Mama Dont Make Me Put on the Dress Again Piano

The Piano Lesson

Comprehensive Storyform

The following analysis reveals a comprehensive look at the Storyform for The Piano Lesson. Dissimilar most of the analysis found here—which simply lists the unique private story appreciations—this in-depth report details the actual encoding for each structural item. This likewise means information technology has been incorporated into the Dramatica Story Expert awarding itself as an easily referenced contextual example.

Story Dynamics

8 of the 12 essential questions

Change: Main Character Resolve
Berniece refuses to play the pianoforte because she's afraid to wake the spirits of her ancestors. However, when Boy Willie is attacked past Sutter's evil ghost, she uses the piano to release those spirits to save her brother.
Terminate: Main Character Growth
Berniece has to cease blaming her brother for her married man'south death. She must too quit using the piano as an excuse for her fear and bitterness, and accept steps to bury the past and get on with her life.
Do-er: Main Character Approach
Berniece'south approach to solving problems is to accept action: After her married man died, she moved to Pittsburgh with her daughter, and got a chore to support them both. When Avery proposed, she refused him, acting upon her feelings. When Boy Willie barges into her house unexpectedly, she tells him to leave. Later he ignores her orders and tries to remove the piano from the house, she threatens to shoot him. When Sutter's ghost attacks her brother, Berniece summons her ancestors' spirits to exorcise it.
Female person: Main Character Mental Sex
Berniece uses female problem solving techniques. She tries to uncover Boy Willie's motive backside his unexpected visit. She sets weather condition upon having Male child Willie and Lymon in her firm. She considers her family's history surrounding the piano and concludes that it cost also much in suffering to surrender.
Decision: Story Commuter
The story is moved along by decisions: Boy Willie decides to buy Sutter's farmland and sell the piano to finance his own farm. He decides to pressure Berniece to sell the piano which causes her to fight him with accusations and finally threaten his life. Doaker decides to educate Boy Willie about the importance of the piano to the family, inciting Wining Boy to support Berniece which farther divides the family. Avery's decision to exorcise Sutter'south ghost causes a struggle confronting proficient and evil which forces Berniece to act to salve her brother.
Optionlock: Story Limit
Berniece exhausts all of her arguments against Boy Willie selling the piano. When he ignores her and starts to motion the piano out of the firm, Berniece is forced to threaten him with a gun. Male child Willie tries to sway Berniece to sell the pianoforte past telling her his dream to own state, reasons that if she doesn't play the piano he should sell it, and recalls their father's anguish at being a sharecropper. When his heartfelt pleas fail to motion her, he arranges to sell the piano anyway, fifty-fifty under threat of being shot. When Sutter's ghost attacks him and Berniece saves him by playing the piano, Boy Willie has no choice but to permit the piano stay in the family unit home where it belongs.
Failure: Story Outcome
Boy Willie's efforts to eradicate his family unit's slave history by buying the country of their former possessor ends in failure when he leaves the piano with Berniece. He returns to Mississippi without enough money to buy Sutter'due south land which would have enabled him to quit being a sharecropper and ain a farm of his ain.
Practiced: Story Judgment
Berniece resolves her personal bug: She overcomes her fearfulness of releasing the spirits of her ancestors when she plays the pianoforte to trounce the ghost. She comes to terms with the past. She reconciles with her brother and is able to embark upon a more fulfilling future.

Overall Story Throughline

""A Haunted Past""

