Funny / War and Peace

• The Incident with the Bear: after Dolokhov won a very thrilling bet, and everyone deciding to go to the brothel, Pierre was so excited and drunk that he brought the young bear along (It Makes Sense in Context. We get a Gilligan Cut to next chapter, where the salons are discussing the incident: Pierre's party was stopped by a policeman, and Pierre tied the bear to the policeman and dropped them into the river, where you could see the bear swimming with the helpless policeman tied to his back. The reactions are mixed: some find it scandalous and shameful, others find it hilarious.
• A field-marshall is extremely obsequious to his general, with lots of little starts and jumps and bows and other enthusiastic gestures of deference. Attached to the general staff is Zherkov, a Cornet of Hussars (and a former friend of Dolokhov's). The hussar walks behind the field-marshall, imitating his every silly gesture perfectly, with a completely serious, deadpan face. Hilarious in and out of Universe.
  • Later in the same scene, Dolokhov (having been demoted from a Sergeant Major to a Private) shows such a level of insolence to not just the field-marshal but the General himself that they both give up to avoid causing drama.
• ANY time Denisov's Elmuh Fudd Syndwome comes up in the dialogue.

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