Maestro Paul s own personal growth is linked to his understanding of Keller s life
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At the beginning of the novel, Maestro, Paul appears to be self-deluded, arrogant and has a sense of alienation he feels among his peers at school in Darwin.
Paul's arrogant attitude is seen to have developed from his belief that he is somewhat a musical mastermind, because his life was brought up centered around music at an early age, which is shown by his musical Christmas presents: 'that every father gave his son a bound Busoni edition of The Well Tempered Clavier in his Christmas stocking.' 'the following Christmas, Schnabel's readings of the Beethoven Sonatas.' pg40
Paul's self-delusion sees him alienated, because of his hiding in a 'music' sanctuary at school: "The designated Music Roombecame my refuge" - pg24. This self-delusion can be compared to that of Keller's in his youth, because both believed that music could offer protection in the real world. In his younger years, Keller was too deluded in regards to the power of music to protect him and his family from the Nazis. Keller becoming renown and that he had achieved successes, his realistic sense of Nazi persecution/execution of Jews, such reports of the Nazi activity 'heard on a grapevine' were obscured by his arrogance: "Who would harm the wife of Eduard Keller?"- pg117. This experience was of one of many lessons to be part of Paul's personal growth brought by the understanding of Keller's life. In this case, the lesson here was to overcome any misconceptions, any illusions that shielded 'one' from the truth...