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
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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.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Franz Schubert
3. Johann Sebastian Bach
4. John Dowland
5. Conclusion
6. Literature
6. 1 Primary Texts
6. 2 Secondary Texts
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the function of music within Richard Powers’ novel "The Time of Our Singing," specifically analyzing how the lyrics and themes of selected pieces by Schubert, Bach, and Dowland reflect the social alienation and existential struggles of the biracial Strom family. The central research question explores how Powers uses these classical works as metaphors to mirror the characters' experiences with racism, identity, and the desperate search for belonging.
- The symbolic representation of death and doom through Schubert’s lieder.
- Bach’s music as a dual reflection of religious hope and the pain of social exclusion.
- The role of Dowland’s compositions in addressing the novel’s preoccupation with time and transience.
- Music as a catalyst for both revealing and deepening racial boundaries.
- The perversion of "white music" by a biracial family seeking to define their own identity.
Excerpt from the Book
1. 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. 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”.
The New Yorker even establishes a connection to Thomas Mann’s Doktor Faustus (1947) as a “ghostly thematic backdrop”. 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.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the main themes of racism and belonging in Richard Powers’ novel, establishing music as the central metaphor that unites the biracial Strom family while simultaneously highlighting their status as social outcasts.
2. Franz Schubert: This chapter analyzes how Schubert’s lieder, particularly "Der Erlkönig" and "Winterreise," serve as recurring motifs of death and hopeless destiny for the characters Jonah and Joseph Strom.
3. Johann Sebastian Bach: This section explores how Bach’s music is used both as an expression of faith and as a devastating realization for the family that their perceived refuge in art cannot protect them from societal discrimination.
4. John Dowland: This chapter investigates how Dowland’s songs introduce the novel’s secondary focus on the concept of time and the tragic realization that the characters are trapped in an inescapable existence, unable to alter their predestined decline.
5. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the analysis of all three composers, affirming that Powers uses these musical works to evoke the specific horrors and emotional struggles faced by a family living outside the boundaries of a racially divided society.
6. Literature: This section provides a comprehensive list of primary texts, including musical scores and lyrics, and secondary scholarly sources consulted for the paper.
6. 1 Primary Texts: An itemized list of all cited musical compositions and the novel itself.
6. 2 Secondary Texts: A bibliography of academic and journalistic sources that provide context for the literary and musical analysis.
Key Words
Richard Powers, The Time of Our Singing, Franz Schubert, Johann Sebastian Bach, John Dowland, Music and Literature, Racism, Belonging, Identity, Social Outcasts, Metaphor, Lieder, Early Music, Existentialism, Intertextuality
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines the thematic and symbolic function of classical music in Richard Powers’ novel "The Time of Our Singing," focusing on how specific pieces of music reflect the protagonists' struggles with race and identity.
Which musical composers are central to the analysis?
The analysis concentrates on Franz Schubert, Johann Sebastian Bach, and John Dowland, as these are the composers most frequently quoted and referenced in the novel.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to understand how the lyrics and cultural context of chosen musical pieces are used by Powers to mirror the tragic lives of the Strom family, who exist as outcasts in a segregated society.
What methodology is employed by the author?
The author performs a literary and thematic analysis of the novel, treating the lyrics of the cited musical pieces as essential poetic text that provides insight into the characters' internal and external realities.
What topics are explored in the main body of the work?
The main body treats each composer in separate chapters, analyzing how their specific songs connect to concepts like the "Erl-King" as a death omen, the perversion of hope in Bach’s music, and the obsession with time found in Dowland’s works.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include "Racism," "Belonging," "Identity," "Music and Literature," and the names of the three composers discussed.
How does the novel portray the relationship between music and race?
The paper argues that music in the novel is not a unifying force, but rather a point of contention that highlights racial barriers, as seen when the biracial Strom brothers perform "white" music.
What is the significance of the "mule" metaphor mentioned in the introduction?
The "mule" refers to the fact that, as products of two different races, the Strom children are perceived as unable to find a place in either society or to procreate, symbolizing their existential isolation.
Why are the lyrics treated as if the composer wrote them?
Since Powers primarily focuses on the words of the songs to drive his narrative, the paper adopts this approach to analyze the text as a direct reflection of the Strom family’s emotional and social plight.
- Quote paper
- Daniel Stock (Author), 2005, Schubert, Bach, Dowland - The Function of Music in Richard Power's "The Time of Our Singing", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/51531
