--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How do jokes work? The beginning of each…" description: "\"“How do jokes work? The beginning of each good one challenges you to think.”\" — Kurt Vonnegut" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/kurt-vonnegut-41_comedy_how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each_2799958.jpg" --- # How do jokes work? The beginning of each good one… ![“How do jokes work? The beginning of each good one challenges you to think.” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/kurt-vonnegut-41_comedy_how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each_2799958.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/kurt-vonnegut-41_comedy_how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each_2799958.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/kurt-vonnegut-41_comedy_how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each_2799958.jpg) > ““How do jokes work? The beginning of each good one challenges you to think.”” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Jokes work by challenging expectations, prompting the audience to think differently. **In simple terms:** Jokes make you think. Key Takeaway Use surprise to engage. Themes humor cognition creativity Mood playful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up - writing - teaching - marketing Key Concepts linguistics psychology Questions to Reflect On - What makes a joke universal? - How does surprise affect learning? A Different Perspective May ignore cultural context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) ## Related quotes > [If you're going to document your own journey, the jokes work better in the first person, just like the stories do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/if-you-re-going-to-document-your-own-journey-the-jokes-work-better-in/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I suppose being sportspeople, we see challenges and think about how we can beat them and turn things in our favour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-suppose-being-sportspeople-we-see-challenges-and-think-about-how-we/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [One of the challenges I think we have is people feel like the act of governance is a zero sum game. 'Whatever I get,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/one-of-the-challenges-i-think-we-have-is-people-feel-like-the-act-of/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [I think the differences between men and women, it's kind of hard to define what those are and the challenges, what they are. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-think-the-differences-between-men-and-women-it-s-kind-of-hard-to/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [The State trained us to make other people's terrible jokes work, which is the other part of the game when you're here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/the-state-trained-us-to-make-other-people-s-terrible-jokes-work-which/) [Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/) > [Knowing what jokes will work is second nature; you just feel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-fowler/knowing-what-jokes-will-work-is-second-nature-you-just-feel-it/) [Jermaine Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-fowler/) > [At the end of the day people should remember that we are just trying to make people laugh. Some jokes work and some don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiku-sharda/at-the-end-of-the-day-people-should-remember-that-we-are-just-trying/) [Kiku Sharda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiku-sharda/) > [Suppose the world were only one of God's jokes, would you work any the less to make it a good joke instead of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/suppose-the-world-were-only-one-of-god-s-jokes-would-you-work-any-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Usually the beginning of a story that people hear a lot. For example, "My girlfriend is upset about her new haircut" or "My dad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/usually-the-beginning-of-a-story-that-people-hear-a-lot-for-example/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [One of the challenges, I think, is that Americans are not sufficiently vested in foreign policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-malveaux/one-of-the-challenges-i-think-is-that-americans-are-not-sufficiently/) [Julianne Malveaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-malveaux/) > [Even if you know a character really well, there's no formula for what jokes will work and what won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-macfarlane/even-if-you-know-a-character-really-well-there-s-no-formula-for-what/) [Seth MacFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-macfarlane/) > [I like challenges. I think that's important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maika-monroe/i-like-challenges-i-think-that-s-important/) [Maika Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maika-monroe/) > [Bob Beaudine challenges you to think differently. His unique approach to life and business has helped elevate many careers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-goodell/bob-beaudine-challenges-you-to-think-differently-his-unique-approach/) [Roger Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-goodell/) > [I think what you have to recognise is everybody has their own deal, and everybody has challenges. Do I think that it was easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-brooke/i-think-what-you-have-to-recognise-is-everybody-has-their-own-deal/) [Beth Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-brooke/) > [You don't want to just do a joke because it works - we can make a lot of jokes work - you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/you-don-t-want-to-just-do-a-joke-because-it-works-we-can-make-a-lot/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How do jokes work? The beginning of each good one challenges you to think.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kurt Vonnegut" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each-good-one-challenges-you-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each-good-one-challenges-you-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/kurt-vonnegut-41_comedy_how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each_2799958.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/kurt-vonnegut-41_comedy_how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each_2799958.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/240/kurt-vonnegut-41_comedy_how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each_2799958.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How do jokes work? The beginning of each good one challenges you to think.” — Kurt Vonnegut", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kurt Vonnegut", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“How do jokes work? The beginning...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each-good-one-challenges-you-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/how-do-jokes-work-the-beginning-of-each-good-one-challenges-you-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```