What Makes a Good Comic Novel? Andrew Sean Greer on the Joy of Funny Writing

The notion of a “comic novel” is often met with confusion and dismissal. Yet, some of the most profound works of literature defy categorization by genre, embracing the complexity of human experience in all its messy glory.

Andrew Sean Greer’s recent musings on comic novels got me thinking about my own reading habits during the pandemic. Like many others, I turned to Agatha Christie’s reliable tales of mystery and detection as a way to escape uncertainty. But later, when initial shock had worn off and I had more time on my hands, I craved something different – a kind of literary comfort food.

This is where comic novels come in. They occupy a strange space between tragedy and comedy, often containing both absurd and sublime elements. Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, for example, is frequently read as an epic of obsession and man versus nature, yet it also contains some of the most humorous moments in American literature.

Greer suggests that these novels are defined by their willingness to find humor in even the darkest situations. They nail a coin to the masthead or write the worst best poem – both absurd and sublime at the same time. This is where our most profound novels often reside: in the gray areas between comedy and tragedy, where the human condition is laid bare.

The tradition of the comic novel is not new. Thinkers like E.B. White have long grappled with what makes these novels tick, and their answers are as varied as the works themselves. Yet there’s something about this genre that continues to fascinate us – perhaps because we see ourselves in its flawed protagonists or because we’re drawn to the way these stories can make us laugh while also making us think.

Comic novels may not be easy to categorize or define, but they remain some of our most valuable tools for understanding the human condition. They offer a unique perspective on life’s complexities and contradictions – flaws and all.