Is humor
important to travel writing? Use both
pro and con examples to make your case.
I
think humor is important to travel writing depending on where the author is
going because if it is a more serious environment there should not be any
humor. For example, if you were going to D.C. and visiting the Holocaust museum
then you would not want to have any humor involved because that would obviously
be disrespectful. There are times; however, that I think humor can be a great
asset throughout travel writing. For me, it makes things so much more
interesting to read because I am the type of person to constantly joke and
think everything is funny. I rather read something with a little humor that
still describes the place accurately rather than a piece that is kind of boring
just discussing what they encountered or saw.
An
example that made me think of how humor is accurately put into a piece is when
we discussed the author Cahill because I think humor makes his travel writing
experience so much more interesting. I have never seen the effects that PCP can
have on people and I think the way he describes the effects of the drug is
humorous. For example, Cahill describes what it looks like to live in a drug orientated
town, “thousands of chronic PCP users stumbling and lurching through the
parking lot, all of them sweating and drooling, growling and barking, attacking
anything that moved in their delirium, stumbling after their prey with glazed,
marble eyes” (Cahill 2). I thought this was funny to see because of the way he
described these people on the drug. He defines them like they are not human and
states that they are “zombie like creatures” (Cahill 2). Without the use of
humor in this piece it would be hard to precisely describe what this drug town
looked and acted like; which is why humor is a pro because it helps me
visualize places better and understand them more accurately.
Overall, I think
humor is a good thing because it allows the reader to be so much more engaged
in the reading. It just depends on what the author is writing about and how he
is using humor. I also think it is a con sometimes when the author is trying to
be funny, but failing really bad at it. This would make it difficult for me to
pay attention to the travel writing because I would be so distracted by how bad
and awkward the humor was portrayed.
Abby, I agree that there is a time and place when humor should be used, but also when it should not. Obviously, humor should not be used in serious situations because it could be involving life or death situations. I think that humor can really make a reader want to read a piece. The quote by Cahill that you used uses humor to really allow the reader to picture what is going on. Although drug abuse is not a funny matter, Cahill makes it humorous by showing how idiotic these people really act. I think that whenever I write my travelogue I will choose to use humor because I think it can really grab the reader’s attention.
ReplyDeleteEverything in your journal is a hundred percent correct, there is a time to use humor and a time not to use it, and i feel Cahill did a great job in doing that. Sometimes if authors try to be funny but fail at it, I laugh anyway because they made it so much awkward.
ReplyDeleteAbby,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that humor in writing has a time and a place. I think in some pieces such as Cahill describing the PCP humor is acceptable because he is explaining the scene that is presented in front of him. I don’t believe that every travel writing story needs humor because sometime an author can put an uncanny amount of detail which may make the story interesting. I agree with you however that some stories need a little bit of humor because the story would otherwise be dry. Overall I really enjoyed reading your blog.
I thought for sure that I would be the only one who could not make a decision on this, so I’m glad to see that you were “wishy-washy” in the beginning, too. I definitely agree that there are only a certain circumstances where humor can be used. I like that you pointed out an example from history, because I feel like there is so much that humor should not be associated with in that area. It feels like you convinced yourself that humor is good in travel writing as you wrote, which was cool. You started saying that it depends on where they travel to, then you talked about your personality, and then you added a funny example before landing on how you feel humor is good. It was interesting to watch that path unfold.
ReplyDeleteI agree that humor is a good thing. And that having it used properly can make a piece more enjoyable to read. Though I myself didn't really find the PCP users to be that funny, since they sounded like dangerous people to be around.
ReplyDeleteYour emphasis on how we read ourselves into writing that we find compelling is useful, Abby...
ReplyDeleteThroughout your journal you have been making great points about humor and how it is needed in stories. I agree with everything you had to say.
ReplyDeleteAbby,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with the fact that humor is situational. There area in which you are traveling definitely plays a huge role in the execution of said humor. I was more conflicted with whether or not there is room for humor within travel writing. After reading some of the blogs posted and your's. I find myself leaning more towards the positive factors of humor. You have provided nice insight into the topic.