The Piano Lesson | The Piano Lesson

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

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...

The Piano Lesson | The Piano Lesson

At a glance:

The Play

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