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Prompt 01

Essay task

AP LiteratureCommon Core ElaIB English

In The Piano Lesson, the intricately carved piano symbolizes the struggle between honoring the past and seeking a prosperous future. Write a well-organized essay arguing whether Boy Willie or Berniece holds the stronger stance on the piano's future. Use specific evidence from the play to back your argument, and examine how Wilson uses the piano to delve into broader themes of African American heritage, memory, and identity.

Prompt 02

Essay task

AP LiteratureCommon Core ElaIB English

In The Piano Lesson, the carved piano stands as a significant symbol of the Charles family's heritage, trauma, and identity. Write a well-structured argumentative essay in which you argue that the piano ultimately embodies the unavoidable tension between honoring the past and embracing the future. Use specific evidence from the play — including character motivations, key conflicts, and dramatic moments — to bolster your claim. Consider the opposing viewpoint (for instance, that the piano is merely a financial asset or a burden) and explain why your interpretation holds greater weight.

Guiding Questions to Consider Before Writing

  • Why does Berniece choose not to play the piano, and what does her silence indicate about her connection to her ancestors?
  • What does Boy Willie's wish to sell the piano reveal about his aspirations for the future?
  • How does August Wilson utilize the supernatural (Sutter's ghost) to enhance the piano's symbolic significance?
  • What does the play's conclusion — Berniece finally playing the piano — suggest about the connection between memory and freedom?

Requirements

  • Craft a clear, debatable thesis statement in your introduction.
  • Include at least three pieces of textual evidence accompanied by analysis.
  • Present a counterargument and a rebuttal.
  • Conclude by linking the piano's symbolism to a broader theme concerning African American history and identity.

Prompt 03

Essay task

AP LiteratureCommon Core ElaIB Language & Literature

In The Piano Lesson, the Charles family piano represents much more than just a musical instrument — it embodies ancestral memory, identity, and unresolved trauma. Write a well-developed argumentative essay in which you argue that August Wilson uses the piano as a symbol to explore the tension between honoring the past and embracing the future.

Your essay should:

  • Introduce the central conflict between Boy Willie and Berniece concerning the piano and what it signifies for each character.
  • Develop a clear claim about how Wilson uses the piano symbolically to comment on the African American experience of heritage, loss, and self-determination.
  • Support your argument with specific textual evidence, including key scenes, dialogue, and the figures carved into the piano's legs.
  • Address a counterargument: consider whether either character's perspective is entirely justified, and explain how Wilson complicates a straightforward reading of "right" versus "wrong."
  • Conclude by reflecting on the broader thematic significance: what does Wilson ultimately suggest about how communities and individuals should engage with their history?

Guiding Questions to Consider Before Writing

  • Why does Berniece refuse to play the piano, and what does her silence signify?
  • Why does Boy Willie want to sell it, and is his motivation solely financial?
  • What is the importance of the ancestors' faces carved into the piano's legs?
  • How does the ghost of Sutter relate to the piano's symbolic meaning?

Requirements

4–6 paragraphs | Textual evidence required | MLA or teacher-specified citation format

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