Interpreting Paul Auster's "The Music of Chance"

The Music of Chance ends with the primary character Jim Nashe allowing himself to drive his car directly into an oncoming vehicle at a high speed. This likely kills Nashe and the cars other occupants, Calvin Murks and Floyd. The reason Nashe kills himself has to do with the issues of not belonging or conforming to society and the meaningless of the world discussed throughout the book. Auster portrays Nashe as a man who had a normal life and job who was drawn to give it all up for the freedom a large amount of money would give him. Although this way of life was lonely Nashe seemed to enjoy it. However, Auster indicates that the continuous enjoyment was not sustainable. "Nothing around him lasted for more than a moment, and as one moment followed another, it was as though he alone continued to exist." (Auster 11) Nashe found himself moving from place to place with no plan other than to periodically visit his daughter in Minnesota and an old friend in California for sex. This relates to the aimless existence Nashe has chosen for himself. A topic shown by the fact he often double tracked over the same pieces of road again and again. This large issue of living life from moment to moment and worry about the consequences later is exactly the reason Nashe crashes the car. Throughout the novel he has been making last minute decisions and then living with the aftereffects. It was usually the direction he would take on the road that would influence his life decisions, the finale of the book has the direction of the road cause his death.

Once Nashe finds Jack Pozzi the issue of how long he can remain in his own society, away from real life becomes a factor. Nashe does not want to return from his thirteen month driving experience. In Pozzi he sees a legitimate chance to make easy money. Again Jim makes a quick decision and has to deal with the consequences. Pozzi differs greatly from Nashe in that he while not living a mainstream life does have a long term plan and strives on consistency. Many forms of poker such as Texas Hold 'em have constant rules when it comes to choices, such as always folding a two seven hand. Whereas Nashe is used to making the best of his decisions, Pozzi is outraged at being forced to work on a wall at gunpoint. Despite Murk's gun hanging over him Nashe did not feel the permanency of the situation he was in. Jim Nashe did not see the logic in most of life so building a wall that no-one will ever see does not seem as strange. Had Pozzi and Nashe exchanged places the ending would likely have had Pozzi execute a previously thought out plan to reclaim the car and speed away leaving Murks and Floyd at the bar. Ending the book by having Nashe drive his old car into oblivion also leads us to believe that losing the car he spent so much time in was more painful than the loss of the money. Nashe spent thirteen months driving around in his Saab 900. Seeing Murks own the car was obviously painful to Nashe. "The thought of riding in it again made him sick, but there was no way he could back out if it now" (Auster 207) The ultimate crashing of the car also links to Nashes inability to follow though on plans. Prior to agreeing to out for a drink Nashe focused on leaving the estate and reporting Murks and Floyd to the police for their part in Pozzi's apparent death. It seems however that even the thought of being tied to one place for even a few days for an administrative purpose was too much for Jim Nashe. It was easier to simply crash the car, kill Murks and Floyd and then deal with wherever he ended up after the fact.

Auster, Paul. The Music of Chance. Penguin Books. 1991.