Essay #3-Cause/Effect: Stereotypes

Com 100 Fall 2017

Essay #3-Cause/Effect: Stereotypes

“Comedy, especially stand-up comedy, regularly draws criticism for being offensive and for perpetuating negative stereotypes. This, however, is a sign of a healthy comedy culture because it means that comedians are pushing social boundaries. Stories and expressions that are normally unacceptable are met with laughter and agreement when they are told on stage” (Cohen).

We’re familiar with comedy; we’re familiar with stereotypes; and we just saw Blazing Saddles. Why do comedians use stereotypes? They like to claim that their comedy has a social purpose. But does it? Watch the Key & Peele “Substitute Teacher” video (Blackboard) and find another piece (written or video) in which comedy emphasizes or plays with stereotypes. Analyze those as the basis for your answer.

For your third essay, you’ll be using cause/effect to create/prove your argument. This kind of paper finds its central idea in establishing causal relationships. The relationship you are going to examine is between comedy (what’s the purpose? How does comedy function?), stereotyping (what is its purpose and function?), society (the culture in which all of this takes place), and the audience (How effective is the comedy?). You will need a carefully thought-out argument, supported by specific examples and some further research.

Your thesis/central idea should sum up your conclusions about the relationship between comedy and stereotypes, and should focus on either causes or effects.

 E.g. a central idea focusing on effects might be something like this: “Comedy trivializes the material just as much as it brings it to its audience’s attention. If you’re laughing at something very serious – how seriously are you going to take it?” In that case, you would use stereotypes in your examples (supported and/or challenged by research) as the cause, and spend more time in paragraphs exploring how laughter functions, what happens when you make a serious subject absurd by only focusing superficial details, and the persistence of these stereotypes despite anything comedians say or do (the effects).

 Or, a central idea focusing on causes might be something like this. “Watching a parody like “Substitute Teacher” leaves the audience laughing but feeling awkward at the same time. The comedians have to tread a line between making the audience cringe and highlighting the absurdities of the characters to force society to see that its cultural stereotypes neither define nor explain individuals.” In that case, the audience’s reaction is the effect, and you would spend more paragraphs exploring the source of those reactions – i.e. the connections between humor, stereotyping, and society (the causes).

PRELIMINARY RESEARCH: You must include some research in this paper. You will need at least four sources of information accurately documented in MLA format in your Works Cited List. None of these sources can be an encyclopedia.

INTEGRATE YOUR RESEARCH IN THE PAPER: You must refer to your research in the body of the paper. However, you cannot quote directly. Instead, you must PARAPHRASE and give an accurate MLA parenthetical with a Works Cited List at the end. You must introduce the material in your paper with an appropriate signal phrase – see the Handbook.

ABOUT YOUR PAPER

 Approximately 1000 words (4 pages, double-spaced, typed)

 Make your title interesting – have an appropriate central idea.

 Be concise. Strong intro and conclusion.

 Have an argument that begins with your thesis/central idea and is borne out by the topic sentences.

 Use documented research to support your ideas– see above.

 Use detailed examples from Key & Peele and one other primary source to prove your point.

 Preliminary FIRST DRAFT in class for Peer Review ( intro, central idea, and conclusion): Monday Nov 13th

 Hand in revised FIRST DRAFT with detailed sentence outline and copy of one source on Friday November 17th.

 UPLOAD FINAL DRAFT to BB and hand in other materials on Monday November 27th (outline, marked drafts, and copy of source).