How Does the Author Use Humour in Out Island Doctor?
How does the author use humour in Out Island Doctor?
In the autobiography, Out-Island Doctor, Evans W. Cottman has a dream of exploring the Bahamas. He contacts a commissioner in the Bahamas and soon makes plans to visit. Cottman arrives in the Bahamas and endures a very difficult sail to Mangrove Cay where he meets a man who influences him throughout the autobiography, Percy Cavill. Cottman then has to adapt to a more primitive lifestyle compared to Indiana. After his visits to the Bahamas, he decides to move to Crooked Island. Soon after, he becomes an "unqualified practitioner" and begins to travel the islands of the Bahamas treating people. Along the way, he meets his wife, Viola Sawyer, who he then has a daughter named Gayle with in Marsh Harbour, Abaco. Throughout his journeys, many humorous events occurred. The humorous occasions all varied in the type of humour. The main types of humour evident are situational, cultural differences, and irony. Humour is very apparent in this book because Evans himself is very witty and light-hearted.
There are many instances where situational humour is present. Situational humour is when the circumstances themselves are humorous. Evans often uses this humour because many of the situations that he experienced were rather funny. One memorable example of situational humour is Cottman's first sailing trip. He sets out on his first sailing trip from Nassau to Mangrove Cay and becomes unbearably seasick. Although, this does not sound like a humorous event, the way in which Cottman tells the story makes it humorous. "I wanted to enjoy the beauty and romance of it all. I wanted to stand on the bow with the wind in my face and sing. Instead I lay on the deck and held my stomach with both hands." This quote shows his situation of wanting to have a joyful and idealistic sail while instead he lay on deck seasick. Cottman uses contrast between his idealistic sail and the realistic sail to convey his amusing situation. This causes the
In the autobiography, Out-Island Doctor, Evans W. Cottman has a dream of exploring the Bahamas. He contacts a commissioner in the Bahamas and soon makes plans to visit. Cottman arrives in the Bahamas and endures a very difficult sail to Mangrove Cay where he meets a man who influences him throughout the autobiography, Percy Cavill. Cottman then has to adapt to a more primitive lifestyle compared to Indiana. After his visits to the Bahamas, he decides to move to Crooked Island. Soon after, he becomes an "unqualified practitioner" and begins to travel the islands of the Bahamas treating people. Along the way, he meets his wife, Viola Sawyer, who he then has a daughter named Gayle with in Marsh Harbour, Abaco. Throughout his journeys, many humorous events occurred. The humorous occasions all varied in the type of humour. The main types of humour evident are situational, cultural differences, and irony. Humour is very apparent in this book because Evans himself is very witty and light-hearted.
There are many instances where situational humour is present. Situational humour is when the circumstances themselves are humorous. Evans often uses this humour because many of the situations that he experienced were rather funny. One memorable example of situational humour is Cottman's first sailing trip. He sets out on his first sailing trip from Nassau to Mangrove Cay and becomes unbearably seasick. Although, this does not sound like a humorous event, the way in which Cottman tells the story makes it humorous. "I wanted to enjoy the beauty and romance of it all. I wanted to stand on the bow with the wind in my face and sing. Instead I lay on the deck and held my stomach with both hands." This quote shows his situation of wanting to have a joyful and idealistic sail while instead he lay on deck seasick. Cottman uses contrast between his idealistic sail and the realistic sail to convey his amusing situation. This causes the