They usually have a sense of irony. Consider the joke 'The best thing about Alzheimer's is making new friends every day.' Here, the horrible nature of Alzheimer's is contrasted with the positive idea of making new friends, creating a very dark and ironic humor that makes you think about the sad reality while also finding some odd humor in it.
One characteristic is the unexpected and often morbid twists. For example, in a joke like 'I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest.' It takes a normal concept like losing interest in a job and twists it into a more negative, almost cynical view.
Dark joke stories often deal with taboo or uncomfortable topics in a humorous way. They might touch on death, illness, or misfortune. Such as a joke about a cemetery having a 'permanent resident discount'. It's making light of the very serious topic of death in a darkly humorous manner.
Most of them play on words, like homophones or double meanings. A joke such as 'I'm reading a book about anti - gravity. It's impossible to put down.' Here, 'put down' has two meanings - physically putting the book down and being able to stop reading it, which creates the humor.
Funny joke stories usually contain elements of absurdity. Take the story of a fish that goes to a library and asks for a book on underwater cooking. It's so absurd that it makes people laugh. Also, they might play with language, like puns. For instance, 'I'm reading a book on anti - gravity. It's impossible to put down.' This kind of wordplay adds to the humor.
They are usually short and to the point. For example, 'What's orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot.' It quickly delivers the punchline.
One characteristic is the element of surprise. For example, in the joke 'Why is the doctor so angry? Because he has no patience.', the play on the word 'patience' as both a virtue and a medical term is unexpected.
Funny anti - joke stories often lack the typical build - up and punch - line structure. A normal joke might set up a situation and then deliver a big laugh - out - loud punch - line. However, an anti - joke could be something like a man saying he lost his keys in the supermarket. His friend asks where he last saw them. He says 'Near the apples.' And that's it. There's no big 'aha' moment like in a regular joke. It plays with your expectation of what a joke should be.
They also tend to be more detailed. A short joke might just be a one - liner, but a long joke story can describe the setting, the characters, and their actions in more depth. For instance, in a story about a group of friends at a restaurant. It can describe what each friend looks like, what they order, and how the waiter behaves. All these details are there to create a more vivid and engaging story that ultimately leads to the funny part.
Here is one. A magician was walking down the street and turned into a grocery store. It's dark because it plays on the double meaning of 'turned into' in a rather unexpected and slightly macabre way.
Dark Romanticism stories often feature elements of the grotesque, the supernatural, and psychological turmoil. They tend to explore the darker aspects of human nature, such as sin, guilt, and madness. These stories may also have a sense of mystery and the unknown, with settings that are often gloomy or foreboding, like old mansions or desolate landscapes.
One characteristic is that they are deeply rooted in German folklore and cultural traditions. They may include references to local superstitions and beliefs. Dark German stories usually have a sense of foreboding and mystery. The settings are often gloomy, like deep forests or old castles. Moreover, the characters in these stories can be very morally ambiguous, not clearly good or bad, which adds to the complexity and darkness of the stories. They are also known for their vivid and sometimes disturbing descriptions that can really draw the reader in and make them feel the unease and danger.
Dark kids stories often have a sense of melancholy or sadness. For example, in 'The Little Match Girl', the main character endures great hardship and meets a tragic end. This creates a somber mood.