Piano Lesson Thesis
The Piano Lesson
Family Values
The Piano Lesson is a play based on a conflict between two characters, Boy Willie and Berniece. Boy Willie is persistent on selling the piano to buy land, while Berniece wants to keep the piano because it has a lot of sentimental value to their family. The piano stayed with their family for many generations and Berniece is not willing to give it up just for some land. In The Piano Lesson, August Wilson emphasizes that family is more valuable than money. Berniece and Boy Willie are foils of each other because Boy Willie wants to sell the piano for money to buy Sutter's luxurious land despite the history of the piano, while Berniece wants to keep the piano because of its history and sentimental value. However, Berniece never gives Boy Willie the chance to sell the piano, but Boy Willie still insists on selling it. Boy Willie: "Hey Berniece . . . if you and Maretha don't keep playing on that piano . . . ain't no telling . . . me and Sutter both liable to be back." (Wilson 108). Boy Willie does not understand or respect the history behind the piano. He believes that the piano comes into no use since Berniece does not play it and it just lies around in the house. So he believes he can make some use for it and sell it to buy Sutter's land. The piano symbolizes family history because of the carvings of their family on the piano and because of the story behind the piano. Doaker's grandmother, Berniece, and Doaker's father were traded for the piano. Then Willie Boy carved pictures of their
family on the piano. Afterwards, Boy Charles, Wining Boy, and Doaker stole the piano from Robert Sutter. This story about the piano and its significant history pertaining to their family proves the worthiness of the piano to stay in Doaker's household with Berniece and Maretha. In the end of the play, Sutter's ghost arrives again, but Avery could not get rid of it. As Boy Willie was fighting the ghost of Sutter,
Family Values
The Piano Lesson is a play based on a conflict between two characters, Boy Willie and Berniece. Boy Willie is persistent on selling the piano to buy land, while Berniece wants to keep the piano because it has a lot of sentimental value to their family. The piano stayed with their family for many generations and Berniece is not willing to give it up just for some land. In The Piano Lesson, August Wilson emphasizes that family is more valuable than money. Berniece and Boy Willie are foils of each other because Boy Willie wants to sell the piano for money to buy Sutter's luxurious land despite the history of the piano, while Berniece wants to keep the piano because of its history and sentimental value. However, Berniece never gives Boy Willie the chance to sell the piano, but Boy Willie still insists on selling it. Boy Willie: "Hey Berniece . . . if you and Maretha don't keep playing on that piano . . . ain't no telling . . . me and Sutter both liable to be back." (Wilson 108). Boy Willie does not understand or respect the history behind the piano. He believes that the piano comes into no use since Berniece does not play it and it just lies around in the house. So he believes he can make some use for it and sell it to buy Sutter's land. The piano symbolizes family history because of the carvings of their family on the piano and because of the story behind the piano. Doaker's grandmother, Berniece, and Doaker's father were traded for the piano. Then Willie Boy carved pictures of their
family on the piano. Afterwards, Boy Charles, Wining Boy, and Doaker stole the piano from Robert Sutter. This story about the piano and its significant history pertaining to their family proves the worthiness of the piano to stay in Doaker's household with Berniece and Maretha. In the end of the play, Sutter's ghost arrives again, but Avery could not get rid of it. As Boy Willie was fighting the ghost of Sutter,