"Maestro" and "In the Lake of the Woods" Notes

[nerd]

I'm studying these two texts (Maestro and In the Lake of the Woods) this year and have just begun reading them for the first time. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips regarding the study of these texts, or any points to watch out for during my first read.

Also, if anyone has notes/essays on these novels, it would be awesome if you could upload them. Thanks in advance!

[Survivor]

For Maestro, I suggest keeping an eye out on the setting because I've seen quite a few essay topics on setting in relation to the characters. Maybe draw up a table and divide it into 3 columns with the headings "Darwin", "Adelaide" and "Vienna" and jot down any major characteristics of those landscapes. For example, one thing I noticed about Darwin was the recurring image of the green, caricature landscape where everything was "larger than life" which symbolises the protagonist's childhood/youth.

A device that Goldsworthy uses is the authorial intrusion, meaning the protagonist (as an adult) frequently comments on his actions as a child throughout the novel. Underline these bits as it will be important to distinguish between his attitudes as a child vs adult.

I can't really think of anything else now since I didn't write on Maestro in my exam, sorry It's all too long ago! But I have got a document on the novel that might be useful, it's something from VATE I think. It's a big file so if you'd like it, just PM me your email and i'll send it ASAP.

[kurrymuncher]

If you really want something for Maestro,  theres some pretty good Maestro supplements at Links, ssrc or any other vce book shop. I havent really read it, but you might want to borrow it from a library first.

[nerd]

bump...

[danieltennis]

This is just a question (not an essay) that we had to do for hw last year. I couldn't find anything else.

Peter, all their lives, both the characters are seeking perfection and genius. Do you ever think both Keller and Paul ever attained that sense of musical excellence?

 Both Keller and Paul fall into the trap of seeking perfection and only in their lives realise that they can only achieve a second rate of perfection. 

For Keller, his career was ascending in Europe. He played for the Nazis and Hitler and he was becoming one of the most famous musicians of Europe. He sought to be the genius of the music world, the tragically the cost was high. Although in his path to attaining the sense of musical excellence, his wife and son lost their lives in a death camp and as a result, it damaged his music career forever.

We also see Paul attaining the touch of music perfection when Keller contrasts Paul’s piano playing to a painting he once saw in a museum, an excellent forgery reproduced exactly, similar to Paul and the piece being technically flawless.

But as Paul left Darwin to enter piano competitions around the world, he became critical of himself, revealing to him all his imperfections. He never achieves his goal of becoming genius in music and Paul was now fully aware of his own mistakes and failures. His time in Europe has made him realise he was not genius for the time and knew that musical excellence is a long road away.
 
They were perhaps both the most well-known players of a certain place for a time, but they knew the truth about their piano playing. Yes, they could play a piece in a “technically flawless” manner and master the art of forgery, but never for a moment did they believe they had achieved a level of perfection. 

[Eriny]

I did In The Lake of the Woods. I think it's a good novel, but quite confusing to try and study. If you've read it, you'll know what I mean. If just seems like an endless mystery. Most people have their opinions about what happened, but you don't get a full story. If you want to make it an exam text, it'll take a bit of dedication.

I recommend learning about postmodernism. This is probably the ultimate English book, because you can easily have a range of different viewpoints and reasonably defend them. In a way, this is very much the point. I think that to write an 'exceptional' essay would involve showing an understanding of this.

Concentrating also on some of the imagery the author uses is a good idea too as there are lots of vivid scenes and interesting writing (I remember the author talking about a red moon whilst John was in Vietnam, which is very biblical; and of course, the two snakes eating each other up).

Think also about how much you blame John for the events in the novel. If you think that he's a product of his childhood, then perhaps look into some Freudian psycho-analysis (it's not as difficult as it sounds, just wiki it or whatever), but also think about how you would feel if John wasn't the protagonist. For instance, if the story was reduced to a short newspaper article. Why would the author have you feel sorry for someone who we know committed heinous war-time atrocities (if, indeed, you feel sorry for him at all)?

I think the theme of redemption and blame is pretty important. Can John be forgiven for his involvement in the war because of how much he suffered afterward? Can he be forgiven for putting his political career ahead of everything else -including Kathy - when you consider his childhood, where he suffered from an unfulfilled requirement of acceptance? If he is responsible for Kathy's disappearance, can he be forgiven, given that he loved her and suffered without her? How much is John free from the restrictions he had in his life and responsible for his actions? Can we at once feel empathy and dislike the things he did? Does he deserve to suffer?

[polky]

I studied In The Lake Of The Woods as well, but didn't end up writing on it as part of my english exam.

It is a very very complex book indeed.  I have a few notes/quotes on it, I shall upload it soon (or now! Why procrastinate? ).

[nerd]

Thanks for everyones answers! They've been awesome. Keep 'em coming...!

[nerd]

Anyone have any notes for these books? If so, would be grateful if you could pass them on!