The Piano Lesson (Masterplots II: Drama, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: August Wilson
- First Published: 1990
- Type of Plot: Family
- Time of Work: The 1930’s
- Setting: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Principal Characters: Boy Willie, Berniece, Doaker, Lymon, Maretha, Avery, Wining Boy, Grace
- Genres: Domestic realism, Family literature, Drama, Psychological drama
- Subjects: African Americans, Power, personal or social, Slavery or slaves, Ghosts or apparitions, Brothers and sisters, 1930’s, Pianos or pianists, Pittsburgh, Property, Widows or widowers
- Locales: Pittsburgh, PA
The Play
A play about family inheritance and legacy, The Piano Lesson revolves around a piano that has been in Berniece and Boy Willie’s family for several generations. The play opens with Boy Willie and his friend Lymon driving from Mississippi to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to sell watermelons. Boy Willie has another motive for going to Pittsburgh: He has his mind set on selling the family piano to raise enough money to buy a farm. Boy Willie believes that once he owns land, he can be the master of his own destiny. However, his sister Berniece disagrees; she refuses to...
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- The Piano Lesson (Masterplots II: African American Literature Series)
- The Piano Lesson (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
- The Piano Lesson (Masterplots II: Drama, Revised Edition)
- The Piano Lesson (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
See Also:
August Wilson (Cyclopedia of World Authors)August Wilson (Identities and Issues)August Wilson (Drama)
See Also:
- - The Piano Lesson summary and study guide in the eNotes.
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