’s rights, and her humor is calling attention to some of the more unfavorable aspects of society.
Now that is has been show how humor can be used to make a point, the question remains: Exactly how effective is it? Can humor really bring about change? Is it a medium strong enough to insight revolutionary action, or does it cause people to merely laugh and continue living in their patterns? When considering these questions, it is important to remember, even though a person may be laughing, it can still be a serious matter. Though it is contrary to what one may typically think, humor can be as funny as it is grave. This is especially true of written humor where without a spoken tone with which to base any judgments, the reader is left only with the text, their perspective, and if they are lucky, some background on the author. And though it is a considerably difficult task to undertake, certainly, it is crucial to decide with what kind of tone the author means to convey in their humor. Is it lighthearted, or bitingly sarcastic? Do they wish only to point out what is wrong, or are they calling others to action, seeking change? It is hard to argue that Fern has a bitterness in her work, after all, she desires to ask the “Bearded Lady” if she shaves with a “Women’s Rights razor,” but that does not necessarily mean her work is all about garnering laughs. Because she is dealing with such a weighty issue (especially for her time), her humor is something more than mindless joking, and should be considered as poignant and influential as her contemporaries who preferred the route of non-fiction for their shared cause.
Fern, Fanny. "Aunt Hetty on Matrimony." The Norton Anthology of American Literature Vol. B. 7th ed. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2007. 1794-1795.
1 comment:
And humor is really so much more difficult to manage than "serious" writing. Believe it or not, most men believed up until about 1960 or so that women had no sense of humor. Yet some of the funniest writers of the 19th and 20th century were women--this is yet another form of writing that was "OK" for them, as it was not "high art".
Of course one's sense of humor depends quite a bit on ones upbringing and personality, so often men didn't find women particularly humorous. If you like humor, Marietta Holley wrote some of the best suffragette humor from 1871 to about the turn of the century--you can still get some of it, and although dated, it's still hilarious.
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