Hello for the last time :)
The movie I have choosen to compare with the book was directed by Lloyd Richards in 1995 and it is a teleplay based on the drama The Piano Lesson.
I must say that this movie made a lot of differences for me in understanding and enjoying this play. Even though I did not like the book a lot, the movie was an absolute opposite, I did not get so confused about the stories of the characters and really it gave me a lot. The difference is not in the plot, the difference is simple as it always is with the movie and book for me. If I read book I am not so interested in, I do not understand what is going on at a first time but when I see the movie, it seems much more clearer for me. This is the case, I wrote before that it was not a real pleasure to read the book(not talking about the end, this part was amazing) but when I saw the film, it was totally different, I really enjoyed watching it and I think that it helped me a lot in making the image of a whole play. I do not know if it is like this only for me and the movie is normally not so good, but I found it fascinating. That is basically everything from me for ever :)....hope you enjoyed this blog, thank you for reading and commenting.
pátek 13. dubna 2012
čtvrtek 12. dubna 2012
Task 9
I must admit that I was not really a huge fan of this book till I get to the last passage of the book. I know it is almost always like this, but I did not believe that this book can be interesting after all. It was really harmful for me to read this book at the beginning, but fortunately it got better and at the end I was really glad that I know this play because it shows a lot of interesting views of Afro-American history. I absolutely loved the part where Boy Willie starts to show up as a man who is not just after money, but the man who wants to prevent his family. His paragraph about why not to bring a child to the word was pretty impressing for me, there is a part of it, and just for imagination „What I want to brig a child into this world for? Why I wanna bring somebody else into all this for? I’ll telly you this.....If I was Rockefeller I’d have forty or fifty. I’d make one every day. Cause they gonna start out in life with all the advantages. I ain’t got no advantages to offer nobody.“ I think that in this he shows his realistic view of his position in the society.
What made me think about this play even more is the passage about the author at the end of the book, there is some info about the author but also some brief explanation of The Piano Lesson and it made my eyes wide open, I used it also in my presentation because I find it important and interesting.
Quotes:
„Boy Willie: This might be your bottom but it ain’t mine. I’m living at the top of life. I ain’t gonna just take my life and throw it away at the bottom.“
This part is almost at the end of the story, when Boy Willie wants to make Berenice het over the history. For me this quotes means that Boy Willie is still loving his life, he know that he does not have much but he is happy about his life, that is the most important part of him. It is showing that he got over his history, his ancestors were slaves, but he has his own life and no one can tell him what to do and this is the most important for him, that he lives his life without any requests from others.
„Avery: You know how I feel about you, Berenice. Now.....I done got the place from Mr.Cohen. I get the money from the bank and I can fix it up real nice. They give me a ten cents a hour raise down here on the job....now Bereice, I ain’t got much in the way of comforts. I got a hole in my pockets near about as fas as money is concerned. I ain’t never found no way through life to a woman I care about like I care about you. I need that. I need somebody on my bond side. I nedd a woman that fits in my hand.“
Avery is a character I did not talk much about before, but I liked this part so I put it here. It has it’s place when Avery comes to the Berenice’s house to get ghost out of it. We know that he has a crush on her, but she is still somehow fastened with a past. He wants to get her to be his wife, but she does not know if this is what she wants. This part is not just about this paragraph but it is a whole dialog that goes for a 2 pages. Avery wants to hear something from Berenice, if she will marry him or not, but she is not able to say, and he reminds her of a history and that it is time to get over her dead husband, but she starts to be angry and does not want to talk about it. This whole part was interesting for me, because it shows that Berenice really does not know what to do with her life.
„Doaker: I’ll take your word for it. Berenice talking about what she seen. She say Sutter’s ghost standing at the top of the steps. She ain’t just make all that up.“
That it the first time we hear about the ghost. Berenice is the first one to see it. Doaker is with her, we do not know if he believes her or why she does what she does, but he will never go against her because he loves her. He had never seen Sutter’s ghost, but when Berenice say that she seen him, he believes and does not try to argue with her.
