2. At the bottom of 303, Mr. Beebe comments to himself that Lucy the piano player is quite different from Lucy the person. In your own words, what is the difference between the two Lucy's? And is it possible for someone to be a more profound and sophisticated musician than than person?
3. Why does Mr. Beebe not want his sermons to be remembered?
4. "It was one of Mr. Beebe's chief pleasures to provide people with happy memories." What do you think of this?
5. Mr. Beebe is "somewhat chilly in his attitude toward the other sex, and preferred to be interested rather than enthralled." Comment.
Mr. Beebe seems to notice that while Lucy is living in the middle of everything, she is not thinking for herself. She doesn't know true beauty, because she needed someone or something to point out which paintings were named to be "beautiful" in the church. She cannot choose for herself which paintings stand out. While she is playing piano, she puts herself into the piece. She also picks which piece to play, which seems to often be Beethoven. When she plays, Lucy has an opinion. This is why Mr. Beebe notes that Lucy is a different person while playing the piano.
ReplyDeleteLucy as a person:
ReplyDeleteLucy's character shown in the first two chapters indicates signs of a forlorn teenager who is a bit lost, physically and mentally, with which "path to take in life". Lucy as a piano player is shown as a fierce and determined person, with a vast potential for growth. These descriptions of Lucy are contradicting, because one who is lackluster and lost tends to not has such a deep passion and skill for anything in particular. Yet, Lucy shows both sides, shown quite vividly in her piano. Mr. Beebe brings up a very interesting point, which identity is Lucy more prone too acting towards? Thus far, the indication is she her confusion in life over powers her passion for piano. This instance, strongly foreshadows Lucy's harmonious ending. ( I won't say more for fear it will be a spoiler)
Lucy the piano player is quite different from Lucy the person. Lucy the piano player is unencumbered by what others might think of her. Lucy's music liberates her from her fear of judgment, and she is able to play from her soul. Lucy the person feels a need to please those around her. She wants everyone to like her, and she wants to like everyone. This superficial niceness and yearning to please keep Lucy's true soul hidden. Her passion and feisty nature is released when she plays the piano.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is possible for a person to seem a more profound and sophisticated musician than person, but the musician actually is the person in the most pivotal way. The musician (or artist) is the true center of the person, the part that lays in hiding most of the time, but comes out to sing when the music starts to play.
Lucy as a pianist and artist represents a personality many of us at Walnut Hill have. While we may not quite understand the huge egos of social monsters, as soon as our passion switch is turned on, we feel at home and most comfortable. Lucy shows signs of being confident and knowledgeable, contrary to her normal self which is often regarded (by the other characters, not only us) as small and nearly helpless. Though Forester does not shed good light on musicians as people ("will accept those whom breeding and intellect and culture have alike rejected), he speaks true, that a musician takes any form, and Lucy speaks to this definition. The mood changes drastically in the second paragraph of this chapter, when the narrator degrades Lucy's playing slightly to say that "Passion was there, but it could not be easily labelled." It is common in the musical world for musical prodigies never to be found or reach their full potential due to their upbringing. Some families cannot afford to have their children engage in extra-curriculars (as many schools like to call art) and others have their concentration set on something else. Lucy is experiencing the latter. While it may have been socially acceptable in the current time, she is trained to be interested in other things, such as traveling.
ReplyDelete5. Mr. Beebe is "somewhat chilly in his attitude toward the other sex, and preferred to be interested rather than enthralled." Comment.
ReplyDeleteMr.Beebe finds women to be rather tiresome. I would too, if I lived in this time period where women were taught to have a specific place and to more or less stay in that place until death. These women spend the majority of their days talking about frivolous things while making sure to only associate with those in their economic class, and judging those who try to break boundaries. Mr.Beebe is an intelligent man, who probably likes to be surrounded by intelligent people with whom he can share intellectual conversation. He feels the need to show polite interest in their conversations, but does not have the energy to appear enthralled by their banter. Also, he feels that if he is enthralled by the women's conversations he would be stooping to their level of intellect.
