The central subject of The Piano Lesson is the conflict between Berniece and Boy Willie, mainly over the piano. Berniece doesn’t want to sell the piano, but Boy Willie has driven up with plans to sell the piano and use the money to buy Sutter’s land. In the 1995 film adaptation of The Piano Lesson, the first moment that is recreated to show the conflict between the siblings is during Act One, Scene 1. From the moment Boy Wille arrived Berniece was not too happy to see him. Then there’s the moments right after Berniece sees the ghost of Sutter at the top of the stairs. She goes on to say how he was calling out Boy Willie’s name. Boy willie asked what could his ghost possibly want with him. Berniece states “…I believe you pushed him down that well” (00:13:33-00:13:40). This statement shows her distrust towards her brother. The viewer later discovers there is more to why Berniece dislikes Boy Willie. After her statement Boy Willie goes on to question where the others were when Sutter was pushed, in an attempt to brush off the accusation onto someone else. In response, Berniece states “..You don’t do nothing but bring trouble with you everywhere you go. If it wasn’t for you my husband would still be alive” (00:14:19-00:14:28). This part of the sense reveals to the viewer how Berniece feels towards her brother and how it all began. Adding on her brothers intentions the viewer can begin to see how the events occurring later in the film adaptation relate to their conflict.
Another part that is recreated in the film adaptation, that supports the central subject is in Act One, Scene Two when Berniece and Boy Willie speak about the piano. Their statements work to support their different viewpoints on the matter. Boy Willie states:
…The only thing that make that piano worth something is them carvings Papa Willie Boy put on there. That’s what make it worth something….Papa Boy Charles brought that piano into the house. Now, I’m supposed to build on what they left me…Now the kind of man my daddy was he would of understood that…but thats why I’m gonna take that piano out of here and I’m gonna sell it. (00:46:26-00:47:31)
To him the piano is solely seen as an object that he can make profit off of, so he can build on what his father left him. On the other hand, Berniece is speaking about the time and effort Mama Ola put into taking care of the piano. Berniece walks over to the piano and states:
…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 blood in, mixed it up with the rest of the blood on it. Every day that God breathed life into her body she rubbed and cleaned and polished and prayed over it… (00:47:55-00:48:24)
From this scene the viewer can tell how much emotional value the piano has is Berniece’s point of view compared to her brother. Considering the history of how the piano came to be with its historical value to the family and the emotional value to Berniece, the viewer can see how the divide between the sibling further develops. Boy Willie imagines himself claiming Sutter’s land and fulfilling his father’s legacy, while Bernice thinks of her mother’s efforts. Due to this the viewer can begin to understand how the divide occurs along the maternal and paternal lines. This idea of a divide along paternal and maternal lines is reenforced when Berniece goes on to say:
You always talking about your daddy, but you ain’t never stopped to look at what his foolishness caused your mama seventeen years worth of cool nights in an empty bed and for what, for a piano, for a piece of wood to get even with somebody. I look at you and you’re all the same. (00:48:45-00:49:16)
Her connection between the men in her family connects to the conflicts between her and Boy Willie. Just like his father didn’t consider the impact his actions would have on his family, Boy Willie isn’t really thinking of his sister or his mother. Meanwhile Berniece is thinking solely of her mother and focusing on what emotions to prove her point.