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Play Review: The Piano Lesson By August Wilson

768 Words4 Pages

Kailee Fisher Linda Stutz English 1301 16 April 2024 The play The Piano Lesson is a drama written by August Wilson where two friends, Boy Willie and Lymon, travel to Bernice’s house in Pittsburgh. Willie’s sister, Bernice, lost her husband, Crawley, three years ago and now raises their eleven-year-old daughter, Maretha, in her house in Pittsburgh where her Uncle Doaker lives with her. Boy Willie and Lymon travel to Pittsburgh to see Boy Willie's family. Bernice and Boy Willie have constant conflict throughout the play until Boy Willie comes to an important realization about the family's past and just how important it is. Boy Willie and Berniece are constantly fighting over a piano that has been in their family for many years. Boy, Willie wants …show more content…

When Berniece expresses her feelings about her husband's death, it shows that this may be a large contributing factor to Berniece’s constant problem with Boy Willie. He is insulted by this comment as any person would be, but Boy Willie’s persistence in selling the piano does not stop. Boy Willie continues to grab a rope and try to strap up the piano in an attempt to make it easier to move out of the house. “Come on Lymon, get up on this side, throw that rope over there and tie it onto the leg.” Boy Willie shouts (81) Boy Willie has Lymon try to help him move the piano, but Boy Willie is still unsuccessful in getting the piano anywhere. Toward the end of the novel, Berniece’s friend, Avery, comes to the home to cast out the ghost of James Sutter. Avery is a priest of the priesthood. Boy, Willie does not think it is necessary to spill holy water and shout out to James Sutter’s ghost, but Berniece does. Boy Willie begins to walk about the house, spilling water and screaming at Sutter’s ghost to leave. Boy Willie slips on the water and sees Sutter’s ghost at the top of the stairs. The windows fly open and it seems as though the house is filled with wind blowing in every

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