„Boy Willie: As along as I got the land and the seed then I'm alright. . . Cause that land give back to you. But that piano don't put out nothing else. . . that's why I'm gonna take that piano out of here and sell it.”
Part of argument between Boy Willie and Berenice if sell the piano or not. Boy Willie is sure he is right, and I must admit that he has a point. Berenice is not using this piano so it gives her nothing, but if Boy Willie gets the money for a land, it will mean so much for him. But still there is a question of history, but for both of them. Berenice does not want to sell it because of the engraves and Boy Willie wants to sell it to get a land of person who made a slaves of his ancestors.
“Berenice: Money can’t buy what the piano cost. You can’t sell your soul for money. You ain’t taking that piano out of my house.”
Berenice stress out the moral values of the piano, that it is not just a piece of wood; it is a piece of her history. She wants Boy Willie to understand her reason for not to sell the piano, but at a same time she is telling to him that it does not matter what he say, she won’t sell the piano anyway.
What made me think about this play even more is the passage about the author at the end of the book, there is some info about the author but also some brief explanation of The Piano Lesson and it made my eyes wide open, I used it also in my presentation because I find it important and interesting.
Quotes:
„Boy Willie: This might be your bottom but it ain’t mine. I’m living at the top of life. I ain’t gonna just take my life and throw it away at the bottom.“
This part is almost at the end of the story, when Boy Willie wants to make Berenice het over the history. For me this quotes means that Boy Willie is still loving his life, he know that he does not have much but he is happy about his life, that is the most important part of him. It is showing that he got over his history, his ancestors were slaves, but he has his own life and no one can tell him what to do and this is the most important for him, that he lives his life without any requests from others.
„Avery: You know how I feel about you, Berenice. Now.....I done got the place from Mr.Cohen. I get the money from the bank and I can fix it up real nice. They give me a ten cents a hour raise down here on the job....now Bereice, I ain’t got much in the way of comforts. I got a hole in my pockets near about as fas as money is concerned. I ain’t never found no way through life to a woman I care about like I care about you. I need that. I need somebody on my bond side. I nedd a woman that fits in my hand.“
Avery is a character I did not talk much about before, but I liked this part so I put it here. It has it’s place when Avery comes to the Berenice’s house to get ghost out of it. We know that he has a crush on her, but she is still somehow fastened with a past. He wants to get her to be his wife, but she does not know if this is what she wants. This part is not just about this paragraph but it is a whole dialog that goes for a 2 pages. Avery wants to hear something from Berenice, if she will marry him or not, but she is not able to say, and he reminds her of a history and that it is time to get over her dead husband, but she starts to be angry and does not want to talk about it. This whole part was interesting for me, because it shows that Berenice really does not know what to do with her life.
„Doaker: I’ll take your word for it. Berenice talking about what she seen. She say Sutter’s ghost standing at the top of the steps. She ain’t just make all that up.“
That it the first time we hear about the ghost. Berenice is the first one to see it. Doaker is with her, we do not know if he believes her or why she does what she does, but he will never go against her because he loves her. He had never seen Sutter’s ghost, but when Berenice say that she seen him, he believes and does not try to argue with her.
„Boy Willie: As along as I got the land and the seed then I'm alright. . . Cause that land give back to you. But that piano don't put out nothing else. . . that's why I'm gonna take that piano out of here and sell it.”
Part of argument between Boy Willie and Berenice if sell the piano or not. Boy Willie is sure he is right, and I must admit that he has a point. Berenice is not using this piano so it gives her nothing, but if Boy Willie gets the money for a land, it will mean so much for him. But still there is a question of history, but for both of them. Berenice does not want to sell it because of the engraves and Boy Willie wants to sell it to get a land of person who made a slaves of his ancestors.
“Berenice: Money can’t buy what the piano cost. You can’t sell your soul for money. You ain’t taking that piano out of my house.”
Berenice stress out the moral values of the piano, that it is not just a piece of wood; it is a piece of her history. She wants Boy Willie to understand her reason for not to sell the piano, but at a same time she is telling to him that it does not matter what he say, she won’t sell the piano anyway.
