Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Piano Lesson!
Boy Willie makes a threat to Berniece at the end of Netflix’sThe Piano Lesson, and here’s what this line actually means in the story. Things are undeniably tense within the Charles family throughoutThe Piano Lesson, with the characters entering into a massive conflict over what to do with a piano that has been passed down from their enslaved ancestors. Things only get worse when supernatural events begin occurring, and while the ghost of slaveowner Sutter is gone atthe end ofThe Piano Lesson, Boy Willie threatens that he may return in the future.
Netflix’sThe Piano Lessonis the latest adaptation of one ofAugust Wilson’s plays, following up on hits likeFencesandMa Rainey’s Black Bottom. Director Malcolm Washington’s take onThe Piano Lessonfeatures a cast of stars like John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, and Samuel L. Jackson, with the film garnering critical acclaim upon its release. Compared to some of Wilson’s other plays,The Piano Lessonis one of the most fantastical, with one of Boy Willie’s final lines acting as a powerful threat that implies worse things could come in the future.
If Berniece Doesn’t Keep Their Ancestors' Powers Alive Through The Piano, Sutter’s Ghost Will Return To Haunt Them Again
According To Boy Willie Charles
DespiteBoy Willie wanting to sell the Charles family’s piano throughoutThe Piano Lesson, the film ends with Berniece deciding to keep it in order to honor their ancestors. Throughout the battle over whether or not to sell the piano, the ghost of Sutter began appearing, with him being the slaveowner who owned the Charles' ancestors when they built the piano. The characters soon come to realize that it is the talk of selling the piano that caused Sutter’s ghost to appear, with him going away when Boy Willie gave up on selling it.
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So, Boy Willie’s final comments to Berniece are telling her to keep their ancestors' powers and memories alive through continued use of the piano.Boy Willie wants Berniece to continue teaching her daughter Maretha how to use the piano, but he also wants her to tell her about the actual history of it. Thematically, this means that if the characters don’t keep the memories of Sutter’s horrible crimes alive, people like Sutter will return, with the vagaries of Boy Willie’s statement acting as both a literal and thematic threat.
Boy Willie Charles Will Return To Sell The Piano Again If Berniece & Maretha Don’t Keep Playing It
Causing Sutter To Return As Well
Not only will Sutter’s ghost return if Berniece and Maretha don’t keep playing the piano, but Boy Willie Charles will return as well.ThroughoutThe Piano Lesson, Boy Willie’s argument is that, unless Berniece is using the piano for profit, he should sell it and use the money to buy Sutter’s land. He believes that this will be a better way to honor their ancestors than by simply letting the piano sit in Berniece’s house. However, Berniece’s continued use of the piano is enough to get Boy Willie off of her back, at least for a little while.
However,Boy Willie’s threat also means that, if Berniece and Maretha don’t keep playing the piano, he will try and sell it again. Since Boy Willie’s plan to sell the piano was linked to the appearance of Sutter’s ghost, this is a major threat, as Boy Willie is essentially promising to bring the ghost back. This will undoubtedly create tension within the Charles family going forward, although it isn’t certain how serious Boy Willie’s threat actually is.
Boy Willie Charles & Sutter Represented Threats To Forgetting The Charles Family’s History In The Piano Lesson
It Ties Into The Piano Lesson’s Themes
The Piano Lessonis about remembering the tragedies and mistakes of the past and how history can repeat itself if they are forgotten. Boy Willie’s plan to sell the piano is representative of one part of this.Although Boy Willie does not directly want to do harm, not remembering the past can unknowingly create harm, such as the return of Sutter’s ghost that is caused by selling the piano.
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Sutter’s ghost represents those who do want to do harm, and how they benefit from the erasure of history. WhileThe Piano Lessonis not saying that forgetting history will cause literal ghosts to appear, it is saying that people who hope to prey on others will reemerge if we do not remember how they acted in the past and continue to prevent them from doing so. The themes ofThe Piano Lessonare rich and complex, and Boy Willie’s threat is the perfect thematic climax to these ideas.
The Piano Lesson
Cast
In The Piano Lesson, a brother and sister clash over selling a family heirloom piano—he sees it as a path to wealth, while she views it as a vital link to their heritage. Their uncle tries to mediate, but the conflict reveals deep truths about identity, legacy, and the past.
