I have a suggestion or two.....
Devoid of humor?
- Thread starter RichardX
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I think you are all missing the point. RichardX admits there is humor in SK's books but it is generated by the characters' interaction and dialogue. SK doesn't intentionally write comedic books with funny premises, etc.
although the ending of Revival was pretty much loud-out-loud ludicrous!
I agree with you there. I found it lol funny when Roland held the druggist at gunpoint demanding Keflex and that is only one example where I laughed my head off.
I think you're right, for the most part. There are instances, though, where he's used exaggeration or turns of phrase in the narrative that are very funny, and can't be attributed to dialogue or character interaction. In a way, it reminds me of the storyteller hunkering next to the fire image that we evoke so often--those kinds of tale spinners often do the same thing to tell a story with action and pathos and humor so intertwined that we are engrossed on several emotional levels.
And I agree about Revival (lol)
Well, no, he never writes full-on humor, but there is often a whimsical aspect to his narrative voice--our cantankerous Uncle Stevie hunkering, like mamaSki says, close to the fire, spinning us some tall, terrible tales, with a childlike gleam in his eye, and a throaty 'heh heh'. He's our Crypt-Keeper, baby! Dig it!
Anybody in there interested in some Tupperware?
'The Revenge Of Lard Ass Logan', anyone? I pretty near peed my pants laughing!
Gary Pervier in Cujo was really funny, too. The fundraising feud in The Tommyknockers (heck, that whole book). Spidey already mentioned it, but 'Drunken Fireworks' had me on the floor. Muskrat mentioned Delores Claiborne's scenes with Vera Donovan, that's a good one. So many.
That becomes especially clear when you hear him read it himself at the event with Rowling and Irving. Or how about his own cameos in films, especially Creepshow.
Maybe the humor isn't so clear to anyone who reads the books. Also it's often dark humor of course. But it is humor directed at the reader too. It's just funny observations here and there at times, at other times a whole situation is funny. A lot of the short stories have a funny idea at the heart of them. Even the darkest books have funny moments.
But with humor it depends on what you find funny, otherwise you'll probably miss it.
For me there is sometimes even too much humor. Humor undermines tension a little bit.
But, yeah, I can't agree at all that his books are devoid of it - on the contrary.
I can't read The Cell without laughing out loud, and thematic humor, referential humor, slightly awkward humor, and especially the dark humor. . . (Elliptical cop out), that's what I live by. I love all of it.
Everything Doc and Not_nadine said were on point. I think somehow the word "metaphor" turned into a verb, which reminds me - what'sa meta you?
See? If that's what I find funny, then I guess I don't need to attack poor RichardX.
Everything Doc and Not_nadine said were on point. I think somehow the word "metaphor" turned into a verb, which reminds me - what'sa meta you?
See? If that's what I find funny, then I guess I don't need to attack poor RichardX.
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I've never really noticed much humor in his books, but a lack of humor doesn't seem to stand out either. Since it has never occurred to me, I suppose it hasn't been a necessary element for me.
Honk, peep in napkin to see anything interesting in the Shining by Watson. Broiler man.
Eddie, Eddie. Too many.
Left the sweet out of the cool aid. It was warm being nice, while Harold eyed her up for some movie to play in his head later?
Spatula in the head? Larry was was not fetched. Spatula in the head. Kippers.
Creeping up to the house in 'Salems Lot? Mark and Susan carrying sticks? Scared each other?
Had to laugh and laugh from the tension of the book.
Eddie, Eddie. Too many.
Left the sweet out of the cool aid. It was warm being nice, while Harold eyed her up for some movie to play in his head later?
Spatula in the head? Larry was was not fetched. Spatula in the head. Kippers.
Creeping up to the house in 'Salems Lot? Mark and Susan carrying sticks? Scared each other?
Had to laugh and laugh from the tension of the book.
What are you talking about? There are plenty of funny moments in King books, that scene in "The Shining" where Danny reads that ladies mind about wanting to get into the bellhop's pants? That's comedy gold right there.
"Premarital sex was wrong of course, but sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette." That's an amazing line from Needful Things
Roland Deschain first entering New York in Eddie's body is a great scene.
King's books may be dark but they have lots of humor in certain points.
Lol ....comedy gold ....in interviews Stephen King has a comedian's timing and mindset, improvisational, even when bringing up old stories, like when he sat down next to Ronald McDonald on a plane, as part of describing how IT came about....
Just about every SK book gives me plenty of chuckles. I love the colorful phrases and jokes the characters say. One book, I believe it's Thinner, made me laugh so hard because SK wrote: "Billy screamed. He screamed and screamed. Then, for variety, he screamed again." This caused me to giggle like a loon when I read it!
I have to disagree !!
I have found Humor in so many (almost all) SK Books that i have read.
Sometimes subtile, sometimes not, sometimes good Black Humor.
It' a litlle Conversation here, a Comment there, mentioning something there.....you can find Humor almost everywhere
Or one that pops into mind in one story, a guy talking about being beaten into new and exciting shapes....
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I have never thought that Stephen lacked a sense of hilarity. He is a actually a very funny guy. I guess it depends on what you find to be humorous. He's not funny in a Jim Carrey sort of way, but he is still very entertaining. What's funny to one person may not seem so to someone else. For example, Brits have their own sense of humor and it often comes across as dry or unamusing to most Americians.
It's hysterical when he mentions arc sodium lights!!!!! 