Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Solutions to Saturday's Puzzle

David Sedaris uses humor to entertain his reader in Solution to Saturday's Puzzle. David is in a catch 22 on a flight to Raleigh; he sneezed and launched a cough drop onto a woman who he got into an argument with earlier. This argument was about the woman wanting David to switch seats with her husband so they may sit by each other. David refused because he hates bulkhead seats. "Under normal circumstances, I'd have had three choices, the first being to do nothing..." (125) After this statement he explains he can pull the cough drop off the women, risking of waking her, or he can wake her up and demand the cough drop back and fatally attempt to confuse the woman into thinking she somehow stole it. This is funny because of the scenes that play in one’s head when they read these statements; one can just see each one being hilariously awkward. I especially like the one with confusing the woman. I can just see rage on strangers face to innocent bystander with the stranger trying to hide his guilt with ANGRY WORDS!


What I also found funny in Solution to Saturday's Puzzle is David trying to reason with the woman explaining why it's not a big deal not trading seats with her husband. "I mean, what, is he going to prison the moment we land in Raleigh?" "if he was a child I'd do it." (128) This funny because it’s an adult trying to reason why he won't take a bulkhead. Ha-ha, it's hilarious. He won't do it because he would feel awkward if he were to take the seat. This story is basically a massive cycle of awkwardness of a grown man trying to wiggle his way out of feeling discomfort. It's like seeing a kid begging not to go to a time out, but in an adult version…..


Anyways, the reason the humor works in this piece is because we all experience this type of situation; being called an “asshole.” It’s not the word, but the trauma that one experiences after being called something one dislikes. David found himself in this predicament and cannot stop thinking about her. It’s as if every action made by her is an insult. “each gentle snore sounding like and accusation. Ass-hole. Ass-ho-le.” (133) The reason why the humor works with this story is because most people can relate to this story. The situation might not have been on a plane, but maybe on the playground or office. David Sedaris in a Solution to Saturday's Puzzle uses humor to relate to the reader.


What's green and has wheels?
Grass.....I lied about the wheels

No comments:

Post a Comment