Book Review: The Piano Lesson

The Piano Lesson

Stars: 4/5

Acclaimed playwright, August Wilson, pens The Piano Lesson, a story of a family living in Pittsburgh whose family ancestry traces back to slavery in the South. A piano is the cause of much contention particularly between two characters: Boy Willie and his sister, Berniece. You will find that Wilson was careful not to add too much depth to the other characters in the two act play. A reserved Berniece wants to keep the piano in the family. An over-exuberant Boy Willie insists that the piano be sold to help him purchase land in the South. Family strife is inflamed even more by the fact that the piano is haunted by the original piano owner, Sutter, who paid for the piano with a few of his slaves (similar to the candelabra in the '98 movie,Down in the Delta).

For Berniece, the piano, despite being haunted by the past, is steeped in family heritage:
"Money can't buy what that piano cost. You can't sell your soul for money."

For Boy Willie, well, he's fighting family demons, literally and figuratively:
"The only thing my Daddy had to give me was that piano. And he died over giving me that. I ain't gonna let it sit up there and rot without trying to do something with it."

As for the lesson learned, in my opinion, Wilson leaves that open for interpretation. I believe any number of lessons could be found. Wilson brilliantly crafts this play to leave the reader thinking in the end; perhaps that was part of the lesson plan as well.

See also:  The Piano Lesson  (Hallmark Hall of Fame DVD)

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