The Princess Bride: Flip Your Trope on Its Head

What’s the last story that made you laugh? And I don’t just mean a little chuckle. I mean a bursting, out loud laughter. What was the last story to give you that breathless feeling? 

It’s a writer’s dream to provoke laughter like that, but it can be difficult. Some humor doesn’t translate well to the page, while other jokes are overused or just dull. Often writers have to create complicated settings and situations to give their readers a real laugh, rather than simply drop an anvil on someone’s head and call it a day. Sadly, writing doesn’t work the same way a cartoon does.

Actually, a lot of humor can come off wrong. As a reader, you may be able to tell when a writer is trying to make you laugh, but their joke just comes off as irritating. I can think of plenty of stories that use weird or gross situations in an attempt to provoke laughter, and the result is far from funny. 

So what is the secret to writing laugh-out-loud stories? How can you guarantee and chuckle from your audience every time, without making them annoyed? 

I believe The Princess Bride has the answer.

The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride is set in an imaginary kingdom during medieval times.  One of the side characters, Inigo, watched as his father was brutally murdered by a man with six fingers. The young boy, in a wild rage, challenged the man to a duel. He lost, but the man spared his life and gave him two slashes to the side of his face. Inigo swore on his father’s soul that he would get revenge one day. 

For the next thirty years, Inigo practiced swordplay and became a master of the trade. Throughout the entire plot of the movie, this passion to right his ruined childhood motivates Inigo. It’s the only reason he gets involved with the plot to kidnap a princess, and it’s the only reason he later agrees to help the heroes storm the castle. He is driven by this injustice, this purpose he’s dedicated his entire life to, and won’t give up until he has killed the man with six fingers. 

And, near the climax of the movie, he finally gets his chance.

Inigo finds his mortal enemy within the castle. They stand face to face, weapons drawn, the air tense. Inigo’s entire life has been leading up to this moment, this crucial battle that will decide his fate. He proclaims the infamous line:

“My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!” 

And his enemy replies by…

Promptly sprinting in the opposite direction. 

Flip Tropes on their Head

Hilarious, right? You expect for there to be some sort of dramatic showdown, but instead, the enemy runs away as fast as he can. This type of humor is scattered throughout the entire movie, which is what makes it so funny. From unexpected duels, to a wedding ceremony, to an evil goon’s voice, nothing is what viewers expect.

One key to making your reader laugh is manipulating troupes. Build up their expectations, make them think they know how things will play out, and do the exact opposite of that at the very last second. Apply a well-known trope, such as a dramatic revenge scene, and flip it on its head. If you do the completely unexpected thing, a giggle from your reader is almost guaranteed. 

Warning: Don’t Break Your Promise

Though this trick may sound simple, it will take a bit of practice to get it right. A common mistake I’ve seen writers make is that to subvert their reader’s expectations, they flat-out lie to their reader. And while that might make a good plot twist, it won’t do well in the context of a joke. The Princess Bride wouldn’t be as enjoyable if Inigo’s mortal enemy just fled and got away. The entire plot promises a dramatic showdown, and though that promise isn’t fulfilled in the exact moment you expect it to be, it does happen eventually, creating one of the best fight scenes of the entire movie. 

If you lie to your reader and break your promise to them, your funny moments will come across as annoying. Instead, try building up your reader’s expectations and twisting them when they least expect it. Spontaneity is key when it comes to humor, and if you incorporate it right, this little tip can fill your work with humor.

Let us know in the comments:

What other stories have made you laugh? How did the humor advance the storytelling? Did they keep their promises in the end? And how was this article? Too sweet? Too sour? Just right?