A Pulitzer Prize-winner. Brother is pitted against sister over the fate of their heirloom piano.
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Drama in two acts by August Wilson, produced in 1987 and published in 1990. The play, which was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1990, is part of Wilson's cycle about African-American life in the 20th century. The action takes place in Pittsburgh in 1936 at the house of a family of African-Americans who have migrated from Mississippi. The conflict centers around a piano that was once traded by the family's white master for two of the family's ancestors. Boy Willie and Berniece, the siblings who inherit the piano (carved to show family history), argue about whether or not to sell it. Berniece's climactic refusal to allow Boy Willie to move the piano exorcises both the literal and figurative ghost of the white slave owner who has been haunting the family. -- The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
August Wilson is the most influential and successful African American playwright writing today. He is the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Fences, The Piano Lesson, King Hedley II, Ma Rainy's Black Bottom, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Seven Guitars, Two Trains Running, Jitney and Radio Golf. His plays have been produced all over the world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, August Wilson's sensitive story of a family's struggle to reconcile the past with the present centers around the carved piano which dominates the living room of Doaker Charles and his niece Berniece. The legs of the piano are carved with faces of their slave ancestors, carvings made by a distant relation who was owned by the Sutter family and working on their farm in Mississippi before Emancipation. Berniece's brother Boy Willie, recently released from a prison farm and penitentiary, has come to Pittsburgh with his friend Lymon, determined to sell this ancient piano in which he claims half-ownership. His arguments with Berniece conjure up the ghost of Sutter, who calls out Boy Willie's name.
The struggle of Boy Willie and Berniece over possession of the piano gradually broadens as they reveal the past, incorporating vivid pictures of the family's tenuous survival from slavery to the present. A dozen or more of the white men who have been most abusive over the generations have met their deaths by "falling" into wells, crimes of revenge attributed to the Ghosts of the Yellow Dog. These ghosts are supposedly the ghosts of five black men burned to death in a boxcar by Sutter after his carved piano, the one in Berniece's living room, was stolen. The most recent Mr. Sutter "fell" into a well and died three weeks ago, and Berniece believes that Boy Willie may have had a hand in his death.
The play's success rests on the well-developed family relationships and their interactions on stage, as they reflect the legacy of slavery and its aftermath. Berniece wants the piano because the blood of her family has been worked into its wood--it represents her heritage. She and Doaker have learned a whole new culture of survival through their move to the city, but they do not want to forget the past. Boy Willie, by contrast, wants to sell the piano in order to buy land for his future, remarking, "I got to mark my passing on the road. Just like you write on a tree, 'Boy Willie was here.'" He, however, still focuses on vengeance--righting past wrongs. The tension between these viewpoints provides the drama and, in a powerful concluding scene, conveys the message of this play, ultimately a "piano lesson." Mary Whipple
The struggle of Boy Willie and Berniece over possession of the piano gradually broadens as they reveal the past, incorporating vivid pictures of the family's tenuous survival from slavery to the present. A dozen or more of the white men who have been most abusive over the generations have met their deaths by "falling" into wells, crimes of revenge attributed to the Ghosts of the Yellow Dog. These ghosts are supposedly the ghosts of five black men burned to death in a boxcar by Sutter after his carved piano, the one in Berniece's living room, was stolen. The most recent Mr. Sutter "fell" into a well and died three weeks ago, and Berniece believes that Boy Willie may have had a hand in his death.