Universe: Overall Story Throughline
The objective characters exist in an surround that's tainted by the piano which represents their tragic past, and serves as a reminder of the lowly station they agree every bit black people in America. They find themselves in a state of affairs where they must detect self-actualization inside the narrow opportunities allowed them in a racist club. Avery accepts a "good" job as an lift operator in a downtown skyscraper to have a chance of founding his own church. Doaker is content with his career equally a railroad melt. Lymon hopes to meliorate his situation by finding a task unloading boxcars in Pittsburgh, every bit opposed to being fined for "not working" down domicile in Mississippi. Berniece works as a domestic, 1 of the few occupations open to black women. She accepts that this is the all-time that she tin can do, but is grooming her daughter to become a teacher.
Past: Overall Story Business organization
Virtually of the characters are concerned with the by: Berniece is obsessed with the pianoforte'south tragic history and her married man's death. Avery wants Berniece to let become of the past by marrying him and playing the piano at church building services. Lymon worries that if he returns to Mississippi, he'll terminate up in the work farm just like in the past. Wining Boy is unhappy with his by life as a piano player because people just wanted to know him for his music. Boy Willie wants to intermission out of the tradition of sharecropping like his father.
Interdiction: Overall Story Issue
The objective characters try to change their destinies of being downtrodden black people in America. Male child Willie fights to sell the pianoforte so he can become a landowner and quit being merely another poor black sharecropper; Avery works every bit an lift operator to finance his dream of preaching in his own church; Lymon follows Boy Willie up North to escape the unfair laws that threaten to send him back to a Mississippi work farm; Berniece sends her daughter to a settlement schoolhouse so that she tin can break the chain of serving equally a maid like her female parent and ancestors past condign a teacher.
Prediction: Overall Story Counterpoint
Once Avery has his dream calling him to exist a servant of the Lord, he does everything to make his vision come true. He asks Berniece to sell the piano to finance his church; asks her to marry him so that he'll expect respectable to his congregation; applies for a bank loan to buy property for his church; urges Berniece to play the piano in the church choir. Lymon foresees his future upward Due north with a steady task, a comfortable dwelling house, and a married woman suited to him. Doaker, who has worked for the railroad for 20-seven years, envisions working for it until he retires.; Overall Story Thematic Conflict
Interdiction vs.Prediction
The conflict between interdiction and prediction can exist seen when Boy Willie insists that there is no difference between him and the white human. Wining Boy foresees that even if Male child Willie owns state in Mississippi, he'll never have the power to sway the constabulary to his side of an issue confronting a white human being. When Boy Willie is adamant to ignore the white human'south capricious laws, Lymon forecasts that he'south going to end up dorsum on a Mississippi work farm.
Want: Overall Story Problem
The objective characters cause problems when they deed on their desire to change their situations. Avery'south efforts to have a church of his ain leads him to urge Berniece to play her piano during services and marry him. His persistence causes her great anxiety, while her refusals frustrate him. Lymon'southward motivated to movement upwards North, find himself a job, and a wife. This causes Berniece to close herself off even more than after he briefly sets his sights on her. Boy Willie'southward desire to alter from a lowly sharecropper to a landowner stirs upwardly bad memories of the past, and causes Doaker to human action as referee between him and Berniece. Boy Willie's attempt to sell the piano to finance this change incites Sutter's ghost to scare Berniece and attack him.
Ability: Overall Story Solution
Male child Willie does not have the ability to sway his sister'south stand on the piano, however, Doaker's talent as an oral historian allows him to explicate why Berniece won't part with the pianoforte despite Boy Willie's need to sell it. Lymon'due south capacity for honesty and gentleness assures that he'll find a loving married woman and a job on which to build a comfy life for himself. Avery'southward power to adjust to city life and play past the rules allows him to get a loan for his church building.
Inequity: Overall Story Symptom
The objective characters focus on their limited opportunities as black people in America. Lymon wants to terminate the cycle of existence put in a forced labor farm, and leaves Mississippi for good. Berniece believes that as blackness people they are all living at the bottom of life. Doaker has resigned himself to being slotted in the subservient role every bit railroad melt, traveling wherever he's told, whenever he'due south told. Wining Boy, vivacious and talented, tried to obtain success as a recording artist, having failed that he's reduced to being just some other blackness blues thespian without an identity of his own.
Disinterestedness: Overall Story Response
The objective characters directly their efforts toward achieving fairness in their lives. Lymon, afraid of being put back in a work farm for no adept reason, comes upwardly North hoping to get a fresh start in life. Avery endures his chore as an elevator operator, one of the best jobs a black homo tin get, while he tries to establish himself as the head of a church. Wining Boy, tired of just being valued for his ability to provide entertainment with a piano, decides to settle dorsum downwards s where he can be loved for himself. Doaker, while understanding Male child Willie's reasons for selling the piano, stops him from removing it from the house behind Berniece'due south back.
Prediction: Overall Story Goad
The characters' apply of prediction accelerates the story: Boy Willie'due south relentless pursuit of his greater destiny drives Berniece to accuse him of killing her husband and threaten him with a gun. It also causes Sutter's ghost to appear to Berniece which increases Berniece's animosity toward her brother. Avery's determination to fulfill the prophecy of becoming a preacher drives him to attempt to bewitch Sutter's ghost, which leads to it attacking Boy Willie.
Suspicion: Overall Story Inhibitor
The objective characters' suspicions boring down the story. Berniece's suspicions concerning Lymon's truck being stolen distracts her from learning the true purpose of her brother's surprise visit. Avery's wariness of Berniece'due south reasons for rejecting his proposals prevents him from realizing that she's agape, and causes him to antagonize her by his constant nagging.
Progress: Overall Story Benchmark
As the story advances the characters judge their progress past the way things are going. Avery confesses that he's getting tired of Berniece's excuses for non marrying him. Lymon is bolstered past the money he's made selling the watermelons, buys himself a suit to go courting in, but becomes disheartened when the woman he meets just wants him to buy her drinks. Doaker sees the animosity betwixt Berniece and Boy Willie escalate until he has to warn Berniece when she threatens violence against her brother.
DOAKER: Come on, Berniece, get out him alone with that. (Wilson, p. 99)

