Why did Erika spoil Anna's chance of performing?
Was it an act targeted directly at Anna, or was it due to Walter helping Anna's performance?
Also, is it possible that Anna is a portray of Erika's childhood? Being engaged in the piano alone from her mother's will and hence isolation from any friends.
What are your thoughts?
possible interpretations that come to my mind:
1) erika is jealous because walter was nice to her (my own interpretation).
2) she subconsciously wanted to save anna from living a life similar to her own (i see clear hints of that later on when erika talks to her mother who is as much an a**hole as erika's)
3) one poster wrote that anna was playing schubert while erika hates schubert. i cant even confirm or deny anything, im not a big fan of classical music myself.
edit: no, actually she is supposed to love schubert, and doesnt want any unworthy pianists to touch his music. my bad
She remarks that Anna has a certain way with Schubert, actually, prompting her mother to say something to the effect of, "but that's YOUR speciality; let no student of yours surpass you." I think she recognized fragility and weakness in the girl and resented her for that, as well as not being able to play up to her standards, and then finally for attracting the momentary attention of Walter during her rehersal.
Her?
I think that Erika (knowing that Anna is no real prodigy and has little chance of becoming a concert pianist) wanted to spare her from future rejection and heartache.
I agree with the last poster concerning Anna's fragility. Since we don't really know much about Erika as a youth, it can be inferred that Anna serves as Erika's younger "double" in this movie.
As far as Schubert goes, people probably assume Erika loves him because she "understands" the textures and nuances of his work; but I agree with the other poster who wrote that she probably loathes him - for years, his music has serveed as the soundtrack to her miserable, repressed life.
I reckon it's another one of Erika's little victories she has to keep over people. I did toy with the idea it was some act of altruism to save Anna from a miserable life, however why woukd Erika care. In the book, she does the same thing but to another girl and it pretty much said how despite being young and pretty ultimately the character of Erika wins. That isn't how the book put it exactly, but you have an idea!
share[deleted]
Heybartender nailed it. Schubert was Erika's speciality and Anna seemed to have a natural ability with it. She is totally dominated by her mother and her mother tells her to not let her students surpass her. Then when she see's the attention Anna is getting from Walter, she is jealous! This is also reflected after Anna cuts herself on the glass and Erika sarcastically tells Walter to go and be her brave protecter.
When he doesn't and follows Erika instead, it's almost like she's rewarding him with her 'affections' for choosing her over Anna.
I vote for Nr 2. And she succeeded, since Anna looks a lot more happy and relaxed when she sgoes in the concert than we ever saw her in the movie.
The parallel between the two mothers is obvious. They get placed next to each other in the concert.
According to Huppert in the commentary there is something of 1 and 2 but mostly it is 1.
shareI took Erika's sabotage as jealousy, not of Walter's attention, which Erika has had all along, but of the fact that Anna came through in the rehearsal despite being nervous and sick, which made Erika realize that Anna could go on to a performing career, unlike herself. Also, I don't think Erika hates Schubert. She probably had a close emotional connection to him, given that he was a closeted gay in a society that found homosexuality utterly repulsive. Really good, but really, really sad movie.
shareOnce again interesting opinions in this thread; I never thought about Anna symbolizing a younger Erika, and the similarities between the two mothers. I think the most obvious reason Erika tried to sabotage Anna's chances was because she was extremely jealous of the affection Walter gave Anna.
[blue][/blue]
Erika is controlled by her mother and unable to break free from her power feels the need to exercise control over other people, psychologically and, when possible, physically. That's why she disposed of Anna by ensuring a physical accident which couldn't be pinned on herself.
Also, is it possible that Anna is a portray of Erika's childhood? Being engaged in the piano alone from her mother's will and hence isolation from any friends.The more I have thought of their relationship the more convinced I am that we are seeing an enactment between Anna and her mother similar enough to Erika's maternal relationship for Erika to identify with Anna. Her action of putting the broken glass in Anna's pocket seems to represent several things including an expression of her pain in Anna's bloodied hand. I think it is an indirect form of self harm. (I also think her overwhelming feelings of jealousy were at play too.)
I'm a fountain of bloodshare
In the shape of a girl
My opinion is that Erika's life is strongly based in her piano abilities, especialy her "dominance " on playing Schubert. When a young girl like Anna shows up with an natural hability to play such a piece, she fells threataned. Towards that Erika tries to discourage her to play Schubert in some parts in the movie. Finaly, when she sees that Anna is indead going to play at that concert, she tries to ruin the poor girl carrer.
Walter being nice to Anna is another thing that also threat her, she obviously at that moment had a secret atraction for Walter. But, like other loves that she probably had in her life, she prefers to repress.