Does your family have any traditions or heirlooms that have a great significance? Maybe a great-great grandmother’s ring or an instrument that has been in the family for years. These parts of your history help shape who you are and who your family is. In August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, Berniece Charles denies and avoids her family’s history by not playing the piano and rejecting the existence of the Ghosts of the Yellow Dog. This reveals how embracing the past can be beneficial to present and future actions.
The Charles family has overcome a copious amount of obstacles over the years: they were enslaved by the Sutter family, separated and sold in exchange for a piano, and have even been incarcerated in the Parchman Prison Farm. However, …show more content…
Valuing the history and hardships behind the piano, Berniece states, “Money can’t buy what the piano cost. You can’t sell your soul for money. It won 't go with the buyer. It’ll shrivel and shrink to know that you ain 't taken on to it. But it won 't go with the buyer.” (Wilson 1231). In this quote Berniece states that the piano has sentimental cost and that no amount of money could ever buy or replace it. Reluctant and afraid, Berniece neglects her past and refuses to play the piano, despite her mother 's pleas. By doing so, Berniece allows the Ghost of Sutter to continue to come back and challenge them for the piano and their freedom. Similarly, Berniece declares, “ I don 't want to hear that nonsense. Somebody down there pushing them people in their wells.” (Wilson 1208). This quote conveys that Berniece rejects the existence of the Ghosts of Yellow Dog, and therefore reject her past. Both Berniece’s unwillingness to play the piano and her refusal of the Ghost of the Yellow Dog break her connection with her ancestors and do not allow her to fully accept her past and who she …show more content…
In my opinion Sutter’s Ghost and the piano are representations of the family’s past, such as stealing the piano, being enslaved and Crawley 's death, all coming back to confront them. For example, Berniece does not tell Maretha about the carvings on the piano and what they mean, she does this to protect and shield her from the family’s history. In Berniece’s opinion, Maretha is better off that way. However, Berniece and Boy Willie can no longer avoid their past, especially when it is right in front of them, attacking Boy Willie. At first the Charles family cannot believe what is going on, Sutter’s Ghost is right there, choking and pushing Boy Willie. However, once they see the fight getting out of hand “Berniece realizes what she has to
The Charles family has overcome a copious amount of obstacles over the years: they were enslaved by the Sutter family, separated and sold in exchange for a piano, and have even been incarcerated in the Parchman Prison Farm. However, …show more content…
Valuing the history and hardships behind the piano, Berniece states, “Money can’t buy what the piano cost. You can’t sell your soul for money. It won 't go with the buyer. It’ll shrivel and shrink to know that you ain 't taken on to it. But it won 't go with the buyer.” (Wilson 1231). In this quote Berniece states that the piano has sentimental cost and that no amount of money could ever buy or replace it. Reluctant and afraid, Berniece neglects her past and refuses to play the piano, despite her mother 's pleas. By doing so, Berniece allows the Ghost of Sutter to continue to come back and challenge them for the piano and their freedom. Similarly, Berniece declares, “ I don 't want to hear that nonsense. Somebody down there pushing them people in their wells.” (Wilson 1208). This quote conveys that Berniece rejects the existence of the Ghosts of Yellow Dog, and therefore reject her past. Both Berniece’s unwillingness to play the piano and her refusal of the Ghost of the Yellow Dog break her connection with her ancestors and do not allow her to fully accept her past and who she …show more content…
In my opinion Sutter’s Ghost and the piano are representations of the family’s past, such as stealing the piano, being enslaved and Crawley 's death, all coming back to confront them. For example, Berniece does not tell Maretha about the carvings on the piano and what they mean, she does this to protect and shield her from the family’s history. In Berniece’s opinion, Maretha is better off that way. However, Berniece and Boy Willie can no longer avoid their past, especially when it is right in front of them, attacking Boy Willie. At first the Charles family cannot believe what is going on, Sutter’s Ghost is right there, choking and pushing Boy Willie. However, once they see the fight getting out of hand “Berniece realizes what she has to