Leticia Neria PhD thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText ...

apart and the reader enjoys the policeman’s behaviour by finding him inferior. Later in
the story, the policeman and other colleagues turn into birds by eating the food because
it contained a magic potion. The reader enjoys their punishment, since their behaviour
was ridiculous, almost animalistic, and feels no sympathy for them. The reader feels too
superior to have any compassion for someone who behaves like that. 112
But we also feel sympathy for a character who puts him/herself in a superior
position through his/her actions. We take credit for the insult ourselves, as Purdie
suggests. 113 In an episode of La Familia Burrón, the wealthy mansion of Titino Tinoco
is robbed and he calls the police. During the investigations, the chief of police suggests
that Floro Tinoco, the child of the family, is the thief. His father’s immediate reply is:
‘A mi mono le doy cuanto desea, así que descártelo de los sospechosos. Orita mismo
tiene para comprarlo a usted y a su manada de tecos’, 114 In this situation we see the
corruption of the police, but we also notice that Titino Tinoco has no qualms about
telling the police that his son has enough money to bribe them all. It is interesting that
the policeman does not contradict Mr Tinoco, essentially admitting the allegation.
However, besides the exaggeration and the inappropriateness of speaking so forwardly
to an authority figure about his corrupt behaviour, Mr Tinoco is also insulting someone
in a position of power. Therefore, we appropriate the comment as if we were the ones
who degraded the police. As we can see, the situation brings us enjoyment through
different means, and permits us to criticise and humiliate by making ‘a painful
impression on the person against whom it is directed’, 115 an authority figure whose
behaviour is improper, as well as pointing out something we would like to change.
112 Eco, ‘Los marcos de…’, p. 10.
113 Purdie, Comedy. The Mastery…, p. 65.
114 La Familia Burrón, 17191, p. 28.
115 Bergson, Laughter. An Essay… p. 197.
115