Racism and Self-Determination in The Piano Lesson | ||||
| مجلة کلية الاداب.جامعة المنصورة | ||||
| Volume 76, Issue 76, January 2025 | ||||
| Document Type: العلوم الانسانیة الأدبیة واللغات | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/artman.2024.326592.2812 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Author | ||||
Asmaa Albasuny 
| ||||
| Egypt,Mansoura, kafr Alshenhab | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| August Wilson examines the themes of racism and self-determination in The Piano Lesson. Set during the 1930s, the play vividly portrays the lingering effects of slavery and systemic racism on African-American identity and cultural history. Through the central conflict over a family piano, which is deeply tied to their ancestors' experiences of slavery, the characters are forced to confront their painful history. Boy Willie, one of the main characters, seeks to sell the piano to buy land and gain economic independence, believing that self-determination lies in ownership. On the other hand, his sister Berniece wants to keep the piano as a symbol of their heritage, showing how racism shapes her desire to preserve their history. The Play reveals the tension between honoring the past and seeking a future free from oppression. The piano lesson highlights how racism influences the characters' choices and their struggle for control over their own lives. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Slavery; African-American identity; Oppression; Racism | ||||
|
Statistics Article View: 78 |
||||
