The rollercoaster of a story “Dangerous Laughter” is, in essence, a story about obsession in the way that the narrator is obsessed with Elaine Coleman, as David is with Isabel, and the way the cat is with chasing the mouse, and the mouse is with running from the cat. It is a horror story about how a pleasurable feeling and moment can become dangerous. Steven Millhauser writes this terrifying line, “Deep in our inner dark, we had discovered a startling power. We became fanatics of laughter, devotees of eruption, as if these upheavals weren’t something we had known before, something that would take us where we needed to go” (page 76).
As readers, we are first introduced to the obsession the town has for pushing themselves into this maniacal laughter, pure and sincere. We learn about the disturbing moments where they choose to participate in what we could consider “torture,” in pages 77-78, we have a scene where they allow for themselves to be stripped, tied up, and then tickled to a certain breaking point. And another view on page 78, “One day a nine-year-old boy was discovered by his mother holding down and violently tickling his seven-year-old sister, who is shrieking and screaming — the collar of her dress was soaked with tears. The girl’s pale body was streaked with lines of deep pink, as if she’d been struck repeatedly with a rope”.
The narrator later then turns to their fixation on Clara Schuler, one of their peers. A quiet, focused student that ends up being one of the most involved and honored members of their exclusive ‘laughter’ societies.
What is interesting though is the change from obsession to addiction, Clara’s obsession may have been more than the laughter but the crave for attention that it got her, which ultimately ended up killing her. This deep indulgence of what should be healthy and good, becoming dark and a horror story.
I didn’t notice what you pointed out about the idea of obsession flowing throughout every story. Great observation! I think what’s’ great about this, and about all horror stories (what inevitably makes horror what it is) is taking something we do daily and make it eerie and disturbing. Like laughing, we do that everyday without thinking about it. But after reading this story, I’m definitely going to remember it next time I laugh (or cry).
I like how you compared the rest of the stories we have read to “Dangerous Laughter.” I also agree with the fact that Clara’s obsession with laughing turned into a deadly addiction. Although, I do not believe that it was the laughter that blossomed her obsession, perhaps it was the attention she received from her laughter. She was an outsider before she was discovered, then she became the talk of the town for the other teenagers. When she realized her laughter made her popular, it turned into an obsession. She was desperate to be in the spotlight, maybe not the spotlight, maybe she just wanted to be popular or liked. When her spotlight dimmed into nothing, that is when her addiction began to spiral out of control.
Sienna,
In the last paragraph you write:
“What is interesting though is the change from obsession to addiction, Clara’s obsession may have been more than the laughter but the crave for attention that it got her, which ultimately ended up killing her. This deep indulgence of what should be healthy and good, becoming dark and a horror story.”
I’m not sure if I agree with your point. I don’t think Clara necessarily craved attention. I think that Clara felt as if she was missing out socially and jumped too deep in a trend that turned obsessive which lead to an overdose.
What other stories have we read that you find comparable to “Dangerous Laughter”? I’m curious.
Siena,
What an interesting question to present. How and when does obsession turn into addiction? What are the reasons we become obsessed with something? I agree with you that Clara Schular became obsessed with laughter in order to receive attention, earning her more status among her “friends.”
You reference to the quote on page 78 about the mother tickling her son. I wonder if the laughing games are geared more towards teens and children, or if adults and families are participating in this trend?