Judgment and the Color-Line Book Review - 2200 Words

Judgment and the Color-Line (Book Review Sample) Content: Judgment and the Color-Line[Name][Institution][Instructor][Course][Date]Judgment and the Color-Line"Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s coming around in his own way, and it has to be that way. With us supporting him and earning his trust. Otherwise you could lose him forever." (Lopez, 2008, p. 135).The Soloist is about a strange and unique friendship amongst a successful white man, Steve, and a schizophrenic black man, Nathanial. Nathanial is, or at least could have been, one of the countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s musical geniuses; however, due to his illness Nathanial is homeless. The story is about how, upon befriending Nathaniel, Steve has to learn to let go of his "white" judgments and allow Nathanial to be his own person and live with the lifestyle choices he pursues. This release must be done regardless of his own cultural beliefs of what is right and what is wrong.The whole story is meant to bring about the racial differences and decisions that people make on individuals depending on their col or and individuality. Steve Lopez in his book, he introduces to us Steve, a Loss Angeles Times Columnist who after some time identifies a black man dwelling in the streets. The w brings out whole book brings out the racial differences as held whites over blacks. Throughout the book, Steveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s view of Nathaniel is that of someone who is inadequate. This shows the inherent idea of the whites that blacks are not as better as they are. Pershing Square where Nathaniel would play his violin was the point of meeting with Steve. The effect of schizophrenia on the way Nathaniel thought led to him dropping out of the Julliard School. Steve first thinks it is not possible for such a person living in the school to be a graduate of such a prestigious school, this is another instance where we find the judgment of Steve is biased based on his view of an individual. It is indeed necessary to find instances where there is contempt on the basis of outlook, different individuals have always ma de judgment based on the outward appearance hence poor and uninformed decision. It is therefore necessary that as a person, we donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬t make judgments depending on our feelings and past experiences but on the current facts and information.Nathanielà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s teacher believed in his talent and always urged him to practice more and more. "Youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ve got to make music your life. Youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ve got to practice, practice, practice." CITATION Lop09 \p 18 \l 1033 (Lopez, 2009, p. 18). Harry Barnoff saw the potential and great talent in Nathaniel and believed with practice, soon he would be a great musician. He did not despise him on the basis of race but rather swathe potential in him. Though in his early stages, Nathaniel seemed not so much focused, his teacher kept persuading him up to the extent that he came to perfect his skills and even played in a world class orchestra. Barnoff believed in more than talent for one to be successive. He would always urge his stude nt to put a lot into practicing the art rather than to sit and relax. It is therefore clear from the interaction and encounters from Barnoff that we realize that, in Nathaniel, the teacher saw a talented young black American man. He did not discriminate him or see him as incapable because of his skin color. The writer indicates the relationship of the teacher and Nathaniel as that of mutual respect and the teacher tried his best to make his student the best person he would by ensuring he developed and grew his talent.Winning the scholarship to Julliard to pursue his long term thought career, Nathaniel was never judged on color and race but his ability and talent. He wanted to emulate his mentor, Harry Barnoff. The desire to study and become a great musician always gave Nathaniel the push forward to be the best person he wanted to be at his young age. He was never discouraged by the fact that he was a black American but rather encouraged more and more by the good and inspiring people who surrounded him like his mentor Barnoff and the mother. Such inspiration was not biased. People would believe in his talent without basing their judgment on his race, there was purely no relationship between the skin color and the quality of talent of an individual, the quality of thinking and the actions we take are solely not based on our color but on the quality of our humanity.The meeting of Nathaniel and Lopez is another instance of the great contempt as depicted by the writer. Lopez considers the good music from Nathaniel should be coming from a certain class of people and not the street person like Nathaniel. This thought by Lopez makes it hard for him to easily link with Nathaniel, it takes pretty long for Nathaniel to see the sense of his coming. The first encounter brings fourth the different views held by the two, they are from different social