“Dangerous Laughter” reminded me of how something good can become too much when madness is thrown into the mix. The story begins when a group of teens starts a laughing activity for fun. They soon, however, took a darker turn. While the creepy vibe hangs over the story from the beginning, it is clear from then that something bad will happen. Eventually, it escalated to the point that someone died. As I was reading this, I couldn’t help but wonder about Clara’s mental state. Did she want to fit in so badly that she was willing to risk her health? Was something seriously haunting her? Why would she subject herself to such danger, to push herself to the breaking point day after day? A slow descent into madness is what I think of in such a case. An addiction, so strong, that it leads to Clara’s eventual demise.
Although, I was struck by how obsessed the town came with the aspect of laughter, and later, crying. It reminded me of how quickly fads in society can come and go. Something that was intended to be innocent fun was taken too far. Something that stood out to me was when the main character mentions that the town was forgetting about Clara. This bought a new idea to the story that the girl that was the best of their little game, had bought herself to a social and physical expiration. It interested me that the main character was not as forgetful of the girl he/she never spoke to.
This brings me to point of view. The first person point of view gives it a very personal feel of a bystander watching something happen that is meant for innocent fun, but shatters the illusion with the mysterious bubble that surrounded this town. I think the point of view affects how I see the other characters reacting but not in their heads. It shows me one person’s point of view and provides a more detailed description of one’s thoughts. It also leaves the mystery of Clara’s character. If the story was in third person, for example, it may give more details about Clara, rather than just what one person knows about her.