Main Grapheme Throughline

Berniece — Male child Willie'south sister

Physics: Main Grapheme Throughline
Berniece dedicates herself to the endeavour of convincing Male child Willie that he'due south not going to sell the pianoforte. She's busy raising her kid without a father; dodging Avery's efforts to get her to marry him; running away from Lymon'due south subtle seduction.
Understanding: Chief Graphic symbol Concern
Berniece struggles to understand why men rush toward violence when it causes so much grief. She remembers her widowed mother's loneliness:
BERNIECE: Seventeen years' worth of cold nights and an empty bed. For what? For a piano? For a piece of forest? To get even with somebody? I look at you and yous're all the aforementioned. You, Papa Male child Charles, Wining Boy, Doaker, Crawley. . . y'all're all alike. All this thieving and killing. . . And what it e'er lead to? More than thieving and killing. (Wilson, p. 52)
At the end of "The Piano Lesson," however, when Male child Willie is struggling for his life confronting Sutter'due south ghost, Berniece finally understands that the only way to salvage him is to call upon her heritage, thereby empowering herself with its strength. (Pereira, p. 144)
Instinct: Chief Character Issue
Berniece's instinct to protect herself from being hurt by the reckless action of men sets her at odds with Boy Willie, Doaker, and Avery when she refuses to remarry. Her maternal instinct compels her to spare her girl from the burden of the piano, and to prepare her to be a teacher so that she can be independent and take a better life.
Workout: Main Character Counterpoint
Berniece was trained to play the piano, and conditioned to worship the pianoforte by her mother. Contrary to her mother'southward intentions, she conditioned Berniece to resent and fear the piano.
BERNIECE: When my daddy died seem similar all her life went into that pianoforte. She used to accept me playing on it. . . Had Miss Eula come in and teach me. . . Say when I played it she could hear my daddy talking to her. I used to recollect them pictures came live and walked through the house. [. . .] I said that wasn't gonna happen to me. I don't play that pianoforte crusade I don't want to wake them spirits. They never exist walking around in this firm. (Wilson, p. 70); Chief Character Thematic Conflict
Instinct vs.Workout
Although conditioned to resent and fear the piano, Berniece acts out of pure instinct when it comes to saving her brother from Sutter's evil ghost. She runs directly to the pianoforte and uses it to summon upwards the spirits of her mother, father, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She tin't deny the urge to call upon her family to salvage her brother, something she'southward compelled to do despite their differences.
Want: Main Graphic symbol Trouble
Berniece is driven to protect herself and Maretha from the upshot of a man's reckless acts. She won't ally Avery because she doesn't desire her destiny to be defined by a man again, and exist hurt like she was when Crawley was killed. Her refusal puts her at odds with Doaker, Lymon, and Avery because they think a young woman should be married.
BERNIECE: Avery, I ain't ready to become married now.
AVERY: You too young a adult female to close up, Berniece.
BERNIECE: I ain't said nothing most closing up. I got a lot of woman left in me.
AVERY: Where'due south it at? When's the last fourth dimension yous looked at it?
BERNIECE: That's a nasty matter to say. And yous call yourself a preacher. (Wilson, p. 66)
Ability: Chief Character Solution
Although she'south unaware of it, Berniece has the capacity to free herself from her self-imposed exile from life, and conquer the evil spirit plaguing her family. She has a strong sense of survival and justice that is bolstered by her Christian behavior. This is demonstrated when she's faced with losing her blood brother to Sutter's evil spirit. When everyone else is in a panic, Berniece goes to the piano, plays a hymn, and successfully calls up her antecedent'due south spirits to defeat the ghost.
Thought: Main Character Symptom
Berniece focuses on thought: She's constantly thinking about the suffering the pianoforte caused her mother; how she isn't going to cease up like her mother, putting all of her love into the piano in place of a human being; how Maretha isn't going to exist burdened by the piano's tragic history; why she isn't getting married again.
Knowledge: Main Graphic symbol Response
Berniece efforts are directed past what she believes to exist true. She resists Avery's proposal and Lymon'southward advances because she'southward certain she'll lose herself within wedlock. She tells Avery:
BERNIECE: You trying to tell me a woman can't be goose egg without a man. But you alright, huh? You lot can but walk out of here without me—without a woman—and notwithstanding be a human being. [. . .] Everybody telling me I tin't be a woman unless I got a man.
AVERY: Information technology wasn't me, Berniece. You can't blame me for nobody else. . .
BERNIECE: I own't blaming nobody for nada. I'k just stating the facts. (Wilson, p. 67)
Senses: Master Character Unique Ability
Berniece uses her senses to guide her through a difficult period. Berniece is immediately aware that problem is ahead when Boy Willie arrives unexpectedly; acutely perceives the meaning of the ghost's appearance; is aware of the power of Lymon'south innocent seduction and runs away after their kiss. Her senses show her how to use the power within the piano to destroy the ghost. She'southward fatigued to the carvings etched into the piano, and intuitively uses its music to summon her antecedent's spirits. Her senses tell her that the ghost is destroyed and the veil of oppression has been lifted from her family unit.
Circumstances: Main Character Critical Flaw
Berniece'due south constant home upon her circumstances undermines her desire to ameliorate her life. Her prolonged and bitter grieving for her hubby blinds her to the fact that Doaker, and virtually especially, Avery, honey her and want her to be happy. However, she'due south so emotionally dependent upon beingness the wronged widow, she can't recognize her second chance at happiness when he's standing right in front of her.
Doing: Main Graphic symbol Benchmark
As the story progresses, Berniece moves from i activity to some other: She gets herself and Maretha ready for their twenty-four hour period; sets rules for Boy Willie and Lymon's stay; accompanies Avery to the bank to apply for a loan; prepares dinner for her uncle; cleans a businessman's house for a living; fights her brother over the piano; rejects some other marriage proposal from Avery; chases Boy Willie and his girlfriend out of the house; kisses Lymon and then rejects him; gets her husband's gun to threaten her blood brother; conjures upwards friendly spirits to salvage her brother from the ghost.

