Let's talk about laughter. All the novels we've read have featured it. You might be thinking "But Jenna, every book with people has laughter in it! Why are we talking about this like it's some big deal?". And to that I answer, my dear friend, is because laughter means something bigger than just a funny joke in the three novels we have read so far. Let's start first with Native Son.
In Native Son, we don't often hear laughter. It's a harrowing story, after all, so this kind of makes sense. There's not many opportunities for us to laugh; it's not meant to be funny. The few times we do hear laughter, it's either at a character's expense or highly highly ironic, usually in situations that are so bad all you can do is laugh. Laughter in this context is a sign of lost hope. When all hope is lost, what can you do but laugh? Laughter is the only thing to do in such dismal circumstances, and it hurts to hear Bigger laugh. It signifies that he thinks there really is no way out of this stupid horrible circumstance.
Now let's compare that to Invisible Man. In Invisible Man, we see many characters laugh. The book is different from Native Son in that it's supposed to be funny; sometimes, we too are allowed to laugh. Laughter in this novel is used as a signal of subverting authority and expectations of the status quo. Bledsoe laughs when he finally lets down the mask in front of the narrator, the vet laughs at Norton's expense, and the narrator at the end with the committee meeting can hardly stop himself from joking around, pulling the brothers on a string, wanting to laugh so badly. We can see how much laughter plays a role in lifting people up in this novel. It gives people power rather than signifying when all power is lost.
Now let's shift to Their Eyes Were Watching God. In this novel, there isn't much mention of laughter until Tea Cake shows up. Before, in her two relationships, there's hardly any mention of laughter. Her partners seemed focused on their own goals and ideals for Janie, and never stop to consider her and her needs. Tea Cake on the other hand loves to make Janie laugh, and actually seems to care for Janie. This shows how laughter in this novel conveys lifting people up in terms of love. The laughter they share shows the connection between them, and shows that Janie is actually falling in love, and that Tea Cake (hopefully) is as well.
Comparing laughter throughout all three novels really is eye opening. Laughter is really universal, it conveys anything and everything.
ReplyDeleteI had only really noticed the power of laughter in Invisible Man, and not in the other two novels. I find it very interesting how laughter meant completely different things among the three novels.
ReplyDeleteI'd never thought to compare the significance of laughter in the three books. I think it has a much larger significance in Invisible Man and Their Eyes Were Watching God. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie wants someone to laugh with as her romantic partner, which she gets with Tea Cake. We already know that Janie and Tea Cake's relationship doesn't work out in the end, which makes me wonder how laughter will change as Janie and Tea Cake spend more time with each other, and how it will change after Tea Cake's exit/death.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read the portion of the book, I though that Janie laughing was a monumental moment in the book. Even though it may not look like much, I think that laughter signifies the freedom and love which Janie feels with Tea Cake. With Joe, she could never laugh as he wouldn't let her, but with Tea Cake their is that openness in their relationship. It's also very interesting to not the different meanings laughter has in other novels.
ReplyDeleteI love the way that you explained this, I feel like when we talked about laughter in class, there so much more to be said. I hadn't thought about laughter in "Their Eyes Were Watching God" but it's true, Janie is finally laughing with Tea Cake. In my own life laughter can be both liberating and confining. Although in Janie's story we didn't hear too many details from her time with Jody, I can tell that she had to maintain a fake laugh for the 20 years she spent with him. But now that she is past Jody and now with Tea Cake, she can laugh freely.
ReplyDeleteYes laughter in this book is already doing much better than laughter in the other books. In invisible man, laughter was more of the insane variety. I hope that the laughter of this book is not ill-fated. from the intro and the general vibe of the story I feel like it's not going to last.
ReplyDeleteIt is so interesting how you bring up the significance of laughter in all three books, and how this really contributes to the tone/message of each. Janie laughing was really important, as you said, I think to having her open up more to a man. It is her being an individual, and being kind of vunerable in a way she was unable to in her previous relationships.
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