Words and gestures often function as languages that help us communicate and commune with one another. Yet, when these modes of communication reach their limit, laughter can become its own powerful language that creates community between peoples.
Learning Languages
After moving into their new home, the Peterkins realize that because the house is bigger and everything has it’s own place, they now have more time on their hands. For example, they no longer have to waste time looking for specific books that had to be stored in different rooms of the house. They decide to use their extra time to learn new languages.They will each learn a different language. Such an arrangement would allow them to travel to several different countries and know the subsequent languages.
Mr. Peterkins considers learning the Eastern languages and Russian, while Mrs. Peterkins settles on learning Spanish. Elizabeth Eliza will learn French, so that she can translate while they are in France. Agamemnon will learn German, and Solomon John will learn Italian.
Excitement grows as they consider how and where they will hire their teachers. After some discussion, they settle on hiring foreigners to teach them, since foreign teachers will be less tempted to speak English to them.
The day for them to meet their teachers quickly arrives, and Mr. Peterkins and Agamemnon journey into the city to pick the teachers up. Yet difficulties ensue as the father and son try to get the foreigners into their two carriages. The foreigners not only don’t speak English, but also don’t always like each other.
As Mr. Peterkins and Agamemnon gesticulate to the foreigners, the Russian and Turk get into a heated discussion, each throwing insults at one another in every language they know. Likewise, the German and Frenchman refuse to sit with one another.
Laughter as a Language
Another difficulty arises as Elizabeth Eliza informs her mother that these foreigners are expecting breakfast: “They think they are invited to lunch! He has just been thanking me for our politeness in inviting them to déjeûner,—that means breakfast!”Attempting to communicate to the foreigners that they are being hired as language teachers, the Peterkins have been pointing to their mouths. Unfortunately, the foreigners have interpreted this gesture as a symbol for eating and thus expect food.
Faced with this misinterpretation, the Peterkins get to work preparing foods that each of the foreigners would like.
Through her story, Hale constructs a hilarious tale that shows how laughter and camaraderie can overcome the differences between people of various nationalities and languages.
When we laugh together, we can find friendship even with those of different nationalities. It opens a line of communication that helps us overcome differences and achieve the seemingly impossible.
