August Wilson's The Piano Lesson

Prewriting for Essay #1

Write for at least a few minutes on each of the following. You can write more on some than others.

1.) Which character do you identify with the most, or which one are you the most similar to, and why? (Note: It does not necessarily have to be a character of the same gender or age as you. It might be a character with a similar personality to yours, a similar life philosophy, a similar way of thinking, a similar code of behavior, etc.)

2.) Which character are you the most different from, and why?

3.) This is a play about family, about relationships, about history ... among other things. Even though the play is written by a black playwright and features black characters, we might argue that the play contains "universal" characters, situations, and themes. Which of the following most relate to you, to your life, to your family's life, etc.? Pick as many as you can, and sketch out the connections between the play and your life. (Note: I will not read this, but I will be giving you credit for it, so write anything and everything that comes to mind at this point, however personal it might be.)

• Sibling conflict (brothers and sisters)
• A loud-mouth relative
• Different means of transportation
• Family ghosts
• Suspicious deaths
• "Pipe dreams" (big dreams, possibly unrealistic)
• Owning land
• Being in jail
• A family heirloom, totem, relic, symbol, etc.
• Blaming; not forgiving or forgetting
• Playing music; reading music vs. playing music by ear
• Family secrets
• A relative living in the past
• A relative who roams
• A family's "dirty laundry"
• Family stories
• Family stories with different / divergent perspectives
• Other -- add your own