The Piano Lesson concludes with Berniece teaching her daughter Maretha to play the family piano, followed by a fast-forward showing Boy Willie's return to the South, specifically to the ancestral fields.
The ending of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson provides a poignant resolution to the generational conflict surrounding the family's heirloom piano, emphasizing themes of heritage, memory, and the future.
Berniece Embraces the Piano's Legacy
In the final scenes, Berniece, who has long resisted playing the piano due to the painful history it embodies—a history marked by the enslavement and sacrifice of her ancestors—finally begins to reclaim its true purpose. She is depicted sitting on the piano bench with her daughter, Maretha, actively teaching her how to play. This powerful act signifies Berniece's acceptance of her family's past, transforming the piano from a silent, haunting relic into a vibrant instrument of continuity. Through this teaching, she ensures that the legacy, stories, and spirit of her ancestors, intricately carved into the piano's wood, will be passed down and preserved by future generations, connecting the past to the present and future.
Boy Willie's Return to the Ancestral Land
The play also concludes with a fast-forward to Boy Willie's journey back to the South. He is shown in a field that appears to be the very same land where his ancestors were forced to work. This ending highlights Boy Willie's deep-rooted connection to the Southern land, symbolizing a cycle of return to the origins that have profoundly shaped his family's identity and struggles. While Berniece finds her connection to the past through the piano's music and family tradition, Boy Willie's resolution leads him back to the physical landscape of his heritage, demonstrating differing yet equally significant ways of honoring one's ancestry.
This dual resolution emphasizes the diverse paths individuals take in navigating their heritage: one through the active preservation of cultural artifacts and knowledge, and the other through a return to the foundational physical space of their lineage.
