Copy of Laughter out of Place
by Douglas Kenny
1. Seemingly less sympathy for deceased
1.1. one less person could mean more room in an already overcrowded household
2. Humor as and umbrella to addressing race, class, gender, and sexuality
2.1. Humor used by poor against wealthy
2.2. Hierarchies within society
2.3. Friendship seems to bridge the gap
3. Rio de Janeiro - Region of Focus
3.1. Poverty Stricken
3.2. Pervasive corruption
3.3. Everyone under economic stress in Felicidade Eterna
4. Poor living conditions
4.1. Ineffective police
4.2. Poor medical attention
4.3. Family members jailed
5. Dark humor to deal with normally "dark" aspects of life
5.1. Woman missing a leg has nickname referring to soup made with a cows foot.
5.2. Laughter at Beth's letter from her daughter
5.3. aggressive jokes seemingly harmless
6. Coupling of Laughing and Forgetting
6.1. Laughter has a sad undertone
6.2. Negative events are taken seriously at the time of the event, but joked about afterwards.
7. Women in Felicidade
7.1. Might make an average of 5$ per day for long, busy days of work
7.2. Difficult to acquire raise - but benefits from employs may be option
7.3. Gloria and Donna Beth form a beneficial relationship between worker and employer that allows some relief for Gloria.
7.4. Foresight to predict days that would harm income and prepare accordingly
7.5. Social mobility through marriage
8. Partnerships
8.1. Good relations between employer and employee that can result in benefits.
8.2. Middle and upper class individuals are often very fond of the domestic workers they hire
9. Large gap between lowest-paid sectors and formal sector
9.1. Not enough growth in formal sector
9.2. Minimum wage is not living wage, but a subsistence wage. Not enough to truly get by on
9.3. Lower class experiences feeling of inferiority
9.4. Concept of the "Low Other"
10. Clear distinction between classes
10.1. Lowest paid middle class makes twice that of a lower class individual
10.2. Having a domestic worker = sign of middle/upper class status. Is expected.
10.3. Lowest class considered to be "serving" class
11. Domestic Workers
11.1. talk "differently"
11.2. Concept may drive individuals to extreme methods. Ex: Pedro Paulo
12. Skin Color
12.1. For some, an indicator of class.
12.2. racism not legally sanctioned, but present in every day life
12.3. Black individuals assumed to be poor
12.4. "Whitening"
13. Men in Felicidade
13.1. Male oppositional culture
14. Violence
14.1. Upper and Middle class move behind higher walls to avoid violence
14.2. Children are victims
14.3. Distinction between immediate and extended family and threats of violence
15. Children
15.1. Nurtured Children
15.2. Nurturing Children
15.3. Missing childhood for poor children
16. Middle and Upper Class
17. Gangs/Crime
17.1. organized
17.2. Drug trafficking
17.3. source of income