While reading through this story again, I came across a few more things that struck me that might be interesting to talk about in class:
-The role of Helton. He is not so much a character really as a plot device. His character does not seem to matter except that he moves the plot along. We think that he will be the one that has something big happen to him but it turns out to be Mr. Thompson instead. Helton is the story's McGuffin.
What are people's views on this? By saying this I'm not in any way denouncing that Helton is important, but that there might be another way of looking at him.
-Hatch as Mr. Thompson's Doppelganger
I want to look closely at the way they interact and also the way Hatch is described, especially the constantly noting his sagging skin.
-The harmonica music. It acts as a drone throughout the piece but also seems to be a warning. Is there something more to the music? Obviously there should be, since the title of the story derives from it.
-The boys. They kind of act as a parallel to Helton's life. Mr. Thompson believes that people can change, and he actually forgets how awful his sons used to be because they are so good now. Can Helton be forgiven?
-Revisiting the guilt. Considering how Mr. Thompson's life was before he killed Hatch, I think there is more than just the killing that is making him go around door to door and explaining his story. Any ideas?
For some reason, I had forgotten most of this story from the first read. It was almost like a fresh look at it again! The story doesn't have a whole lot of ups, except that the farm slightly prospers while Helton is working there. Otherwise, this story does a steady and continuous fall.
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One thing I find interesting about Mr Thompson's guilt, and his obsession with vindicating himself to the neighbors, is that the Thompson's neighbors are barely mentioned before the murder. I can think of one instance, when Mr Hatch first arrives and Mr. Thompson mentions something about putting a sign up letting his neighbors know when he is selling something. Also, there is a brief mention of Mr. Thompson being popular with fellow drinkers in town. It seems odd that a character who exists almost independently from any community bigger than his family would come to be obsessed with his communal image.
I wanted to comment about the Harmonica music. I think it is another plot device. The reader is constantly trying to find out the secret of the harmonica and the stranger's obsession (dare I say fetish) with, not only the devices themselves, but the one song. I think it acts as a constant reminder to the others that they do not know this man, his past, or really even his intentions. It makes him stand alone as a strange secretive individual.
I also forgot to say in class that a lot of the plot devices, especially the harmonica music act as a false warning. There is a lot of times where it appears there is foreshadowing, but either nothing happens or something does happen but it is something you did not expect. The harmonica music, even after we find out its story, still does not explain any more about Helton's character than we already knew. We think think we will find something out, but we never do because Helton's past does not matter and his reasons for killing do not matter because he is only a plot device.
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