Symbolism
What does the piano embody to Boy Willie & Bernice?
The pianos mean family history, identity, and resilience to Bernice While it means Sucess and Future to Boy Willie
What does it say about bernice when she groups all men together as killers?
It shows that shes emotionally bashful because of the way her father acted, causing her to see the world in such a way.
"The only thing make that piano worth something is them carvings Papa Willie Boy put on there"
To Boy Willie. The best way to honor his father is to sell the piano and buy Sutters land. Where his family was once enslaved.
What does the Piano symbolise.
Family history, sentimental value, and truama passed down through the family.
Who are Bernice and Boy Willie? What literary elements do they show?
Bernice is Boy Willie's sister, She wishes to keep the piano due to the sentimental value it posseses. She wishes to honor her grandma Boy willie is seeking to claim his family's legacy through the piano. He wants to sell the piano for land.
This can bring out suspense in the reader and a feeling of tension in the mood from the conflict.
"you‘re all alike. All this thieving and killing and thieving and killing. And what it ever lead to? More killing and thieving. I ain‘t never seen it come to nothing. People getting burned up. People getting shot. People falling down their wells. It don‘t never stop. "
Frustration and anger. Shes frustrated from the supposed pattern of violence in the men of her family. From this we can learn that she is used to these hardships but not fond of them.
What kind of tension does the piano make?
Familial Tension
What affects do you think the reader feels from Bernice talking about her Mother working on the piano?
The reader could feel sentimental due to the fact her mother worked on it for so many years only for boy willie to try to sell it.
Why do the men and woman in the family all only side with their own gender? What does it show about the text?
It shows the influence of the time period they were all in. As its shown that this was set in the great depression 1929-1939. This was before alot of revoluntionary changes in the world. People were desperate for financial stability yet also held very gendered values.