classes and their inspiration for what they do is different. Nathaniel is inspired by the streets of Los Angeles, the city to him is an orchestra and he draws his inspiration from there. The sight of a palm leave swaying, in his mind a sound of a violin is heard. The roaring of bus gives him a bass line. The footsteps from moving human traffic, develops in him a Bach and Brahms imagination. The streets are what makes his orchestra band. "I can't survive," Nathaniel once told me, "if I can't hear Los Angeles the way I like to hear it." CITATION Lop09 \p 26 \l 1033 (Lopez, 2009, p. 26). The city gives him all the comfort he imagines. Nathanielà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s condition of schizophrenia affected the way he would also reason, he had dropped out of school from the prestigious Julliard School where he was pursuing his music career. The effects would later influence the way he was living, he left his house and decided to live in the streets after the death of his mother. May be the streets consoled him and gave him the company he longed for, his mother was his refugee as sister Dorothy accounts in the columns that w ere written by Lopez.The encounter with Steve on that day in 2005 was not planned, it was coincidental. Steve himself cannot tell how it happened that he came to like the music from Nathaniel as he never was an enthusiast of Jazz and classical music. The music from the broken violin attracted Steve to Nathaniel. Is was like the instrument and Nathaniel merged together to form a unitary musical object or person. Steve tried to talk Nathaniel to come out of the tunnel and get to start a life elsewhere but Nathaniel was reluctant every time. "I like it right here in the tunnels, where I can play all day and nobodyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s going to bother me.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ CITATION Lop09 \p 30 \l 1033 (Lopez, 2009, p. 30). The firmness with which Nathaniel says this, shows that he is a determined and independent in thought and actions. He also wants to be independent from the rest of the world and lead a quiet life. This one Nathaniel believes is the best place to do his music desire from, the sile nce unmatched to any other place plus the freedom to do what his heart desires.On the other part Steve Lopez is so determined to have Nathaniel move from the streets to a better place. He develops a great rapport with him by creating a friendship link. After the first encounter Lopez writes an article on the Los Angeles Times magazine on the condition of Nathaniel. The article attracts many people who offer to support Nathaniel, Al Rich, the CEO of Peal River Piano Group America sent him a cello and a violin. Steve, through the newly acquired equipment he tries to lure Nathaniel into the lamp. It is thus worthy noting that it was really fair for Steve not to so much coerce Nathaniel to leave the streets, it was appropriate that he allowed him to make his own proper judgment. It was prudent of him to allow Nathaniel do whatever was good to himself and not to anybody else. There would be a better belief that Nathaniel one day would realize the importance and come round and join the lamp program. The violin and cello donated to Nathaniel by well-wishers were soon the objects that were used to convince him to join the Lamp. Steve Lopez made Nathaniel agree to join the Lamp by telling him that the two equipment needed a safe place to be kept and it was only at the Lamp that was safe. Hence Nathaniel was convinced because he also loved the new equipment and the idea of being stolen prompted him to move into the Lamp. Thus, Lopez never allowed Nathaniel to make an informed judgment on moving into the Lamp Program. It was necessary that trust develops between individuals before one can commit to them and this is all that Nathaniel needed and not to be bundled on a hurry to moving to a program ran by strangers. Steve and Nathanielà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s relationship is challenging, they both need each other for different reasons. Steve is interested in the great talent of Nathaniel and as well want to provide shelter for him. He also feels the health condition of Nathaniel can be treated hence lead a better life. On the other hand, Nathaniel feels like he is more connected to the music he plays and he does not want more, but the new cello and violin make him change his whole idea and he is more interested with Steve.Steve also convinces Nathaniel to join him in the Disney Hall for a night out. He also does not give Nathaniel room to make personal decision but rather influences his decision by coercion and use of sweet words. "Maybe not, but more important, a columnist does not tell a paranoid schizophrenic what to do. Even if I could change his mind, what might we be in for at Disney Hall?" CITATION Lop09 \p 107 \l 1033 (Lopez, 2009, p. 107). In this book we realize that Steve is more interested in the talent of Nathaniel that he foregoes a sleep in the comfort of his house. An established journalist with a good house and family, who decides to go spend a night out shows a dedicated person to bring Nathaniel around. Natha...