The phrase “the piano lesson” is not normally associated with supernatural entities. However, in the play “The Piano Lesson”, August Wilson uses the presence of a ghost to remind an African American family of their legacy that is symbolized by a piano. The ancestors of siblings Boy Willie and Berniece faced many obstacles during their times as slaves and the piano is a painful reminder of the hardships their family faced. The ghost of Sutter purposely appears when the fate of the piano is being discussed or fought over in order to help Boy Willie and Berniece realize that they must accept what has happened in the past and that those memories can coexist with their futures. Even though the play consists of seven scenes in total, the ghost …show more content…
Rather, in these scenes the theme is to try and let go of the past in order to move forward in life. Readers really get the sense of this when Avery is trying to convince Berniece to move on from her husband’s death. He blatantly pleads, “What is you ready for, Berniece? You just gonna drift along from day to day. Life is more than making it from one day to another. You gonna look up one day and it’s all gonna be past you. Life’s gonna be gone out of your hands. There won’t be enough to make nothing with” (1278). Avery is explaining to her that it is okay to move on, forget the past and create a new life for herself. Since her past is being distanced in this scene, the ghost does not make an appearance. This goes to show that the ghost only appears when the past is seen as important and that it supports the family holding on to the …show more content…
This appearance forces them to work together and eventually come to terms with their past. In order to eliminate Sutter’s ghost, Berniece realizes she must play the piano and summon her ancestors. She sings to them, “I want you to help me…” (1299) and then once the house is calm, she continues to thank them. By connecting with her ancestors, Berniece has faced the past head on and accepted that it is not necessarily all bad, but it can be used to her advantage. Boy Willie also comes to this realization when he says, “if you don’t keep playing on that piano… ain’t no telling…me and Sutter both liable to be back” (1299). Boy Willie now sees how powerful the piano is when in the right hands and no longer wants to sell it. By encouraging Berniece to keep playing, he has accepted the past and is ready to move forward. All in all, this last appearance influences the siblings to address the elephant in the room and realize that their legacy is something special rather than something they should