Tyler Perry’s Don’t Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings presents a kind of
literature that stands apart from everything we have read in class thus far. It is not play or a novella
critiquing society, nor is it an analysis by a classical philosopher that
condemns humor and laughter as malicious.
Madea’s commentary is closest in structure to the short stories of
Sedaris and Hau’ofa, which provide commentary through short narratives. However, it stands apart for its unique
narration and structure. The introductory commentary
from Perry states that the book is written entirely by Madea, a character in
some of his movies. This mixes the world
of fiction with reality while establishing a clear basis for the reader to
understand how the book is written. Upon
examining the table of contents, I noticed that the book is organized by subject
matter that Madea is discussing. In this
way, it is structured like a book of advice so that the reader can find a topic
they need help with and find a page with some advice. The character of Madea
appears to be based on a culture of advice, supervision, and a little bit of
gossip. There were Madeas everywhere
when he grew up, acting as protectors of the neighborhood. Perry mentions the
essential roles they played in neighborhoods like his own, saying, “If
somebody’s child was doing something wrong, Madea got to them and straightened them out, or she
would go directly to the parents, and the parents straightened the kids out”
(X). They were the law and order of the
world that he lived in. Establishing
this facet of the character of Madea helps establish the basis for
Perry/Madea’s humor. It is based in a
culture that supposedly no longer exists, but that does not make it inaccessible for the reader. The topics covered by Madea are still relevant, and Perry's writing brings her to vivid life, where she does not need much extra explanation to be understood. The cultural experiences that built Madea are easily communicated by Madea herself, ensuring that the reader will not be lost in her advice.
What makes the humor of Madea
interesting is the fact that Perry introduces her by saying she is unpredictable. I would think that being told someone is
unpredictable negates that aspect, but with Madea, I was still surprised by
what she would say while giving advice and discussing her life
experiences. In her chapter on marriage,
Madea says, “I was married eight times, and I stayed with every one of my
husbands for life, for their lives.
You see, they all died after some terrible arguments” (Perry 46). This sentence started off in a way that was
unexpected, with an elderly woman discussing the fact that she had more dead
spouses than Henry VII. However, failed
marriages are relatively common in the United States, so the number was not too
jarring. The rest of the sentence,
mentioning that she outlived every single one of the husbands and that their
deaths followed arguments, is the unexpected part. That many deaths following one woman is
suspicious, and it carries the heavy implication that she had some hand in
their death. The fact that she later admits
to her guilt in their deaths shows that Madea is very violent and not afraid to
take the life of another person. This
sets her apart from the average elderly woman.
The Madea/Perry brand of humor is
based on examining common experience that many people likely share and
presenting it through the lens of an unpredictable elderly woman. Madea’s views on life would be shocking no matter
who was sharing them. The fact that they
are delivered by an older woman who is supposed to be an important neighborhood
fixture makes them shocking and hilarious.
Using shock to make the audience laugh puts Perry/Madea’s humor into the
category of incongruity. The expectations of a sweet little grandma are
subverted by Madea’s unique brand of honesty and exaggeration.
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