The Piano

993 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Into the wild character analysis

A Mail Order Bride
“The strange thing is I don’t think myself silent, that is, because of my piano” (Campion 9). This beloved instrument is central to the plot and plays a major role in the movie The Piano. It is a symbolic instrument that Campion uses to tell a complex tale.. The film is a story of shyness, repression, and loneliness, of a woman who will not speak and a man who cannot listen, and of a willful little girl who causes mischief.
Ada’s verbal silence is a complicated issue in the film and contributes to the overall confusion surrounding her gender identity. Since the age of six, Ada voluntarily chose to be mute and expresses herself through her play of her piano. Her piano symbolized not only her body but also more importantly her soul.
In the mid-1800’s, Ada arrives on the stormy shores of New Zealand to meet her prearranged husband, Stewart. Ada was referred to as the mail-order bride on the summation of the Blockbuster videocassette. In addition to her luggage filled with dishes and clothes, she brings her eight-year old daughter, and her piano. Despite Ada’s wordless pleadings, Stewart refuses to bring her piano home and it is left on the beach. As Ada, Stewart, and the rest of the crew leave the beach, Ada contemplates the piano sitting on the sand near the water. This scene shows the underlying feelings of Ada; she is unhappy that her prize possession is being left behind. Stewart believes in his ownership of Ada and he demonstrates this by negating her own claim to property.
Baines, a local man with Maori ways, makes a deal with Stewart in which he will trade land for music lessons from Ada. Baines offers Ada a deal to get the instrument back, and she is unprepared for the price she must ultimately pay. He recognizes the value that the piano has with Ada, which Stewart fails to do. The first act of compassion from Baines towards Ada is when he has the piano tuned. This event symbolizes that he truly cares what Ada feels and respects her as a women and person. Stewart does not comprehend that affection must be earned through trust, respect, and love. Baines realizes this and he gives the piano back to her saying, “I want you to care for me” (The Piano).
One can feel the sense of frustration with Baines during the play scene.

Show More
Related

  • Out Of The Dust Character Analysis

    695 Words  | 2 Pages

    Billy Jo finds some of her hope when she can by playing her mother’s piano. The piano is a big part because it was a way Billy Jo and her mother connected. The piano was a wedding gift from Billy Jo’s father. She learns to play at a young age with her mother she describes it as “heaven” (page 22). But there is a time where that seems to line up in a time where Billy Jo was sad when she could not play the piano because of her hurt hands. This old dust filled piano has segmental value to Billy

    Read More

  • Comparative Analysis of Berniece and Boy Willie

    1083 Words  | 3 Pages

    Comparison of the two shows that both overcome struggles to accept the idea that family history needs to be preserved, shared, enjoyed, and made use of to obtain the most promising future, free from the ghosts of the past. Each character has a steadfast will––a will that Berniece and Boy Willie both demonstrate through their conflict with one another––as well as a level head and a loving heart, which is shown through their conclusion to keep the piano so long as it is being used how it was intended. Failure to let go of the past is just as detrimental to the future as failure to make use of it properly; as with Berniece and Boy Willie, a balance between the two forces is necessary to attain the most productive future and leave the most lasting legacy.

    Read More

  • The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

    791 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Denny’s late wife Eve dies, his whole world is changed. Trish and Maxwell - the evil Twins - plot against Denny by pulling him into a major court battle. As a result, Denny is forced to sacrifice major opportunities in order to win custody of his daughter, Zoë. “ “I appreciate your generous offer,” he [Denny] said. “But I’m afraid certain things prevent me from leaving this country – or even this state – at the moment. So I have to decline.” (Stein 276) Luca Pantoni – a man that worked at Ferrari – asked Denny if he wanted to move out to Italy with his family where he could test cars for a living. With the major court battle going on Denny had to politely refuse the offer. Knowing Denny’s personality it would have been difficult for him to decline such a great offer, but at that moment he had to think about his family first. Next to Eve, Zoë is the most important person in Denny’s life. The death of Eve was unexpected for both Denny and Zoë, but Denny could not let his sadness and frustration show...

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston: Character Analysis

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    As Janie is growing up she has to learn to accept her Nanny’s belief of how a woman is supposed to live in society. Nanny grew up in slavery so she believes that the role of men is to support his wife financially. Nanny thinks Janie should marry a man according to how successful he is and Janie should keep up the household responsibilities. Janie’s grandmother said, “Ah been waitin’ a long time, Janie, but nothin’ Ah I

    Read More

  • The Piano Lesson

    539 Words  | 2 Pages

    In The Piano Lesson, written by August Wilson, Boy Willie devises a scheme for buying Sutter’s land. Boy Willie has one part of the money saved up. He will sell the watermelons for the second part. Then he will sell the piano for a third part. The only debating issue in Boy Willie’s scheme is the piano. Berniece does not want to sell the piano. This is the only reason for a defense in Boy Willie’s scheme. Therefore, I will defend Boy Willie’s issue of selling the piano and how that liberates him in reference to his scheme for buying Sutter’s land.

    Read More

  • Piano Lesson

    662 Words  | 2 Pages

    Boy Willie is the protagonist in the play The Piano Lesson, which is written by August Wilson. He is a foil character to his sister Berniece. He wants to sell the family piano. His biggest obstacle is his past, and his sister. Berniece wants to salvage the piano and keep it as a namesake. The quarrels revolving around legacies is the central conflict of the play. Boy Willie’s “Super-objective” contains two parts: fear and legacy resulting in memory.

