The music lessons
The music lessonsIn the play � The Music Lessons� by Wakako Yamauchi two of the main
characters are in engaged in a dialogue which is common for a mother and a daughter to
have. In act two, scene four, Chizuko and Aki seem to express frustration to each other
after Aki coming home late after a music lesson with Kaoru.
Chizuko knows something is very wrong for her young daughter spending so
much time with a grown man, causes her to be so upset with Aki: �CHIZUKO: I mean
other people! How do you think it looks: you all the time in a man�s room?� (2,4). For a
mother, trying to get through to her daughter is a very frustrating task. It�s hard for
Chizuko to show Aki that all her frustration is in the best interest for her: �CHIZUKO: I
have lots to worry about. I got to see you have enough to eat, give you an education, see
you�re dressed decent-so people won�t say, �Those kids don�t have a father.� See you�re
not left with debts, like what happened to me. See you don�t make a mess (of) ...� (2,4).
Chizuko is trying to protect her young daughter, she is afraid that Aki is going to get hurt
if she pours all her emotions towards this grown man, by Aki not understanding this
Chizuko becomes angry: �CHIZUKO: I know you don�t care ... right now. I�m just
saying you shouldn�t let your emotions run away with you� (2,4). Chizuko feels that Aki
should be spending time with kids her age: �CHIZUKO: If you want a friend to talk to,
find someone your age who can understand you� (2,4). For a mother it is important to
Chizuko that she watches out for her daughter. No matter how hard Chizuko tries to
convince Aki that Karou is too old, it results Aki being frustrated back.
Aki is mad at her mother for not understanding her need to be with Karou. Aki
feels that her privacy with him is important and when her mother does not understand
this makes Aki upset: �AKI: Ma, you know why. Ichiro and Tomu sitting around all the
time and making all those cracks ... and you sitting there listening and making those faces
... like telling me what I should say and when I should say it-when I should shut up and
...� (2,4). Aki does not understand why her mother is even concerned about what she is
doing with Karou. Aki is just talking with him and her mother could not possibly
understand her need to be with him. Aki feels that Chizuko is trying to control her life,
and by doing this Aki is frustrated to the point of yelling at her mother: �AKI: Well, it�s
true. You�re always telling me...
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