The Piano Lesson

"The Piano Lesson", takes place during the time when blacks were considered property and "lesser" than whites. This play indirectly deals with the lack of confidence and shame that went along with the mistreatment and ownership the blacks endured from the whites. This racial tension caused problems among the family members and their relationship. Boy Willie and his sister Bernice, both dealt with their self-esteem  in different manners. Boy Willie was hard headed and hated the idea of feeling inferior to any white man. His egotistical ways clashed with Bernice's submissive personality. In one of Boy Willie's rants he tells Bernice that fear of death is a sign of weakness in the white slave owner's eyes. He further explains that after witnessing the death of his puppy and killing a cat, he has overcome the fear of death and can stand up to look any white man in the eyes. Unlike Boy Willie, Bernice wants to accept the "truth" that she and her daughter are living at the "bottom of life." The Piano signifies Bernice's losses and her inability to move on. In the very end of the play when Bernice is forced to play the piano to get rid of Sutter's ghost, a clam comes over the whole house. To me, this marks the end to Bernice's unhappiness and possibly the end to slavery altogether. 

In my opinion, This play would be more empowering if it were acted out. Although the reader got to know the characters pretty well just by reading it, seeing the play would enable the viewer to fully connect with the mood of the actors and the impact of both their words and songs. 

The Janitor

As Sam, the Janitor, takes a break from sweeping and sees the sign titled, "National Conference on Youth",  he is compelled to give a speech to the non existent audience. In this endearing performance, Sam pretends as though he is some important speaker that has been personally called upon to entertain and teach the crowd. In this speech sam shares real and believable advice for the youth. Trying to teach a lesson from past experience, Sam explains that although young people often feel invincible, they too have to eventually suffer consequences. He further explains that innocence is sweet and warns the youth not to grow up too fast or become sullied from bad decisions. Towards the end of the speech, Sam is interrupted by what seems to be his manager, ordering him to get back to work so that the room will be clean for the "big important meeting."

Sam's short dialogue teaches a good lesson. I like this scene because after the reader hears Sam's useful tips to the youth, he or she is reminded that he is the janitor and that the "important" people actually giving the speech, have not yet arrived. This just proves that the best advice does not always come from the smartest or most perfect people, instead the lesson here is that a person can learn from anyone. 

The Cuban Swimmer

The Cuban Swimmer is a play that begins with a problem or challenge and then ends with a solution. This drama, like any other plot includes the exposition, conflict, and denouement. The Cuban Swimmer does a good job of immediately introducing the characters and their unique personalities. the reader is able to connect with each person and infer what their reactions will be to certain situations. for example, Abuela is a nervous and spiritual woman who is concerned for her grand daughter's health. In contrast, Eduardo, the father is pushy and is determined for his daughter to accomplish his dream of winning the race. Once the characters are introduced the author is able to further engage the reader by creating a conflict. In The Cuban Swimmer, the main character, Margarita, is physically tiring of swimming the race, and is also mentally struggling with the idea of being Cuban and growing up in America. In the end of the play, Margarita escapes the pressures of her family and won the race on her own. This scheme of escaping and winning the race by herself, acts as the denouement, or solution. In the end, the win signifies how Margarita  becomes comfortable with herself and her ethnicity.