The play's success rests on the well-developed family relationships and their interactions on stage, as they reflect the legacy of slavery and its aftermath. Berniece wants the piano because the blood of her family has been worked into its wood--it represents her heritage. She and Doaker have learned a whole new culture of survival through their move to the city, but they do not want to forget the past. Boy Willie, by contrast, wants to sell the piano in order to buy land for his future, remarking, "I got to mark my passing on the road. Just like you write on a tree, 'Boy Willie was here.'" He, however, still focuses on vengeance--righting past wrongs. The tension between these viewpoints provides the drama and, in a powerful concluding scene, conveys the message of this play, ultimately a "piano lesson." Mary Whipple
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
August Wilson is the greatest American playwright. Not the greatest living American playwright, but the greatest, period. His best plays stand comparison with the best work of Eugene O'Neill, Arthur Miller, and Tennessee Williams. No American playwright has produced such a consistent body of work, and no American playwright has attempted a cycle with the scope and ambition of his series of plays. Wilson's subject is the Great Migration, the story of the African-Americans who emigrated from the southern states to the cities of the industrial North and their slow construction of satisfactory lives in the difficult and changing world of 20th century America. Wilson has written 10 plays on this subject, one for each decade of the 20th century, amounting to a fictional history of African-Americans in the urban North. This is, however, history from below. Wilson's heroes are garbagemen, short-order cooks, day laborers, self-taught musicians, and street vendors. One of his great gifts is his ability to use common speech in a way that is consistently interesting, frequently eloquent, and often powerful. He gives poetic voice to people usually regarded as inarticulate and invests ordinary struggles with real but not exaggerated significance. The African-Americans of Wilson's plays are a doubly uprooted people. Uprooted initially by the grievous trauma of slavery that sundered their connection with their native traditions, the emigrants fleeing the Jim Crow south and its brutal racism are uprooted also from their homes, families, and the traditions developed in the aftermath of slavery.
Wilson's overall story is the reconstruction of African-American identity and family life in the cities of the North over the course of the 20th century. Wilson's plays often feature protagonists whose sense of identity and families have been damaged greatly by the oppressions of racism and the atomizing effects of the industrial economy of the North. Over the course of the cycle, Wilson shows characters re-establishing a sense of connection with their ancestors, even back to Africa, and gradually developing the family ties to sustain them. Wilson repeatedly uses supernatural elements in his work, particularly as a device to advance his theme of the importance of developing a sense of historic connection with ancestors, including those originally abducted from Africa. This could easily be hokey, but his matter of fact use of these elements is very effective. Another recurring theme is the importance of music, particularly the Blues tradition developed by African-American musicians, which he sees as a vital and creative force in African-American life, often carrying truths across generations. Some of the most affecting parts of Wilson's work are his demonstrations of the direct and indirect destructive effects of American racism on family life. Even more powerful are those scenes in which his characters overcome these obstacles to reaffirm family connections.
Not all of Wilson's plays are outstanding, but all are at least very good. Readers will differ on their favorites. In my opinion, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Fences, and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom are outstanding. The rest vary from excellent (The Piano Lession) to the very good. Cumulatively, they are a really impressive achievement. Mention must be made of the fact that Wilson has been aided by outstanding collaborators. Wilson's plays usually go through a series of versions before the final version emerges. Wilson has had the benefit of working with unusually talented directors, notably the gifted Lloyd Richards, who was responsible in large measure for recognizing Wilson's talent. Wilson has benefited also from the existence of a whole generation of remarkably talented African-American actors. These people made it possible for Wilson to realize his vision. We have all been the beneficiaries of the work of Wilson and his collaborators.
Wilson's overall story is the reconstruction of African-American identity and family life in the cities of the North over the course of the 20th century. Wilson's plays often feature protagonists whose sense of identity and families have been damaged greatly by the oppressions of racism and the atomizing effects of the industrial economy of the North. Over the course of the cycle, Wilson shows characters re-establishing a sense of connection with their ancestors, even back to Africa, and gradually developing the family ties to sustain them. Wilson repeatedly uses supernatural elements in his work, particularly as a device to advance his theme of the importance of developing a sense of historic connection with ancestors, including those originally abducted from Africa. This could easily be hokey, but his matter of fact use of these elements is very effective. Another recurring theme is the importance of music, particularly the Blues tradition developed by African-American musicians, which he sees as a vital and creative force in African-American life, often carrying truths across generations. Some of the most affecting parts of Wilson's work are his demonstrations of the direct and indirect destructive effects of American racism on family life. Even more powerful are those scenes in which his characters overcome these obstacles to reaffirm family connections.
