COSI: Essay on black humour/dark comedy?

[stonecold]

Anyone have one of these, or some decent points to make?

If this comes up, gg for me.  I can't sustain discussion on that for long enough.

Other things are okay
-Love
-Character transformation
-Play within a play structure
-Possible stuff about how the play is a reflection about 1970's Australia.

But comedy.  Uugghh, I don't know.  Any ideas?

[claire92]

How the patients use comedy, to interact with each other?
How the electro shock treatment was humurous in a dark way, yet showed the fear that patients had of it.
The way the Nowra uses black humour to send his message to society?
To take away the stigma from the patients?

these are just a few, but rather broad and can be broken down.

one of my favourites is the way that patients banter each other like 'go kill a cat' or calling cherry 'fat'. They do it to each other...

I have this really bad feeling the character question will be on humour, or does Nowra mock mental illness, or Black humour in structure.

My ideal question would be love or growth, because these are my favourites, but are generally be seen as easy.

Also I'm hoping for a generic question as it is the first year of Cosi, so therefore I think we'll get something quite broad, or really hard. And I really don't wish for the latter.

[stonecold]

How the patients use comedy, to interact with each other?
How the electro shock treatment was humurous in a dark way, yet showed the fear that patients had of it.
The way the Nowra uses black humour to send his message to society?
To take away the stigma from the patients?

these are just a few, but rather broad and can be broken down.

one of my favourites is the way that patients banter each other like 'go kill a cat' or calling cherry 'fat'. They do it to each other...

I have this really bad feeling the character question will be on humour, or does Nowra mock mental illness, or Black humour in structure.

My ideal question would be love or growth, because these are my favourites, but are generally be seen as easy.

Also I'm hoping for a generic question as it is the first year of Cosi, so therefore I think we'll get something quite broad, or really hard. And I really don't wish for the latter.

Haha yeah, so true.  A question on love or character tansformation would be very nice.  either of these would make me sooooo happy!

But comedy requires thinking.  Have to make up deeper meanings for why X comedic affect has been used.

[bomb]

Firstly, find where it is used.

It's used generally in addressing mental illness.

Why so?

Well a major objective of Nowra's play is to break down the barrier between the 'real world' and the patients. To break the usually dark stigma associated with mental illness (which was common at the time the play was written), Nowra uses humor to take away the 'scariness' of mental illness - he makes the patients look not too different from ourselves.

The one-liners from Doug, as well as Roy at times (although he is a bit more malicious) as well as Cherry and Lewis' 'relationship' are instances of this humour.

[mmmmm]

Do you think this year's topic will be hard? :/

[stonecold]

I'm winging this, so I don't remember a lot, but this is what i can rememebr about comedy

"go burn a cat" is always used when people are pissed at doug
"couldn't direct a nymphomaniac to a stag night" and "couldn't direct traffic down a one way street" one liners by roy
-the whole shock treatment thing (funny, but reveals underlying prejudices)
-when ruth says men enjoy sex more because they 'don't have to clean up the mess'

Any more examples?

[claire92]

Patient bantering.

When Ruth discusses her past.

When Cherry jokes about being a dog for her father.

When Doug joke about escaping C ward to Justin.

[stonecold]

Patient bantering.

When Ruth discusses her past.

When Cherry jokes about being a dog for her father.

When Doug joke about escaping C ward to Justin.

Thanks.

Cherry was joking about the dog thing right?

For anyone who went and saw the play, I wish we could discuss the banana scene.

It was sooooooooooo FUNNY!

[claire92]

Yes she was.

And her family regularly visits her, and brings her food, so you could talk about that being a form of love if you really want to stretch it.

While where on the topic of Cosi.
What are peoples ideas for structure, i.e why does Nowra use the play within a play technique?

I could see this very easily being the exam question. (for structure)

[stonecold]

The play is an illusion which offers a contrast to the asylum.  It allows Henry and Ruth to confront their fears.

The values within the play also mimic many of the characters own concerns, such as that of war for Henry and the treatment of women, and the issue of love and fidelity

It is the catalyst for Lewis transformation.  As his love for the play grows, so does his appreciation of the theme of love and fidelity which it embodies.  Furthermore, it is the play which allows him to connect with his cast, and builds his confidence.  Through directing Cosi, Lewis is transformed from a conformist who lived in the shadow of Nick and Lucy, to an assertive and morally rich being.

[mmmmm]

Yes she was.

And her family regularly visits her, and brings her food, so you could talk about that being a form of love if you really want to stretch it.

What page was this on? I don't remember this :S

[claire92]

I don't have the book beside me,

But....

After telling the story she said 'just joking'

and then on two occasion from memory
they visited and brought her fairy cakes, and then later she had chocolate liquers.

[mmmmm]

I don't have the book beside me,

But....

After telling the story she said 'just joking'

and then on two occasion from memory
they visited and brought her fairy cakes, and then later she had chocolate liquers.

Oh yup yup. So that's where she gets it. The ones she feeds Lewis yeah?

[saaaaaam]

For anyone who went and saw the play, I wish we could discuss the banana scene.
It was sooooooooooo FUNNY!

Do refresh my memory? Was this Doug?

[Pumpkinator]

For anyone who went and saw the play, I wish we could discuss the banana scene.
It was sooooooooooo FUNNY!

Do refresh my memory? Was this Doug?

I don't remember no banana scene in the play lol