Subjects:
Peter Goldsworthy’s Maestro focuses on the coming of age of Paul Crabbe, who slowly leaves his childhood innocence behind to enter the new world of adulthood. His pathway to maturity is described through a series of experiences, particularly with an old Viennese music teacher, Eduard Keller, or the ‘Maestro’. Near the end of the novel, where Paul is in his mid-twenties, he looks back on his transformation from a spoiled, self-indulged adolescent, to a more compassionate and more knowledgeable adult. He realises, through his own suffering and Keller’s influence, that his talents are not good enough to earn him a career as a concert pianist.
Paul’s personality changes throughout the text. At the start Paul is corrupted by pride and the idea that he is great, almost perfect even. This self-satisfaction does wonders to boost his ego, as he predicts instant fame and fortune will fall at his feet. When he first meets Keller, he acts as if he knows everything, but Keller mocks him constantly with such comments as, “you know so much for your age…and so little”, and won’t give in to his superficial ideals. Paul does not appreciate it when the old man honestly p
. . .
Maestro may seem like ‘a tale of two sufferings’ on the outside, but it really explores the experiences we have to deal with to ensure personal growth and the attainment of self-knowledge through discovery. His first contact with failure is with his rock band ‘Rough Stuff’, in which they have the potential to win a band competition in Adelaide, but they don’t. He is rewarded just before his death, with the knowledge that Paul loves him back. Though he treats both with contempt at various points, he does take from them the appropriate values, which shapes him as a person. And so Keller too, grows and matures through suffering.
However, maturity is gained through various other ways and not only by suffering alone. One of them is the presence of Paul’s role models. In Paul’s eyes, Keller probably insulted him more than he did inspire, so he uses him as a scapegoat for all his problems. In the end he fails to achieve musical success.
Keller taught him ‘life lessons’, which was derived from his own life, plagued with suffering.
With truth comes suffering, and suffering does play an integral part to Paul’s maturity.
Essay's Topics
All research is for reference purposes only.