The singing in the second "chapter" we read was really effective in setting a tone for the book. Although strange and obnoxious, it put another layer of culture into the book. Almost all of the characters knew the song, showing togetherness with each other. Also, music seems to have an increasingly important effect on the people and the book. I think it to be as a symbol for the family. This could be why Berniece doesn't want to sell the piano: she fears she will lose another part of the family if she does.
From Berit's Blog:
I agree. In the other books we read, some characters were also shown to be less important than others. In Cry some character's weren't named, only like the white man, or Gertrude's son. And in Lord of the Flies how the younger children were grouped together and called the "chillun."
That was an interesting point you made with regards to how music affects the people in the book in general. Apparently, they do mention the words “piano”, “guitar”, and “songs” many times in scene one and two. They seem to become motifs which symbolize their family as you have said.
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The music does seem like it is a connector to all the characters because they all join in and they all know the song.
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