The Discworld as a parody

[dwndrgn]

I've always considered the Discworld stories to be a parody of human life here on earth. I believe that Pratchett takes things from our everyday life that we would normally not even comment on, and then makes those characters or situations a little bit outrageous so that we can see how silly we humans are. One example of this is 'Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler' the salesman we all know and love. Not only have we all met and interacted with salesmen who explain that they've got families to feed or three starving children at home or whatever, but we don't even pay attention to it anymore, just like those in the books who've not only given him a name to fit his position, but shortened it to an acronym.

When dealing with these salespeople, we concentrate on what we need and how to get it with a minimal amount of fuss. But, when we hear about CMOT's exploits, we can't help but smile - because we recognize that character. It could be the person who sold you your last car, or the entreprenurial people who camp out on the side of the road to sell you rugs or roses or live turtles. Much like the inhabitants of Ankh-Morpork, we wonder how they get these products and can then sell them at such a low price - but does it stop us from buying them? Of course not.

Another good example of this is the faculty of Unseen University. We read about a bunch of highly intelligent professors, but they sound and look like a group of bungling idiots because they've immersed themselves in a world of academics and don't relate to the outside world as the rest of humanity would. None of us have ever encountered people like this, have we?

So, like your average stand-up comic, he focuses a mirror on our daily lives and shows us how ridiculous we humans are. And if we can't laugh at ourselves, who can we laugh at?

 

[Brian G Turner]

That's a good point - it's like he's bringing forward modern-day archetypes from Western culture. I like that idea.

I like the academics notion - especially as there's a standing joke - at least in the UK - that students have no common sense.

As for the characters - it's actualkly the way that he humanises the ridiculous that really strikes me. One of my favourite characters is death, and there's a great story - is it Mort? - where Death learns something of what it's like to be human. There's a touching sequence where he finally has to collect someone who had helped him in that life. The humanising of death was - for myself at elast - quite memorable and poignant.

 

[Yvienn]

I like the idea too. Especially I like the parody of democracy, which was perfectly described in "Pyramids". Just beautiful!

 

[Princess Ivy]

Prattchett manages to capture the essence of our modern society with just enough of the humor and humanity to stop it being 'to much'
But
For a parody on Pratchett and most other tongue in cheek fantasy as well, has anyone tried the 'Ronan the Barbarian' books by James Bibby?