Thinking about the text

I think that the reason it is so easy to laugh at Lawrence is because there is nothing physically wrong with him. Unlike Laura who actually has a medical condition, Lawrence is just strange. He is amusing because of his oddities, I personally know of no one who would actually collect swizzle sticks and name them. I also think the reason why he is so funny is because he is gullible and so much under the control of his mother. If she told him to jump off a bridge he probably would. He takes everything too literally. The relationship he has with his mom is also really funny. She is sarcastic and animated while Lawrence is serious and dull.

There are some boundaries though. If Lawrence is mentally challenged it wouldn't be funny at all. The fact that you were laughing at someone who couldn't help the way they are would be very wrong. I also think that if he had some sort of physical problem then it wouldn't be funny either. But that is the main difference between the two plays and that is the thing that makes one funny and the other serious.