ANTHEM is coming, chapter 10

ANTHEM, Book 3 of the Sixties Trilogy, publishes on October 1. Each of the book's 47 chapters begins with a song from the Sixties to set the tone, mood, and scene. Every day between now and October 1, come have a listen and read a snippet from each chapter.

This is Chapter 10 (day 38):


"ELEANOR RIGBY"
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Performed by the Beatles
Recorded at EMI/Abbey Road Studios, London, England, 1966
No percussion

It made no sense to Molly. "Aquarius" was just a song. You grew up, you went to college -- or not -- you got married -- or not, but most likely you did, and you had kids -- or not, but most likely you did -- and you lived in a house where you had your own dishes and your own neighbors and your own backyard and friends and cookouts and parties and birthdays and years and years of things you did in that house, with your family, until you grew old, and you were happy -- or not -- and that was how it worked. Right?


The Beatles figure prominently in the chapter heads for ANTHEM, partly because they were so important to the development of American music in the sixties, and also because these particular song selections highlight the chapters they head and help tell the story. 

As Molly and Norman sit down to supper with their great aunts, who no longer recognize them, Molly is introduced as Eleanor Rigby, and Norman as Father MacKenzie. The song "Eleanor Rigby" serves as a poignant way to characterize Molly's encounter with her aunts, whose memory is failing, but also to think about how Molly is isolating her on this trip, and will be lonely until she lets go of her perceived notions and embraces the road ahead.

And she's likely to encounter some lonely people on the road ahead. I loved exploring how music helps us tell a story.

Chapter 10.