Humor is a literary tool that induces amusement or laughter which offers a different form of a call to action. Humor is typically used to emphasize a situation that is occurring immediately rather than a crisis that will arise in the future. By bringing to life the funny sides of life, humor mocks the current social norms and standards to evoke change. It is a useful call to action because humor creates a safe subversion to discuss taboo material. Therefore, in Lysistrata, an ancient Athenian play, and Dear White People, a 2014 American film, humor serves as an effective way to depict the social issues with sex, gender, and race while eliciting change.
Although Lysistrata and Dear White People were produced during two completely different time …show more content…
In Lysistrata, Aristophanes inverted stereotypes; consequently, the usual roles of women were altered from traditional beliefs. Women were typically seen as house attendants rather than partaking in active roles in society, but in this comedy they were doing what women should do; they took charge to end the ongoing twenty year Peloponnesian War. Their plan was to abstain from sex until the men agree to cease fighting. These women were intentionally disobeying the men and seizing control which was unusual for this time period. In contrast to the female's power role, I appreciated Aristophanes use of a hyperbolical stereotype of women. In this social battle along gender lines, it was assumed that makeup and clothes were only important to females, yet the women used these items to their benefit to lure the men and finally end the war. In the film Dear White People, the characters symbolize different stereotypes in order to expose the politics of race, social class, and economic inequality in society. At a predominately white Ivy League college, Troy Fairbanks is an African American who adjusts his perception of life and his identity just to fit in. While Troy is not set on his personality, Coco …show more content…
Both sex and race are taboo subjects, but racial inequality is a more sensitive subject. In Lysistrata war is conflated with sex, so instead of a typical call to action on war, Aristophanes replaced the war terms with sex vocabulary. A twenty year war is ended because the men are incapable of refraining from sex. War is such a intense subject that ending it because of sex offers a ludicrous alternative. Abstinence results in frustration and sadness; thus, by pairing war with sex, this play serves as a commentary on war. Lysistrata’s vocabulary and sexual references create a playful atmosphere that is easy to notice. However, Dear White People uses a more subtle method to discuss racial tensions. To produce a sly and provocative satire, this movie utilized sharp wit, characterization, and stereotypes instead of amusing puns like in Lysistrata. The movie clearly reveals how difficult it is for black students on a predominantly white campus and made me more aware of race relations and race identity. Lysistrata came to a reasonable conclusion, but Justin Simien’s film only offered talking points rather than a resolution to end racial
Although Lysistrata and Dear White People were produced during two completely different time …show more content…
In Lysistrata, Aristophanes inverted stereotypes; consequently, the usual roles of women were altered from traditional beliefs. Women were typically seen as house attendants rather than partaking in active roles in society, but in this comedy they were doing what women should do; they took charge to end the ongoing twenty year Peloponnesian War. Their plan was to abstain from sex until the men agree to cease fighting. These women were intentionally disobeying the men and seizing control which was unusual for this time period. In contrast to the female's power role, I appreciated Aristophanes use of a hyperbolical stereotype of women. In this social battle along gender lines, it was assumed that makeup and clothes were only important to females, yet the women used these items to their benefit to lure the men and finally end the war. In the film Dear White People, the characters symbolize different stereotypes in order to expose the politics of race, social class, and economic inequality in society. At a predominately white Ivy League college, Troy Fairbanks is an African American who adjusts his perception of life and his identity just to fit in. While Troy is not set on his personality, Coco …show more content…
Both sex and race are taboo subjects, but racial inequality is a more sensitive subject. In Lysistrata war is conflated with sex, so instead of a typical call to action on war, Aristophanes replaced the war terms with sex vocabulary. A twenty year war is ended because the men are incapable of refraining from sex. War is such a intense subject that ending it because of sex offers a ludicrous alternative. Abstinence results in frustration and sadness; thus, by pairing war with sex, this play serves as a commentary on war. Lysistrata’s vocabulary and sexual references create a playful atmosphere that is easy to notice. However, Dear White People uses a more subtle method to discuss racial tensions. To produce a sly and provocative satire, this movie utilized sharp wit, characterization, and stereotypes instead of amusing puns like in Lysistrata. The movie clearly reveals how difficult it is for black students on a predominantly white campus and made me more aware of race relations and race identity. Lysistrata came to a reasonable conclusion, but Justin Simien’s film only offered talking points rather than a resolution to end racial