Influence Character Throughline

Boy Willie Charles — Berniece's brother, sharecropper

Psychology: Influence Character Throughline
Boy Willie thinks he can dispense everything and everyone to suit himself. When his uncle tells him that Berniece won't sell the piano, Boy Willie isn't worried.
Boy WILLIE: I'm gonna talk to her. When she see I got a risk to become Sutter's land she'll come around. (Wilson, p. 9)
Although Maretha is taking lessons on the piano, he suggests that she have upward the guitar maxim, "You don't need to read no newspaper to play the guitar." Later, he tells a customer that his watermelons are sweet because he puts sugar in the basis with the seeds, then he increases the price of the melons. He tries to convince a woman he picked up in a bar that it'due south all right to brand love on the living room sofa, knowing that Berniece won't like it.
Conceptualizing: Influence Character Concern
Boy Willie envisions selling his watermelons, adding the money from the sale of the piano with his savings, and buying one hundred acres of Sutter land.
BOY WILLIE: [. . .] Walk in there. Lay my money down on the tabular array. Get my deed and walk on out. This time I get to keep all the cotton. Hire me some men to work it for me. Gin my cotton fiber. Get my seed. And I'll come across you again next twelvemonth. (Wilson, 10-11)
Country of Beingness: Influence Character Issue
Male child Willie reveals his true nature equally a sharecropper when he explains the hopelessness he imagines his father felt in the same position.
Male child WILLIE: I ain't got no advantages of offer nobody. Many is the time I looked at my daddy and seen him staring off at his easily. I got a little older I know what he was thinking. . . "I got these big quondam easily merely what I'm gonna exercise with them? All-time I can exercise is make a fifty-acre crop for Mr. Stovall. [. . .] All I got is these hands. Unless I get out here and kill me somebody and take what they got. . . it'southward a long row to hoe for me to get something of my own." (Wilson, p. 91)
Sense of Self: Influence Character Counterpoint
Every bit a thematic counterpoint to his true self, Male child Willie considers himself just as worthy every bit whatsoever white human being to brand a divergence in the globe.
BOY WILLIE: Hell, the world a amend place cause of me. [. . .] I got a heart that beats here and information technology beats but as loud as the next fellow's. Don't care if he black or white. [. . .] I got to mark my passing on the road. Just like you write on a tree, "Boy Willie was hither." (Wilson, p. 94); Influence Character Thematic Conflict
State of Existence vs.Sense of Self
Boy Willie's sense of self triumphs even though he fails to sell the piano to raise money to buy farmland. He leaves Pittsburgh as confident equally always that he's worthy of a higher station in life and will eventually attain his goal of owning a farm of his own.
Self-Aware: Influence Character Problem
Boy Willie's focus on arranging things to achieve his personal goal causes Berniece bug.
Boy WILLIE: [. . .] my heart say for me to sell that pianoforte and get me some land so I can brand a life for myself to alive in my ain way. Other than that I ain't thinking about nothing Berniece got to say. (Wilson, p. 94)
Male child Willie'south self-witting attitude eventually forces Berniece to apply a gun to convince him to have her refusal to sell the pianoforte seriously.
Aware: Influence Character Solution
If Boy Willie would become aware of how securely the pianoforte has affected his sister, he could have saved her from a stressful showdown betwixt the 2 of them. Later his fight with Sutter's ghost from which he's saved by Berniece and the piano, Boy Willie becomes enlightened of the significance of piano, and realizes that it belongs with Berniece.
Inequity: Influence Character Symptom
Boy Willie's focus on selling the piano to right the disparity between him and the white homo, despite Berniece'due south objections, creates a major crisis for her. Male child Willie believes Berniece's reasons to keep the pianoforte are insignificant compared to his demand to overcome the disadvantages forced upon him.
BOY WILLIE: He [Boy Willie's father] spent his whole life farming on somebody else'southward land. I ain't gonna do that. If Berniece can't come across that, then I'm gonna go ahead and sell my half. (Wilson, p. 46)
Equity: Influence Graphic symbol Response
Boy Willie directs his efforts toward what he feels volition create fairness in his life.
However, selling the piano to enable him to stand abreast any white man as a landowner would leave Berniece without her precious relic of the past. The possibility of losing the pianoforte drives her to threaten to shoot her blood brother.
Situation: Influence Character Unique Ability
Boy Willie'south honest assessment of his situation as a blackness homo in Mississippi makes him completely sympathetic to everyone except Berniece. He is right about how owning land will modify his life in a racist society. This makes information technology harder for Berniece to support her wholly emotional argument confronting selling the piano, while he is being applied.
Interpretation: Influence Character Critical Flaw
Male child Willie'south faulty interpretation of why Berniece's not using the piano causes more problems between them, and leads to him being attacked past Sutter's ghost. He fails to translate the true value of the pianoforte.
BOY WILLIE: Now, I'm gonna tell you the style I run across it. The only affair that make that piano worth something is them carvings Papa Willie Boy put on there. . . Papa Boy Charles brought that piano into the house. Now, I'yard supposed to build on what they left me. You can't do nothing with that piano sitting upwards here in the business firm. (Wilson, p. 51)
Existence: Influence Character Criterion
As the story progresses Boy Willie assumes unlike roles to get desire he wants: He plays the kindly uncle to Maretha, telling her that the guitar is easier to learn than the pianoforte, because he wants to sell the piano. He pretends to be a simple black farmer when he teases his white customer near planting sugar with the watermelon seeds. He bullies Lymon into helping him movement the piano over Doaker'southward objections. He assumes the role of a preacher when he flings water around the house in a mock exorcism.

