Cash 82-83

Quote

“8. Animal Magnetism.
9. The animal magnetism of a dead body makes the stress come slanting, so the seams and joints of a coffin are made on the bevel (83).”

In this quote, Cash personifies the dead body by giving it “animal magnetism” -the power to attract others through one's physical presence, bearing, energy, etc (dictionary.com). By doing this, Cash is denying the fact that his mother is truly dead. This is further supported by the fact that Cash speaks in numbered steps. This shows that he is viewing this entire situation from only a carpenter’s viewpoint, as opposed to the supposed favorite of a dead mother. By giving reason to his building besides the fact that his mother is dead, and by separating these reasons from one another, Cash does not have to focus on the whole truth. Cash speaks so mechanically and matter-of-factly about the “dead body” and why a coffin is built the way it is, but nowhere does he mention his mother. It seems as though he is trying to escape from the effects of death by trying to control this one aspect of it.



























In this chapter, Cash reminds me of Dr. House. Dr. House is known for his horrible bedside manner with his patients, and lack of interaction with them. When House gets a case, they become a list of symptoms on a white board that need to be explained. House does not see the person who is sick, but instead sees a problem that he needs to figure out for his own satisfaction. House is characterized as lonely and detached, which is why he works this way. This is how Cash acts during the situation of his mother’s death. While he does seem to be building it in order to make her happy, Cash uses building the coffin as a way to not focus on the real reason he needs to build it – his mother is dying.