The Playwright August Wilson's In The Piano Lesson

Imagine one not being able to express their emotions because of their race. Imagine them having to limit their full potential because they are not the “right” skin tone. How does one cope with this prohibiting lifestyle? Playwright August Wilson had experienced this very oppression during the Civil Rights Movement and started using theatre as his way of coping with his painful past. His plays were a way for him to address political topics, express his emotions, and do things he would never be able to do out in the “white man’s world.” Decades after the Civil Rights Movement, in 1990, August Wilson wrote one of his more noteworthy productions called The Piano Lesson. This play is the fourth book in Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle which is a series …show more content…
The conflict is that two siblings both value the piano but in different ways. Bernice desperately wants to keep the piano and feels there is no argument necessary because it will not be sold. She claims that “it got blood on it” (10). In this quote, she is referencing her mom who polished it everyday to preserve its beauty. She is also referring to her ancestors whose exploited and painful past is carved into the piano. Getting rid of the piano was getting rid of her historical past in her eyes. Boy Willie argues against this by saying “I’m trying to put a mark on my road” (94). Boy Willie recognizes his family's past, and therefore justifies his attempt to sell the piano in hope for a better life than his ancestors had. He believes that selling the piano will help him to make a life for himself and he will not have to worry about money again. Wilson also reveals the importance of heritage through the music incorporated in this production. Characters Lyman, Doaker, Boy Wining, and Boy Willie sing the song “Berta, Berta” which is a work song sung by segregated black prisoners who were exploited for work in the early 1900s (Olney Piano Lesson). This relates to African-American slaves who were also exploited through the institution of slavery. These two groups both sung work songs as a form of praise and as a plead for help. Singing unified these …show more content…
It’s elements of drama relate to the deeper meaning of how the African-Americans preserved it. Some prefer to keep their history in the family while others like to use it to create new opportunities. This production is significant because it reveals the overall importance of heritage and how it can shape a family and it’s