Not all of Wilson's plays are outstanding, but all are at least very good. Readers will differ on their favorites. In my opinion, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Fences, and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom are outstanding. The rest vary from excellent (The Piano Lession) to the very good. Cumulatively, they are a really impressive achievement. Mention must be made of the fact that Wilson has been aided by outstanding collaborators. Wilson's plays usually go through a series of versions before the final version emerges. Wilson has had the benefit of working with unusually talented directors, notably the gifted Lloyd Richards, who was responsible in large measure for recognizing Wilson's talent. Wilson has benefited also from the existence of a whole generation of remarkably talented African-American actors. These people made it possible for Wilson to realize his vision. We have all been the beneficiaries of the work of Wilson and his collaborators.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This can be an enjoyable read for anyone. Wilson's language and dialogue is beautiful. Descriptions of the piano are gorgeous and Wilson does a good job of making an inanimate object seem almost mystical. This is a play that should be read by everyone, regardless of race. It deals with many racial issues, however the main conflict between Boy Willie and Berniece is something that anyone can have an opinion on. I personally thought that both Boy Willie and Berniece had good points and one could sympathize with either of them, but their arguments tend to hide the truth to both of them, and possibly to the audience. The end of the play is a revelation to them both, and can be to the reader as well. Regardless of your background, you will enjoy this play as it deals with the importance of hard work and the betterment of one's life, contrasted with the significance of history and ancestry - issues that anyone can relate to.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Play Is Better Than The Film
The play I saw at the Ensemble in Houston, TEXAS inspired me to buy the paperback copy of The Piano Lesson in addition to this film. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Craig Anthony Nicholas
Really good!
This book shipped fast and was in really good condition. The book was also an easy read and was an overall good book! Would recommend!
Published 20 months ago by livelaughlovexx
Great Delivery
The person that I bought the book from, really made sure I got my money's worth and that I received the book undamaged. Read more
Published on February 22, 2010 by Alejandra A. Cruz
fast service
I needed the book "The Piano Lesson" really fast. Even though I didn't use the next day service I still received my book on time to do my report. Read more
Published on December 23, 2009 by Damiqca Jenkins
Vibrant Characters in His Pittsburgh Cycle
"The Piano Lesson" (1990) by the late August Wilson is part of his ten-play series, the Pittsburg Cycle or the Century Cycle. Read more
Published on July 24, 2009 by John F. Rooney
Keeping The Historical Memories Alive
Okay, blame it on the recently departed Studs Terkel and his damn interview books. I had just been reading his "The Spectator", a compilation of some of his interviews of various... Read more
Published on May 8, 2009 by Alfred Johnson
A play that has to be seen to be fully appreciated
'The Piano Lesson' is a play that has to be seen to be fully appreciated. It's a must-see for any fan of good theater. Read more
Published on April 20, 2009 by Andy Orrock
Great and Important, but Far From Perfect
As the last living memory of American slavery gives way to the hurlyburly of the Twentieth Century, the Charles family piano straddles the line between the two. Read more
Published on January 31, 2009 by Kevin L. Nenstiel
A masterpiece of American theater
August Wilson's "Century Cycle" presents the African-American experience in the twentieth century. In my opinion, "The Piano Lesson" is the best of the lot. Read more
Published on September 25, 2008 by doc peterson
The Piano Lesson
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. Read more
Published on September 8, 2008 by Eddie Hutchinson
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
The lights come up on the Charles household. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
gonna sell, nice price Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Ghosts of the Yellow Dog, Boy Charles, Mama Ola, Miss Ophelia, Kansas City, Lord Berta Berta, Lymon Jackson, Parchman Farm, Patchneck Red, Mama Esther, Stoner County New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
The lights come up on the Charles household. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
gonna sell, nice price Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Ghosts of the Yellow Dog, Boy Charles, Mama Ola, Miss Ophelia, Kansas City, Lord Berta Berta, Lymon Jackson, Parchman Farm, Patchneck Red, Mama Esther, Stoner County New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 1
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100
books
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- Sound Design for Theatre by Scott Myers in Front Matter
- August Wilson: A Casebook (Casebooks on Modern Dramatists) by Marilyn Elkins on 41 pages
- Conversations with August Wilson (Literary Conversations) by Jackson R. Bryer on 32 pages
- The Dramatic Vision of August Wilson by Sandra G. Shannon on 31 pages
- Understanding August Wilson (Understanding Contemporary American Literature) by Mary L. Bogumil on 22 pages
- Masterpieces of 20th-Century American Drama (Greenwood Introduces Literary Masterpieces) by Susan C. W. Abbotson on 14 pages
See all 100 books citing this book
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