"Not to see beyond the descriptions of Paul Crabbe as self-centered and self-deluding is to miss the development of a sensitive, generous human being."
             This statement is very true. If someone were to read Maestro and only see Paul as self-centered and self-deluding, they would be unable to see his sensitive side develop.
             At the very beginning of the novel, Paul meets Keller for the first time and he already shows signs of being "irredeemably smug". From the moment that Paul had laid eyes on Keller and heard him speak, Paul was already evaluating him, trying to capture his accent and examined Keller's home. "Keller's red face also glistered with a fine varnish of sweat – but the linen suit still seemed crisp and freshly laundered." Paul made this observation, and with his large ego, came to this conclusion, "Had he spruced up especially to meet me? I was child enough – self-centered enough – to think it likely..."
             At school, Paul is alienated by his peers. Although, Paul often isolates himself because of his self-centeredness. He feels he is above his peers and is too arrogant to socialize with them.
             Paul's self-delusion comes from being brought up to believe he is a musical prodigy. Since an early age, his parents treated him with importance because of his great musical ability. As a child, Paul's father gave him gifts of musical nature for Christmas. The gifts included "a bound Busoni edition of The Well Tempered Clavier," and "Scnabel's eccentric readings of the Beethoven Sonatas."
             If people cannot see through the self-centered and self-deluded side of Paul, then they won't see that there is a sensitive, generous human being in development. Throughout Maestro, Paul matures and learns to love others, and not just himself. He comes to love and depend on Keller, even though he despised him earlier for constant
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