Relationships

6 Pages 1404 Words

How have three texts you have studied enhanced your understanding of relationships? Refer to Maestro and two other texts of your choosing?

Relationships are a complex part of today’s society and affect all areas. All relationships are different, and they influence the decisions made by people and others around them. The three texts ‘Maestro’ by Peter Goldsworthy, ‘Dead Poets Society’ directed by Peter Weir and ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’ by Michelle Magorian all enhance the understanding of relationships.

These three texts, all show various types of relationships, are all presented in various ways. The main relationship presented in ‘Maestro’ involves the unlikely friendship developed between a teacher (Keller) and his student (Paul). The main relationship in ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’ is rather similar and involves the relationship between an elderly man (Tom) and an evacuee he was forced to take on- a young boy (Willie). Finally the main relationship exposed in ‘Dead Poets Society’ is between a teacher (John Keating) and his pupils including Neil and Todd.

All of these relationships in these texts enhance ones understanding of relationships by techniques used. ‘Maestro’s’ unique technique, is not only the use of first person, but how the whole story is a combination of flashbacks and memories by the narrator Paul of when ‘he was only a child’. From this perspective, the narrator reflects back on this enchanted period of childhood and adolescence. His relationship with Keller is very cold at first, and we know this is misleading through the first line when Paul quotes ‘First Impressions? Misleading, of course. As always’. The first chapter is about Paul and Keller, and how they do not get along. Through the first line, we know that this is a false impression of their relationship and that it will improve. This line that Paul recites, generally describes all relationships. They are false on first impress...