Relief Theory

I believe the relief theory is the most persuasive theory when considering comedy and humor as a whole. This type of comedy relieves tension during a high stress event providing an emotional break for the audience. For example, if you look at the movie IT, the writers provided comedic relief throughout the movie especially after a “scarier” scene. By doing so, the movie was more enjoyable and made it easier to watch (especially for people who don’t like horror movies). Without relief, it is harder to make it to the end of the movie without being completely scared. Making people laugh gives one a complete turn around of emotion, which is key in the sense of helping people cope in stressful situations. Without the ability to cope in situations, there would be complete chaos. This is why the relief theory is the most persuasive. All three theories display different types of comedy, but this one in particular helps the most with our day to day lives. Hence the saying that laughter is the best medicine. A happier outlook on life can make the best difference in someone’s life.