Narrative Intervention Practice - Keller

Keller watched the boy leave, crumpled music in hand and hot tears streaming down his cheek.

‘Good,’ he thought, ‘he need that.’

The moment Paul stepped through the door; Keller could see he had talent. Unlike his own stubby fingers, Paul’s were long and slender – any piano player’s dream. But, it was Paul’s pride that struck Keller most. It seemed to ooze from every part of the boy – from the glint in his eyes; to they way he held his music, finally, peaking, when he took his seat in front of the piano. He seemed so aware of his talent, and yet so unaware at the same time – unaware of his lack of understanding. Thus, Keller decided, that Paul needed to be re-taught. He needed to be stripped to the foundations, and built up again. And Keller would do anything to get there.

The slamming door Paul left in his wake finally stopped ringing, and Keller was once again surrounded by silence – a silence that was always polluted by the boozing and blowing that continued both day and night at Darwin’s, the Swan. Keller rose from his seat in front of the Bosendorfer, pleased with the progress he made with Paul, and made his way towards the door his angry student had just exited. On his way out, he collected his newspapers, an empty scrapbook and a grubby pair of scissors. Perching the stiff, white panama atop his glowing red face – the contrast remarkable – he turned once more towards the two instruments, and uttered it again:

‘Good. Very good.’

Closing the door behind him, Keller began his trek back to his spot on the balcony. Coffee and schnapps, newspaper ink and smudged elbows called once more. The lesson and troublesome boy a distant memory. 

My Father's Axe

This is a conversation between the mother and her husband about Tim. It takes place when Tim is 14 years old and has started to become ashamed of his inability to use an axe.

He idolises you, worships you. Haven’t you seen him trying to swing that stupid axe out the back? Every chance he gets, he’s out there, trying to be just like you! Slamming into the wood without saying a word. But he never will be. Don’t you see that?

Just because he can’t swing an axe or use a wrench, it does not mean that he is any less of a man. In fact, perhaps it makes him more of one. The care, love and loyalty he shows to both you and I, should make any man envious. I couldn’t handle having another man in the house that never expresses how he feels or what he thinks. He tries so hard; so, so hard, to impress you. He has spent his whole life thinking – believing – that he must grow up to but just like you….but that’s not what I want for him! Do you?

I know you do; but you shouldn’t. All I want for our son is for him to become a good, kind, responsible man - someone I would want my daughter marry.  He doesn’t need to swing an axe or fix a fence. I just want him to be able to love. But the problem is, I don’t think he knows that.

I know you aren’t good with words…but that’s me – your wife – that knows that. Not your son. You need to find someway to show him that you are proud of him. That you love him. Because even though you pretend as though you’re not, I know deep down, that you are. He is a good boy. Now show him that. And maybe you should start but doing something other than swinging that axe! 

Describing Paul

Paul leaned back in his chair, tapping his pencil loudly across the edge of the desk. His lanky frame spilling over the edges of his seat. He did not look like the other boys surrounding him – he lacked muscle, and even fat – resembling a spider rather than a…...  His chest seemed to touch his spine, the skin stretching across his ribs like the canvas of a tent. His long arms wrapped around the edge of the desk as he pulled himself forward again, all four chair-legs touching the ground once more.

The sharp angles of his thin face stretched into a smug smile as he took pleasure in alerting the slower members of his class that he had finished. Eyes dancing with delight, he began playing his desk as if it was a piano; fingers flying, hands jumping. Fifth, to a third, to an octave, and back to a fifth again – he mimed the fingering of his favourite Bach. Slender, piano-player’s fingers glided across the chipped wood as he waited for his classmates to catch-up. 

Class Work Week 2 - Imaginative response to 'Senior Year of High School'

I honestly thought we had moved passed all of it. The mistrust, the suspicion, the doubt. I thought I had managed to prove myself this year. I really worked hard and I know I got good grades. I never went out and I did my best to stay out of trouble. So why won’t they believe me? All I want is to go for a couple of hours….surely that’s not too hard? I mean, this is my final graduation party! The last chance I have to celebrate the year that passed with all my friends. As if I would let alcohol or drugs ruin that! I know I can hold my own…peer pressure just doesn’t affect me. And anyway, that sort of thing doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t understand how drinking oneself into a stupor can be considered a ‘good time’….most of the time they don’t even remember what happened! But how do I convince my parents of this? Just because some people at my school are involved in all of that, doesn’t mean I am. Or even my friends, for that matter. I hate that the bad actions and poor choices of other teenagers have the ability to influence what other people think of me. Especially my own parents! How can they keep me from going just because there will be alcohol there? Surely they know their own daughter well enough to realise that I can and will make good and responsible decisions. I am not about to throw away everything I have worked hard for in the past few years just because a couple of classmates are drinking! I know I’m better than that…..and I thought my parents did too.  

Growing Up - Term 1

Response to ‘Senior Year of High School’ Article:

Through the use of a variety of language choices and visuals, ‘Senior Year of High School’ conveys a variety of messages regarding growing up; however, the article is clearly targeted towards an adult audience. The title of the article indicates that growing up is a time of gaining independence, reflecting upon one’s childhood, and excitement at the prospect of the many opportunities that become available to teenagers, as they grow older. This is evident through the use of quite positive language such as, ‘nostalgia, excitement’ and ‘possibility.’  These particular language choices suggest that growing up is a very positive experience for teenagers. However, the by-line that follows, along with the language choice of ‘temptation,’ suggests that there is also a negative aspect to growing up, and it is at this point in the article that it becomes clear that adults, in particular, parents, are the target audience. The use of the word ‘temptation’ implies that often, teenagers engage in negative, risk-taking and experimental behaviour in their final year of high school, and the by-line goes onto the suggest that parents should therefore be even more vigilant in their parenting as teenagers still need guidance through the crucial, final year of high school. Even though teenagers are gaining independence, as they grow older, the article suggests that they still need some guidance from their parents, indicated through the line, ‘but that doesn’t mean it’s time to let go.’ While the title suggests that growing up is a very positive experience, the main purpose of the article is to inform parents that often their teenagers will engage in behaviour that may be detrimental to their future. Thus, parents are encouraged to ‘reinforce their expectations,’ ‘provide safe alternatives,’ and to always ‘set a good example’ for their teenagers as they enter the final year of high school. The article concludes with the idea that parental support is a necessity as growing up is a time that only comes around once. Therefore, teenagers need to be positively influenced in order to make the most of the opportunities presented to them.