The Piano Lesson #7

Wow, so we got a whole new side of Lymon! I was totally not expecting the way he was coming onto Berniece and it makes me wonder why there are two different men that are interested in Berniece; she doesn't seem like a very nice person that would be really popular among men. It also confuses me a little bit because he went through this whole big shpiel about how he wants a woman he can settle down with and marry, but it's totally obvious that Berniece is not interested in the same things, so it doesn't quite make sense to why he would even try. But anyways, this scene also enhanced our understanding of Boy Willie. I thought it was just Berniece that he was disrespectful to, but now we realize through the way he treats Grace that he basically just wants her as a sexual object. 

My comment on  Maegan Redfern's Blog:
I agree on the point that you made about Lymon giving Avery a run for his money. I think their little tender moment is definitely foreshadowing some conflict in the very near future; whether it is between Avery and Lymon, Berniece and Lymon, Avery and Berniece, or any mixture of those.

The Piano Lesson #6

I actually really enjoyed this scene. It was the first time that we actually got to hear Berniece in a somewhat natural state (typically, she is just yelling at all the people in her house). It really showed us as readers to why she doesn't want to play the piano and it gave Berniece a sensible attitude. She makes some good points to why she doesn't want to get married and why it doesn't make sense that men can be fine without a woman but it's a totally different situation when it's the other way around. Although I do think that eventually, she needs to get over the death of her first husband and she needs to realize that life is more than living in the hour of yesterday, I kind of feel  bad for her because she's obviously not over it and she even states that she just needs more time. I think Avery needs to take the hint and just let her have the time that she asks for; everyone grieves differently. 


My comment on Alec Malnati's Blog:
I do agree that Berniece does need to move on and her past really is controlling the future, but I think that might just be what needs to happen. Everyone gets over things differently and if she needs time, that's the only thing that is going to allow her to truly move on. I don't think she should just put on the face and pretend that she is over the death of her husband just so she can marry Avery.

The Piano Lesson #5

The play is starting to give off kind of a strange mood. I feel like the book isn't really going anywhere (there's quite a bit of time spent on the suit and dirty jokes) but I know that something big has to happen, or else it would be completely pointless. I was a little bit surprised at the sexual humor, it really kind of brought down the maturity level, which, unfortunately, isn't a good thing, in my opinion. I also wonder if maybe the suit/the way Wining Boy sold the suit to Lymon symbolizes something. I think it reveals a little bit about Lymon's character; he doesn't really think about it at all, he just buys it because it makes him look good. I think this might be foreshadowing that he might make quick, thoughtless decisions in the future.


My comment on Berit Foster's:
Whoa! That was the suit of the dead guy?!? I didn't even know that, that's a really good observation. That's kind of creepy, it makes sense to why Wining Boy was trying to sell it, though...

The Piano Lesson #2

I was really surprised at how rude Berniece was to Boy Willie and Lymon. Pretty much the entire time they are at Doaker's house, she is accusing them of something, yelling at them, or telling them to leave. It makes me think that maybe they have a "history" together, and I wonder if they have always been this way, or if Berniece was just in a bad mood. I was also surprised at how quick the pace of this play is. We haven't gotten very far at all, and already, we have had accusations, arguments, and the witnessing of a "ghost." Although it is busy, I think I kind of like how fast it is going, because it really keeps your brain hooked on it and wanting more. 

My comment on Cassondra Teach's blog:
I think the whole myth/ghost thing is weird too. It's kind of cheesy in my opinion and I'm wondering why grown adults are believing in it...

The Piano Lesson Journal Entry #1

Well, it's a little early in the book to make very many assumptions, but what we read in class surprised me. It had a very fun tone, and it feels like it is going to be a pretty lighthearted book. The language really contributed to this, although I disagree with what some people think about the way the characters talk. I don't think I would use the word "uneducated" to describe the way they talk, because that makes them seem unintelligent, which isn't necessarily true. Just because they talk in a different style, doesn't mean they are stupid. 
I also enjoyed the attitude of the characters. Boy Willie and Droaker seemed very gleeful and careless, which makes me feel like that is the way the rest of the play will be. It created a quicker pace, which makes it a little more interesting to read. 

My comment on James Dolan's Blog:
I'm going to have to disagree with this one. There are plenty of musicians out there that aren't "educated." Just because someone talks differently, doesn't mean they don't have intelligence and this is pretty irrelevant to music in my opinion.