Whatever interpretation or however readers interpret this scene must ultimately depend on how they view various aspects of the novel, and they must then utilize their entire reactions to every theme so as to arrive at a consistent view of the motivating factors that cause Darl to laugh. In the next section narrated by Darl, note that whenever Darl takes over the narration, we get a fuller and more comprehensive view of the procession in vivid and dramatic images.
Now even Cash notes that the body will soon be decaying and giving off odors. Remember that Addie has been dead a full three days and it is in Mississippi in July. Darl has already made the observation earlier, but here he contents himself with suggesting that it would not be wise to speak of the decaying body to Jewel, who reacts so violently to any mention of his dead mother.
The central image of this section is that of the wagon toiling slowly along while Jewel, on his contrasting spotted horse, is circling the wagon with violent and furious motions. Symbolically, Jewel seems to be encircling his mother while at the same time riding the horse, which is a symbol of the replacement of his mother. Again Darl refers to Jewel in terms of wooden imagery, which contrasts to the violence of the actions performed by Jewel and relates him then to the wooden wagon slowly pulling the wooden coffin.
