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.