Second ISU

Humour is an important part of life. It cheer one up almost anytime, even reminders of sometime funny can make someone grin. There are so many different types of humour that can be found almost anywhere. In the Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett, there are so many different types of humour that can be found. Satire is a large focus of his, but as well, to keep the jokes rolling in smaller scenes and not just the novel in general, he uses many literary devices to create humour. Pratchett manages to write using a distinct mix of different types of humour which aids in defining his style of writing—making it distinctly his own.


Many times in The Colour of Magic, Pratchett makes use of irony as a comedic device. The two most noticeable here are verbal irony, and dramatic irony. Verbal irony as sarcasm is used in this novel, as well as verbal irony simply where a character says something, yet means another. One of the characters, Twoflower, desperately wants to live the ‘adventurous’ life, living and breathing authentic perilous journeys and such. He has, before meeting Rincewind, never experienced anything remotely exciting before. Twoflower mentions to Rincewind that “[He] doesn’t take risks. About the most exciting thing that happened to [him] was knocking over a pot of ink. [He] assess[es] risks.”’ (Pratchett, 34) Knocking over a pot of ink is not exciting and though the reader could argue whether this is irony or not; whether Twoflower knows this and simply means that he’s not an exciting person, or rather does he just truly believe that knocking over a pot of ink could be considered funny. In some cases, this could be considered sarcasm, if Twoflower felt contempt for the absence of excitement in his life. However, Twoflower is rather a distracted character, and quite good natured, so for him, he would say it without any contempt, creating an amusing result.
When Twoflower and Rincewind are into their adventure, the tourist comes up with what he thinks are brilliant suggestions. They usually are something that people would disagree with, but Twoflower cannot figure this out.
‘“I have a great idea!” He burbled.
“Yah,” said Rincewind, wearily. “Why don’t we get Hrun to accompany us to Quirm?”’ (Pratchett, 100) Rincewind is completely against inviting Hrun the Barbarian to accompany them, as he is convinced the warrior would rob them of their provisions and money and then leave them to die. He doesn’t really mean what he says, and yet he doesn’t say it in a mocking tone. He says “[he] thought [Twoflower]’d think of it,” (Pratchett, 100). This is humourous not only in irony, but also that the reader can identify that Rincewind has become tired of his friend’s ideas.


Dramatic irony is when the reader knows something that a character does not. This is used in interesting ways throughout the novel; the dramatic irony does not include a large amount of the plotline, but instead focuses in smaller situations that take place.

‘Later, he remembered only two things about the fight. He recalled the uncanny way in which the wizard's sword curved up and caught his own blade with a shock that jerked it out of his grip. The other thing—and it was this, he averred, that led to his downfall—was that the wizard was covering his eyes with one hand.’ (Pratchett, 113-114)

The reader and Rincewind are aware of the true nature of the fight. They both know why Rincewind was able to win the fight without having any training—the magical sword did all the work. Rincewind’s opponent, however, has no idea of this; and as Pratchett writes this scene in third person, from the opponent’s point of view, the reader can laugh at the ignorance of the character. Rincewind also has been given his moments of ignorance, which in a case or two, can almost count as well for slapstick humour.

‘First, an enraged she-bear had barged through the undergrowth and taken the throat out of his horse with one swipe of her paw. Then, as Rincewind had fled the carnage, he had run into a glade in which a number of irate wolves were milling about. His instructors at Unseen University, who had despaired of Rincewind's inability to master levitation, would have been amazed at the speed with which he reached and climbed the nearest tree, without apparently touching it.’ (Pratchett, 71-72)

Before Rincewind ran into all of this trouble, Twoflower had came through and stirred up all of these animals. This is found funny to the reader as they are aware of the cause of these problems while Rincewind believes it to be just his bad luck, but the irony is what is unbeknownst to him.


Sarcasm is often considered to be the same thing as verbal irony; however there are important differences. Ridicule of the topic being discussed is required for something to be considered sarcastic. Verbal irony simply put is when someone says one thing, yet means another. There does not have to be any scorn in one’s voice. Pratchett uses both verbal irony and sarcasm throughout this novel, and both are different. Rincewind, one of the main characters in The Colour of Magic, is quite good at being sarcastic. As he has been dragged into an adventure he’d rather have stayed out of, almost anything ticks him off and his response is more often than not, one of mockery.

‘It held biscuits that turned out to be as hard as diamondwood.
"Captain Eightpanther's Travellers' Digestives, them," said the imp from the doorway to his box. "Saved many a life at sea, they have."
"Oh, sure. Do you use them as a raft, or just throw them to the sharks and sort of watch them sink?"’ (Pratchett, 45)

Having just been chased by thieves and almost attacked by animate luggage, Rincewind is thoroughly disappointed to find out that there is no good food around. Unfortunate events such as this happen to him all the time in The Colour of Magic; disappointed by them, Rincewind responds with sarcasm in a way that sparks laughter in the reader.


