Nathaniel ayers is a character who has endured many hardships, from his struggle with schizophrenia to his homelessness. Through additional examination steve lopez finds that nathaniel was a talented trainee at julian a school of the carrying out arts in new york. A cleveland native who was among a handful of blacks enrolled in juilliard in the early. The screenplay by susannah grant is based on the book, the soloist by steve lopez. The soloist actually gets it right to a point the globe. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay topics, and key themes like the significance of art and the complexities of mental illness. It is based on the true story of nathaniel ayers, a musician who developed schizophrenia and became homeless. In chapters six through twelve steve meets with a doctor to try to figure out if there is something he can do about nathaniels condition. The soloist is an endearing story that tells the tale of a man who hit his prime as a child. The movie, slated for release on april 24, stars jamie foxx and robert downey jr.
The new york times bestselling true story that inspired the major motion picturean unforgettable tale of hope, heart and humanitypeople. I knew him playing the violin on a dairy crate in the morning sun, suspended somewhere between boy genius and lost traveller. Mar 03, 2010 the soloist reminds readers what it means to be human, reis said. The novel, the soloist chapter 19 is talk about, as the book continues, lopez begins to struggle with the demands of nathaniel. Jan 01, 2008 the soloist reads like a book written by a columnist, which is to say its clear, its compelling and its easy to read. The doctor tells steve that nathaniels road to recovery is not going to be involving a text book treatment program, but a development of trust in steve and others to peruse his own recovery. Steve lopez is cycling around town and goes in the opposite direction of a bunch of cyclists. Applying lessons from the soloist to your own life malden, ma. Steve lopez makes a deal with nathaniel which is nathaniel have to struggle on his music, then he will help nathaniel to suggest the mayor vilaragosa to help the homelessness, and the mayor vilaragosa contributed 50 millions dollars on steve lopezs suggestion. Such is the trajectory of the soloist, at this point a bestselling book in the us and also a movie, starring robert downey jr as a fictionalised version of. Beethoven the story in the book the soloist by steve lopez is a wellpresented plot through which we can learn a lot.
Nathaniel as we can imagine was very pleased with all these gifts. The soloist author shares insights on life, passion daily. Vendor assurance payment protection handson support. A newspaper hits a door and the main articles title is life has a mind by steve lopez robert downey jr. At first nathaniel only stays at his apartment for a couple days a week. Jan 06, 2009 the one book, one philadelphia selection for 2009 is the soloist by steve lopez, which has also been made into a movie starring jamie foxx and robert downey jr. Classical music is a much a character throughout the book as any of the people. He was a musically gifted child and went to a famous music school, julliard. This 42page guide for the soloist by steve lopez includes detailed. The one book, one philadelphia selection for 2009 is the soloist by steve lopez, which has also been made into a movie starring jamie foxx and robert downey jr. Feb 04, 2011 applying lessons from the soloist to your own life the executive director of tailored for success talks about how themes in the soloist apply in her charity and volunteer work. Nathaniel ayers is the main character in the soloist, a book that is based on a true story about a press reporter who befriends a homeless street musician. Steve lopez makes a deal with nathaniel which is nathaniel have to struggle on his music, then he will help nathaniel to suggest the mayor vilaragosa to help the homelessness, and the mayor vilaragosa contributed 50 millions dollars. Chapter 1 is available here as an online, multimedia e book.
Apr 22, 2009 the soloist has all the elements of an uplifting drama, except for the uplift. The soloist tackles the themes of homelessness and mental illness, as well as the. Praise for steve lopez and the soloist lopez is a terrific reporter. Applying lessons from the soloist to your own life malden. Another prevailing theme of the soloist is the redemptive power of. The soloist is a moving, interesting, and very informative book which has accomplished a great deal in bringing these issues to the attention of the public as well as community leaders. When lopez meets him, ayers has nothing but a shopping cart and a twostring. The free library asked me if id like to write something shorta few sentencesabout each of the musical works mentioned in the book, for materials they were putting together for. The soloist tackles the themes of homelessness and mental illness, as well as the healing power of music. Joe wrights the soloist is based on the book which chronicles the actual friendship between steve lopez and nathaniel ayers which began in 2005. But our economy has worsened considerable in the two years since its publication. Chapter 1 is available here as an online, multimedia ebook.
The way he played the violin was intriguing to steve and thats when he knew he was good story. Many themes in the giver demonstrate lowrys concerns about society and humanity. The best music soloists book a solo musician the bash. The soloist reminds readers what it means to be human, reis said. The book of revelation, the final book of the christian new testament, contains a prophetic vision of the end of the present world, the. The soloist is a book that associates with the concern of not evaluating a book by its cover, or profiling people incorrectly due to the fact that of the way they provide. Ayers in a park and wrote a series of columns about him that were the basis for a book and. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music, is a work of nonfiction that charts the. When lopez hears ayers play, the screen turns to a variety of colors, as if its the visual manifestation of hearing brilliant art. Steve lopezs magnificent story a book and now a movie about his. Based on a true story, it stars jamie foxx as nathaniel ayers, a homeless man who was once a musical prodigy, and robert downey jr. The social action campaign for the soloist is designed to humanize homelessness and destigmatize mental illness through a creative online educational effort providing practical information, debunking common myths and highlighting local volunteer opportunities. The main theme of the soloist is that of sadness, due to the mental. The story is compelling, the actors are in place, but i was never sure what the filmmakers wanted me to feel about it.
