Planet Comedy

Characterization of terms used in drama and literature

Copyright © 2007 Golda Mowe,


Note: I wrote this story to help me recall a few terms used in drama and literature. All graphics in this page are mine. You can watch a narrated clip at gaotamao. I drew graphics specially for this article and had fun doing it too.


Glossary of terms used in this article.

Once upon a time, in Galaxy Drama, was a little planet called Comedy.  Everyone thought that it was a great rock to live on until they ended up being the subject of a joke.

All new visitors should keep away from the Prankster brothers.  These boys don’t talk much.  They just play awful tricks on people, like that one time when they poured glue on Stupid and stuck feathers all over him.  Poor Stupid thought they did him a favor, after all, the feathers were warm.

Prankster, the practical joker Stupid, the clueless fellow

The Fool, a jester to the core

 

 

My personal favorite is the Fool.  He actually allows people to play jokes on him.  He does cartwheels at crazy heights and he sings silly songs that make us chuckle.  Even his clothes are a patchwork of silly colors.  If you want to make him happy, all you need to do is laugh at him.

Mr. Irony, on the other hand, is one of the most well informed fellows I have ever met.  People actually cringe each time he started a sentence with, “That is a wonderful idea...”  We know that something ridiculous and obvious will follow after.  Take that time when Mr. Miserly proposed to donate his used clothing to the orphanage.  Mr. Irony actually said, and I quote, “That is a wonderful idea.  After all if the rags are good enough for you to wipe your feet with, they should be good enough for the children.”


Irony, 
  the perverse fellow who usually say the opposite of what he means Miserly, who thinks that misery is a virtue

Sarcastic, who use bitter words to get her point across

 

Of course, I should not forget to mention his first cousin, Ms. Sarcastic. My, my, that is one lady to avoid. She says nice words, but the sneer that follows would turn your heart cold.  One time, when I offered her the last piece of pumpkin pie, she said, “How kind of you?  Is the pie bad?”  My goodness, you should have seen me blushed.

Similes, who has the habit of describing one thing as being similar to something else, patted me on the shoulder and said, “Don’t worry about her.  Everybody knows that her tongue is as sharp as a knife.”

Metaphor, who labels people, grunted, “Knife?  She is a snake, spitting her venom here and there.  The more you squirm, the more she will spit at you, so act like you don’t care.”  Similes and Metaphors are good friends to have around nasty company.

Similes compares everything to a 'like' or an 'as'     Metaphor attaches labels on things or people that is characterized by the label

Oxymoron is never really sure about anything. Is a giant 
  shrimp large or shrimp-size?

 

 

I have to warn you about Oxymoron though; he is harmless but will confuse any newcomer with the way he talks.  He has got this habit of stringing together words with opposite meaning.  I once heard him say to his girlfriend, “Loving you is sad bliss.  I fearfully pray to see our union in the farthest near future.” The poor girl, I assure you, was rightly confused as to his feelings for her.

Parody is a harmless mimic at parties, though she may be trouble in the airwaves

 

 

 

 

Ms. Parody, the awful creature, enjoys imitating people by exaggerating their walk or their talk.  Best not to give too much of your own opinion in front of her.  She will repeat whatever you said word for word and twist the meaning around just from the tone of her voice.

 

Mr. Farce writes good short plays, although his wit is an acquired taste. He will research another planet's history or customs, and do skits to poke fun at them.  One time he made a lot of people angry when he did a show about Planet Chauvinist.  He showed men lying around doing nothing while women served them hand and foot.  Then he made the men declare that women cannot survive without them, yet throughout the show the actors wheezed and struggled under the weight of their opulent forms.

Farce writes ludicrous dramas which we can't help but watch   sitcom on TV

Chauvinist is a prejudiced fellow who gives his gender a bad name

 

 

The live telecast across the galaxy caused an uproar in Planet Chauvinist.  The president of Chauvinist demanded for an apology, else he would call for a galaxy-wide economic embargo on Comedy, to be followed by a declaration of war.

 

Satire attacks her victims with ridicule. Beware 
  the fellow whose folly she is about to expose

 

 

Did the threats scare anyone?  I don’t believe so.  Ms. Satire even wrote literature on a tragic play describing the end of Comedy under the hands of the Chauvinist.

 

How was Comedy expected to win against a group of the most self sacrificing women? She also showed what happens to Chauvinist males after the war; they died en-masse from respiratory problems because no one was around to dust for them.

Stage play showing Planet Comedy submitting to the women of Planet Chauvinist

Admittedly Planet Comedy is home to some of the hardiest men and women. They laughed in the face of danger and they mocked any political threats thrown at them.  They mimicked their enemies’ words and twisted those into jokes.  These people don't go with a bang; they go with a laugh.  Life is always good on this rock, as long as you keep your wits about you and don't end up being the butt of a mean joke.


Read more fable-styled articles.

  1. Grammar Town
  2. Big Cares, Little Animals
  3. When Someone Opens a Door…
  4. Anyone Can Draw with Dots
  5. The Value of Your Life

 

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