Relationship Story Throughline

""Sibling Rivalry""

Listen: Relationship Story Throughline
An area of disharmonize betwixt Boy Willie and Berniece is their corresponding positions on whether or not to sell the pianoforte. She believes it's a shrine to their family's suffering. Boy Willie believes it's an instrument to exist used ane way or the other.
Male child WILLIE: [. . .] if you lot say to me . . . I give out lessons on it and that assist me make my rent or whatever. . . I'd accept to go on and say, well, Berniece using that piano. She building on it. . . But Doaker say you ain't touched that piano the whole time it's been upward here. [. . . ] You lot but looking at the sentimental value. [. . .] But I own't gonna be no fool well-nigh no sentimental value. (Wilson, p. 51)
He believes that it'southward valuable only to trade for land:
BOY WILLIE: Every bit forth as I got the land and the seed so I'm alright. . . Cause that land give back to you. Just that piano don't put out nothing else. . . that'due south why I'm gonna take that piano out of here and sell information technology.
BERNIECE: You lot own't taking that piano out of my house. (Wilson, p. 51-52)
Memory: Human relationship Story Business organization
Berniece and Boy Willie come into conflict over Berniece's memory of his involvement in her husband'south death three years ago. Male child Willie recalls that Crawley got himself killed when he pulled a gun on the sheriff who interrupted their wood-gathering.
Boy WILLIE: If Crawley own't had the gun he'd exist live today.
BERNIECE: All I know is Crawley would be live if you hadn't come upwardly at that place and got him. [. . .] Crawley'due south dead and in the ground and you nonetheless walking around here eating. That's all I know. He went off to load some wood with y'all and ain't never come back. (Wilson, p. 54)
Suspicion: Human relationship Story Effect
A thematic upshot that affects Berniece and Boy Willie is "suspicion." "She greets her blood brother's arrival with suspicion, accuses him and his friend, Lymon, of stealing the truck in which they collection due north, and ungraciously tells them to be on their way rapidly. When Sutter's ghost appears to her and calls for Boy Willie, she immediately assumes that he has murdered Sutter." (Pereira, p. 87)
When Boy Willie asks for the name of the man who wanted to purchase her piano, Berniece doubts are confirmed.
BERNIECE: I knew it. I knew information technology when I showtime seen you. I knew you was upwards to something. (Wilson, p. 27)
Because of Berniece's tendency to be suspicious of Boy Willie, it's impossible for him to convince her to sell the pianoforte on his behalf.
Evidence: Human relationship Story Counterpoint
Boy Willie searches the business firm for signs of Sutter'southward ghost when Berniece offset sees it, just fails to find any evidence of a haunting. He believes she's making up the ghost sighting to get rid of him. Berniece as well fails to provide prove that the piano is imbued with the anguished spirits of their ancestors, or that it'south anything more than than a carved instrument. Her eye witness account of the grief and loneliness the piano acquired their mother leaves Boy Willie unmoved.; Human relationship Story Thematic Conflict
Suspicion vs.Evidence
Evidence is given more weight thematically in the subjective story. When the ghost finally menaces him, Boy Willie challenges information technology without fear or guilt which proves his innocence in Sutter's murder. Berniece plays the piano and unleashes the spirits of their ancestors to gainsay the evil ghost. The physical assault and its aftermath provides Boy Willie with the evidence needed to convince him that the piano belongs with the family. He and Berniece make peace with each other.
Desire: Relationship Story Problem
Boy Willie's drive to change his station in life causes problems between him and Berniece. Boy Willie thinks that selling the piano and buying farmland will ease his life every bit a black man in Mississippi. He refuses to "live at the lesser of life" where Berniece believes they all are.
Male child WILLIE: If you got a piece of state y'all'll find everything else fall right into place. You can stand right up next to the white man and talk about the toll of cotton fiber. . . the weather, and anything else you lot want to talk. If you teach that daughter [Maretha] that she living at the bottom of life, she'southward gonna abound upward and detest you.
BERNIECE: I'm gonna teach her the truth. (Wilson, p. 92)
Power: Human relationship Story Solution
Berniece's ability to play the piano and her capacity to summon her ancestor's spirits when Male child Willie is attacked by the ghost solves the problems between them. By playing the piano and calling up the spirits, she demonstrates its power and significance inside the family unit. Having achieved this, Boy Willie decides to get out the pianoforte with Berniece equally he's now convinced that information technology belongs with her.
Self-Aware: Relationship Story Symptom
Male child Willie's relentless campaign to advance himself in the world regardless of what it costs his sister, creates a major dilemma for Berniece.
Boy WILLIE: My heart say for me to sell that pianoforte and go me some land so I can make a life for myself to live in my own way. Other than that I ain't thinking about aught Berniece got to say. (Wilson, p. 94)
Aware: Relationship Story Response
Berniece, aware of what the pianoforte cost their family unit in lost lives and the grief that follows, tries to make Boy Willie see beyond its monetary value.
BERNIECE: Money can't purchase what that pianoforte cost. (Wilson, p. 50)
She reminds him that their father traded his life for the piano and how their widowed mother suffered:
[. . .] Look at this pianoforte. Expect at information technology. Mama Ola polished this piano with her tears for seventeen years. [. . .] Seventeen years' worth of cold nights and an empty bed. For what? A piano? (Wilson, p. 52)
Evidence: Relationship Story Catalyst
The lack testify accelerates the disharmonize betwixt Male child Willie and Berniece. When he fails to find evidence of Sutter'south ghost, Boy Willie suspects Berniece is lying about the sighting to get him to leave, and decides not to get out without selling the piano. Berniece'due south failure to nowadays concrete proof of the piano's value equally a family heirloom, leads Boy Willie to forge ahead with his plan against her wishes. Berniece refuses to accept Boy Willie's evidence of what happened the night her husband was killed, and physically attacks him.
Interdiction: Relationship Story Inhibitor
Interdiction slows the subjective story: Boy Willie's bullheaded determination to sell the piano for money to buy land that will alter his future, prevents him from understanding that the piano is the embodiment of his family's heritage and pride. His stubbornness incites Berniece to threaten to shoot him, and postpones their reconciliation until it's virtually besides late.
Preconscious: Relationship Story Benchmark
As the story progresses Berniece and Male child Willie respond to each other without thinking: Berniece'due south immediate reaction to Boy Willie's pre-dawn appearance is to club him to exit; charge him of stealing the truck he arrived in; suspect him of killing John Sutter; arraign him for her husband'south death. Later, frightened past Boy Willie'south persistence, she threatens him with a gun. Male child Willie rushes upwardly to Pittsburgh to sell the piano disregarding Berniece's attachment to it; dismisses her claim that she saw Sutter's ghost; criticizes her reasons for keeping the piano as sentimental; challenges her to go ahead and shoot him when she threatens him.

