The Pianist

Music is a transcendent object throughout this memoir. It represents salvation, both figuratively and literally. On a figurative level, music allows Władysław and other characters in the memoir to ascend above their day-to-day existence and maintain a sense of identity. During the siege of Warsaw, an elderly woman insists on playing her piano every day: “No air raids or shelling could induce her to go down to the shelter instead of doing her daily two hours of piano practice before lunch” (37). Here, music allows her to retain her sense of self. So, too, does Władysław use music as an activity that allows him to connect to his artistic identity. Even when he and his family are relegated to the ghetto, Władysław still practices his passion and profession by playing in the cafes. This daily routine allows him to feel like a musician and artist. When Władysław no longer has access to the piano, he still maintains his bond to music by going over his compositions in his head. Here, he connects to all the music he has played throughout his lifetime. It is this type of psychic bond to his passion that allows him to endure the months of isolation before the end of the war.