If anyone asked me
to describe Hokum, a lot of words
would come to mind. Confusing and sad are just a few; however, humor is not one
of them. In fact, I would not even know that the book was supposed to be
humorous if it was not for the fact that “an anthology of African-American
humor” was written on the cover. I never laugh while reading Hokum because it deals with issues that
are simply not funny.
Adventure by Hughes deals with the issue
of segregation, and that if one wants adventure they should go to Alabama or
Mississippi to “battle with the White Skins” (169). Hughes even compares the
situation in the south to that of a battle between the Indians and Whites;
however, Hughes believes that the “Savage South has got the Wild West beat a
mile” (170). I understand the piece was
a satire and contained a lot of sarcasm, but to me it was not funny even in the
slightest.
The Lesson by Bambara also presented
humor, which I did not entirely understand. In fact, I felt depressed while
reading the piece because it reflected the unnecessary extravagance of the
wealthy while others have so little. One of the stores had a paperweight that
cost $480; when Miss Moore asked Junebug if they had “a calendar and a pencil
case and a blotter and a letter opener on [his] desk at home,” Junebug simply
replied that he does not even have a desk” (104). The extravagance simply
continues with toy sailboats costing $195, and $35 for a toy clown. Suddenly,
the five dollars that the children had originally received seems insignificant.
One of the darkest ideas in the story is when Sugar questions what kind of
society spends as much on a toy as “it would cost to feed a family of six or
seven” (197). Clearly, this question is rhetorical.
Personally, I do
not find Hokum funny or enjoyable to
read; in fact, it is rather uncomfortable to read. The novel is a darker humor that
addresses many serious issues that is designed to make the reader stop and
question what they had just read. Simply put, it is not the humor I was
anticipating.
Hi Katherine, Thanks for posting. I can understand your response, but I think we have to understand the context of African American humor. There are some unusual issues. dw
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way when I read Hokum. It seemed more like a portrayal of segregation, racism, and wrongs committed against African Americans in the past. I assumed that they are making fun of their unfortunate past in order to deal with its injustice and move forward. It is a shared experience for African Americans. Maybe that’s why they could laugh at it, but we feel uncomfortable as we read it.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more, Katherine. I kept reading the stories in anticipation of finding humor, but that never happened. I enjoyed a couple of stories e.g. the one about the couple who ended up getting divorced over their shared race, but I didn't think they were funny. I found them to belong more appropriately in the drama category. I agree with you that the "humor" was uncomfortable to read, and perhaps, like John said, we just don't understand it because we are not African American.
ReplyDeleteAs we prepare to author our final letters reviewing the course and offering suggestions for its future, I've been thinking a lot about Hokum. I understand that we need to see a variety of humor from different cultures...but it was a bit of a shock to witness a humor that isn't for laughing. I know I didn't like reading Hokum--and I have a mind to say "Get rid of it, DW; we could be reading better things." But maybe it's important that students realize that humor's purpose is not always to make us jovial and giggly--it is really one of the only mediums that allows someone to really push the envelope when it comes to societal norms; art can be banned, books can be banned, and music can be banned. But humor has a life of its own! Hokum, though it is not a pleasant read, may be an important lesson to learn.
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