What are some prominent themes seen throughout the film. A musical prodigy, reinhart was a worldclass cellist from a young age. However, he had a mental illness known as schizophrenia, a disease that disturbs the brain with a loud noise. The soloist is a fine novel, interweaving three stories that all center on the narrator. For nathaniel, the music he plays at times can help to keep his illness at bay. A man is cycling by as a paper boy is driving around delivering newspapers. The significance of art art is a central theme in the soloist and allows for transcendence above everyday life and the challenges therein. The mentally ill central character of the book is not just an illness, hes a real. Singers and solo musicians add a more intimate touch to your event whether a wedding, corporate event, or any size party. Jan 01, 1994 the soloist is an endearing story that tells the tale of a man who hit his prime as a child. It was completed in 1937 and first presented in 1938 in vienna. The soloist author shares insights on life, passion.
A year ago, i met a man who was down on his luck and thought i might be able to help him. Sylvia nasar, author of a beautiful mind a heartbreaking, yet ultimately hopeful, read. In november of 2008 the soloist will debut on the big screen. Applying lessons from the soloist to your own life the executive director of tailored for success talks about how themes in the soloist apply in her charity and volunteer work.
The soloist goes a long way toward explaining the workings of the musical mind, albeit one tragically touched by madness. As i read the story, i found myself coming back to three themes that. He was nurtured and encouraged albeit a bit harshly when it came to his mother and, sadly, isolated. The soloist is a 2009 drama film directed by joe wright, and starring jamie foxx and robert downey jr. Essay the soloist by steve singer analysis music is the mediator between the life of senses and the life of the spirit. Steve lopezs book the soloist is about the true story on when the author met a juilliard student turned homeless and mentallyill musician, nathaniel ayers. It doesnt shy away from exploring the failures of governmental programs and mental health services for the needy, but it does so without preaching and fingerpointing. The free library asked me if id like to write something shorta few sentencesabout each of the musical works mentioned in the book, for materials they were putting together for this seventh annual. Entertainment agency party entertainers birthdays weddings corporate essex london soloist hire entertainment in essex, london and the uk from the only way is entertainment agency. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this the soloist study guide and get instant access to the following summary. The soloist is a story about a relationship across a socioeconomic chasm.
Certain themes in the book are familiar because they can be found in other novels by lowry. Steve lopez is the author of several books, including the sunday macaroni club. Soloist the soloist educational campaign focuses on the three main themes presented in the feature film, the soloist. But by this time in the book he is staying their on a almost regular basis. Why do you think the items in the cart were so important to nathaniel. At first, steve just sees nathaniel as a fascinating subject for his newspaper column. A collection of words that represent ideas when filtered through the lexical systems in a human brain. The soloist quotes showing 111 of 11 a friend is someone who inspires, who challenges, who sends you in search of some truer sense of yourself.
He weaves all three themes masterfully into a heartwrenching portrait of. The soloist nathaniel is a wonderful cellist and violist and he loves music. The soloist educational campaign is a service learning campaign, presented in three main components. From clay tablets to bound collections of wood pulp to units of stored data, the book has been around in one format or another for some 3,800 years. The soloist reads like a book written by a columnist, which is to say its clear, its compelling and its easy to read. The soloist has all the elements of an uplifting drama, except for the uplift. For example, she concentrates on the tradeoffs involved when jonas community chooses sameness rather than valuing individual expression. Applying lessons from the soloist to your own life. Book vs movie by erica barnes lopezs attitude lopezs attitude lopezs attitude compare contrast lopez writes articles about nathaniel, mental illness, and music lopez develops a friend relationship with nathaniel in the movie, lopez takes a longer amount of time to. The soloist is, in fact, so forceful because it has been constructed from the first person pointofview, so it is able to be as descriptive as possible since it is based off of real occurrences. May 07, 2009 the soloist actually gets it right to a point. Based on the book of the same title, the soloist tells the true story of. The paperback edition of the soloist, which i read, has pictures of jamie foxx and robert downey, jr.
Join long beach reads one book in celebrating the soloist, the awardwinning, new york times no. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music. A fathers search through americas mental health madness with selfeffacing humor, fastpaced yet. Students will become familiar with the soloist by being newspaper reporters and covering various aspects of mental health issues and themes related to the book. A times, first noticed nathan playing violin in pershing square in the downtown section of the city. The book not only illustrates themes of homelessness, mental illness and musical accomplishment, but it also touches themes of compassion, humor and grace.
1281 1595 1551 435 903 40 852 819 1567 1487 1024 787 594 1495 586 77 1205 715 1432 1267 158 226 1390 602 766 864 561 1541 187 895 895 567 914 1143 264 168 924 133 126