    Read More

  • The Music Lessons

    926 Words  | 2 Pages

    characters are in engaged in a dialogue which is common for a mother and a daughter to

    Read More

  • Love Is Never Silent

    787 Words  | 2 Pages

    Near the beginning of the movie her brother dies from falling out of a third story window and she is forced to buy a coffin for him because her parents are unable to communicate this is largely because of the lack of accommodations that were available during the time. As the movie progresses and she faces more of lives hardships she starts to realize that she is the connection between the hearing and non-hearing worlds for her parents. For her graduation her father makes a kind jester of purchasing a hearing aid, which was one of the early models. Unfortunately her misunderstanding led to he feeling embarrassed of her parents although, it is unfair that she hid away her parents from her social life in the first place. One of the main characters that really kept her grounded was Mr. Petrakis. A kind elderly man who runs a pawnshop down the street. He also tends to be her way of venting because she doesn’t know how to tell her parents how upset she is. After her graduation she starts as a secretary where she meets her eventual husband William Anglin who repeatedly asks her out, but is unable to up until he is leaving for basic training for WWII. After they date are dating for a while ...

    Read More

  • Summary Of Kate Chopin's 'The Awakening'

    864 Words  | 2 Pages

    The music that was played by Mademoiselle Reisz also awakened the soul that was sleeping in Edna. “The very first chords which Mademoiselle Reisz struck upon the piano sent a keen tremor down Mrs. Pontellier’s spinal column.” It was the first time for Edna to feel the emotional power of music and the message that Mademoiselle Reisz wants to express though each

    Read More

  • The Piano Lesson

    1109 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Piano Lesson by August Wilson, Berniece and Boy Willie are siblings who both want the piano that belongs to their family. Berniece wants to keep the piano because it holds their family history and it reminds her of the hard work her mother put into the piano. However, Boy Willie wants to sell the piano to buy land from Sutter’s brother because to him the land, like the piano, are both a part of his family’s history and both represent being free from Sutter. Both siblings fight over who has more rights to the piano and deserves it. In August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, Berniece struggles with being able to embrace her past and acknowledge its importance. Which reveals that instead of hiding the past we should embrace it and let it help

    Read More

  • Adrian Monk Analysis

    809 Words  | 2 Pages

    Before he moves, at his former home, Monk becomes obsessed with the piano playing of a young neighbor -- or rather, with stopping it. His assistant, Natalie, cannot even really hear the music most of the time. Monk cannot sleep because he thinks he hears it during the night, and calls the police numerous times in an effort to make the “noise” stop. We’re not sure at this point why it is pre-occupying so much of his time and bothering him so much.

    Read More

  • Symbolism in August Wilson's Piano Lesson

    1021 Words  | 3 Pages

    ..., and Boy Willie finally realizes the true power and significance of the piano, the conflict is resolved.

    Read More

  • Mother Daughter Relationship in Two Kinds by Amy Tan

    430 Words  | 1 Pages

    As the story unfolds, Tan suggests that the piano symbolizes different things. For Ni Kan, it is the unwanted pressure her mother inflicts upon. She argues, “Why don’t you like me the way I am? I’m not a genius! I can’t play the piano” (751). However, her mother sees it as a way for her daughter to become the best. Ultimately, the young girl decides to rebel against her mother’s wishes. During her piano lessons with Mr. Chong, her piano teacher, she learns easy ways to get out of practicing. Ni Kan discovers “that Old Chong’s eyes were too slow to keep up with the wrong notes [she] was playing” (751). As a result, Ni Kan performs miserably in a talent show where her parents and friends from the Joy Luck Club attend. Feeling the disapproval and shame from her mother, she decides to stop practicing the piano.

    Read More

  • The Pianist

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the Holocaust in Poland, thousands of Jewish people were taken out the comfort of their homes and even their cities. They were separated from their loved ones and taken away to places completely foreign to them. The Nazis reduced the Jewish community during the Holocaust drastically by killing anyone that produced the slightest amount of trouble or if they didn’t contribute in the camps as productively as others due to health or old age. All of the old customs and traditions that the Jewish people used to have were all stopped. All the money, food, and even the homes they used to own were all taken away from them. Without their approval, the Nazis went in and practically took all the valuables that they could find inside the homes. There are many movies and books that try to explain the brutality of this event but the high majority underestimate how terrible this event is. The Pianist, directed by Roman Polanski shows the event in the eyes of a famous Jewish pianist named Wladyslaw Szpilman.# This movie accurately portrays the the extreme differences of the Polish town...

    Read More

  • Sir Arthur W. Pinero's play The Second Mrs. Tanqueray

    1787 Words  | 4 Pages

    Aubery Tanqueray, a self-made man, is a Widower at the age of Forty two with a beautiful teenage daughter, Ellean whom he seems very protective over. His deceased wife, the first Mrs. Tanqueray was "an iceberg," stiff, and assertive, alive as well as dead (13). She had ironically died of a fever "the only warmth, I believe, that ever came to that woman's body" (14). Now alone because his daughter is away at a nunnery he's found someone that can add a little life to his elite, high class existence; a little someone, we learn, that has a past that doesn't quite fit in with the rest of his friends.

    Read More

More about The Piano

Open Document