Applications of Humor

For this assignment, you will apply what you have learned from the readings to your workplace. Be as creative and humorous as possible in all segments of this 3-part assignment.

Part 1: Select 2 cartoons or comic strips that would be likely to reduce tension in your workplace. Explain how and with whom you would use each of them in your workplace and why each would be likely to reduce tension. Be sure to include a reproduction of the cartoon or comic strip in your essay.

Part 2: Write an original memo that deliberately uses humor to get the message across, and thus increases the probability that the receiver/s will take some desired action. Use appropriate memo format for your workplace, describe who will receive it, and analyze why you think your memo will be effective in achieving the desired action.

Part 3: Imagine you are at a routine meeting at your workplace. Decide what the topic is (ex., the budget, tardiness and absenteeism). Relate a funny anecdote that aids in illustrating the point you are attempting to make. The anecdote can involve co-workers, family, or friends. It should help your “audience” remember what you have said. Following is an example of an anecdote as told by Roger Rosenblatt in his book Rules for Aging:

Remember the Amana! Did you hear the story of the man who ordered an Amana freezer from an appliance store? The store promised that the freezer would be delivered on a certain day between 1:00 and 4:00 P.M., and it wasn’t. The man phoned the store and angrily demanded to know where the freezer was. Told that it definitely would be delivered the following day between 8:00 and 11:00 A.M., he remarked to his wife, “They had better do it this time or else!” The store failed to deliver the freezer again, and the man was livid. He called the store manager and yelled into the phone. He called his lawyer. His wife told him he was making too much of the matter, that the Amana would arrive eventually, and that she was getting annoyed with him. He told her to shut up and asked whose side was she on anyway. Then he called the store again, and this time he threatened to kill the store manager. The manager called his lawyer. The wife, realizing she had married a maniac, called her lawyer. In the end, the transaction cost the man his wife, $250,000 in damages, and the house in which he had planned to put the freezer.

Moral: Remember the Amana. Every one of life’s little mishaps can be kept in perspective if one focuses on one’s original goal—in this case, to acquire an Amana freezer.
Mr. Rosenblatt went on to say that he invented the story but it’s certainly a worthwhile one!

Submission Requirements
Your paper, inclusive of all 3 sections, should be 3-5 pages (750-1000 words).
Format your paper in Times New Roman 12 pt font, double-spaced.
Cite all sources using MLA or APA format using both in-text citations and a list of works cited at the end of your essay.

Be sure to evaluate your essay on the following criteria before submitting it.

Does your paper:

show an understanding of the major course concepts?
express your thoughts clearly and correctly (in both grammar and format)?
explain details and evaluate and analyze your responses?
list and identify resources both throughout your work and in a reference page at the end?