Read the given extract.

  How does the author uses humour and irony in this extract? Give an example. 

Answer as written by the student:

      Humour is a literary device that creates amusement or laughter by using words or situations that are funny or unexpected. Irony is a literary device that creates a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens. The author uses humour and irony in this extract to mock and criticize the film industry and its people.  

      For example, one example of humour and irony is that the poets were not really poets but only people who wrote dialogue for the films. This is humorous and ironic because it shows how the film industry misuses and devalues the term ‘poet’, which is supposed to be a respected and creative profession. 

      Another example of humour and irony is that the camera was not really a camera but a contraption that made a lot of noise and often broke down. This is humorous and ironic because it shows how the film industry relies on a faulty and noisy device that does not capture the true essence of art or cinema.

Step-by-step explanation of the answer:

To explain how the author uses humour and irony in the extract, we can use the following steps:

• First, we can identify the contrast or contradiction between what is expected and what actually happens in the extract. For example, we can say that we expect the poets to be real poets who write poems for the films, but they are actually only dialogue writers who write in verse. We can also say that we expect the camera to be a real camera that captures the images and sounds of the films, but it is actually a noisy and faulty device that often breaks down.
• Second, we can analyze how this contrast or contradiction creates amusement or laughter by using words or situations that are funny or unexpected. For example, we can say that it is funny and unexpected to see how the film industry misuses and devalues the term ‘poet’, which is supposed to be a respected and creative profession. We can also say that it is funny and unexpected to see how the film industry relies on a device that does not capture the true essence of art or cinema.
• Third, we can evaluate how this amusement or laughter also creates mockery or criticism of the film industry and its people. For example, we can say that it mocks and criticizes how the film industry exploits and manipulates the language and culture of its people for commercial purposes. We can also say that it mocks and criticizes how the film industry lacks quality and authenticity in its products and processes.