Painterly jester mask and curled party horn with scattered confetti against bright pink.

Original artwork, not a still

Selected Letters of James Thurber

James Thurber

Laughter need not be cut out of anything, since it improves everything.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Laughter is presented as something that can belong anywhere, rather than an interruption that must be removed when matters grow serious. The sweeping claim gives humour a constructive role. Its presence can improve an experience without requiring the underlying subject to become trivial or unimportant.

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