The Laugh Maker
The story revolves around a young man who returns to his hometown after being away for several years and becomes embroiled in a mystery surrounding a woman's death. He teams up with a local detective to uncover the truth, navigating complex relationships and small-town politics along the way.
By James Oliver Curwood · First published 1923 · Genre: Comedy, Adventure, Romance · 3 chapters · 4,396 words
First lines
You can laugh too much. You can be too cheerful. You can look too much on the sunny side of life. You wont believe this and neither did Bobby McTabb. But McTabb proved it out. It took the girl to help him-Kitty Duchene was her name-tall and sweet to look upon, with those pure blue eyes, dark with the beauty of violets, that go so well with hair which is brown in the shadow and gold in the sun. They proved it out together, all of a sudden. It is their story. And it will never be believed. But it's the truth.
What this Textopian page supports
The Laugh Maker is listed on Textopian as a short story by James Oliver Curwood, dated 1923 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: James Oliver Curwood
- Date: 1923 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Adventure, Romance, Drama, Satire
- Length: 4,396 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 39 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Laugh Maker by James Oliver Curwood
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Laugh Maker?
- How does this short story by James Oliver Curwood fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Comedy — The narrative centers around humor and the comedic elements of Bobby McTabb's life and actions, including his jovial personality and the humorous situations he finds himself in.
- Adventure — The plot involves Bobby's adventurous escape and survival in the wilderness, highlighting themes of exploration and personal transformation.
- Romance — The story includes a romantic subplot involving Bobby McTabb and Kitty Duchene, focusing on love and relationships.
- Drama — The narrative contains dramatic elements, such as Bobby's disappearance, the community's reaction, and his eventual return, which add emotional depth to the story.
Tags
Adventure · Fiction · Humor · Satire · Comedy · Literary Fiction · Social Commentary · Critique of Society · Absurdism · Dark Comedy · Black Humor · Farce