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A review by intoxicatedturtle
The Piano Lesson by August Wilson
3.0
In The Piano Lesson August Wilson presents a charming tale centered on reconciling the past with the present. Much of the story centers on ghosts, both literal and figurative, and how best to put those spectres aside and move on with life. Although much of the plot revolves around the power struggle between Bernice and Boy Willie over control of the piano, the piano seems merely a metaphor for deciding the future direction of this extended family.
From the moment that Boy Willie arrives, Bernice acts coldly. It seems apparent the she is suspicious of his motives, as there is not the warm welcome one would expect when encountering a sibling one has not seen in a while. The animosity she seems to carry becomes more obvious as the story progresses, yet one does not become aware of her reason until it is revealed that she blames Boy Willie for the death of Crawley. When Boy Willie announces his intention to take the piano it sets up the conflict for the play as well as confirms her suspicions surrounding his visit. Her resentments towards Boy Willie for past deeds are now transferred to the present scenario.
Wilson does a wonderful job of revealing the significance and history surrounding the piano. Not only does this heirloom contain the carvings of the family’s ancestral past but one also learns that Bernice and Boy Willie’s father died stealing the piano. It was not simply a heist for financial gain however. Their father believed that until the piano was free from Sutter and in the families own hands that they would continue to be held back in the future. His theft of the piano was necessary for the future of the family. That leads to the central conflict of the story, as Boy Willie’s desire to sell the piano is driven by his desire to purchase land for his and the family’s future. As Sutter has passed away, Boy Willie has the opportunity to purchase his land and the only means available to fund the purchase is ironically through the sale of the piano that his father died stealing.
Bernice is firmly rooted in the past, not only in regards to the family heirloom but in her personal life as well. Despite the passage of years, she still has not gotten over the death of Crawley. The family seems very encouraging of Avery’s talk of marriage and yet Bernice seems to reject his suggestions. This sets up another conflict between living in the past and moving on into the future. It is very similar to her position on the piano. She has not played the piano in many years, and in many ways resents it, yet does not desire to let go of it and move on with her life. There is no reason to believe she doubts Boy Willie’s scheme to use the money from the piano to secure the farm and a better life, but she is determined to hold on to the piano. Determined not to play it nor let it go, it mirrors her relationship with Avery.
These conflicts lead to the final moments of the play where a fight ensues between Willie Boy and Sutter’s ghost. The ghost can only be stopped through Bernice playing the piano, reconciling her past and present. It is a moment that is powerfully symbolic, yet so contrived that it is quite a letdown. Of course, there is certainly nothing new about playwrights resorting to deus ex machina to resolve the storyline, yet the same criticisms apply that have for centuries. It tends to leave the reader unsatisfied, almost cheated, by the playwright resorting to taking the easy way out. August Wilson spends one-hundred pages creating a story that is engaging to the reader, compelling one to see both sides of this complex issue and in six short pages manages to make it seem like a farcical waste of time. Wilson was certainly capable of better and resorting to such an ending mars what was otherwise a very enjoyable read.
From the moment that Boy Willie arrives, Bernice acts coldly. It seems apparent the she is suspicious of his motives, as there is not the warm welcome one would expect when encountering a sibling one has not seen in a while. The animosity she seems to carry becomes more obvious as the story progresses, yet one does not become aware of her reason until it is revealed that she blames Boy Willie for the death of Crawley. When Boy Willie announces his intention to take the piano it sets up the conflict for the play as well as confirms her suspicions surrounding his visit. Her resentments towards Boy Willie for past deeds are now transferred to the present scenario.
Wilson does a wonderful job of revealing the significance and history surrounding the piano. Not only does this heirloom contain the carvings of the family’s ancestral past but one also learns that Bernice and Boy Willie’s father died stealing the piano. It was not simply a heist for financial gain however. Their father believed that until the piano was free from Sutter and in the families own hands that they would continue to be held back in the future. His theft of the piano was necessary for the future of the family. That leads to the central conflict of the story, as Boy Willie’s desire to sell the piano is driven by his desire to purchase land for his and the family’s future. As Sutter has passed away, Boy Willie has the opportunity to purchase his land and the only means available to fund the purchase is ironically through the sale of the piano that his father died stealing.
Bernice is firmly rooted in the past, not only in regards to the family heirloom but in her personal life as well. Despite the passage of years, she still has not gotten over the death of Crawley. The family seems very encouraging of Avery’s talk of marriage and yet Bernice seems to reject his suggestions. This sets up another conflict between living in the past and moving on into the future. It is very similar to her position on the piano. She has not played the piano in many years, and in many ways resents it, yet does not desire to let go of it and move on with her life. There is no reason to believe she doubts Boy Willie’s scheme to use the money from the piano to secure the farm and a better life, but she is determined to hold on to the piano. Determined not to play it nor let it go, it mirrors her relationship with Avery.
These conflicts lead to the final moments of the play where a fight ensues between Willie Boy and Sutter’s ghost. The ghost can only be stopped through Bernice playing the piano, reconciling her past and present. It is a moment that is powerfully symbolic, yet so contrived that it is quite a letdown. Of course, there is certainly nothing new about playwrights resorting to deus ex machina to resolve the storyline, yet the same criticisms apply that have for centuries. It tends to leave the reader unsatisfied, almost cheated, by the playwright resorting to taking the easy way out. August Wilson spends one-hundred pages creating a story that is engaging to the reader, compelling one to see both sides of this complex issue and in six short pages manages to make it seem like a farcical waste of time. Wilson was certainly capable of better and resorting to such an ending mars what was otherwise a very enjoyable read.