Nanny Dearest

Woody Allen cleverly mixes high style with the particular serious situation in order to create a high contrast comedy. He mocks high society by highlighting a situation that didn't have to be taken as seriously and dramatically measures that the solution to his problem is to kill the nanny. Allen plays with wording by making a word that would be seen as concrete, perhaps in it's context of science and moves the word into a space of everyday use. For example he uses the word "quantum particles," and "skull," and then uses the words to express action as if it was the words normative use. It's interesting how the characters don't change because of their environments imposition; they are sure of their ways, behavior and language. The particular use of the vernacular can make it hard to understand and their are possibilities that the audience won't understand and will have to perhaps look up the word, which suggest that they have the time and resources to expand their vocabulary.

He uses serious sarcasm to make his intentions seem more innocent and selfless than they actually are. For example when he talks about the baby sitter with beauty over qualification on pg. 55 he states

" I adjusted to the creatures personal style more flexibly than my wife did and ever attempted to help her relax with an occasional back rub..."
The humor in this sentence is written beautifully because Harvey honestly tires to project himself as innocent in this matter, when in actually the undertone of his actions scream to his make perversions.