Comedy has been used to convey a variety of messages long before the evolution of the chapbook, yet when looking through their pages it is not hard to notice certain themes and aspects that are still relevant in comedy of the 21st century. Subject matter where the main character in a story is found to be very foolish or clumsy seemed to be very popular among these chapbooks. They usually include someone who would represent a Homer Simpson-type character (from The Simpsons) or even a member of the Three Stooges. Another reoccurring theme that does not go unnoticed is the persistence of finding humour in someone who falls or is injured in some way, which is subject matter that characterizes (plagues?) much of 21st century humour. Finally, there are many situations where a hero or character is making an effort to play a trick on, or humiliate, another person. Again this is an approach that is very much still relevant by today's comedic standards. That being said, there are also a variety of situations and topics that are brought up during these comedic stories that would be completely off limits, or just simply not found funny, by today’s standards. One of the main themes is different variations of spousal abuse, on both husband and wife. While some of these concepts may have been popular in moder sitcoms such as The Honeymooners, much of the content found in the chapbooks that were analyzed took certain situations much too far.