You’re Joking at a Time Like This?

Jokes are not just for the comedy genre.

In the opening sequence for Raiders of the Lost Ark, we meet the tough, intelligent, fearless adventurer, Indiana Jones, doing what he does best— venturing into a trap-laden temple full of creepy crawlies and recovering a priceless artifact. Despite almost being killed several times, he keeps his cool and makes it out alive with the idol. But his ordeal isn’t over. His rival, Belloq, has convinced the local tribe to work with him. Soon, Indy is once again on the run, dodging certain death. He barely manages to escape with just his life.
My favorite moment comes at the end of this sequence, after Indy is safely on the plane flying away. A large python begins crawling into his lap. And we finally find out what this tough-as-nails man is afraid of. Then comes one of the funniest exchanges:

Indy: THERE’S A BIG SNAKE IN THE PLANE, JOCK!
Jock: Oh, that just my pet snake, Reggie!
Indy: I HATE SNAKES, JOCK! I HATE ‘EM!
Jock: Come on, show a little backbone, will ya?

Here’s the sequence if you want to re-live the magic:

What I love about this sequence is that it shows how Indy keep his cool despite almost being shot, crushed, covered in spiders, hit with poison darts, impaled, crushed again and shot with arrows. He’s a badass. There’s not a lot in the world that scares this man, but snakes are a whole other story. Of course, Jock didn’t see everything that Indy just endured, so his quip to ‘show a little backbone’ is sweet, sweet irony. And it’s also the perfect punctuation to end this scene.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is actually full of delightful funny moments like this. Clever one-liners, subversions of expectations, sight gags and other brilliant uses of comedy, which I would argue elevates the story to masterpiece level. I don’t think we immediately think of Raiders as a comedy, because the adventure storyline is the main lens through which we view the film. But think about the moment in the bazaar when the large man comes out swinging the sword, and we’re expecting this epic fight— then Indy just shoots him. It’s comedy over adventure.

As a writer, it’s easy to get into the rut of thinking that your story is just one thing. One genre. Romance. Western. Fantasy. But stories aren’t just one thing because people aren’t just one thing. And if you think about our daily lives, we’re constantly telling each other jokes, sharing memes, or watching videos that make us grin. Smiling makes us feel good.

And comedy can make our stories better. Think about how the joke at the end of the opening sequence for Raiders gave us a smile at the end of a harrowing ordeal. It would have been fine to just have Indy fly away into the sunset, but adding that joke at the end reveals more about Indy’s character and lets the audience know what kind of movie they’re in for. A bit of humor can provide catharsis for an emotional scene, give us a reprieve from a terrifying chase sequence, or liven up a long exposition dump. It’s those delightful little surprises that keeps our brains active and engaged in what’s going on. And I would argue that it makes our writing better.

Think about your favorite movie or book that’s not specifically a comedy. There were probably quite a few funny moments in it that you might not even realize. Some of the best quotable lines and one-liners from movies are actually bits of comedy: “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.”, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”, “There’s no crying in baseball!”, “No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.”. Using humor in your writing not only makes your story more enjoyable, it also makes it more human—no matter the genre. Don’t be afraid to take those opportunities, when you see the chance to include it as you write. Your audience will say:

“I’ll have what she’s having…”