Ellsworth Community College - Web Yearbook (Iowa Falls, IA)

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a. u'-if y ', . 1,5 5' yrzcj F , fx , X 'wig 'TV'-., IQ V 1,7 , i W , t lf-,xi 'f .5 ,fn 1 v I W3-ff' ,f-Lflfilgsl lwitzx , ' ', ' 'll f -il' PG ii555ff?5219libw:! LQSW ll C 'f',- if ,gil lf l UT '1fflii'3.f Ln tl 3-A '--- 'W'-1 'i22'Q q,'1 Fil lj Iwi. 5'ir'1fw I! l . .flirt 4 F: rx Z V .- N .- W .. Q, ' A 2 1 Lf I' J ' 'QgYVjjQ ' 5 1 E' l . ll ' The chief butt of ridicule is found in the unworthy attributes of man. The normal, the accepted fashion, or the dexterous movement is not laughed at, but any deviation from the normal is sub- ject to laughter, unless commonplace, or inhibited. The physical malformation is not laughed at. The laugh is not at the physical extreme, it is at the character suggested by the peculiarities, for these are signs of character, read intuitively as the geologist reads by reason the earth's history in the peculiar formations, or as the experienced physician diagnoses a case by apperception. The base, the ignoble, the deceitful, the humorous, are seen behind the physical characteristic instan- taneously by the impressionable mind, based on the fact that for every physical difference between men there is a corresponding mental difference. It is the function of caricature to exaggerate these physical differences and contrast them with their opposites, whereby we apprehend our triumph, and laugh. These differences are deviations from the norm, and they are subject to laughter to the extent of their deviation and suggestability. However, every class of society, every nation, every race, as well as every age has its own norm, and any deviation from this standard appears as inferior. Our masculine norm may be suggested vaguely by Apollo Belvedere, were it more muscular. The Greek standard for a perfect head was 9 inches from base to top, SM inches thru from ear to ear, and 9 inches from tip of nose thru to back of head. The human is characterized in nine phases: color, form, size, structure, texture, consistency, proportion, expression and condition. These are indices to character with which the caricaturist works. In color, for instance, fiery red hair may provoke mirth by suggesting a fiery nature apt at demonstrations, in form, a long peaked nose may suggest unbounded inquisitiveness, leading to absurd intrusion, in size, a fat man may suggest sluggishness, hence awaking consciousness of our superior activity, in proportion, a pair of huge feet may suggest clodhopperishness, contrasted with our suppleness, and in expression, stuttering, illogical speech and meaningless movements evidence lack of physical and mental co-ordination, as contrasted with our superior accuracy and developed mind. In every instance we feel consciously or subconsciously our superiority in regard to the particular abnormal element. In every instance, therefore, we feel our superior strength, our triumph, whereby we grow, are happy and laugh, not because they are inferior but because we are superior. In finality, the caricaturist assails the abnormal, the unconservative, the retrogressive, the absurd attributes of man, not intending to destroy the personality but to eradicate these by laughter. VVhen these elements are assailed with view of betterment, when the caricaturist does it with sympathy, and when the audience laughs with the object of ridicule, humor then enters-that creative process which knows no malice. Then the caricaturist attains to the zenith of his power, holding up the mirror to the frailties of mankind, whereby society laughs and improves. ,Q A 141 R

