From the story "The Lemon Tree Billiards House", provide 2 examples of a humorous tone and explain why/how this is funny.
Did you think anything in the story was funny? Have you read it? If you thought something was humorous, why?
To provide examples of a humorous tone from the story "The Lemon Tree Billiards House," let's first understand what a humorous tone is. A humorous tone refers to the writer's intention to entertain readers and elicit laughter through the use of witty and amusing ideas, language, or situations.
Example 1: "It had been raining in the town for a week. Water was coming through the roof of the Lemon Tree Billiards House again, and water was coming through the roof of my house too, which was fine with me since it had been raining in my house for a month. Just to show you how poor we are, me and my mother don't even have a pot to put on our heads, and my father didn't work because he didn't think he could support the taxes they had in the street. My mother didn't work either. She said that washing dirty socks didn't pay and that she didn't want to die from the smell of detergent either." (Page 267)
This passage exhibits a humorous tone by presenting an exaggerated and ironic depiction of the living conditions. The comical effect is achieved through the absurdity and playfulness in the language, such as the mention of not owning a pot to put on their heads and the notion of smelling detergent as a cause of potential death. The writer's intent is to evoke laughter by humorously highlighting the poverty and grumbling nature of the narrator's family.
Example 2: "The Nero children saw me coming and ran back to their burrow, barking. Mr. Lemon wasn't at the billiards house, and Mrs. Lemon was washing laundry at the triple sinks. When she saw me, she said, 'Ah, la puuuuta madre! And what brings you to my clean billiards house, Cain?' " (Page 270)
In this passage, the humor lies in the dialogue and the surprise brought by Mrs. Lemon's reaction. The use of Spanish profanity adds an unexpected and funny element, creating a humorous tone. The contrast between the polite description of Mrs. Lemon washing laundry and her sudden outburst further enhances the comic effect. This humorous dialogue not only amuses the reader but also emphasizes the eccentricities of the characters and their interactions.
Overall, the examples above illustrate a humorous tone in "The Lemon Tree Billiards House" through the use of exaggerated situations, playful language, and unexpected reactions. The author employs these literary techniques to entertain readers and bring comic relief to the story.