Question

identify the devices used by lamb to provoke humour and laughter in his essay "a dissertation upon roast pig"

Answer 1

" A dissertation upon roast pig" is a famous and humorous essay by Charles Lamb. In this essay the device used by lamb to provoke humor is the power of serendipity. It is about a person who used to domesticate swine. One day when he had to go to forest for some work, he left his eldest son Bo-bo to take care of the swine herd. While playing with fire this young lad burned the 9 pigs and his cottage as well. While trying to see if any pig was alive, he tasted fingers of one pig and found it delicious. In this manner a new dish i.e. roasted pig was invented. 

The second device used for creation of humor is absurdity. The boy who burned his cottage suggested to his father to taste the burned pig as it was tasting delicious. Also afterwords both father and son tried to make it their secret dish and hide their finding with their neighbors. 

The third device used was ambiguity. This young person was afraid to face his father. He was anticipating the various ways in which he will describe his father regarding the invention of delicious roasted pig. 

Finally black comedy is used to make the readers understand that it is not proper to burn the pigs for the sack of taste. Writer has advised to use some shock treatment to kill the pig before roasting them.