Mr. Beebe, watches Lucy play the piano. As he does this he is reminded of the first time he saw her play, when he first met her in Tunbridge Wells. He remembers how surprised he was at Lucy and how she could effortlessly and extraordinarily play Beethoven’s Opus III; he was totally blown away by her talent and ability when it came to playing the piano. Upon meeting her, though, he was perhaps disappointed to find that she was (and is still) a conventional, very pretty, “undeveloped,” and polite young lady. He wishes she would start living the way she plays. By this I think that Mr. Beebe means that he wishes that Lucy would embrace life more and step out of her comfort zone. Lucy seems to look at other characters a lot to take care of her, and when she plays music she is more able to embrace life. Lucy has lived a very sheltered life, and when she plays music she seems to truly portray who she is. Lucy's skill with the piano shows that she does posses a great talent, and has great potential for being passionate about something. If Lucy is able to act the way she does when she plays the piano all the time, she will perhaps be able to overcome the social rules that are expected of her.
ReplyDeleteIt really struck me how different Lucy the person and Lucy the Artist are. It seems like an almost Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde situation. There is Lucy the person, who is a naive and innocent child, constantly looking to please others and be liked by everyone. But Then there is Lucy the Artist, who is very self absorbed. Not self absorbed in a bad way, but in the sense of only self awareness. In this mindset, Lucy is enthralled by the music she is playing, and she plays passionately and with vigor. The outside world fades into the background. When it comes down to it, the two are polar opposites.
ReplyDeleteMr. Beebe is "somewhat chilly in his attitude toward the other sex, and preferred to be interested rather than enthralled."
ReplyDeleteI think that Mr. Beebe sees woman for their uncanny habits of focusing on social class, and gossip. He sees how they toy with each others minds, play passive aggressive games, and find themselves constantly talking on the goings abouts of their peers. This clearly brings a negative connotation to woman in his mind, but he still is slightly interested by this process even if he finds it distasteful. However, he prefers to be "interested" rather than "enthralled" because he likes to keep his distance from all of the drama and nonsense that he so strongly doesnt approve of.
Lucy the person and Lucy the artist are very different in that Lucy as a person is very reserved, shy and sweet. When she is being an artist Lucy let's herself go and is in a completely different world. She enters into the world of her art. In society Lucy is not allowed to be her true self and she takes on this form only when immersed in her art. Lucy seems to reflect in on herself when she is in the other world. Everything else goes away for her and it's just Lucy, pure and simple.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between the two Lucy's is that Lucy the non-musician, seems to be very common, and usual, nothing surprising. She is kind, optimistic, open-minded, gentle, and reserved. While Lucy the musician is extremely passionate, dazzling, enlightened, unique, and self-centered in her own world of practicing, Beethoven, for example. She is very talented, but when she practices she is very mindful that she stays in the moment with herself, and stays true to the reason of why she plays the piano. Piano unleashes the other side of Lucy.
ReplyDeleteI also think that it is possible to be a much more profound, and interesting musician than the social, non-musical, different side of yourself. Music unleashes a completely new way for me to express my emotions, feel grounded as a human being, and explore a pure state of joy. This seems to relate to the effect that the piano has on Lucy. It lures Lucy out of her shell. This complication makes Lucy a much more interesting character in the novel.
Lucy plays the piano to escape the constant chaos of her life. She always has to act a certain way to please others. When she plays the piano, she no longer worries about how to act- she just plays. She lets the music fill her up and take hold of her and looses herself and the worries of life. I think it is very interesting how the author describes the commonplace person on the piano. The author notes how anyone can play music and escape their strife. I love how the author says how the people could worship him for escaping them and the rest of their worries, and how he could play his feelings without translating them into words, but music. My favorite part is "perhaps he cannot; certainly he does, or does so very seldom". To conclude the first paragraph describing Lucy at the piano, the author states "Lucy had done so never". Just the way the sentence is worded emphasizes the fact the Lucy had NEVER done so. He could have stated" Lucy had never done so", but that would have had little to no effect.
ReplyDelete