The Piano Lesson by August Wilson

The Sutters and the Charles

Who is Sutter? 

•James Sutter, is the son of Robert and Miss Ophelia, whom originally owned the piano.
•The Sutter family are the ex-owners of The Charles.
•Sutter was believed to have been pushed into a well, by Boy Willie. (pg. 14)
•Sutter’s ghost has been seen/heard a total of twelve times throughout the story.  (pg. 14)
•  -ghost represents Sutter’s vengeance
•  -resides in the piano (pg. 15)

The Land

•Who owns it?
•  -The Sutter’s originally owned it
•  -Size of about 100 acres
•Where is it?
•  -Mississippi
•Who wants Sutter’s land? Why? What does the land symbolize?

 -Boy Willie wants to purchase it because he wants money and to be equal as the white man. (pg. 50)

•Potential land deal Boy Willie offered
  - Offered to Boy Willie by Sutter’s brother (pg. 10)

Ghosts and Dead People

The Charles’

  -Boy Charles I

  -Mama Esther

  -Boy Willie I (carved the piano)

  -Berniece I 

  - Doaker's Dad (Name not given)

  - Mama Nellie

  -Mama Ola

  -Boy Charles II

  -Crawley (Berniece II husband)

•The Sutters/•Others

  -Robert Sutter (James’ father)

  -Miss Ophelia (James’ mother)

  -James Sutter (the ghost)

  -Cleotha (Wining Boy’s friend)

•Victims of the ghosts of the Yellow Dog

  -Ed Sanders

  -Howard Peterson

  -Charlie Webb

  -Robert Smith

  -Bob Mallory

  -Three hobos (burned in the boxcar)

Myth of The Yellow Dog

•The Yellow Dog is the train.
•Boy Chares II and the three hobos were burned in the Yellow Dog, thus considered the ghosts.
•The ghosts of the Yellow Dog are after the “white folks” and push them into a well

  -”..a well got a wall around. It’s hard to fall down   a well…the ghosts of the Yellow Dog must have   pushed them..,” page 85.