Few novels are as powerful as stories about characters coming of age. Whether they're learning hard truths about loss and prejudice or finding out what it really means to grow up and be independent, going from boyhood to manhood, the kids in these books are the kind of memorable characters you, as an adolescent, can relate to. Love, anger, sadness, lust and arrogance. Classic teenager traits while growing up. Am I right? Well, there is one book that has a character that suits all those traits and achieves developing into manhood, mediocrely. Like all of us. That is Maestro, the Australian Peter Goldsworthy’s first novel. The novel is constructed successfully to depict a transition from boyhood to manhood through personal character development.
Maestro tells the story of a young Paul Crabbe who has moved to Darwin with his parents and while he is there, he learns to be a pianist and be taught by the ‘maestro’, Eduard Keller. Paul is as curious as a cat in his piano teacher’s secretive past in Europe during war. The relationship between an obnoxious student and professional, secretive teacher never goes well. Although, Paul does make some progress under Keller’s wing but eventually his interests disappear into distractions… girls. These distractions hinder him from his very serious musical study.
Paul has a rough wrap when he his …show more content…
Paul’s maturation is seen through his relationship with Keller. They both participate in themes of the book such as coming of age. They both make difficult choices that at times they aren’t fully informed about the situation. Keller is willing to try and teach Paul a bit more than music. He tries to teach him to look more beyond stereotypes and to question things rather than assuming. But while Keller is teaching him, he may have been creating his own image, “teaching a self-criticism” (p.148) without a real
Maestro tells the story of a young Paul Crabbe who has moved to Darwin with his parents and while he is there, he learns to be a pianist and be taught by the ‘maestro’, Eduard Keller. Paul is as curious as a cat in his piano teacher’s secretive past in Europe during war. The relationship between an obnoxious student and professional, secretive teacher never goes well. Although, Paul does make some progress under Keller’s wing but eventually his interests disappear into distractions… girls. These distractions hinder him from his very serious musical study.
Paul has a rough wrap when he his …show more content…
Paul’s maturation is seen through his relationship with Keller. They both participate in themes of the book such as coming of age. They both make difficult choices that at times they aren’t fully informed about the situation. Keller is willing to try and teach Paul a bit more than music. He tries to teach him to look more beyond stereotypes and to question things rather than assuming. But while Keller is teaching him, he may have been creating his own image, “teaching a self-criticism” (p.148) without a real