ADV Sophomore English Journal Response 19

The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (Journal Entry 7)

In the continuation of Act 2 of the book, we see more action from Lymon who is sometimes a dormant character in the play.  Lymon does act up to Bernice, but the author makes sure that the scene has a sense of control in it.  In other words, Lymon only shows a prominent interest in Bernice for the moment.  Based on this scene, I foreshadow that Avery and Lymon might have disputes over Bernice.  Avery had just recently pressured Bernice to be his companion, of some sort.  To me, Lymon seems to be picking up some affairs along with his relations with Boy Willie.

Comment on Joshua Zheng’s Blog:

I agree.  Lymon, does have some affairs with Bernice.  This can foreshadow how Avery’s and Lymon’s relate as far as thing are going in the book.   Yes; Lymon’s behavior becomes somewhat questionable at one point, but does not go too extreme.

ADV. Soph. English Journal Response 18

The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (Journal Entry 7)

In the continuation of Act 2 of the book, we see more action from Lymon who is sometimes a dormant character in the play.  Lymon does act up to Bernice, but the author makes sure that the scene has a sense of control in it.  In other words, Lymon only shows a prominent interest in Bernice for the moment.  Based on this scene, I foreshadow that Avery and Lymon might have disputes over Bernice.  Avery had just recently pressured Bernice to be his companion, of some sort.  To me, Lymon seems to be picking up some affairs along with his relations with Boy Willie.

Comment on Joshua Zheng’s Blog:

I agree.  Lymon, does have some affairs with Bernice.  This can foreshadow how Avery’s and Lymon’s relate as far as thing are going in the book.   Yes; Lymon’s behavior becomes somewhat questionable at one point, but does not go too extreme.

ADV Sophomore English Journal Response 17

The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (Journal Entry 6)

In the duration of Act 2 Scene 2 of this book, there are two major events that occur that were unusual, but played an integral part in how Bernice and the rest of the characters (esp. Avery) relate.  The first event that took place was near the beginning of the scene when Avery asks Bernice for marriage.  Here we see the author trying to vary the tone of the book to a more idealistic setting in order to move our attention from the opinions of Boy Willie, Wining Boy, and Doaker with regards to the deceased men who were victims of the “Ghost of the Yellow Dog” and how they were going to sell the piano.  Here we see not only the views of Bernice as to her views on the topic, but how she converses with others which reveals more of her personality (as a round character).

The second event took place at the time Bernice was talking to Avery about “blessing the house”.  This relates to our previous reading which did indeed mention about Sutters Ghost haunting different people and how the piano was somehow involved with all this.  I think that Bernice wants to keep the piano as a memory while not trying to rouse anyone about the topic of Ghosts, but apparently that is not so at the moment.

Comment on Harrison Le’s Blog:

Good point.  The characters close to Bernice seem to have some connection to each other and to the piano.  Could this foreshadow that there will be a struggle between Sutter’s Ghost and someone closely tied to Bernice in the family line?  The rising action seems to focus more on two motifs which are Sutter’s Ghost and the Piano which in turn seems to give the impression of something that is about to happen based on what background information we have about these motifs.

ADV Soph. English Journal Response 16

The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (Journal Entry 5)

In the beginning of scene two, Wining Boy and Doaker’s relation is loose in a way.  In the middle of scene one, Wining Boy asks for five dollars for some train trip.  Doaker gives him the five dollars but makes it clear that he owes him that amount.  Wining Boy persuades Lymon to buy the suit, pants, and shoes that he offers him to retrieve the five dollars he owes to Doaker (supposedly).  If Wining Boy returns the money owed from him, the trust between characters is established at this point.  This could show how they relate to each other in the future.

Comment on Madison Clayton’s Blog:

That idea is interesting because Wining Boy seems to have a double purpose for persuading Lymon to buy the suit. The first is that, as you have mentioned, Lymon is easily persuaded into purchasing it. The second reason might be in order to return the cash to Doaker (the character who he recently asked five dollars from).

ADV Soph. English Journal Response 15

The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (Journal Entry 4)

Nearing the end of act one, scene two of the book, we see more heated conversations over the history of the piano that Boy Willie and Bernice supposedly owns.  The author’s attitude towards the subject is mostly indifferent and more on the informational side.  Most of the dialogue was focused solely on how the “Ghost of the Yellow Dog” correlates with the detailed account of the piano that was handed down from family to family.  Overall, much sweat and bloodshed was related after the thievery of this piano.  With this, the author tries to make us more aware of why Boy Willie is so intent on selling the piano and also why Bernice is so relentless to disagreeing with this action.  He seems to be giving us the basis of the plot which might give way to the rising action later in act two of the book.

