Debra Spark: That’s Funny (July 2012)

In this lecture, Debra Spark questions how humor functions in contemporary fiction. Comparing the novels Personal Days by Ed Parks and Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris, Spark looks at the comedic qualities of each and identifies the means by which the virtues of gratitude and humility are conveyed to readers. Spark’s discussion also makes mention of fictional moments by Etgar Keret, Shalom Auslander, and Maggie Shipstead which lead to important considerations of characterization, precise observation, truth-telling, and emotional power.