The Piano Lesson Questions and Answers
The Piano Lesson
In The Piano Lesson, what does the piano signify to each character?
In The Piano Lesson, the piano represents the Charles family's history as well as the struggle of African Americans to reclaim their identity, language and culture in the generations following...
The Piano Lesson
Why is Wilson's play titled "The Piano Lesson" and what lessons are learned?
The symbolism of "the piano lesson" in the story is the lesson of history itself. Wilson explores the themes of African-American identity and the struggle for civil rights. In this...
The Piano Lesson
Why is Berniece determined to preserve the piano in The Piano Lesson?
Berniece is one of the primary characters in The Piano Lesson by August Wilson, and she is the family member who understands the significance of the piano she has in her possession. While it is not...
The Piano Lesson
Analysis of Boy Willie's character and development in The Piano Lesson
Boy Willie in The Piano Lesson is ambitious and determined, driven by a desire to buy land and establish his own legacy. Throughout the play, he evolves from being impulsive and somewhat reckless to...
The Piano Lesson
The piano as a symbol of the family's freedom from oppression in August Wilson's The Piano Lesson
In August Wilson's The Piano Lesson, the piano symbolizes the family's freedom from oppression. It represents their heritage and the struggles their ancestors endured. By preserving and honoring the...
The Piano Lesson
What is Boy Willie and Berniece's sense of identity in The Piano Lesson?
The novel "Acts of Violence" by Julian Mayfield presents the reader with a story of two families living in Memphis, Tennessee. The main characters are Boy Willie and Berniece Charles, and their...
The Piano Lesson
What is the moral of The Piano Lesson?
Through focusing on a material object, August Wilson explores the abstract concepts of heritage and legacy. The siblings Berniece and Boy Willie in particular have highly contrasting views on the...
The Piano Lesson
In The Piano Lesson, what does Doaker's continued work with the railroad symbolize?
Doaker provides a sense of constancy and structure to the family. In this, he helps the others to follow his path and in recognizing that the piano is an important part of their lives.
The Piano Lesson
What are some thesis statement ideas for "The Piano Lesson" by August Wilson?
There are many reasons to read August Wilson's play The Piano Lesson. Among the first reasons that come to mind is the idea that this is a (relatively) contemporary work of American drama....
The Piano Lesson
What three quotations suggest Berniece deserves the piano in The Piano Lesson?
Three quotations in The Piano Lesson that support the idea that Berniece deserves the piano include "[Berniece's] daddy died over it," "Money can’t buy what that piano cost," and "BERNIECE realizes...
The Piano Lesson
How is irony illustrated in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson?
In the final analysis, there are many different ironies that emerge in Wilson's The Piano Lesson. I think that one of the most interesting ironies is how a source of historical pain can...
The Piano Lesson
What role does Grace play in the plot and how does she complicate the gender themes?
It is difficult to link Grace to any specific plot actions definitively as her appearance is so brief. Some consider her entrance and the seduction scene between her and Willie to act as a...
The Piano Lesson
In The Piano Lesson, how do characters' attitudes toward the piano reveal their feelings about the past?
Wilson constructs Boy Willie's character to represent the attitude of pragmatism towards the utility of the present tense. Berniece is constructed to acknowledge the utility with which she views the...
The Piano Lesson
What functions does Maretha serve in The Piano Lesson and why is her age important? How would you direct her behavior...
The Piano Lesson was written by August Wilson, son of a white German-American father and black mother born in 1945. The play premiered in 1987 and opened on Broadway in New York in 1990. The story,...
The Piano Lesson
In The Piano Lesson, should Berniece keep the piano or should Boy Willie sell it?
In The Piano Lesson, the central conflict between Berniece and Boy Willie is their disparate views of the piano. Berniece wants to keep it and Boy Willie wants to sell it. This conflict represents...
The Piano Lesson
What is the significance of the family's acquisition of the piano in The Piano Lesson?
The short answer here is that the family acquired the piano as a legacy. The piano is obtained by the family after the Civil War, when the Charles family ends up being sharecroppers for the...