Cherish Laughter

The story “The Laugher” by Heinrich Böll contains a main character that persuades many different thoughts and feelings in both my mind and heart. The title itself made me feel happy before I even read the story. I laugh at almost everything and when the word laughter comes to mind, I can’t help but think of the things that make me laugh. Such as the many funny moments I’ve had with my friends, boyfriend, and family.  The first sentence of the story starts of with the main character stating his embarrassment towards his job. He says, “When someone asks me what business I am in, I am seized with embarrassment: I blush and stammer, I who am otherwise known as a man of poise.” The feeling of happiness is now at a lower level for me. I feel bad for the people who are embarrassed of what they do for a living. I think no job should make you feel uncomfortable when asked what it is that you do. Although it may not be a prime job like a doctor or teacher for instance; it is a job, and that’s what is giving you the money to support yourself and/or a family, which you should be proud of. The character in this story literally laughs for a living. Yes, it is something that many people would not consider a real job, but that is his job and it is actually making him a very good living.

Although you should not be ashamed of the career you have chosen, I think you should love what you’re doing no matter what the pay is as long as it can support you. ‘The laugher’ does not seem to enjoy his job. Yes, many people are thankful when they get home so they can relax, but the ones that truly enjoy there job are excited to do it again the next day. This character is not thankful to get home for some relaxation rather because he is so tired of what he is doing and his spirit has frayed. I feel like no one should have that feeling when they get home. It makes me feel bad for the people that do, especially in this situation because I feel that laughter is the experience of joy and amusement. I believe every person in the world should have this emotion in there day. This character has forgotten the feeling of truly laughing and enjoying himself. I could never imagine this emotion because laughter is something that’s a part of my every day. When I am upset and someone makes me laugh, even slightly, it makes me feel better than what I felt before. Laughter should not be a forgotten emotion because it’s what cures the sadness, loneliness, and jaded feelings in people. ‘The Laugher’ laughs for a living. When he is sent to go to the comedian shows and the audience misses their punch lines, he spends most of the evenings in night clubs as a kind of discreet claque, his job being to laugh infectiously during the weaker parts of the program. His job is to laugh at the non humorous parts yet he forgets to laugh at the good amusing jokes. His character makes me feel depressed because I don’t understand how someone can lose their sense of humour. He is so used to laughing that nothing will truly amuse himself. He says, “I go through life with an impassive expression, from time to time permitting myself a gentle smile, and I often wonder whether I have ever laughed. I think not. So I laugh in many different ways, but my own laughter I have never heard.” This is almost heartbreaking to me because he knows that he has lost himself and doesn’t even remember if he has ever truly laughed. His job has trained him to laugh during certain moments and so he surpasses the things that are actually a humour to him. I feel that this story brings only depressing and sad feelings to my heart and mind and has taught me that someone who experiences real laughter should cherish it. 

This is something that truly makes me laugh.