When God Laughs · Chapter
Created He Them explained
George Burrell arrives to take his brother Al to a sanatorium under Doctor Bodineau's care.
What happens
George Burrell arrives to take his brother Al to a sanatorium under Doctor Bodineau's care. Al initially refuses to go, leading to a tense confrontation where George threatens to cut off financial support and even offers a revolver for Al to kill himself. After a moment of crisis, Al relents and agrees to go, but George catches him drinking whiskey before they leave.
Themes in this chapter
Family and Duty
George's sense of duty drives him to extreme measures to save his brother, while Al's failure to fulfill his familial role is a central conflict.
Aging and Decline
Al's physical and moral decay is starkly contrasted with his former strength, highlighting the ravages of time and illness.
Morality and Guilt
George grapples with the morality of forcing his brother and even contemplating killing him, while Al's guilt and shame are palpable.
Characters to notice
- Alexander Burrell
Al is a broken man, physically and morally weakened, torn between defiance and submission to his brother's will.
- George Dorety
George is Al's brother, stern and resolute, who uses harsh ultimatums and even a revolver to force Al to seek treatment.
- Mary Rogers
Mary is Al's wife, worn down by his decline, silently enduring the strain and hoping for his recovery.
Key passages
“You are no earthly good, Al. You know that. You've made Mary's life a hell. You are a curse to your children. And you have not made life exactly a paradise for the rest of us.”
George tells Al that he is worthless, has ruined his wife's life, is a burden to his children, and has made everyone around him miserable.
George's brutal honesty underscores the family's desperation and Al's perceived failure.
“My God! I'll do it. I'll show you what I've got in me.”
Al exclaims that he will prove his resolve by taking the revolver and following through with suicide.
Al's momentary defiance reveals his inner turmoil and the depth of his despair.