Rincewind also amuses readers by looking pessimistically at both Twoflower’s life and his own. Every situation will always be made the worst of, in his view. Twoflower at one point suggests that for an escape, they might leap out the window of their room.

‘“A great way of escape,” muttered Rincewind, from his perch halfway up the wall. “You said it looks out over the Edge. Just step out, eh, and plunge through space and maybe freeze solid or hit some other world at incredible speeds or plunge wildly into the burning heat of a sun?” (Pratchett, 185)

While Twoflower had suggested the window simply to leave out no options, Rincewind looks down at this, and has found almost every available end result to that suggestion. It’s amusing to read this, seeing as the reader will recognize that the wizard is contradicting himself when he says it’s a ‘great idea’ and then goes on to list anything and everything negative that could happen; hinting that he obviously doesn’t really like the idea.


Pratchett strongly bases his plot around parodies and satirical jokes, playing off ancient mythology and mocking different beliefs and theories. Funny about this also, is that he chooses not to prey on one certain culture or theory, but instead uses many different ones and mixes them together, showcasing a satirical group of the eclectic beliefs on Earth.

‘Great A’Tuin the turtle comes, swimming slowly through the interstellar gulf […] He thinks only of the weight. Most of the weight is of course accounted for by Berilia, Tubul, Great T’Phon and Jerakeen, the four giant elephants upon whose broad and star-tanned shoulders the Disc of the World rests.’ (Pratchett, 1)

Pratchett himself mentions that he did indeed borrow off ancient myths to create this world of which the Discworld rests; and of course, the Discworld happens to be flat—once a theory of the Earth. The reader may catch onto these analogies, finding humour in how Pratchett chooses to make fun of them.

‘An alternative [theory], favored by those of a religious persuasion, was that A’Tuin was crawling from the Birthplace to the Time of Mating, as were all the stars in the sky which were, obviously, also carried by giant turtles. When they arrived they would briefly and passionately mate, for the first and only time, and from that fiery union new turtles would be born to carry a new pattern of worlds. This was known as the Big Bang hypothesis.’ (Pratchett, 2)

The use of the word “obviously” in the quote above is important to the humour of it. Pratchett alludes to how people sometimes believe in a theory and act as if they are right, whether they can prove it or not. Here is the assumption that this theory is the only correct theory so how can one not agree with it. What else adds to the humour is Pratchett’s interpretation of the “Big Bang theory” for the Discworld; well known is the original hypothesis among societies and here it is turned into a satirical version.


Pratchett makes many small but noticeable jabs at society’s beliefs and along with concepts that are usually taken for granted or never really questioned. People have always created theories as answers for natural phenomena that at the time cannot otherwise be explained. Pratchett uses this, along with the “everyone says” tone of writing, to give a comedic outlook on theories and premises. ‘The imp gave him a kind but pitying look.
“Lightning is the spears hurled by the thunder giants when they fight,” it said gently. “Established meteorological fact. You can’t harness it.”’ (Pratchett, 44) The sentence here that strikes the most humour is “established meteorological fact.” The imp is explaining what lightning is, and how it’s been a proven fact, yet when Rincewind mentioned that he wished to harness it, the reader immediately thinks about harnessing the energy; when the surprise and absurdity of the explanation from the imp is revealed, it’s amusing to recognize how unreal it would be.

‘“Inn-sewer-ants,” repeated Rincewind. “Tha’s a funny word. Wossit mean?”
[…]”I Work out the odds against the cargo being lost, based on weather reports and piracy records for the last twenty year, then a add a bit, then you pay me some money based on those odds—”
“—and the bit—” Rincewind said, […]
“—and then, if the cargo is lost, I reimburse you.” […] “I get it. It’s like a bet, right?”
“A wager? In a way, I suppose.” (Pratchett, 34)

The reader will most likely share the surprise that Twoflower does when Rincewind compares insurance to a bet. When examined, one notices the similarities that exist between the two. Pratchett plays on this, pointing out somewhat of a flaw in the idea of insurance when Rincewind asks if Twoflower “bet Broadman it wouldn’t catch on fire?” (Pratchett, 59) The Drum was on fire when this conversation went on, and the reader knows that Broadman purposely set it on fire, so that he would get the money for it. The reader realizes the foolishness of Twoflower’s actions, and how insurance policies have interesting flaws to them.


There is a grand amount of humour throughout The Colour of Magic; this essay only covers a few examples of what can be found inside. Originality resides because of the mix of comedy, and how it’s used. There are so many various types of it and they’re all so funny, especially when mixed together; as they have been in Pratchett’s novel. Through the irony, the satire and the humourous other bits that are thrown in, there’s enough to say that Pratchett has defined a style of writing inside comedic literature, that he can call his own—and is distinctly identifiable.