Task 8
I found a review which was written by Frank Rich for New York Times, it is quite old review, but I think that it is the best one.
August Willson’s book The Piano Lesson is said to be a historical piece. I understand this opinion, as Mr. Rich says in the review, „The central fact of black American life - the long shadow of slavery -transposes the voices of Mr. Wilson's characters”
This critical piece somehow shows my attitude towards this play in some cases but in others I just do not know. I do not want to talk oppositely than before so it is true that I can not agree with all of the things written in this review, because it talks about the play as a amazing drama from he beginning, but for me it was different, I started to like at the end of the story.
I liked how nicely this review shows what the piano means for the main characters by this sentence „For Berniece, the instrument must remain a somber shrine to a tragic past. For Boy Willie, the piano is a stake to the freedom his father wanted him to have. To Mr. Wilson, both characters are right - and wrong.” That is exactly what I think about the main story line, also the part about how the writer meant it is the same for me, because I find both of them good and bad in one moment.
Basically the whole review is about the plot and thoughts of the author when writing this book. It also shows its admittance to the author’s ability to make the story interesting and not just boringly repeating. I must say that this was different for me, because I did not find it interesting at all.
I understand that this review is positive about the drama, but I have a different opinion. I do not want to say that the play is horrible (ending was really absorbing even for me) but I did not eat all of it in one day because it is not my cup of tea.
For more info see the review: The Piano Lesson: Original NY Times Review
August Willson’s book The Piano Lesson is said to be a historical piece. I understand this opinion, as Mr. Rich says in the review, „The central fact of black American life - the long shadow of slavery -transposes the voices of Mr. Wilson's characters”
This critical piece somehow shows my attitude towards this play in some cases but in others I just do not know. I do not want to talk oppositely than before so it is true that I can not agree with all of the things written in this review, because it talks about the play as a amazing drama from he beginning, but for me it was different, I started to like at the end of the story.
I liked how nicely this review shows what the piano means for the main characters by this sentence „For Berniece, the instrument must remain a somber shrine to a tragic past. For Boy Willie, the piano is a stake to the freedom his father wanted him to have. To Mr. Wilson, both characters are right - and wrong.” That is exactly what I think about the main story line, also the part about how the writer meant it is the same for me, because I find both of them good and bad in one moment.
Basically the whole review is about the plot and thoughts of the author when writing this book. It also shows its admittance to the author’s ability to make the story interesting and not just boringly repeating. I must say that this was different for me, because I did not find it interesting at all.
I understand that this review is positive about the drama, but I have a different opinion. I do not want to say that the play is horrible (ending was really absorbing even for me) but I did not eat all of it in one day because it is not my cup of tea.
For more info see the review: The Piano Lesson: Original NY Times Review
pondělí 19. března 2012
antagonist and protagonist
Firstly I should write who are these two characters, so as a protagonist I would mark Berenice, she is the one who wants to safe family heritage and against here with another opinion is Boy Willie, who wants to sell it. The main thing they are fighting for is the old piano. Berenice wants to save it because it means a lot for her, but Boy Willie needs money, so he wants to sell it to make money out of this business.
They play off of each other by making arguments about why sell or why not to sell the piano. I think that mostly it is Berenice who is talking, who have to say something about it, she want to persuade Boy Willie to believe that this piano means a lot for the family, but Boy Willie still repeats that he wants to sell it and no other facts are important for him, he does not care about the past of the piano and its story. So those are the two main characters who are against each other. What concerns other characters, they are not really on a one side or on the other, they do not say to sell in or not to do it. I think that they are not antagonist or protagonist because they are somehow neutral, they do not seem to care about this business and this fight between Boy Willie and Berenice.
They play off of each other by making arguments about why sell or why not to sell the piano. I think that mostly it is Berenice who is talking, who have to say something about it, she want to persuade Boy Willie to believe that this piano means a lot for the family, but Boy Willie still repeats that he wants to sell it and no other facts are important for him, he does not care about the past of the piano and its story. So those are the two main characters who are against each other. What concerns other characters, they are not really on a one side or on the other, they do not say to sell in or not to do it. I think that they are not antagonist or protagonist because they are somehow neutral, they do not seem to care about this business and this fight between Boy Willie and Berenice.
