Humor Huh?

So let's talk humor! Some parts that made me snicker were picturing the father sitting at the funeral service admiring how popular Mr. Dooley was and what an "excellent funeral" he had. Also, when the boy finishes his lemonade in the pub and was then "interested to know what the contents [of father's glass] were like." In his innocence, he is disappointed in the taste of liquor, suggests that his father has obviously never tried lemonade, and goes on to finish the whole glass anyway! I pictured the women of the town tickled by the drunk little boy, an anomaly compared to the father's usual drunkenness.

More importantly, the humor presented in the story contributes to the overall irony. The title poses the idea that "the drunkard" is an older person, and from the start we are led to believe the father is the primary drunkard. However, first impressions aren't always everything! The funeral doesn't lead to the father's drunken stupor, but the surprise and irony of the young boy's drunkenness.