Commented on Austin Schrader’s Blog:

Yes. The author does include information about some of the characters and their relation to the history of the piano in the latter part of Act one of the book.  This may have been done in order to prepare us to foreshadow something that might happen later with regards to the piano and more information about the “Ghosts of the Yellow Dog”.   

  

ADV Soph. English Journal Response 14

The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (Journal Entry 3)

From pages 28 to 48 of the book, I have noticed that certain reactions are brought out when certain topic are mentioned.  When these topics are mentioned among the characters, a pattern emerges with regards to how they act and what is the effect of their actions on other characters onstage in the play.  For example, when “the Ghost of the Yellow Dog” is mentioned, near the beginning of scene two, the characters immediately relate it to Sutter’s death.  In general, the other characters intend to give little information about the incident.  Then, in a page or two, the topic is shifted as if they never talked about it.  It seems as if a secret is being covered up as to who was responsible for the 9-12 deaths related to drowning in a well.

Comment on Alec Melnati’s Blog:

That was an interesting point you made with regards to how music affects the people in the book in general.  Apparently, they do mention the words “piano”, “guitar”, and “songs” many times in scene one and two.  They seem to become motifs which symbolize their family as you have said.   

ADV Soph. English Journal Response 13

The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (Journal Entry 2)

The character Boy Willie portrays seems more prominent than that of other characters during the in-class reading.  Near the end of scene one, Boy Willie puts up a serious, manipulative, and argumentative attitude that causes most of the characters to change their tone in their dialogue.  He puts up a situation where he wants to sell Bernice’s piano which will help in expanding his portion of the land he owns.  Bernice is very resilient and resists all the manipulative bombardment from him plus his disrespect others for interrupting the peace and quiet of the neighborhood.  When Avery enters the scene, he contrasts Boy Willie from his serene, peaceful, and reasonable behavior amongst people.   When he enters, the author seems to gradually change the overall tone of the story from conflicting to plain and insightful.

Comment on Katie Jo-Dacey’s Blog:

I agree with one of your opinions regarding the amount of events that happened in so little a time frame of the story. The pace might have been set fast for a purpose, maybe? So far though, we are still in the exposition of the play so thing might turn out differently, or not.

ADV. Soph. English Journal Response 12

The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (Journal Entry 1)

The language and diction of the first scene seems very crude. It also includes a word that is considered discriminatory in today’s society. The rough use of language is fit for the setting because this place is set in a time when racism was common mostly among southerners. The southerners’ use of language is very similar to that used in this book. The language also seems to show the amount of education each of the characters might have gone through. At this point, they seem partially educated. Overall, in spite of the crude use of English, they do speak straight to the point most of the time.

Comment on James Dolan’s Blog:

I do agree on one of your ideas. The discriminatory language they introduced is considered rude and thought of as a racist remark today. Back then, these African Americans’ ancestries seemed to be involved as to why they were oppressed.

ADV. Soph. English Journal Response 11

2 Tabs on Chapter 32 (Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton)

Tab 1: The language Absalom Kumalo uses in his letter seems firm but intending to move his father’s solemn disposition. (Tabbed under language on page 274)

Explanation:

In just a few days the relation between Absalom and his father seemed to strengthen as compared to his past days.  In his past days the book mentions that he does not visit his father nor write to him.  When the judge sentenced Absalom to death by hanging, their family bond strengthened.  Absalom was more attached to his father which was clearly demonstrated when his father had to go after he was wed to the girl.  He wept as his father went, showing strong emotions for him.  At present, Stephen Kumalo (the boy’s father) reads this letter not only because Absalom is going to be hanged, but because of an attachment shown earlier that unified their family for the final time.

Tab 2: Stephen Kumalo is shocked after reading the details of the lawyer’s letter and Absalom’s letter about him receiving no mercy (a sign of a genuine bond between father and son).

Explanation:

This relates to the last tab’s explanation because this seems to be the only apparent case where Absalom actually writes to his father.  This “first” for Absalom may signal the first and the last time they communicate like this.  Absalom’s unavoidable fate has created strong bonds between him and his family.  Based from this memorable letter, I think that this is his last letter between them.