English Essay Humor “Summer Heights High”
Summer Heights High explores what happens over one school term in an “average” Australian high school in a mock form of a documentary. Media reports say some parts of the community where offended by the gags that draw upon drugs deaths and Down syndrome children. Chris Lilley brings to life Jonah Takalua, a rebel schoolboy from Tonga with the odds stacked against him, Mr. G, an ego-driven Drama teacher and Ja’mie King, a posh private schoolgirl on a student exchange, set to make a name for her-self.
Chris Lilly explores the facets of a typical Australian public high school such as social groups, bullying, teenage slang, stereotyping, profanity, racism and homophobia. Chris Lily mostly draws on low humor, slapsick, charicature, hyperbole, satire, and punch lines.
An example of low humor in the show would be when Jonah and doug peterson are talking about an incedent that has occoured from jonah bulling a younger student:
“Doug Peterson: Jonah, he left because he came to tell me that not only were you neglecting him, but that you decided it was appropriate to pick on him and call him names.
Jonah: Yeah, I just made a comment about him being fat. He is, sir. Look at him.
Doug Peterson: Jonah, I gave him to you because he 's not coping socially.
Lucas: He called me a **.
Jonah: Yeah, as a joke, idiot!
The humor is quite crude and is directly attacking another person in this instance and does so a lot more through out the show. Chris Lilly uses a lot of caricature with his characters taking them to the extreme but what makes it funny is that there are people like that, that other people may have dealt with in the past this adds a sense of understanding in the show and it also means that the characters aren’t completely unbelievable.
An example of satire is when Ja’mie King begs to have a year 11 formal (prom) after it is cut because the school doesn’t have enough money to fund it. She says that if some friends and herself can come up with the
Chris Lilly explores the facets of a typical Australian public high school such as social groups, bullying, teenage slang, stereotyping, profanity, racism and homophobia. Chris Lily mostly draws on low humor, slapsick, charicature, hyperbole, satire, and punch lines.
An example of low humor in the show would be when Jonah and doug peterson are talking about an incedent that has occoured from jonah bulling a younger student:
“Doug Peterson: Jonah, he left because he came to tell me that not only were you neglecting him, but that you decided it was appropriate to pick on him and call him names.
Jonah: Yeah, I just made a comment about him being fat. He is, sir. Look at him.
Doug Peterson: Jonah, I gave him to you because he 's not coping socially.
Lucas: He called me a **.
Jonah: Yeah, as a joke, idiot!
The humor is quite crude and is directly attacking another person in this instance and does so a lot more through out the show. Chris Lilly uses a lot of caricature with his characters taking them to the extreme but what makes it funny is that there are people like that, that other people may have dealt with in the past this adds a sense of understanding in the show and it also means that the characters aren’t completely unbelievable.
An example of satire is when Ja’mie King begs to have a year 11 formal (prom) after it is cut because the school doesn’t have enough money to fund it. She says that if some friends and herself can come up with the
Bibliography: www.Humor.com www.summerheightshigh.com