Serious Laughs: Using Humour to Tell Powerful Stories.
Let’s be honest: sometimes the world feels like one big tragic mess…with traffic. Life throws wars, heartbreak, injustice, medical diagnoses, and family dinners at us, and just when we think we can’t take it anymore… someone cracks a joke.
And somehow, we feel better.
That’s the magical power of humour. And guess what? It works just as well in stories. Whether on the page or on the big screen, humour isn’t just the comic relief; it’s often the key to unlocking life’s most brutal truths.
In fact, humour is like a Trojan horse. It sneaks past our defences, carrying deep emotional payloads hidden inside a bellyful of jokes. When used well, it makes the unbearable bearable, the complex digestible, and the tragic somehow beautiful.
So let’s explore seven ways humour helps us tackle serious themes in writing and movies and peek at some brilliant examples that make us laugh, cry, and rethink everything in between.
7 Ways Writers Use Humor to Tackle Tough Topics.
#1 – Humour Makes the Unbearable Bearable.
Let’s start with the big one. Some themes, like war, genocide, or suicide, are so heavy that they risk sinking the entire story. That’s where humour floats in like a life raft.
Used sparingly and smartly, humour can create a breather, a pause button, or even a survival mechanism. It doesn’t erase the pain; it helps us stay in the room with it.
Look at Life is Beautiful . Yes, it’s an “oldie”, but it earns its spot. In this Oscar-winning gem, Roberto Benigni’s tells the story of a Jewish-Italian man who uses humour and imagination to shield his son from the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. On paper, that sounds horrifying. How can you make jokes in a Holocaust film?
But Benigni doesn’t use humour to make light of genocide. He uses it to emphasise the resilience of the human spirit. His comedic approach makes the tragedy hit harder, not softer. It’s precisely because we laugh with the characters that we care so deeply when things take a tragic turn.
Or take The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Who tells the story of a woman stuck in the fog of depression and lands in a magical library between life and death, she begins hopping through alternate versions of her life. Sounds grim? It kind of is. But Haig sprinkles just enough dry humour and clever dialogue to make the journey feel life-affirming rather than bleak.
#2 – Humour Builds Connection with the Audience.
Let’s face it: nobody wants to be lectured.
We don’t want a morality play.
We want characters who feel real, flawed, funny, and full of contradictions.
Humour makes them likeable, even when the story is tackling themes like loss, trauma, or mental illness.
It’s like saying, “Hey, I get you,” with a wink.
A great example of this is Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit, a satire about a 10-year-old boy in Nazi Germany whose imaginary friend is Adolf Hitler (played by Waititi himself, complete with a gloriously ridiculous moustache). That setup alone is enough to raise eyebrows.
But the humour here disarms the audience. We’re drawn into Jojo’s world, and as the absurdity gives way to heartbreak, the impact is devastating. The film sneaks empathy in through a side door, using jokes to build a bond between the viewer and the characters.
Or the book (later adapted to a movie), Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple. Bernadette is brilliant, eccentric, socially allergic, and deeply troubled. But oh, she’s funny. Her sardonic tone and biting commentary make her instantly engaging. The story covers anxiety, isolation, and identity, but we’re too busy chuckling to notice we’ve stumbled into something profound.
#3 – Humour Exposes Hypocrisy and Absurdity.
Sometimes the world is just… ridiculous. And satire is the best way to call out the madness.
Humour here doesn’t lighten the blow…
it delivers it. By exaggerating real-life absurdities, stories shine a spotlight on what’s broken, from political systems to social norms.
Just watch Don’t Look Up, where scientists discover a comet is about to destroy Earth. Great. So they tell the world.
The world… shrugs. Welcome to a scathing satire of climate denial, celebrity culture, and the 24-hour news cycle. It’s outrageous, hilarious, and terrifying because it feels just a bit too real.
Or read My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, where Korede keeps cleaning up after her little sister’s murders. Like, literally. This Nigerian noir novel uses deadpan humour to slice into gender roles, family dynamics, and systemic injustice. The absurdity makes you laugh, until you realise how plausible it all feels.
#4 – Humour Reveals the Humanity in Tragedy.
In real life, people joke at funerals. They laugh in waiting rooms. Gallows humour is how many of us stay sane. So when fictional characters face dark times with a sense of humour, it doesn’t break the mood; it grounds it.
