Maria's Guitar: Bulky Prop, Or Essential Symbol?

Maria's Guitar: Bulky Prop, Or Essential Symbol?

In “Your 100 Best Conservative Movies,” The Sound of Music is part of a new list of films that help audiences to understand the meaning of “Victorian virtues,” such as family, faith, self-restraint, and patriotism.   While The Sound of Music’s wholesome storyline and characters clearly confirm this notion, so do several of the musical’s props: for instance, the white gazebo is a stage on which wide-eyed teenagers fall in love; the long dinner table is a place for the family to eat and converse nightly; and the crosses the nuns wear around their neck is a symbol of their faith.   Movie critics, as well as general audiences, say that the musical numbers - and the energy they convey - are the most important aspect of developing the plot and the characters. Perhaps the most significant props utilized are the guitar and guitar case because they serve the important purpose of proving that the props are just as important as the singing numbers.   In this essay, I will examine the guitar and guitar case that Maria (Julie Andrews) uses and carries throughout the film and will argue that both provide insight to the characters’ personalities, such as Maria and the captain (Christopher Plummer); they contribute to the carefree nature of the film; and they reflect the idea of conservatism that the above list describes.
The first argument I’ll present concerning the importance of the guitar/guitar case is that it gives insight into the characters’ personalities. Maria and the Captain are two of the most important characters in this movie, and understanding their personalities and the motivations for their actions is absolutely critical. Early in the film, Maria establishes herself as many different things.   To the nuns of the abbey she is unusual, always late for everything, clumsy, stubborn, and the complete opposite of all the nuns that reside there.   They admit, though, that at the same time she is generally easy to like, genuine, courage-seeking, and a...