The Study of VaqVaqSahab Based on General Theory of Verbal Humor (Investigating on Target, Script Opposition and Logical Mechanism)

In this article, one of the most important works of humor in the history of Persian literature Hedayat’sVaqVaqSahab is reviewed and analyzed based on the General Theory of Verbal Humor. This work has special features in all six Knowledge Resources, but the focus of this study has been on the three variables of Target (T), Script Opposition (SO), and Logical Mechanism (LM). VaqVaqSahab contains the traits of humorous narrative texts; both in the final part of the joke (punch lines) and within the body of the text (jab lines). Moreover, thereaders’ expectation of targeting at out-group and showing solidarity with in- group (a common tool for creating humor)is violated in VaqVaqSahab. Two SOs of tradition/ modernity and the appearance/ realityare added to previously introduced SOs in this theory. Exaggeration, meta-humor (self-reflection), proximity, consequences, false analogy and inversion are some of the widely used LMs in this work.