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

authorities ought to be to respect and serve those who they govern, therefore to see how
they look down on their constituents causes anger. But the over-emphasis of the
character faults of Don Perpetuo makes it easier to digest his attitude. Don Perpetuo
prefers his citizens to be enjoying the festival than raising political issues, and when
they begin throwing sacks of coloured dust at him, he furiously takes out his gun and
condemns this enjoyment at his expense. We enjoy the punishment he receives by
imagining ourselves among the crowd, throwing objects at him. If Don Perpetuo
embodies all the politicians we despise, so much the better.
As discussed, humour helps us to cope with adverse reality since it establishes a
distance between the source of our discomfort and ourselves. Thus, in humour, some
actions and situations are tolerated and this works in different directions:
� We tolerate situations in which the characters suffer abuse or misfortune
because we put to one side our emotions (Bergson), we understand that the actions are
performed in a fictional world which is indestructible (McGhee, Paton, Zupancic), or
we break the link that connects us with the character or the situation (Critchley). We
may also enjoy the adversity of the comic character because we feel superior or we do
not sympathise with him/her (Eco).
� To make fun of the authorities or those who cause us discomfort is welcome
because someone is doing to them what we would like to do but dare not because we
know the consequences (Freud), and we feel avenged. The feeling of victory is even
greater if we identify ourselves with the comic character (Bergson) who is punishing
them, and if we identify the butt of the joke as our real antagonist (Freud).
� We can see these theories in practice in another sequence from Calzonzin
Inspector. When finally the ‘real’ people from San Garabato approach Calzonzin,
believing he is an inspector, they complain about Don Perpetuo and his policemen:
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