One of Cather’s favorite themes is her belief that artists are to be admired, but are often misunderstood by society. Why do you think Cather inserts the anecdote about blind d’Arnault at this point in the novel?

Despite Cather's progressive attitudes towards women, marriage, and religion, she does not have the most enlightened attitude towards African-Americans. In this chapter her depiction of Blind d'Arnault makes him into an exotic, primitive spectacle. I actually think there is some shock value here.

Blind d'Arnault's piano-playing is described in highly sexualized terms. It is analogous to the act of copulation, with Blind d'Arnault characterized as being aggressive, with animal instincts and desires. Such a description conforms to negative stereotypes of the African-American male as hypersexual and driven by lustful passions, never by intellect or emotion.