NCERT Class 7 English Chapter 2
Unit 2: Wit and Humour
This unit celebrates the lighter side of literature, featuring humorous stories, witty characters, and comic situations that entertain while conveying meaningful messages. Students explore how writers use wordplay, irony, and funny situations to make readers laugh and think at the same time. The unit helps students appreciate humor as an important literary and social tool.
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Key Terms
- Humour
- The quality of being amusing or comical, and the ability to perceive and express funny aspects of life, a central feature of the texts in this unit.
- Wit
- Mental sharpness and inventiveness, especially in the clever use of words and ideas to create humor or make a point.
- Irony
- A literary device where the intended meaning is different from or opposite to the literal meaning, often used to create humor or highlight contradictions.
- Pun
- A form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a word or similar-sounding words for humorous effect.
- Satire
- The use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or expose foolishness, especially in social or political contexts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between wit and humour?▾
Humour is a general quality of being funny or amusing, while wit specifically refers to clever, quick, and intelligent use of words or ideas to create humor. Wit requires mental sharpness, while humour can be created in many different ways.
What kinds of stories are found in the Wit and Humour unit?▾
This unit typically features clever folk tales, funny anecdotes, comic poetry, and stories with witty protagonists who solve problems cleverly or find themselves in humorous situations that reveal truths about human nature.
Why is humour important in literature?▾
Humour in literature makes reading enjoyable, helps readers engage with difficult or serious topics in a lighter way, reveals social truths through satire, creates memorable characters, and connects readers across cultures through shared laughter.
What is a pun and can you give an example?▾
A pun is a wordplay using a word that has two meanings or two words that sound similar. For example, 'Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana' uses the double meaning of 'flies' (moves fast / a type of insect) for comic effect.
How can students identify irony in a text?▾
Students can identify irony by looking for situations where what is said or expected is opposite to what actually happens, or where a character says one thing but means another. Reading tone carefully and looking for contradictions helps spot irony.
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