Keller_Was_Bad_for_Me,_the_Worst_Possible_Teacher

At the end of the novel, Paul says, “Keller was bad for me, the worst possible teacher.” Do you agree' In Peter Goldsworthy’s ‘Maestro’, Keller’s mysterious past and renunciation of the Romantics ruled his teaching style, subsequently suppressing Paul’s musical talent. However in spite of this, it would be more reasonable to believe that Keller’s teaching methods suited Paul at the time of his “youthful arrogance”, Where other teachers may simply have swelled Paul’s already arrogant personality and failed to diminish his selfish and egotism, Keller attempts to teach Paul about life. He teaches Paul to be more realistic in his expectations as Paul discovers that he is unable to attain perfection or fulfill his ambition of becoming a concert pianist. Ultimately Paul’s judgment that Keller was the “worst possible teacher” is largely unfounded, as it seems he was actually the biggest single influence on Paul’s life. Although it may be true that Paul might not be a concert pianist, which Keller describes as “one in a million”, it could be argued that Keller’s teaching was musically limiting due to his complete rejection of the Romantics. Keller’s experiences with the Nazis and the death of his wife and child forced him to immerse himself in the technical side of music to rid himself of troubling and unresolved emotion. This has a terrible effect on Paul who becomes ‘obsessed by technique in a way that Keller would never have approved”. Keller teaches Paul to be suspicious of beauty, which may have impacted on Paul’s ability to play with rubato and achieve the “musical perfection” he desired. By the end of the novel Paul has accepted that “a technical perfection” is all he “has any hope of attaining”. Keller’s teaching appears to be somewhat responsible for this, during his visit to Austria, Paul is told: “You did not learn from Eduard Keller. His students played with…with far more…rubato”. This leads Paul to believe that the Keller he learnt from and the Keller of Austria were “not the same man in a sense” and that he learned from a Keller who was incapable of teaching him to play with emotion. However, Keller himself admitted to Paul, “You are my best student. One is a thousand” if Paul truly was the best of Keller’s students, including his Viennese students to which he was able to teach rubato, then to what degree did Keller’s past affect Paul’s ability to become a concert Pianist' Does this mean that had Keller’s war experience not been so traumatic the he could have taught Paul to play with rubato and therefore perhaps empower him to become that “one in a million' Or did Paul simply lack that “extra something” and that small something “may as well have been everything”' Upon hearing Keller play the music he had steered Paul clear of, Wagner, Paul comments that his playing “seemed nearer to lovemaking than to music” a stark contrast to his own playing, which Keller has merely called a “perfect forgery”. Hence while it can be argued that Paul’s own inabilities contributed to his failure as a concert pianist, Keller’s refusal to teach such pieces to Paul and his persistent assertion “Never trust the beautiful,” eventually deprived Paul of some invaluable musical knowledge. And thus, he was not the ideal teacher for Paul, however, to call Keller the “worst possible teacher” is perhaps too harsh. Undoubtedly, Keller is a good teacher. A “worst possible teacher” or even a bad teacher is someone who imparts no knowledge to his or her students. Keller taught in an unconventional style, which made him an exceptional teacher for Paul. Keller has a charm that appeals to Paul, it allows Paul to respect Keller. Although reluctant at first to Keller’s teacher methods Paul soon embraces them. This is demonstrated when teaching Rosie and Roughtstuff about music as he copies Keller’s teaching methods by starting with “this finger is selfish. Greedy…a delinquent”. Has Paul really thought of Keller’s teaching methods to be those of a “worst possible teacher” he would not have replicated his teaching style to his friends. Furthermore, while studying at the Conservatorium of Music at Adelaide University, Paul reflects on how he corrected his teachers and justified his opinions by simply stating: “Liszt taught Leschetitzky who taught Keller who taught me.” Again had Paul believed Keller was a poor teacher he would not be endorsing his teaching methods. Keller was a good teacher, after all it was with Keller’s guidance that Paul received an “A+”. Where many teachers may not have bothered, Keller goes beyond his duties of teaching, spending hours on end correcting and perfecting his technique, even flying interstate in order to prepare his student to the best of his ability. Keller’s own skill and precision of the piano impresses Paul greatly, Paul writes that it “lifted me onto my feet, exulting”. As Paul recognizes Keller to be the “Maestro” that he is, his respect grows for Keller and simultaneously Paul’s desire to do well and make it as a concert pianist. Moreover, Keller’s experience as a concert pianist increases his suitability to teach Paul as his involvement in multiple piano competitions, similar to Paul’s competition in Adelaide, means he recognises that the judges “seek athletes, not musicians.” Such knowledge allows Paul the opportunity to have the best chance at winning. Therefore it can be seen that Keller’s skill and experience of the piano in contrast to his devotion to teach enable him a more than suitable teacher for Paul and certainly not the “worst possible teacher”. “A concert pianist is one in a million.’ While Paul is an adolescent, and young adult he believes his dreams of becoming the “one in a million” are perfectly viable, and this is a hope he maintains right up until the death of Keller. Despite his persistence and hours of practice, Paul is never able to achieve the high standards which Keller demands and Paul complains that ‘the most praise my playing had ever received was ‘fine’ or more usually ‘adequate’.” Despite remaining unimpressed, Keller tells Paul “we must know when to move one. To search too long for perfection may paralyse.” This may lead readers to believe that Keller does not think Paul is capable of the perfection he desires. Even when Paul attains an A+ on his music exam, Keller diminishes this achievement, stating “such an exam means nothing.” When Paul sent Keller a tape of his Honours performance, a gift he “expected Keller to treasure”, his teacher returned it with “a criticism that tore [his] performance to shreds phrase by phrase.” Keller appears to suspect Paul was truly incapable of becoming a concert pianist, as Keller tells his student, “Europe has nothing more to offer you.” Which he Keller’s way of expressing he is the finest teacher, that what Paul has been able to learn from him, is all he will ever be able to. Keller presents his discouragement as “a small hurt now to avoid a wasted life.” If Paul truly lacks the capability to become a concert pianist, then by forcing him to realize this, Keller is not the “worst possible” teacher. In encouraging Paul to accept his limitations, Keller is not “bad for” Paul; he is merely realistic. Arguably, the most important lessons the “Maestro” taught Paul were those concerning life. Keller, who had been conceited enough to think that his family “would not be harmed” by the Nazis lost his family as a result of such arrogance, taught Paul a number of life lessons and attempted to transform the arrogant teen into somebody more cautious and understanding. Immediately, Keller appeared to see something of his younger self in his student; where such identification caused him to make it his priority to teach Paul the art of humanity through humility. Keller shows no hesitation in expressing his feelings that ‘the boy is too given to self satisfaction’ when in the company of both Paul and his parents and telling Paul he is ‘spoilt’ that ‘first he must learn to listen’. At the concert, when Paul refers to Darwin’s population as “the plebs”, explaining to Rosie that the piece is not finished yet, Keller undermines his student, asserting that “we are meant to clap between movements”. Keller also lends Paul one of his scrapbooks, in which he chronicles the “tragedy and Dumb Stupidity” of humans, referring to it as a “textbook”. After Paul’s father John forbids Paul from reading the “text book” Keller exemplifies his desire to teach Paul about the world remarking: ‘he (John) feels you should not have an education’ and ‘if only at your age I’d has such text books’. Through music as a metaphor for life, Keller tells Paul to ‘never trust the beautiful’ that ‘to search too long for perfection can also paralyse’, two different pieces of advice, yet that Goldsworthy implies can be applied both to music and life in general. As readers we can further see the results of Keller’s success of such constant advice. At first through Paul’s eyes Keller is seen as a “Nazi” and a “boozer” and he is resistant to his unorthodox teaching methods. Paul rejects Keller’s discipline initially as he falsely attributes it to his Nazi ideals. Yes as Paul, and hence the readers begin to understand the complexities of his tragic past, we learn that first impressions were “misleading of course.” Paul’s growing sense of maturity is most heightened when he displays curiosity about his teacher’s experiences. The older Paul is especially critical of the impatience and insensitivity he shows when Keller opens up to him. “I should have stayed”. The disregard for Keller’s story was a particularly erroneous act as Keller was trying to impart the lessons of his profoundly personal tragedy. However, Paul clearly learns from this incident and his mistakes as he expresses regret for not staying. Hence his associations with Keller have been positive in that he has learnt about his lack of consideration for others. Ultimately, Paul was forced out of his smug, self satisfied world and judgmental attitudes through the influence of Keller, and therefore his teaching was incredibly beneficial. Ostensibly, Keller’s eccentric manner of communication and teacher music may seem inimical and redundant but on closer examination, this is not so. Although Keller’s refusal to teach Paul the Romantics, may have impacted on Paul’s ability to achieve his dream of becoming a concert pianist, his lessons regarding music appear insignificant compared to the many life lessons Paul receives. Trying to remind Paul of his limitations and telling him when to move on, he attempted to save Paul “from a big hurt later” as well as ensure Paul develop into a more cautious and sensitive adult. In teaching Paul everything he was able to learn and additional lessons in life, Keller fulfills his duty as a teacher and moreover as a fatherly figure.