According to Aristotle, there are certain things a production has to include in order for it to be considered a comedy, like the rise of the main character, a happy ending, and some comical language.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a modern remodel of the beloved Dr. Seuss' tale of a creature in Whoville named The Grinch. The Grinch isolates himself since childhood because of his differences from the rest of the town, and he decides he is going to ruin Christmas because of his public humiliation and abhorrence of the town and the citizens residing in it. He especially hates the holiday because of the Who noise, phony sentiment, and wasteful materialism. The green Grinch is reluctantly joined by his dog, Max, and carries out his mission until he finds a hitch in his plans: Cindy Lou Who and her ability to make his heart grow three sizes bigger.
Although the Grinch is a classically humorous movie, it contains many deeper meanings that fit into Aristotle's definition of a comedy. The Grinch includes satire, which, by definition, is a type of genre that is usually meant to be humorous and uses that platform to draw attention to wider issues in society. In the Grinch specifically, Dr. Seuss uses satire to talk about the insidious gross materialism that he observed in today's society, particularly during Christmas time. Christmas is supposed to be about family, love, and togetherness. Instead, people were obsessed with gifts and completely forgot about what really mattered. This becomes more apparent when everyone awakens to no gifts Christmas morning, and, for the first time, do not worry about gifts; they worry about being together.
Another factor that goes into Aristotle's definition of a comedy is the rise of a hero. In this case, it is the Grinch. At the beginning of the film, the reclusive Grinch does nothing but shift through trash and have a big mechanic monkey slam his head in between two metal plates. It becomes blatantly obvious that he is bored and lonely because of his self-inflicted isolation. However, after his heart becomes larger, (thanks to Cindy Lou Who), he eventually becomes a loved citizen of Whoville, where he also becomes happy and finally feels like he belongs.
I never saw the Grinch as a comedy, but now this makes sense! I like your connections to satire and the rise of the Grinch.
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