Laughing at White Ignorance in James Baldwin’s Another Country

Author Information

Mary-Kate DaCosta

Abstract/Description

The repetition of a certain word or phrase in a literary work is often fueled by a desire to emphasize an underlying and significant issue. In James Baldwin’s 1962 novel Another Country, the recurrence of the word “laughter” serves as a response to the ignorance of the novel’s white characters. Baldwin, an African American writer, centers the story on Black, white, and gay characters, delving into interracial interactions, friendships, and sexual relationships, while exploring the complexities of race and sexuality in 1950s America. The novel’s noteworthy laughter is used by the Black characters, LeRoy and Ida, in response to white ignorance, as well as by the white characters, Eric, Cass, and Vivaldo, to dismiss uncomfortable conversations about race. Through the practice and tones of laughter by the Black and white characters, Baldwin hints at the problem of white ignorance in Another Country, symbolizing Black people’s resentment towards whiteness and its advantages, as well as the reluctance of white people to engage in meaningful discussions about race.

Note on the Author

Mary-Kate DaCosta is a 2023 graduate of Bridgewater State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and a minor in Criminal Justice. Not only did she graduate summa cum laude, but she is also a first-generation graduate in her family. Her paper was completed in the spring of 2023 under the mentorship of Dr. Matt Bell (English) and Dr. Kimberly Davis (English). Mary-Kate is a Grant Writer for a local non-profit organization that is dedicated to strengthening the quality of life among individuals and families in the community who may be suffering from substance use disorders, mental health disorders, and/or homelessness. When she is not writing grants, she enjoys writing poetry and literature reviews as well as reading mystery and gothic fiction novels

Recommended Citation

DaCosta, Mary-Kate (2024). Laughing at White Ignorance in James Baldwin’s Another Country. Undergraduate Review, 18, 172-179.
Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/undergrad_rev/vol18/iss1/19

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Articles published in The Undergraduate Review are the property of the individual contributors and may not be reprinted, reformatted, repurposed or duplicated, without the contributor’s consent.