August Wilson's The Piano Lesson

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In August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, siblings Boy Willie and Berniece fight for ownership over the piano. Though it is in her own possession, Berniece does little with it, as she is reluctant to engage with the supernatural spirits haunting the piano, which also has a rich connection to her family history. Berniece’s relationship with the past is an indication that one must accost the past in order to build a positive future. In Berniece’s case, she must accost the history of the piano and the spirits along with it in order to build upon a positive future, which she imagines as one where the history of their family is embraced, rather than sold off like how Boy Willie wishes to do. Though the piano is in her house, it remains largely untouched by Berniece. Thus, Boy Willie seeks to sell the piano, arguing that Berniece’s failed to put it to use, having said “Alright now, if you say to me, Boy Willie, I’m using that piano. I give out lessons on it and that help me make my rent or whatever. Then that be something else.” (1232) Rather, Boy Willie feels that Berniece’s negligence towards the piano is a signal that the piano would be better off being sold off, with the money being used to buy Sutter’s--the original owner of the piano whose family enslaved their ancestor--land. Regardless, Berniece refuses to do this, as on the piano are carvings and engravings of memories of …show more content…
In the final scenes of the play, Sutter’s ghost attacks Boy Willie. Berniece combats the ghost by soliciting the help of her ancestors Boy Charles, Mama Ola, etc. and finally playing the piano. This is symbolic for the courage she at last discovers that help her confront the “bad” memories and parts of the piano—without this, she would never having gotten her positive future of having her family members care about the piano as much as she
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