Role of the Past in Maestro.

“And thus while I listened, the future became the present, unchallenged and all too soon, the regretted past” Discuss the role of the past in Maestro.

The past dictates who we are in the present, and affects who we might become in the future. In Maestro, Peter Goldsworthy depicts the importance of the past and how it affects the future throughout the novel using a complex narrative structure. Through out Maestro, the protagonist, Paul Crabbe, recounts in chronological order the history of his interactions with his music teacher, the following main character Eduard Keller. Keller comes off as emotionless and almost arrogant to anyone he meets, this is due to the traumatizing events of his past. Although Keller, does not realize that not only is his past effecting himself, but also has an effect on Paul’s flourishing ability to becoming a “great pianist” instead of a “good pianist”. Peter Goldsworthy shows the importance of the past as he builds climax throughout Maestro and only reveals Keller’s past in the last chapters of the novel. Throughout Paul’s childhood and teenage years, he is filled with immaturity and contributes in selfish acts, ignorant to Keller’s past and feelings. Paul’s careless attitude towards his future allowed others to steer him away from what he wanted to do, having a major effect on the person he becomes. Paul soon realizes the impact that the past had on not only Keller’s life but his own life. Paul comes to the conclusion that he is dissatisfied with the life he lives. Peter Goldsworthy has structured Maestro and the characters lives on events that have happened in the past, and how it has depicted their future and who they have become. Making the past a key role in the novel.

Peter Goldsworthy has structured Maestro to allow the reader to have a greater understanding of the character Keller as the past is revealed in the last chapters of the novel. Keller constantly buries his past and emotions to the extent were he is perceived as...