Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2005 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,0, University of Frankfurt (Main), language: English, abstract: This study analyzes four novels and one short story in English, all of which assign a special role to irony and humor. The purpose of this analysis is to showcase the richness of irony and examine its impact on the reader. To support this, some of the most influential works on laughter and humor are discussed, including Bergson's "Das Lachen", Freud's "Der Witz und seine Beziehung zum Unbewussten", and Bachtin's "Literatur und Karneval". These theories illustrate how irony and humor can serve as powerful tools for social critique. By engaging their audience through laughter, authors are able to deliver a more or less bitter commentary on their world-challenging taboos and clichés without offending the sensibilities of their communities.