The Piano Lesson: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Piano Lesson: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complexities of relationships and identities within an African American family, set against the backdrop of the historical struggle for land and dignity. Central to the play are Boy Willie Charles, a brash and idealistic man in pursuit of land to secure his sense of equality and freedom, and his sister, Berniece, who is burdened by her past, including the loss of her husband. Berniece's character is marked by strength and determination, contrasting sharply with Doaker, their uncle, who has become a resigned peacemaker after years of hard work as a railroad cook.
Supporting characters, like Lymon, Boy Willie's companion, and Avery, a hopeful church leader wishing to marry Berniece, add depth to the narrative by highlighting diverse aspirations and perspectives. Each character grapples with their individual desires and the legacy of their ancestors, particularly symbolized by the family piano, which serves as a focal point for their conflicts and connections. This exploration of familial ties, aspirations, and the weight of history invites audiences to reflect on themes of identity, loss, and the quest for empowerment.
The Piano Lesson: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: August Wilson
First published: 1990
Genre: Play
Locale: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Plot: Representational
Time: 1937
Boy Willie Charles, who is thirty years old, with an infectious grin and a boyish charm. He is brash, impulsive, and talkative. He is proud, and he believes that he and whites occupy the world equally. Boy Willie is an independent thinker and possesses a strong sense of what he believes. His immediate goal in the play is to get a piece of land, because, as he says, when you “got a piece of land you'll find everything else fall right into place.” For him, land is the key to equality, dignity, and freedom.
Berniece, Boy Willie's sister. Thirty-five years old and a widow, she still blames her brother for the death of her husband three years earlier. She now lives with her uncle, Doaker, and has come to Pittsburgh to work. She is strong, determined, serious-minded, intense, religious, and superstitious.
Doaker Charles, the uncle of Berniece and Boy Willie. Forty-seven years old, tall, and thin, he has been a railroad cook for twenty-seven years. He has retired from the world, has no fight left in him, and tries to serve as a peacemaker in the quarrel between Berniece and Boy Willie.
Lymon, Boy Willie's companion. Twenty-nine years old, he talks little, but when he does it is with a straightforwardness that is often disarming. In his old truck loaded with watermelons, he has come with Boy Willie to Pittsburgh with the intention of selling the watermelons and remaining to find work, have fun, and find a woman.
Avery, a thirty-eight-year-old man, honest and ambitious. He wears a suit and tie with a gold cross around his neck and carries a small Bible. He wants two things: to start his own church and to marry Berniece.
Winning Boy Charles, Doaker's brother. Fifty-six years old, he tries to present the image of a successful musician and gambler, but everything about him is old.
Maretha, Berniece's eleven-year-old daughter.
Grace, a woman who goes home with Boy Willie and later with Lymon.