Because people are weird. And weird is wonderful.
Take Fleabag. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s creation is raw, reckless, and razor-sharp. She’s grieving and spiralling, but instead of melodrama, we get deadpan looks to the camera, brutally honest monologues, and inappropriate jokes. It’s hilarious. It’s heartbreaking. It’s life.
Another favourite of mine is The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. Don Tillman, a brilliant but socially awkward genetics professor, sets out to find a wife using a scientifically rigorous questionnaire. What unfolds is a surprisingly tender story about neurodivergence, emotional isolation, and learning to love without scripts.
The humour, quirky, deadpan, and sometimes unintentional, makes Don’s inner world accessible and deeply human. You laugh with him, and through that laughter, you start to see the tragedy of someone trying so hard to connect in a world that doesn’t quite get him.
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#5 – Humour Encourages Reflection Without Defensiveness.
If you want people to rethink their worldview, humour is your secret weapon. No soapboxes. No finger-wagging. Just jokes that sneak truth past people’s defences. Humour invites readers and viewers to laugh first… and think later.
The Menu explores a pretentious, high-end dinner that turns into a delicious takedown of elitism, class warfare, and the commodification of art. It’s tense. It’s gory. It’s hilarious. And somehow, amid the chaos, you’ll start questioning why we put certain people, and particular tastes, on pedestals.
The satirical novel The Sellout by Paul Beatty doesn’t ask politely for your attention; it grabs it and dunks it in biting wit. Beatty tackles race, politics, and historical trauma with such outrageous humour that you can’t look away. You laugh, you cringe, and then you go back and read it again because… damn.
#6 – Humour Enhances the Impact of the Tragic.
Here’s the emotional one-two punch: make us laugh, then make us cry. That emotional whiplash can leave a bigger impact than either emotion alone. When we care about characters because they made us laugh, their pain hits harder.
One of my favourite examples is About Time. On the surface, it’s a charming rom-com about a man who can time-travel.
But as the story unfolds, it becomes a deeply emotional meditation on love, loss, and the fleeting nature of life. The film is full of playful British humour, awkward dinner scenes, time-travel mishaps, and self-deprecating narration, but by the end, it breaks your heart in the gentlest, most beautiful way.
The humour makes you feel safe, and then…bam, it teaches you to cherish the ordinary moments that slip by unnoticed.
Or the excellent book A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Ove is grumpy, suicidal, and not exactly cuddly. But he’s also a magnet for chaos: stray cats, clueless neighbours, runaway trailers. The humour makes us root for him… which makes his backstory and slow emotional thaw incredibly moving
#7 -Humour Reflects How People Cope in Real Life.
If you’ve ever laughed at a wildly inappropriate moment, congratulations…you’re human.
Humour isn’t just entertainment. It’s a coping mechanism, a shield, a pressure valve. And great stories reflect that truth.
Just look at The Big Sick. Based on Kumail Nanjiani’s real-life love story, this rom-com tackles illness, culture clash, and heartbreak with jokes…Lots of them.
From awkward parents to failed stand-up gigs, the humour makes the love story authentic. Because love isn’t always poetic, it’s often messy and funny and real.
Another great example is Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman.
Eleanor has strict routines, no friends, and no filter. Her trauma is deep, but her voice is hilariously blunt.
The dry humour doesn’t mask the pain—it reveals it. And we love her all the more because she makes us laugh in spite of it all.
There’s a myth that serious themes require solemn storytelling. That humour somehow cheapens tragedy, dilutes truth, or distracts from depth.
But the opposite is often true.
Humour is one of the oldest tools humans have for processing the unprocessable. It gives us courage. It makes bitter truths easier to swallow. It builds connection, fosters reflection, and reminds us of our shared humanity.
Whether it’s a sarcastic protagonist deflecting pain, a biting satire revealing societal absurdity, or a laugh in the midst of heartbreak, humour invites us to engage with stories we might otherwise avoid.
So go ahead. Write that dark comedy. Pen that witty tragicomedy. Add a joke to your trauma narrative. Life is messy, and sometimes the best way to get through it is to laugh.
Now it’s YOUR turn – What story made you laugh and cry at the same time?
Would love to get your input in the comment box below.
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