Der Vorzugsschüler

Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

The story follows Georg Pfanner, a gifted schoolboy whose strict father demands that he rank as the top pupil in every class. Georg studies out of fear and also to protect his mother Agnes from blame, while longing for music, play, and friendship with Salomon, a poor young street vendor. Ebner-Eschenbach shows how parental ambition and academic pressure can distort talent, affection, and a child’s freedom.