Chapter 36, Accordion Summary

The Dreamreader sits with the Librarian and uses his tiny accordion to play notes, then chords, and finally fragments of melodies. He then struggles to produce a complete song and as he does all of the skulls in the library stacks begin to glow with a soft light. The Dreamreader decides that he will read as many skulls as he possibly can on this, his last night in the Town; he intends to find as many fragments of the Librarian's mind as he can.

Chapter 36, Accordion Analysis

Both narrators spend their supposed last night with their respective librarians. Whereas the Narrator enjoys the physical aspects of existence—drinking, eating, sex, idle chatter—the Dreamreader engages in more metaphysical pursuits of music and thinking about the nature of the mind. The Dreamreader becomes determined to sift through as many 'old...