čtvrtek 23. února 2012
Task 5...themes?
As a main themes I see there two things, SLAVERY of black people and their HISTORY. For me it seems a bit like a historical play, not really but there are some things that point out that feeling. There is a huge paragraph that lasts for more that two pages that just talks about the ancestors of the main characters in this story. What concerns both of these topics, they are connected with this old piano and I have chosen one part said by Berenice that talks about this piano and for me it somehow shows both of these themes. "Look at this piano. Look at it. Mama Ola polished this piano with her tears for seventeen years. For seventeen years she rubbed on it till her hands bled. Then she rubbed the blod in.......mixed it up with the rest of the blood on it. Every day that God breathed life into her body she robbed and cleaned and polished and prayed over it." I do not know, but in me this leaves quite a strong feelings about their history, how they believed in a better times and how hard they had to work.
Also, it shows the change, maybe it is not on purpose but I see it there, there is a huge change between people who are the main characters and their ancestors. In the past, they had such a hard life in slavery and now? They are just arguing about the piano but they are free and can do what ever they want to do and do not have to work for anybody just for themselves.
Also, it shows the change, maybe it is not on purpose but I see it there, there is a huge change between people who are the main characters and their ancestors. In the past, they had such a hard life in slavery and now? They are just arguing about the piano but they are free and can do what ever they want to do and do not have to work for anybody just for themselves.
Task 4....history and future
For me it seams that there are not so many things going on in this story, but at the same time it seams that there are still new and new things going on.
I believe that the most important parts that had happend so far are these: Boy Willie had reappeard in the house of his relatives with an intention to make money by selling the old family piano. We found out about the story of piano and Sutter, the man whose ghost is scaring people living in this house and owning the piano. Also there are some fights going on between Boy Willie and Berenice about the selling of the piano, because she does not want to do it but he wants. Because it is all about this, fighting about the piano there is only one more action so far and it is homecoming of Wining Boy, who is an uncle of Berenice and Boy Willie, he was far away for a long time but know he is back and he is involved in the story, because he was in the situation when they got piano and Berenice's and Boy Willie's father died.
What I think that will happen next is that there still will be arguments about the piano, but in my opinion, Doaker and Wining Boy will be more involved that until now. I also believe that there will be a huge fight between Berenice and Boy Willie because the tension is escalating. Even though, there was not a lot about Sutter's ghost yet, I guess that it will interact the story a bit more in the future, because it is there for something, so something about it will be going on for sure.
The only thing that helps to move the play forward is the new characters that occured in the story, Wining Boy. I do not know if I am a bit weird or if I have chosen a bad play for me, but in looks like it is going nowhere, we know new facts from the past, however there is nothing going on about the future. Boy Willie is still telling that he wants to sell the piano and Berenice is opposing him, but there is no final agreement or something.
středa 15. února 2012
Task 3...time relation??
What I would say is that the time in which the play is set is not that important, because the main theme is mostly the past event and that is what is important, the period when black people were in slavery and could not do almost anything because it was theirs boss who said what to do, where to do and how to do it.
In my oppinion the main scenario is somehow related to today's world and relevant, because still, there are people whose ancestors went through the period of slavery and they still can have some memories about them and some things which connects them to these people. The main thing, piano is something like family heritage and still you can find in some families, not only of black people but of people whose ancestors came through something different and I think that people who have some object like this does not want to give it away. But still you can find there differences between different family members and that is something what is still current for people now-days.
So yes, this play is still relevant and there can be seen connections with todays world.
In my oppinion the main scenario is somehow related to today's world and relevant, because still, there are people whose ancestors went through the period of slavery and they still can have some memories about them and some things which connects them to these people. The main thing, piano is something like family heritage and still you can find in some families, not only of black people but of people whose ancestors came through something different and I think that people who have some object like this does not want to give it away. But still you can find there differences between different family members and that is something what is still current for people now-days.
So yes, this play is still relevant and there can be seen connections with todays world.
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