The Piano Lesson speaks of some basic lessons of African-American culture. Wilson felt a duty toward his African's slave past. In this way his play teaches duty toward respecting your heritage, which in the tradition of great literature, is just as relevant today as in 1930. The older generation in the play, Doaker, represents a time farther back in American history and attests to the past. He tells Lymen, a friend of the family, about the piano saying " it was the story of our whole family" (p.45). Doakers job in the play is to carry the background story of the bloodstained piano to the viewer. He is also a reminder to respect the past and a realization that our past is not that far in back of us.

Another way this play teaches duty toward heritage is it's assertion that you cannot escape racism by pretending it's non-existence, and that the ghosts of slavery's past will follow you unles

"You always talking about your daddy but you never stopped to look at what his foolishness cost your mamma. Seventeen years' worth of cold nights and an empty bed. For what? For a piano? For a piece of wood? To get even with somebody? 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. I ain't never seen it come to nothing...It don't never stop"(p52).

However, the most important aspect of the lesson the piano teaches is that the economic opportunity the piano could give is not as important as its symbolic significance to the family. The two opposing forces in the play are represented in Bernice, who wants to keep the piano, and Boy Willie, who wants to use the money to buy Sutters land. The symbolic significance of the piano is the pain of slavery and separation that went into its carvings. The carving are given such power that Bernice says "I used to think them pictures came alive and walked through the house"(p70). The meaning to the family of the carvings, which is what makes the piano valuable, is the representation of their ancestors pain. The piano represents the whole of African-American experience in history. By stealing back the piano from Sutter, the family was taking back its power and freeing themselves from the mental bondage of slavery. Doaker says it best, "it was the story of our whole family and as long as Sutter had it...he had us...we was still in slavery"(p45).

The dilemma over what to do with the piano is beneficial to the family. For once all the members of the family are in the same place, talking to each other and working out the problems which distance them. They also come to a resolution which honors their past, each other and the symbol of the piano. That they do not forgo history for economic betterment is the core of a lesson Wilson imparts to all African-American's.

However, the lesson Boy Willie learns is the main lesson of the play for the audience. He comes to admit that just maybe the piano has some sentimental value, which is more valuable than its monetary value. By relenting on an issue Bernice says will never happen because, "he just like my daddy. He get his mind fixed on something and can't nobody turn him from it" he further develops his character. He backs off a plan witch to him seemed beyond perfect revenge. He goes the farthest from his original viewpoint, doses not use violence, and compromises, which is a trait Wilson is encouraging in men. The "life-and-death struggle fraught with perils and faultless terror"(p106), between Sutters ghost and Boy Willie was a representation of Boy Will

Some common words found in the essay are:
Boy Willie, Doaker Black, Piano Lesson, Doaker Crawley, Mamma Ola, Willie Bernice, Wilson Doaker, August Wilson, Mama Ola, boy willie, United Cousins, african-american culture, papa boy, papa boy charles, boy charles, past play teaches, sutters land, wilson doaker, main lesson, characters realize, past play, bernice mama esther, mama bernice mama, play teaches duty, economic betterment,
Approximate Word count = 1818
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)