The+Music

I especially noticed the presence of music in Anse's interactions with the future Mrs. Bundren. When the family first arrives in Jefferson, they approach her house and choose to ask her to borrow a shovel because they can hear her music. However, once Anse enters the home, the music stops, and doesn't begin again. It seemed to me that Anse stopped the music, which seemed fitting considering that Anse was pretty much bad news, and was likely to steal anything if he could, even if it was just music. Therefore, when Anse first entered the house, he took the thing that was most attractive (two things, as it turns out) and kept them for himself.

Any other thoughts about why the music stopped? 1203654841

I would agree with you, Lsi, though I never before really considered this an important element. I guess it could have a deeper meaning than first glance. Music normally represents a happiness or a peacefulness, at least in the way that it was presented in this book. The stopping of music seemed strange to me and I take it to mean that meeting Anse changed "Mrs. Bundren's" life. Simply meeting him made the appearance of her house instantly change. This change is making me wonder how much Anse changed Addie's life when he met her. We know from Addie's interactions with Cash, her firstborn, that she didn't like her alone time interrupted. Did Anse interrupt that? Did he steal her "music" like he stole the new Mrs. Bundren's music? 1203778576

Interesting observation Isi, I had not realized the obvious connection. Music is defined by dictionary.com as "an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color." This definition characterizes music as a colorful and harmonic expression of one's feelings. Since Anse lacks the ability to possess and show feelings, his life has no music. Therefore, when he enters the new Mrs. Bundren's home, he stops her music. From then on, her life will be controlled by Anse and she will not have the freedom that music represents. Life on the farm with him is bleak and depressing and she will eventually end up like Addie, feeling that her life is worthless and dark. 1203872282

This is true, but I remembered something else: Cash also mentions that Mrs. Bundren brings her gramaphone with her and that they would recieve new records in the mail from time to time. Although we don't know anything about Mrs. Bundren, it seems that in a way, she is enriching their lives. Perhaps, rather than being a victim here, she actually brings the music back into their lives. Is it possible that Faulkner was trying to add a note of hope to the end of the book? 1203878728

I noticed that, too, lsi. I couldn't help but think that this was indeed a little ray of sunshine that came out of such a bad situation. Even though putting the moves on another woman only ten days after his wife died was such an Anse thing to do, I do think that Mrs. Bundren isn't the worst person in the world. If you notice, Cash is narrating both chapters when the music and Mrs. Bundren are connected. Since Cash is the vituous Mr. Nice Guy in the novel, I think it would be safe to say that his positive gravitation towards the gramophone and music, which is connected to Mrs. Bundren, symbolize that Mrs. Bundren is still a good person. 1203880017

I am going to side with you guys and agree that the music in the end adds a little bit of hope for the family. I am reminded of Faulkner's speech, in which he said that all novels should have a message of love, hope, compassion, etc. In the old Bundren family, there was little compassion. There was no joy. Addie hated her family, and Anse apparently wasn't too fond of it either. Jewel and Darl hated each other, Dewey Dell wanted an abortion, and Vardaman was...Vardaman. Cash was really the only moral person. It is difficult to see Faulkner's ideals in all this. But this music, this little ray of sunshine, indicates a happier time beginning. Anse is happy, and apparently Mrs. Bundren is as well because she stays. Addie's hatred is gone.1203897501

I think that the music is a sign of hope, but for whom though? Is it for the entire family specifically? I guess I'm just confused because it seems almost cynical to me because after Anse replaces Addie, steals the money from Dewey for some new teeth, Dewey has more sex in a basement of a hack doctor, there's hope now. Once everybody got what they really wanted, everyone's got a chance for true happiness. It just seems like a crass statement to me on human nature. Also, the music did stop with Anse entering the room, so I don't know how the music can be reflective of hope since Anse is not dead. I took like until Anse is gone the music (hope) cannot truly begin again. But at the same time I suppose I can see the music, like I see Cash: a slight glimmer of hope in an otherwise depressing and twisted family. I'm just lost.1203903984

I disagree that the music represents hope in the end of the book. Yes, music does typically represent a happiness or peacefulness, but the important element is that the music has stopped. The music stops when Anse enters the house. Any possibility of hope that the new Mrs. Bundren might bring to the family was destroyed when Anse went into the house. I really don't see how a family like this can have much hope either. Addie has been dead less than two weeks and Anse has already replaced her. Call me crazy, but I don't feel like this family is built on much love and/or loyalty. Perhaps the new Mrs. Bundren is a good, moral person. I'm still doubtful that she would have any positive effect on this family whatsoever. The hope in the form of the music stopped as soon as she met Anse. The symbol behind this represents how much Anse brings the family down. 1203979197

I find it quite unlikely that the new Mrs. Bundren is a good, moral person. She can't be too smart for marrying Anse. It's strange to me that the whole town seemed to know the story about Anse and his rotting wife and screwed up children. What the heck was that woman thinking to marry Anse?! I actually didn't look that deeply into the symbolism of the music as above mentioned. Instead, I thought it showed that the new Mrs. Bundren was fairly well-off. I'm pretty sure music was somewhat of a "luxury" back then. She did live in town after all, so I can't imagine her being too poor. When she brought out her graphophone right before Anse introduced her to the kids, I saw it as a sign that she was not poor like the Bundren's. This furthered my confusion as to why she would take a man like Anse. It's obvious that Anse will treat her like he has the rest of the people in his life: He will use her for her money. He will rob her of her music. 1203990105

Interesting. So Here are some of my guesses as to the meaning of the music. It could be happiness. She was a woman quite apart from all the happenings of the Bunden family, and she might have been perfectly happy enjoying her music until Anse came in and took her away from it. It could be a few more unlikely things, such as innocence or purity, as she herself married quite suddenly. It might very well even be unhappiness, that she was in a miserable situation, numbing the pain with her music, escaping to the Bunden residence there instead. Only, I think it's the first, happiness. And when she brings her phonograph, it might be bringing her happiness with her to the Bunden family home, as is discussed in another thread. We really don't know much about her, so we can only guess that from her brief description, her music might be the sweet, joyful tune of her life. 1204246265