Wallace Stegner
Remembering Laughter by Wallace Stegner is a brief but powerful novella about the tragic consequences of marital infidelity.
Margaret Stuart and her husband, Alec, welcome Margaret’s sister, the exuberant Elspeth, who has come all the way from Scotland to live with them on their farm in Iowa. When Elspeth arrives at the train station, she is greeted warmly by her sister and brother-in-law. Their journey to the farm is filled with laughter as Alec feeds Elspeth one hilariously improbable animal story after another. All seems to be going well until Margaret decides to host a party to introduce Elspeth to some eligible males. But her plan backfires when Elspeth and Alec find themselves attracted to one another and start an affair only to be discovered later by Margaret. The situation is further exacerbated by Elspeth’s pregnancy.
The seed of marital infidelity poisons the relationship between the sisters and between husband and wife. Margaret and Elspeth become solemn and estranged from one another. They raise Elspeth’s son in an atmosphere devoid of joy and laughter. This continues for 18 years with neither sister willing to forgive or forget. Elspeth is plagued with guilt and cannot forgive herself; Margaret, consumed by jealousy, cannot let go of the pain of betrayal. Their unwillingness to let go of the past sucks the joy and spirit out of their lives. They are broken and their rigid, stone-faced appearance reflects just how broken they are.
Although this is Stegner’s first published novel, signs of his greatness as an author are already evident. He has an uncanny ability to convey volumes through his attention to detail. The characters are drawn with sensitivity and tenderness. This is a quiet, beautifully written novel about how foolish lapses in judgment can haunt us for the rest of our lives. It is sad. It is tragic. And as with Stegner’s subsequent novels, it is oh, so very human.