Boosted Story Points

Primal Structural Appreciations

By: Overall Story Goal
The objective characters are concerned with the past the piano represents. Berniece wants to remember and preserve her family unit'south past past keeping the piano; Boy Willie wants rectify the past by selling the piano and buying land that once bound his ancestors in slavery; Doaker wants Boy Willie to empathize the family's past through the history of the pianoforte.
Memory: Overall Story Consequence
Failure to achieve the goal to sell off the pianoforte causes the painful memories surrounding it to resurface. Doaker, in explaining why Berniece won't sell the piano, recollects how his father was traded for it, and how his brother was burned alive afterward stealing it. This retentiveness plagues Doaker with regret and guilt because he helped his brother take the piano from the Sutters, and then didn't save him from being hunted down and murdered.
Conceptualizing: Overall Story Cost
The cost incurred past the objective characters is the negative free energy expended when called upon to anticipate a way to achieve their goals: Doaker imagines that by telling every tragic event surrounding the pianoforte in detail, Boy Willie will understand Berniece's mental attitude toward the piano. Boy Willie envisions making a moving dolly, having Lymon assistance him load the piano onto information technology, and sneaking the piano out of the business firm when Berniece isn't dwelling house. Berniece imagines scaring Boy Willie off by going upstairs and getting her hubby's gun, then putting information technology in her dress pocket to accept information technology handy for threatening.
Agreement: Overall Story Dividend
On the way to achieve his goal, Male child Willie comes to understand that he doesn't accept to own state to have dignity, pride, and proof of achievement, the piano represents that for every fellow member of the Charles family.
Progress: Overall Story Requirements
Before Boy Willie can make an informed decision to sell the piano he must first know what information technology is he'll be selling. Although he goes through the process of listening to Doaker's stories about the pianoforte and his family, and hearing Berniece's stories about their widowed mother's obsession with the pianoforte, he fails to actually understand its significance.
Preconscious: Overall Story Prerequisites
The objective characters must stop acting on impulse if they're going to get what they want in life: Male child Willie must control the impulse to try to forcefulness his will upon others; Berniece needs to restrain the impulse to arraign everyone for her current country of misery before she can remarry and get on with her life; Lymon has to quit chasing the first woman he meets, and recollect before he acts, or he'll end up trapped with the incorrect married woman.
Being: Overall Story Preconditions
If the goal of selling the piano is to exist reached: Boy Willie must adopt some restraint and patience if he hopes to sway Berniece to listen to him; merely this once Doaker must act with some passion and fire, and quit being so neutral if he's going to rally Male child Willie's crusade and convince his niece to sell the piano; Avery has to quit being an overzealous preacher and just act similar the lonely, caring man he is if he'south going to persuade Berniece to release the piano and get on with her life.
Doing: Overall Story Forewarnings
If Male child Willie doesn't become enlightened that the piano is the apotheosis of the Charles' family pride and heritage, and value it for what it is, he'll end up figuratively doing what the slave owner Sutter did—sell off family members and forever separate them from their loved ones.

