The Piano Lesson Analysis

“The Piano Lesson” by August Wilson tells the story of Boy Willie who travels up to Philadelphia from Georgia to visit his sister, and try to convince her to sell their inherited piano. After he arrives his sister, Bernice, refuses to sell the piano because of the history of the family it possesses. The piano was stolen from their family’s owners during the time of slavery. It was stolen because Willie and Bernice’s father, Boy Charles, had carved pictures of members of their family sold to a different owner as well as other family members and important events. After stealing the piano their father was killed by the white people who found it was stolen. Due to the pain the piano caused Bernice refused to play it but didn’t let it be sold.