Human Experiences In Peter Goldsworthy's Maestro

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Experiences can change the outlooks we have on life, and the ways in which we deal with certain situations. In Maestro, Paul Crabbe and Eduard Keller experience very different lives. Their past experiences have helped shape who they are and the ways in which they deal with situations. Through reading Peter Goldsworthy’s Maestro, we are able to see that Keller’s story depicts the darker side of human experience, while Paul’s story reveals the lighter aspect. Keller’s experiences during World War II have led him to view the world as a dark, sinister place. Living in Vienna, the home of Mozart, Keller was a respectable pianist and had a loving family. However the effects of a Nazi government caused him to loose the most precious thing in his life, his family, and affected his life in such a…show more content…
Keller’s ‘Libretti’ contain stories throughout the world where terrible events have taken place. Keller uses this as a mechanism to stay in touch with Vienna, and to remind himself of the atrocities that occurred when his wife and son were killed in the Holocaust. Paul’s ‘Form Guide’ contains the bad news that struck him – his competition results that confirmed that he would never be able to become a famous concert pianist. However, Paul realises that he still has a wife and a daughter. Keller knows that he does not have any family to love and care for, and uses his ‘Libretti’ as a constant reminder. Throughout his life, Keller had to deal with the most distressing situation of them all, loosing his family. Although Paul did not have a ‘picture-perfect’ life, Peter Goldsworthy shows a deliberate contrast between Paul’s supportive family and carefree childhood and Keller’s frightful loss of his family during World War II. It is our experiences who make us who we are, and Keller’s story reveals the darker side of human experiences compared to

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