Relationships are necessary for all humans to define and comprehend each other and the world around them. Discuss this quote with reference to the set text (Maestro) and two other texts of your choice.

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Relationships Essay

Question: Relationships are necessary for all humans to define and comprehend each other and the world around them.  Discuss this quote with reference to the set text (Maestro) and two other texts of your choice.

Relationships are necessary for human beings to understand each other as well as themselves as individuals.  This view is clearly supported in the novel Maestro by Peter Goldsworthy, where Paul Crabbe learns about others, himself and life through his relationship with Keller, the band, Megan and Rosie.  The film Sliding Doors (1998) and the novel Family Tree by Katherine Ayres also demonstrate the way relationships are essential if individuals are to grow and develop.

In the novel Maestro, the relationship between Paul and Keller is vital for both of them.  Paul and Keller rely on each other as they each undertake a journey to try to define themselves and the world around them.  Paul’s music lessons with Keller teach him to be more perceptive and sensitive as well as being less self-absorbed.  Early in the novel, Paul is depicted as an arrogant, self-centered adolescent who is insulted by Keller’s refusal to let him play and he runs home ‘vowing never to return’. This contrasts with the adult Paul’s reflections of ‘I find it hard to understand how much I came to love the man, to depend on him’. (P13) The contrast in the voice of the  young narrator Paul and adult Paul reflect the changes in Paul in terms of understanding himself and Keller through their relationship.  His relationship with Keller is also crucial in defining himself, in terms of his musical limitations.  Without their relationship, Paul would not have realized he is not as talented as his parents think.  In comparison Keller makes him realize his limitations in saying his playing is ‘an excellent forgery’ (p 46) and always criticizing his playing.

Paul also learns about the world and life through his relationship with Keller.  Although Keller does not directly open up about his past, he teachers Paul about life through his maxims, such as ‘We never lose, we only learn’ (p 109) and also ‘Every fish has its depth’ (p 107).  Paul values these as they give him a better understanding of his limitations and the world around him.  They are used throughout his musical career as well as after Keller’s death.  The scrapbook is also Keller’s way of teaching Paul about the world.  As their relationship develops, it is evident that Keller wants Paul to learn about the nature of beauty and how beauty conceals criminal acts like the events in Keller’s past.  Although the relationship between Paul and Keller was initially based on music, Paul learns far more than music through his piano lessons.  By Keller gradually revealing the true story of his wife and son who were killed by the Nazis, Paul learns about betrayal and the Holocaust.  As a result, he realizes he has been insensitive and that the world is a more complex place.  Their relationship has helped Paul become more compassionate, understanding and accepting.  This is clearly shown when Paul tells everyone after Keller’s death that ‘a great man has died’

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Keller himself relies on his relationship with Paul to slowly come to terms with his tragic past.  For Keller, Paul reminds him of his son Eric, and he claims to have taught Paul with ‘A father’s hardness’ (p 116).  The affection he develops for Paul through their relationship allows him to trust others and feel emotion again, especially the love he once had for his wife and son.  Thus, despite Keller’s past, he too needed the relationship with Paul to understand himself and come to terms with his guilt and loss.

Paul’s relationship with Rough Stuff is also an ...

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