-MUSTAFA=Music:

-Give each pair a lyric from one of these songs, with short context and a vague
prompt.
Instructions: How do the lyrics relate to storyline or their own lives? Well share later.
10 minutes
GROUPS:
1. Trout
2. Simple Gifts
3. Blackbird
4. Trout
5. Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight
6. Trout 3/3
-Timeline
ECHANG=Intro: Music is a recurring theme in the novel and is a big part of Lydias
life as a pianist. A lot of the songs have significance based on where in her life they show
up, so well go through a timeline of the major stages in her life and how music ties in.
Structure: Have the group who got that lyric read the lyrics
Ask them what they talked about regarding that piece of music
IRIS=Brown house
o Only time shes truly happy.
o No significant song but this is an important part of her life nonetheless.
o Formative experience for her.
MUSTAFA - Barnard (college)
o Trout -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF9DrUXowBo
o The first stanza of the Trout is an idyllic description of the river and the trout,
just like how Lydia describes her time at Barnard with her friends and her
philosophy classes as a pretty stable time in her life.
o At this point in her life, her biggest worry is winning the audition to play the
Trout, and George remarks that her not getting the Trout part would not be
the end of the world, there are lots of worse things that can happen. dun dun
dunnn
ECHANG=Kids - Alan and Vivian return from Quaker camp (page 60)
o Simple Gifts (lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYi9Vr8bHJY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Gifts
o At this point, when Simple Gifts shows up for the first time, Lydias family
seems to be in harmony, and theyre appreciating the simple gift of them all
being together and safe
IRIS=Victor brings back TV (page 13)
o Blackbird Alans room
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7epRPz0LGPE
o Talk about the history of the White Album, and then we can talk about where
it shows up in the book and how that parallels the plot of the novel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles_%28album%29
o This is a premonition of the break up of Lydias relationships, as when the
Beatles made the White Album, there were tensions within the group but the

real breakup didnt occur till later. Lennon, when asked about the album later
said he could detect the tensions between the members in the songs
themselves.
o In Lydias case, it was the wedding of Gaby and Don that set everything in
motion. When they got married, Lydia and Victor got together, and that
changed the course of Lydias life.
ECHANG=Before funeral (page 176-177)
o Trout -
o The 2nd stanza of the trout lyrics are when the narrator sees the danger of
the fisherman, but believes that the fish will not get caught
o This parallels how when she was at Ninas house and thought there would be
no new changes in her life, but eventually, as we know, there were.
IRIS=Funeral (page 191)
o Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight
The End Abbey Road
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HCaBAV4ZTI
o Golden Slumbers and Carry That Weight are on Abbey Road and are
followed by The End. Abbey Road is two albums after White Album (which is
actually The Beatles with a white album cover). Phil picked out those songs.
o Just as in the album, Golden Slumbers and Carry That Weight lead to The
End, the death of Lydias children is the beginning of The End, both in the
section of the book and pertaining to the harmony in her family.
o Simple Gifts (ballet), Appalachian Springs, which they also sang as a family
(61, 191)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiLTwtuBi-o
Ballet version without lyrics.
MUSTAFA- Alans room (page 197)
o Blackbird
o Here the lyrics become especially important, as the songs lyrics, especially
take these broken wings and learn to fly relate to how Lydia and the rest of
the family attempt to cope with Alans and Vivians death.
MUSTAFA-Trout 3/3 (page 259-260)
o Lydia couldnt play piano for a long time, and at this point in the novel she
listens to the Trout for the first time after the childrens death
o The narrator of the Trout feels angry that the fish was caught, and sees the
fish as betrayed. In the same way, Lydia asks what she did to deserve the
death of her children, and feels betrayed by life.
o Just like the narrator thought the reason the fish got caught was because the
clear water was muddied, Lydia thought that her children would not have died
had she deserved them. There isnt always a reason for tragedy, but many
people try to find reasons anyway.
ECHANG=End with non-lyrical version of Trout (page 362)
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpG-_XjJHcA
o When she plays the Trout for the second time, she is able to play it to its full
potential, with all its nuances including the dark undertones, because of the
darkness shed experienced and managed to accept.