Thank You Piano

In August Wilson’s, The Piano Lesson, the piano gradually becomes a character. According to Aristotle, each type of character adds to the story and helps the audience understand the storyline. The piano does just that.

At first the piano was just an object to me. It is something that Berniece and Winning Boy wanted to keep due to the family history cherished within it. The piano drew money signs to Boy Willie’s eyes; it would one day pay off his land to fulfill his future plans in growing using what his father left him. The musical instrument, according to Doaker, was something that just brought problems into the house. Not only did it spark arguments between Boy Willie and Berniece, it also opened the doors for the Sutter’s ghost entry. However, the in the end it settles the tension between siblings and distinguish the fire on the Sutter’s ghost.

The piano should not be sold because, no other family can benefit from it unless it is the Charles family. The Charles family’s ancestors are kept within the piano and, it is the duty of the present and future generations to take care of them. Blood is thicker than water and, that is proven through the piano. Only Berniece playing the piano asking for her ancestors help to rid away the Sutter’s ghost on her brother, Boy Willie, would work. The battle between Boy Willie and the ghost resembles the battle between the white man versus the black man. The piano is everything that Boy Willie wanted in order to become equal with the white man. It is also everything that Berniece believed it to be. Being blood thirsty for the men’s blood to craving to be soaked with the women’s tears, Boy Willie and Berniece changed that. Berniece being a woman did not cry over Boy Willie, but fought by playing the piano. Boy Willie did not bleed because, he let his sister and ancestors help and take care of him.

It brought all the pieces together clarifying all the different stories weaved into the play. It answered questions such as “Will Boy Willie grow from what his father left him?” and “Will Berniece ever make use of the piano?” I better understand the story line due to the piano making it a character within this play.

Boy WIllie: Love Him or Hate Him

The way that someone allows their family history affect them will help shape the kind of character they will one day become. During the era of this play not only has slavery took a toll on African Americans but, The Great Depression is making its mark in their life as well. In August Wilson’s, The Piano Lesson, the character Boy Willie is family oriented, strong minded, and similar to anyone alive during The Great Depression, he is also hungry for money.

Unlike his sister, Berniece, he thinks that knowing and growing from his family history is important. The first day visiting Berniece and his uncle, Doaker, he encourages his niece, Maretha, after having her play the piano to “ask [Berniece] how them pictures got there” (22) and “if she doesn’t tell [her] [he] tell [her]” (22). Both Boy Willie and Berniece know their family stories, everything from where they came from to where they ended up. But, Berniece is the one out of the two that has a child to share them with yet, she refuses to mention any of it to her daughter. Boy Willie knows that his father, Boy Charles, “brought that piano into the house” (51) and, he wants to sell the piano to “build on what [Boy Charles] left [Boy Willie]” (51). He understands the sentimental value and reasoning that Bernience holds onto but, does not understand why she does not want to put the piano to good use. Boy Willie sees the piano as a gift that his father left for him to make something out of himself. Berniece and Boy Willie have the same family history yet, only Boy Willie wants to pass it on to the next generation.

Boy Willie is a man of his word in which he knows what he wants and, will do what he has to do to get exactly what he wants. He lets Doaker know that “if Berniece don’t want to sell that piano… [he’s] gonna cut it in half and go on and sell [his] half” (28). Boy Willie already has a plan for his future, all he needs is the money to pursue that plan. He is going to get money out of the piano whether Doaker and Berniece agree with him or not. Berniece knows that her brother has a strong personality just like her father, “he get his mind fixed on something and can’t nobody turn him from it” (69). Berniece and Boy Willie can butt heads all day about selling the piano because, of his head strong mind they never come to an agreement. Lymon, a friend of Boy Willie, agrees with Berniece noticing it when they go out and end up doing only what Boy Willie wants to do.

Being aware of Boy Willie’s narrow mindedness, Lymon continues to work with him to try and earn money. Lymon stays out of Boy Willie’s way when Doaker intrudes while they try to move the piano. Boy Willie argues that “[he] don’t need [Doaker’s] permission to carry out [his] belongings out of [Doaker’s] house” (84). Doaker knows that budging with the piano will upset Berniece. Boy Willie is also aware of this but, does not let Berniece get to him. All he wants is to sell the piano for the money, especially when he knows that he will be receiving eleven hundred and fifty dollars for it. When asked if the watermelons are sweet Boy Willie lies saying “oh, yeah, we put the sugar right in the ground with the seed” (59). Though lying is not the right thing to do, if lying sells the watermelons, he will lie all day. Money comes with selfishness and Boy Willie has become just that, selfish. He is not only selfish with the piano and the watermelons, but also with the money itself.

Boy Willie’s strong attitude makes him a character readers either love or hate. From my personal point of view I enjoy getting to know Boy Willie. He knows where he comes from and, uses that information to map out his future. He is strong willed when it comes to making his dreams become reality. One can share their opinions about where he is going or what he is doing but, he will not let one’s opinion change anything. I believe that Boy Willie is one of the strongest is not the strongest character in The Piano Lesson.