49 pages 1 hour read

James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein

I Funny: A Middle School Story

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2012

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Symbols & Motifs

Comedy

Comedy is a central motif in I Funny. It is the foundation of the story, the primary inspiration for its protagonist, and the main source of entertainment and plot development in the graphic novel. Comedy is found everywhere in I Funny, from Jamie’s jokes to the novel’s illustrations and portrayals of the people in Jamie’s life. Jamie is deeply inspired by comedy and considers it to be a great source of hope. Comedy helped Jamie in Overcoming Hardship and Fear after the car accident, and it continues to be the main motivation in his life.

Jamie is inspired by comedy from all sources. He studies comedy legends, observes the world around him, borrows jokes from loved ones, and creates his own jokes as well. He also uses comedy to combat bullying, to express himself, and to demonstrate that he is talented in his own right. Jamie relates to people through comedy and finds it difficult to be serious. While this character trait sometimes prevents him from being genuine, his ability to see the bright side of things and to laugh at himself and the world also proves to be his greatest strength.