l The fact that they are instances and examples of the comic—forms whose principal function is to be funny and thus to occasion laughter.
l Comic events
《 Today Started on a journey》
l We shall call loosely, ‘ the comic moment’ or ‘ comic event’. Which it can exist only within a narrative context—as a consequence of the existence of characters and a plot.
l The scene neither takes the form of a self-contained visual gag nor builds to a one-line wisecrack or joke. The scene is only funny because of its narrative context.
l The particular comic event, and the comic moment within it, is so integral to its context that it gives rise to further events of relevance to the plot.
l There are instances of comic events or comic moments less integral to the structure of a plot, either because their comic value depends upon a form of preparation itself inessential to the narrative (though the event itself may be crucial), or because, vice versa, the event is prepared for by the plot, but has no narrative consequences.
l One particular mode of comic event is verbal.
l It is distinguishable from jokes and wisecracks insofar as it is integral to, and dependent entirely upon, the existence of a narrative context to make it funny.
l , and inheren Where jokes and wisecracks are self-containedtly humorous, the type we are thinking of is not.
l The different can perhaps best be illustrated by considering two different lines of dialogue uttered by the same character at different points in the same film.
l We do not laugh because the remark is in any sense inherently funny.