Plot Progression

Dynamic Human activity Appreciations

Overall Story

Present: Overall Story Signpost 1
Doaker manages the Charles' household while Berniece works as a maid and raises her daughter without a husband; Lymon is on the run from authorities in Mississippi as he helps Boy Willie sell watermelons in Pittsburgh; Avery tries to become a depository financial institution loan to kickoff a church and convince Berniece to marry him; Maretha practices lessons on the piano and attends two schools so that she tin can exist a teacher one day.; Overall Story Journey 1 from Present to Past
The characters struggle with their 24-hour interval to twenty-four hour period lives. Avery takes a half-day off work to apply for a bank loan. Doaker is resigned to his narrow life as a railroad cook during his trips and as a bachelor at home. Wining Male child confesses that his life as a roaming piano thespian was unfulfilling.
WINING BOY: Y'all expect up one day and yous detest the whiskey, and you hate the women, and you detest the piano. (Wilson, p. 41)
Past: Overall Story Signpost 2
Doaker urges Boy Willie to understand the current situation within his household concerning Berniece'south struggle to raise Maretha, and Avery's pursuit of Berniece. He patiently explains the Charles' family's tragic past surrounding the piano.; Overall Story Journey 2 from Past to Progress
Doaker relates the pitiful tale of how, during slavery, his grandmother and his daddy were traded for the piano, and how his brother was burned alive for stealing information technology from the Sutters. Lymon uses his coin from the watermelons to buy a "magic" suit from Wining Boy, and sets out to find himself a woman with whom he can settle down. He'south disappointed when the woman he meets just wants him to buy her drinks.
Progress: Overall Story Signpost 3
Avery gets a loan to purchase property for his church building; asks Berniece to ally him once more and is rejected again; promises Berniece he'll bless the business firm to rid it of Sutter'south ghost every bit a sit-in of his religion. Lymon fails to find a "adept" woman for himself and returns to Berniece's house alone.; Overall Story Journey iii from Progress to Future
Avery sees that Berniece is only globe-trotting from twenty-four hours to day, and life is passing her by. He's tired of waiting for her to realize what a good life she could accept every bit his wife, if she would just let get of the by and entrust her futurity to him and the Lord.
Futurity: Overall Story Signpost 4
Boy Willie suggests that if Berniece and Maretha don't play the piano both him and Sutter'south ghost may be back. Wining Male child prepares to take the train down southward to notice a place for himself without using his piano playing to earn a living. Berniece, freed from the past, can look forward to a fulfilling future as Avery's wife and partner in his church.

Principal Character

Understanding: Main Character Signpost one
Berniece tries to understand why Boy Willie and Lymon are visiting her in Pittsburgh, if Lymon's truck is actually stolen, exactly how John Sutter came to fall down his well, and why his ghost calls out her brother'southward name.; Primary Character Journeying 1 from Agreement to Doing
Berniece is sarcastic when she finally understands the pregnant of Male child Willie'due south visit.
BERNIECE: I knew y'all were up to something. (Wilson, p. 27)
She immediately orders him to forget the idea of selling the piano. Later, she threatens him:
BERNIECE: Boy Willie. . . you gonna play around with me one also many times. And then God'due south gonna bless you and West is gonna apparel y'all. (Wilson, p.50)
Doing: Main Graphic symbol Signpost two
Berniece snubs her brother when she offers to gear up only her uncle dinner; emotionally rejects Avery's spousal relationship proposal; refuses his challenge to play the piano and overcome her fears; chases Boy Willie and his girlfriend out of the house; rejects Lymon's advances.; Main Character Journey 2 from Doing to Obtaining
Berniece prepares herself a bathroom so she can relax subsequently a hard 24-hour interval'southward piece of work. She fights for the right to maintain her identity outside of marriage when Avery pressures her to marry him.
BERNIECE: You trying to tell me a woman tin can't be nothing without a man?
Obtaining: Chief Character Signpost 3
Berniece tells Doaker how she plans to stop her brother from removing the piano from the business firm:
BERNIECE: I own't playing with Boy Willie. I got Crawley's gun upstairs. He don't know but I'm through with it. [. . .] I ain't studying Boy Willie or Lymon—or the rope. Boy Willie own't taking that piano out this house. That's all there is to it. (Wilson, p. 86-87); Main Character Journey 3 from Obtaining to Learning
Berniece fears that she's lost control over the piano, Boy Willie, and her entire household. But when Sutter's ghost attacks her brother, Berniece seizes control of the situation and summons up her ancestors' spirits from the piano. She learns not to fright her past, but to embrace it, and use information technology to motility on in life.
Learning: Main Grapheme Signpost 4
Berniece learns near the power of the piano when she uses information technology to salvage Male child Willie from the ghost. She experiences the release of the spirits of her ancestors, and learns not to fear the power of the piano. She learns to have her past and look forrard to the future.

