Laughter by Blanche Colton Williams
Blanche Colton Williams’s study of “Laughter” examines Mr. Dobie’s handling of a psychological plot in which external action exposes Suvaroff’s mental deterioration and moral failure. It maps the initial incident, escalating stages, minor and dramatic climaxes, action climax, and reader-constructed dénouement, stressing how the Italian’s laughter, Minetti’s threats, the wine-shop, and recurring shadows prepare the ending. The section also questions the San Francisco setting, the consistently restricted angle of narration through Suvaroff, the selective presentation of Minetti, and the function of the Italian’s mother. It closes with Dobie’s statements on instinctive viewpoint, planning and revision, economy, suggestion, and the reader’s necessary collaboration.
By Blanche Colton Williams · First published 1919 · Genre: Literary Analysis, Literary Criticism, Non-Fiction · 1,270 words
First lines
According to Mr. Dobie, "Laughter" was a work of the imagination in every detail. It had nowhere a starting point from reality, though -- as he says -- he now and then draws a character from life, such as that of Josef in "Four Saturdays," and he occasionally shapes an incident to the needs of the story, as he did in "The Failure. " In "The Failure" and other stories, however, as in "Where the Road Forked," (_Harper's_, June, 1917), he states that the incident was really a mere pivot or peg on which he hung a cloak of almost pure imagination.
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Genres
- Literary Analysis — The section closely breaks down narrative stages, characterization, setting, viewpoint, and recurring details.
- Literary Criticism — Williams evaluates craft choices and directs readers to assess their effects and implications.
- Non-Fiction — It is an instructional prose study incorporating quoted statements about short-story writing.
Tags
Blanche Colton Williams · Laughter · Mr. Dobie · short-story criticism · plot construction · psychological study · Suvaroff · Minetti · restricted viewpoint · San Francisco setting · dramatic climax · reader-constructed denouement
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Laughter is listed on Textopian as an essay by Blanche Colton Williams, dated 1919 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Blanche Colton Williams
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Analysis, Literary Criticism, Non-Fiction
- Length: 1,270 words
- Structure: 1 section, 20 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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