Schubert, Bach, Dowland - The Function of Music in Richard Power's 'The Time of Our Singing'

The Function of Music in Richard Power's 'The Time of Our Singing'

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, British
Cover of the book Schubert, Bach, Dowland - The Function of Music in Richard Power's 'The Time of Our Singing' by Daniel Stock, GRIN Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Daniel Stock ISBN: 9783638474795
Publisher: GRIN Publishing Publication: March 1, 2006
Imprint: GRIN Publishing Language: English
Author: Daniel Stock
ISBN: 9783638474795
Publisher: GRIN Publishing
Publication: March 1, 2006
Imprint: GRIN Publishing
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2005 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,7, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Englisches Seminar ), course: Seminar: Literature and Music, 39 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Introduction 'I can't pretend that anything I've ever experienced can compare to what black or mixed-race people confront on a daily basis in this country,' says Richard Powers, author of The Time of Our Singing.1 Racism and belonging are the most important topics in his recent novel. Joseph and Jonah Strom, sons of David Strom, a Jewish German immigrant and his wife, Delia Daley, a black woman, grow up in the United States, a country in which they have to face the lives of social outcasts. Belonging to neither black, nor white, neither Christian, nor Jewish, neither German, nor American society, they are permanently confronted with the question: 'Who are you, boys?' Music is the only thing that holds the family together, that provides hope and confidence in an otherwise desperate situation. The Guardian calls music the 'central metaphor of Power's book'.2 The New Yorker even establishes a connection to Thomas Mann's Doktor Faustus (1947) as a 'ghostly thematic backdrop'.3 Actually one could imagine a sort of contract between the singer Jonah and the devil. He develops and enhances his voice whilst racial hatred and uprisings are getting worse all around him. Jonah's father is a scientist who really lives for science and is always busy exploring time - just like the father of Adrian Leverkühn, the protagonist in Doktor Faustus, is a passionate scientist. Unlike Jonah, who actually is a gifted singer, Adrian needs the devil to become a better musician. As a price the latter is not allowed to love, which is the same with Jonah and, in fact, Joseph Strom. As descendants from two different races, and belonging to neihter, they are different from both and are not able to find a suitable partner. As a matter of fact they will not be able to procreate - like a 'mule', which is the very nickname Jonah gives to his brother Joseph. As a trained singer who studied physics as well, it does not astonish which topics Powers chose.4 --- 1 Powers, quoted from: Emma Brockes, 'Magic Powers.' The Guardian (14th March, 2003). 2 Brockes. 3 Sven Birkerts, 'Harmonic Convergence.' The New Yorker (1st January, 2003). 4 Joseph Dewey, Understanding Richard Powers (Columbia, SC, 2002) p. 6-7.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2005 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,7, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Englisches Seminar ), course: Seminar: Literature and Music, 39 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Introduction 'I can't pretend that anything I've ever experienced can compare to what black or mixed-race people confront on a daily basis in this country,' says Richard Powers, author of The Time of Our Singing.1 Racism and belonging are the most important topics in his recent novel. Joseph and Jonah Strom, sons of David Strom, a Jewish German immigrant and his wife, Delia Daley, a black woman, grow up in the United States, a country in which they have to face the lives of social outcasts. Belonging to neither black, nor white, neither Christian, nor Jewish, neither German, nor American society, they are permanently confronted with the question: 'Who are you, boys?' Music is the only thing that holds the family together, that provides hope and confidence in an otherwise desperate situation. The Guardian calls music the 'central metaphor of Power's book'.2 The New Yorker even establishes a connection to Thomas Mann's Doktor Faustus (1947) as a 'ghostly thematic backdrop'.3 Actually one could imagine a sort of contract between the singer Jonah and the devil. He develops and enhances his voice whilst racial hatred and uprisings are getting worse all around him. Jonah's father is a scientist who really lives for science and is always busy exploring time - just like the father of Adrian Leverkühn, the protagonist in Doktor Faustus, is a passionate scientist. Unlike Jonah, who actually is a gifted singer, Adrian needs the devil to become a better musician. As a price the latter is not allowed to love, which is the same with Jonah and, in fact, Joseph Strom. As descendants from two different races, and belonging to neihter, they are different from both and are not able to find a suitable partner. As a matter of fact they will not be able to procreate - like a 'mule', which is the very nickname Jonah gives to his brother Joseph. As a trained singer who studied physics as well, it does not astonish which topics Powers chose.4 --- 1 Powers, quoted from: Emma Brockes, 'Magic Powers.' The Guardian (14th March, 2003). 2 Brockes. 3 Sven Birkerts, 'Harmonic Convergence.' The New Yorker (1st January, 2003). 4 Joseph Dewey, Understanding Richard Powers (Columbia, SC, 2002) p. 6-7.

More books from GRIN Publishing

Cover of the book North-East India: An Untapped Emerging Market by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book Maximilien Robespierre's Virtue and Terror by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book The God Within. The Mystery of the Divine in Shakespeare's Plays by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book An Analysis of the Usage and Effect of Presupposition and Entailment in Isaac Marion's Novel 'Warm Bodies' by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book Review on use of Reinforcement Learning in Artificial Intelligence by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book Service Marketing - an introduction by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book Explaining the Meaning of Words: A Descriptive Study on Strategies by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book The Idea of the Antichrist: Tyconius the Donatist and Adso of Montier-En-Der by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book The Yellow Wallpaper - A Stylistic Analysis by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book The routinised use of ultrasound: Blessing or burden in women's pregnancy experiences? by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book Discussion essay on the short story 'Soldier's Home' by Ernest Hemingway by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book Norwegens Außen- und Europapolitik by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book The basics of teamwork [Hausarbeit plus Präsentation] by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book Is There a Place for the Left-Right Distinction in the 21st Century by Daniel Stock
Cover of the book Konzeptionelle Entwicklung eines Kennzahlenpools für ein Einzelhandelsunternehmen mittels der SAP Business Information Warehouse Technologie by Daniel Stock
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy