Monday, November 29, 2010

The Piano Lesson Journal 7

     The first thing that surprised me in Act 2 Scene 3 was when Boy Willie expected Berniece to go back to sleep when he told her that everything was alright.  Next, the dialogue between Lymon and Berniece was interesting.  This is the first time that Berniece seemed to listen to someone and not be angry about something.  She seemed calm, even though she was woken up in the middle of the night, and very kind to Lymon.  Berniece even complimented him when she tells Lymon that it shouldn't be too hard for him to find a job and that he will find the right girl to marry.  On the other hand, Lymon, who is fairly quiet, seems to have a lot to say during this scene.  He also seems to take a special interest to Maretha.  He has mentioned several times throughout the play how much she is grown and how pretty she is, and then he tells Berniece that he likes kids.  His side comments throughout the scene foreshadowed to the end when we see the first sign of a possible relationship between him and Berniece.  I think this is a turning point for Berniece's character and that maybe she will start to open up more and not be so bitter and angry all the time.

Comment:

winden said...
I agree that the kiss was surprising, even thought he author started to give hints and foreshadow to it. I wonder what Avery will do if he finds out and if it will cause conflict with Boy Willie or Maretha. I think Berniece clearly prefers Lymon but I wonder if she will marry Avery and try to avoid conflict.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

The Piano Lesson Journal 6

    When Avery comes to talk to Berniece, we see someone who wants to help Berniece and is standing up to her.  This is a first; Avery seems to be the only person that really cares about Berniece and is really kind and respectful.  In Act 2 Scene 2, Avery draws attention to Berniece's inability to move past her husband's death and let other people into her life.  "'Life is more than making it from one day to another.  You gonna look up one day and it's all gonna be past you.  Life's gonna be gone out of your hands--there won't be enough to make nothing with,'" is a portion of what Avery tells her (68).  Berniece is just trying to make it through her life and she's bringing the past along with her because she's bitter and not accepting.  She seems to like Avery, but at the rate she's going she will never be ready for a relationship.  Although you can learn from the past, Berniece needs to understand that you can't concentrate only on the past and keep trying to move forward at the same time.

Comment:

winden said...
I wonder if Maretha enjoys playing the piano or if she only plays it for Berniece, like Berniece only played it for her mother. I agree that Berniece has a lot of memories connected to the piano and could think of Crawley when she hears it. I feel like Berniece's trouble that she is having is because she can't separate the good memories from all the bad that are connected with the piano.

Monday, November 22, 2010

The Piano Lesson Journal 5

     When Doaker tells Wining Boy about seeing Sutter's ghost, the ghost seems more real and not something that Berniece is just making up.  Also, the ghost's appearance becomes slightly more logical, if that's possible, and makes a better connection to Sutter's death and the piano.  A relatively short time after his death, only three days, Doaker says he saw Sutter sitting on the piano, and later he must have been playing it.  Doaker doesn't believe Boy Willie pushed him in the well; therefore, the piano is starting to appear even more significant and meaningful because it has the power to bring this man "back from the dead."  Sutter was apparently seen holding his head because of a broken neck.  All of these details add to the tone and the believeability of the ghost.  The ghost itself seems to becoming more of a character on its own and shows how the past is the present.  It also supports the fact that the characters are unable to leave the past behind and move on.

Comment:

winden said...
I agree about Sutter's ghost. I was really surprised when he was introduced into the book, and now I'm surprised how the ghost itself seems to be developing its own character and personality. We keep hearing more and more about the ghost, and I'm interested to see how else he will be involved in the story. Also, about the quote, "mixed her blood in with all the rest," I think it has a strong effect and emphasizes how many people have suffered over just one piano. Berniece seems to have a flair for drama.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

The Piano Lesson Journal 4

     During our reading on Friday, I found a passage that supports the idea that history repeats itself and the past is present: "I look at you and you're all the same.  You, Papa Boy Charles, Wining Boy, Doaker, Crawley. . .  you're all alike.  All this thieving and killing and thieving and killing.  And what it ever lead to?  More killing and more thieving.  I ain't never seen it come to nothing [. . .] It don't never stop" (52).  Berniece says this after Boy Willie continues to talk about taking the piano and selling it.  Berniece is the only person that feels so strongly about keeping or selling the piano; she see the consequences of Boy Willie's action and doesn't trust him to keep out of trouble.  Her family has a history of mischief, thieving, and killing and when Boy Willie, especially, disregards it she doesn't have hope that anyone will ever change.  She has tried to make a life for herself, but doesn't see anyone else doing the same.  Berniece has lost her husband and is bitter and overwhelmed.

Comment:
winden said...
I thought the way the author introduced the characters and didn't give us their full story until the end of Act one was very unusual. I wasn't able to connect or relate to the characters until much later in the story and still feel like they're a mystery. Also, I thought that the story about the Ghosts of the Yellow Dog was very intriguing and feel like the story has created a lot of superstitions and has affected a lot of people.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

The Piano Lesson Journal 3

     During today's reading I found the description of Wining Boy especially interesting: "his music, his clothes, and even his manner of presentation are old.  He is a man who looking back over his life continues to live it with an odd mixture of zest and sorrow" (28).  I think this shows how the past can be the present and how it comes back to haunt you.  The past is something that is a part of everyone and needs to be recognized and learned from; however, I find Wining Boy's description pitiful and sad.  Everything about him is old and he continues to look back over life and is almost trying to live in the past.  The phrase "an odd mixture of zest and sorrow" makes Wining Boy sound like a man who was successful and thriving in his younger years but is now sad to let go of the past and move on.
    The section that we read today was my favorite so far.  I thought the interaction between all of the characters was fast paced and interesting, and I liked all the stories they told.  It wasn't boring and we were finally given more background on all of the characters.  We now know who the Ghosts of the Yellow Dog are and the story behind the piano.  Now that we know the history everything is more significant and meaningful.

Comment:
winden I agree that Boy Willie seems very negative and not brotherly towards Berniece. He seems very close minded and unopen to new ideas. When he makes a plan he wants to get his way. I was really surprised to hear him go as far to say that he would cut the piano in half and sell his part. Boy Willie would still be taking what he wants for himself and going against Berniece's wishes.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Piano Lesson Journal 2

     Now that we have gotten to know quite a few characters, I thought that the reading was much faster paced.  There was a lot happening in Scene 1 with Berniece seeing the ghost, Boy Willie being accused of murder, and Lymon being accused of theft.  There was a lot of tension, and I was surprised by how much fighting and arguing there seems to be among the siblings.  I feel like it is common for the members of this family to go to one another when they need help, but other than that they stay out of each other's way.
     I also think that the mood has been fairly mysterious.  The characters continuously make references to their past; however, the readers are not being told the story, not yet at least.  Boy Willie and Lymon seem suspicious and defensive as they try and turn down accusation set against them.  The piano is slightly mysterious as well.  We don't know about the carvings on them and Boy Willie seems to almost threaten when he says to Maretha that he will tell her about the carvings if her mother doesn't; and, I wonder, how is Sutter connected to the piano and why would he be searching for it?
     Another thing I found interesting in our reading from today was Doaker's three paragraph long monologue about the railroad and trains on page 18 and 19.  I feel like there is a lot to analyze in this section with strong themes and symbols.

Comment:
I agree that one motive for Berniece to make up the ghost would be to persuade Boy Willie to leave faster; however, it also seemed to be a very real experience for her. It seems as though this could relate to a memory from her past that would explain why Berniece would have so much fear upon the sight of Sutter. I also think that the author has a very unique way of portraying the characters that leads you to assume and question different things about each one of them.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The Piano Lesson Journal 1

   The first thing that really interested me in The Piano Lesson appeared in the setting description at the beginning of Scene 1: "The dawn is beginning to announce itself, but there is something in the air that belongs to the night.  A stillness that is a portent, a gathering, a coming together of something akin to a storm" (1).  The quotation begins with personification when it says "the air that belongs to the night."  I think this makes the night seem more powerful and almost oppressive and dictating.  On the other hand, the second half of the quote seems to be foreshadowing a significant event to come later in the book.  Key words include "stillness," "coming together," "akin," "storm," and most importantly is "portent."
    Another detail that I found interesting on the first page of the book was the descriptions of Doaker and Boy Willie.  Doaker is Boy Willie's uncle; however, the description of the two relatives makes them seem completely opposite.  Doaker is tall and thin with severe features, and Boy Willie is impulsive and talkative with an infectious grin.  I wonder if these differences continue on into the whole of their personalities and their beliefs. 

Comment:
I agree about the story of the truck being slightly extensive and so far not serving much of a point. I think that maybe the story will continue on so that we can learn more about the past of Boy Willie and Lymon, including how they got the truck and why they have so many watermelons to sell. Also, about the relationships, I feel like something about the importance or significance of family could develop into a theme later in the book.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Cry Journal 6

     In Cry, The Beloved Country, Jarvis says "I'll go to Pretoria" (277) and I tabbed this because I am curious about what Jarvis's plans are for the future.  The people are saying that he has gone "queer" and is running out of money and so I wonder what he is up to.  He is already paying for milk for the young children and it seems like Absalom's death sentence isn't exactly what he wanted.  The second thing I tabbed is on page 279 when the "dead rivers come to life, that they knew that the storm was abating.  Indeed the thunder sounded farther away and there was a dull light in the church."  This is a metaphor for the Kumalo family and that their luck is finally turning around.  It shows that you can always hope for better times and that the storm can't last forever.