In ANGELA'S ASHES (chapter 7/8) the man laughes when Frank gives him a book ("A Modest Proposal") by Jonathan

Question

Swift... why does he laugh??

Answer 1

It's chapter 7 (I got my book out). As I understand it, Frank didn't give the man the book. The man had Frank read it aloud to him. He later told Frank that he (Frank) would laugh on it when he got older, and Frank said "Big people are always telling us that. Oh, you'll laugh when you grow up. You'll understand when you grow up. Everything will come when you grow up."

And that's when the man laughed.