Rationale

She’Nya King Dr. Harris African American Exp in Lit MW 11:00-12:15 Major Project Rationale For my project, I chose to interview someone about humor in Black culture because I feel like it is not talked about enough. Humor is an important part of Black culture, and I wanted to speak on how people use it to deal with stress and express themselves. By doing this interview, I was able to hear a personal experience and opinion that helped me better understand. I also connected my interview to the book Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston. In this book, Zora Neale Hurston shows how storytelling and humor are used in Black communities. The stories are not just for entertainment; they also reflect real life and culture. The stories show that humor is not just for laughs and giggles but also a way people cope with life and share their experiences. To better understand the humor of black culture, I decided to interview someone about how humor plays a role in their everyday life. My interview showed similar ideas because the person I talked to said that humor helps them cope with hard situations and makes things feel easier to handle. Another reason I chose this topic is because humor can have a deeper meaning. Even though something may seem like just a joke, it can actually be about serious things such as racism. My interviewee explained that people sometimes joke about serious things to take power over them instead of letting those problems bring them down. This interview helped me see that humor is more than just laughing. It is a way people communicate and cope. It also showed me that the ideas in Mules and Men are still relevant today. Humor continues to be an important part of Black culture. Transcript Me: Do you think humor is important in Black culture? Why? Interviewee: Yeah, I think humor is important because it shows our struggles, but in a real way. It also brings people together. Me: How would you describe the kind of humor you see in your community? Interviewee: We like joking and roasting each other. It’s kinda chaotic, but it’s all jokes. We play around, support each other, and use slang. It’s just how we talk. Me: Can you think of a time humor helped you get through something hard? Interviewee: Yeah, just joking about stuff makes things feel lighter and easier to deal with. It helps you get over things quicker. Me: Do you use humor when you’re stressed or upset? How? Interviewee: Yeah, I joke, laugh, watch funny videos, especially TikTok. Being around friends and joking helps a lot. We just turn things into jokes. Me: Do you think jokes can have a deeper meaning? Can you give an example? Interviewee: Yeah, jokes can have deeper meaning. Sometimes it’s a joke, but it’s also real at the same time. Like, you might joke about something, but it’s actually something serious behind it. Me: Why do you think people joke about serious things like racism or struggle? Interviewee: Because our ancestors been through a lot. I think we use humor to cope with it and take power over the situation instead of letting it get to us. Me: Do you think Black humor is different from other types of humor? How? Interviewee: Yeah, it’s different because it comes from our history, culture, and experiences—past and present. It’s always connected to that. Me: How does humor bring people together? Interviewee: It brings people together by creating laughter and connection. We relate to each other through jokes, even if other people don’t always understand it. Me: Is humor a part of your everyday life? Interviewee: Yeah, every day. My thoughts From this interview, it is clear that humor is more than just entertainment. The person I interviewed said that humor helps them deal with stress and hard situations, which connects to what is shown in Mules and Men. In the book, people use storytelling and jokes to talk about real life experiences, even when those experiences are hard. One thing that stood out to me is how humor can have a deeper meaning. My interviewee said that sometimes jokes are funny, but they are also real at the same time. This shows that humor can be a way to talk about serious topics without always being direct. It makes it easier for people to express what they are going through. Another important point is how humor brings people together. In both the interview and Mules and Men, humor creates connection. People laugh together and relate to each other. Even if others do not always understand the jokes, they still have meaning within the culture. Overall, humor plays a big role in Black culture. It helps people connect with others. Both my interview and Mules and Men show that humor is not just about laughing, but it also has a deeper meaning and purpose. Even today, humor is still used in everyday life to deal with stress and bring people together. It shows that sometimes, laughter can be one of the strongest ways people handle life.

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