Happily, Mr. Washington lets the facts (such as they are) speak for themselves, and his book's humor arises from the absurdities these true believers believed.
"My expectations were confounded and from thence the humour arose."
And Eileen's unforced wit is a reminder that humor arises most easily among equals.
However, the humor arises not from the punishment itself, but from the reactions of the (most commonly) comedians who are experiencing the punishment.
Its humour arises from the complex interplay of cultural subtleties significant in Hong Kong.
Occasional humor arises from the acting, since the only important casting requirement seems to have been an ability to look good in a loincloth.
Both the humor and the pathos arise from the attempts by the stiff, decorous adults to deal with the unwelcome child in their midst.
For me, the humor of this story arises from the characters.
Other humor arises from the plot, which relies on bizarre coincidences and unlikely events.
And humour often arises from grim situations.