1. In this time of grief, why do you think Junior laughs so much? What are the specific moments he laughs the hardest?

I think that Junior laughs, as his way of trying to get over the death of Mary. When the guidance counselor first told him, he said "if i didn't actually accept the truth, then maybe it would become false. He is denying the fact because he doesn't want to accept it." (201)
The first time he laughs hysterically is when his dad pulls up and he sees that his dad is alive and he had no reason to be so worried.
He laughs at himself for being so paranoid and scared. He is also very happy that his dad is alive. He  is sort of making up a reason to 'celebrate' so that he doesn't have to grieve.
The second time he starts laughing is when he is thinking about how his sister was, "TOO FREAKING DRUNK to feel any pain when she BURNED TO DEATH..." (205)
he is mad at his sister, and indians in general for drinking too much, everyone of his family members that died in those few months died because of alcohol. So at that moment he REALLY hated alcohol.
He is laughing because it is so pathetic that people continue to drink and get drunk after so many people have died because of it. He is mad and sad at the same time.
I think all of these times, he is laughing because he has so many emotions jumbled up inside him and he has no idea how to react... so he just laughs and laughs.

Do you agree with me on why he laughs so much? How do different people deal with death and grief in their life? How would you react in this same situation? Do you think Arnold will ever recover from this traumatic period in his life?