Influence Character

Conceiving: Influence Character Signpost 1
Boy Willie comes up with the idea to sell the piano to raise the cash needed to buy one hundred acres of Mississippi farmland.; influence Character Journey i from Conceiving to Being
Desperate for a farm of his own, Male child Willie comes up with a fashion to get the greenbacks to buy Sutter's land. He explains his idea and his reason for coming to Pittsburgh.
BOY WILLIE: That'southward why I come up here. Sell them watermelons. Get Berniece to sell that piano. Put them two parts with the office I done saved. (Wilson, p. 10)
Boy Willie assumes the part of kindly uncle to Maretha, advising her to take up the guitar in place of the piano.
Being: Influence Graphic symbol Signpost two
Boy Willie assumes many roles to achieve his goals. To sell his watermelons, Boy Willie plays the role of the uncomplicated farmer to his white customers, but when he'due south with his family he makes fun of them.
Boy WILLIE: I lady asked me say, "Is they sweet?" I told her, "Oh, aye, we put the carbohydrate correct in the basis with the seed." She say, "Well, give me some other one." Them white folks is something else. . . ain't they, Lymon? (Wilson, p. 59); Influence Character Journey two from Existence to Becoming
Boy Willie plays at existence a Don Juan when he attempts to seduce a woman on Berniece'south living room sofa. Later he becomes confrontational with Doaker when he tries to stop Male child Willie from moving the piano out of the house.
Condign: Influence Character Signpost 3
Male child Willie dreams of transforming himself from a sharecropper to a landed farmer respected by white men as well every bit black men by seizing control of his economic future.
BOY WILLIE: If you got a piece of land you'll find everything else will fit right into identify. You tin can stand right up next to the white human being and talk about the cost of cotton wool. . . and anything else. . . (Wilson, p. 92); Influence Character Journey three from Becoming to Conceptualizing
Boy Willie becomes combative with Doaker when his uncle stops him from moving the piano out of the house. He envisions building a dolly to move the pianoforte out, sell it, and somewhen become a respected farmer:
Male child WILLIE: I'1000 gonna get me some rope. . . Find me a plank and some wheels. . . And I'm coming back. Then I'one thousand gonna carry that piano out of here. . . sell it and give Berniece half the money. . . And you or nobody else is gonna stop me. (Wilson, p. 85)
Conceptualizing: Influence Grapheme Signpost iv
After Berniece defeats the ghost, Boy Willie imagines that both he and the ghost might return if Berniece doesn't go on playing it and keep connected to their ancestors.

Relationship Story

Memory: Relationship Story Signpost ane
Male child Willie remembers his sister's reserved attitude afterwards she refuses to wake up Maretha and then he can say hello his niece.
Male child WILLIE: I see Berniece notwithstanding try to be stuck upward. (Wilson, p. 8); Human relationship Story Journey one from Memory to Preconscious Berniece refuses to allow Boy Willie sell the piano because of her memories of the hurting suffered past their widowed female parent. BERNIECE: For seventeen years she rubbed on it [the pianoforte] till her hands bled. Then she rubbed the blood in. . . mixed information technology up with the rest of the blood on it. Every mean solar day that God breathed life into her body she rubbed and cleaned and polished and prayed over information technology. (Wilson, p. 52) Berniece's immediate impulse is to lash out at her blood brother who's reckless and stubborn just like her father and her husband who died violently leaving their women and children behind.
Preconscious: Relationship Story Signpost 2
Seeing Male child Willie for the first time since her husband's death, Berniece expresses profound grief and resentment and accuses him of killing her husband. She beats him equally she demands to know why her married man isn't with her.
"BERNIECE continues to hit BOY WILLIE, who doesn't motion to defend himself, other than support and turning his head so that nigh of the blows fall on his chest and arms." (Wilson, p. 54); Relationship Story Journey 2 from Preconscious to Subconscious
Boy Willie'southward instinctive response to Berniece's outburst is to have the abuse passively with compassion every bit he tries to calm her downwardly. But Berniece'south need for love and companionship from her husband drives her to continue her attack in spite of Doaker's efforts to pull her off her brother.
Hidden: Relationship Story Signpost iii
When Berniece suggests they're living at the bottom of life, Boy Willie tells her of his demand for respect and equality.; Relationship Story Journey three from Subconscious to Conscious
Driven by her honey for her brother, Berniece uses the piano to salve him from the ghost. Grateful for beingness saved, Boy Willie cheerfully taunts Berniece about the future:
BOY WILLIE: Hey Berniece. . . if you and Maretha don't go along playing on that piano. . . ain't no telling. . . me and Sutter both liable to exist back. (Wilson, p. 108)
Conscious: Human relationship Story Signpost 4
After Berniece saves him from the ghost using the pianoforte, Boy Willie considers the possibility that it belongs with his sis, and leaves for Mississippi without it.

Plot Progression Visualizations

Dynamic Human action Schematics

Os: MC: IC: RS:

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Source: https://dramatica.com/analysis/the-piano-lesson

Mama Dont Make Me Put on the Dress Again Piano

The Piano Lesson

Story Dynamics

Overall Story Throughline

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Main Grapheme Throughline

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Influence Character Throughline

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Relationship Story Throughline

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Boosted Story Points

Plot Progression

Overall Story

Principal Character

Influence Character

Relationship Story

Plot Progression Visualizations

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