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' X ,,il.iilf1,q1 L , if XX LilQgt-tiiiftitvff 93 pg-P!:'x,.1llj51'i QL ,Q I X l X4 uf' N1- 'Y z ,-. 14.6 f at , ll ,H 3 ills- irtnrial Glarirature ADOLPH LIEN There is something curious in the fact that man who alone can laugh heartily is himself the chief object of laughter. The laughter is about some ludicrous element in the personality, whether aimless action, nonsensical thot, broken speech, absurd dress, or the work of man-not at the mountain or the brook, the bird or the beast. Truly, man may laugh at monkey, because monkey looks so much like man. Any form of lower life that mirrors the ludicrous attributes of man is apt to cause laughter. The chief instrument in laughter is caricature, which is the selection, distortion and represen- tation of the significant features by word or picture. When a moral is conveyed thru symbol, the caricature, if verbal, is an allegory, if pictorial, a cartoon. Most caricature is destructive, aiming to ridicule and satirize the object by wit. In literature Don Quixote and Ichabod Crane are types of destructive caricature, while Napoleon III as the root of all evil, and Louis Philippe in the evolution of a pear QPoirej are types of pictorial caricature that are destructive in purpose and result. Fortunately, caricature achieves its purpose thru humor, that creative mental process which laughs with the chief object of ridicule without malice. David Copperfield and others of Dickens creations are slightly caricatured with a kindly sympathetic humor, while in pictorial caricature Freshman Nuts and 'iPreps are convenient examples. Both are constructive, the former aims to eradicate detractions from studies, the latter to secure self-reliance in the pursuit of studies. In caricature, the factors of laughter are: reserve energy, occasion, subconscious basis, and form employing antithesis or comparison. A Energy is the source of all laughter. The faint smile of the invalid indicates the low ebb of energy, while the robust person laughs heartily because he overflows with energy, which iinds an outlet thru play, smiles, or guffaw. The convalescent laughs because he triumphs over his former state of mind and body which had been at a low ebb of vitality. So when he feels his strength growing, he laughs as a boy that has solved a perplexing problem, or has performed a difficult feat. He laughs when he sees the sickness, danger and sorrow from which he is free. It is a pleasurable feeling. He laughs in triumph. Any triumph or suggestion of triumph, whereby the organism tends to be built up, when charged with reserve energy, is conducive to laughter, unless inhibited. Special occasion, too, aids caricature, for it generates energy. The people, when agitated and when sentiment is strong against the object of ridicule, break forth in laughter upon slight provo- cation. Also the pent-up energy due to lack of expression, as in the lecture room or church, accu- mulates until outburst is imminent. The audience observing the caricature must be aware subconsciously of their triumph, apparent or real, by feeling their superiority to the object of ridicule, by having lack of reverence for the assailed element, and by being in sympathy with the caricaturist. Generally, a people do not laugh at their deities, but they do laugh at bogies, bumpkins, and buffoons, for the people feel superior-they are apperceptively prepared thru a complex network of associations, and the con- trast is bridged by suggestion. Of course there is the laugh of the ignoramus at wisdom and the sacred, but his laughter is due to the illusion that represents those objects as being nought to him, that he indeed is superior to them, which really presents in him the same psychological process as in rational laughter. The means of successful caricature is attained by form which contrasts the superior with the inferior, the sublime with the base, the dexterous with the clumsy, the noble with the ignoble, the logical with the illogical, as expressed or implied by association or suggestion, whereby a feeling of triumph arises. The greater the chasm or, antithesis, and the closer the parallel between these opposites, the stronger will be the caricature, other factors being complied with. This fact depends on the laws of association, similiarity, and contrast, by which like and opposite are brot to con- sciousness and upon which analogy is based. , 140

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F31-lr? . I J Q 49.14 1?'fli,1, t,tl lfglftllll fi lllll . EgQjUHf,lIql3l'n1 Vu, V Y Y Y f ., ' , 1 D, V ., -EF-T' J-'Mf3,sgp1? .- ' ,4 ' V' q Wai- ' e X 'Q -1 -- -Q wi -1--- -:,:.41Q1:-A 36111, AONIAN LITERARY SOCIETY ' TOP ROV' Cleft to rigllth-Stockclnle. Butson, Luipple, Keoligh, XV1'igl1t, Henderson, Relnnan MIDDLE ROXV-Svott, Bleeker, Robe1'tson, Muhlenbruck, Mrs. Stout CC1'iticJ, Kirsebom, Czu'utl1 BOTTOM ROXV-Swenson. Luipple, Sclnnedika, Lee, lliayer, Cross, Batten, XYeukley PHILOMATH EAN LITERARY SOCIETY TOP ROXV Cleft to rightj-Folbrecllt, Deen, Osee, Bruns, Johnson, Stille, VV1'ight SECOND ROIV-Johnson, Esslinger, Jorgeson, Meyer, Daniels, McWhorter, Schmidt THIRD ROYV-Larson, Madole, Henderson, Scott, Anderson, Bell, Johnson BOTTOM ROW'-Mills, Brittain, Riley, Owens, Prof. Hunter fC1'iticJ, Stockdale, Thompson, SCIINVGIICIQIHIIIIII 142