Values of Avery

In August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, Wilson introduces the audience to a character named Avery. Avery is a thirty- eight-year-old honest and ambitious opportunity seeker. Unlike many in this era Avery’s values were a bit different, he valued his religion and marriage. Upon forts arriving in the city Avery found himself like most adapting a trade. He worked on a skyscraper downtown name the Gulf Building running the elevator. After finding this great job Avery still sought out for more opportunity and growth.

He then seen religion as a key to success after he claims he’s had a prophecy to start a church. He tell Doaker and Winning Boy,“ It come to me in a dream. God called me and told me he wanted me to be a shepherd for his flock. That’s what I’m gonna call my church…….The Good Shepherd Church Of God and Christ(Wilson 24).” Following this dream Avery seen religion as monetary value also. He figures if he gets a good stable congregation the money he receives will be enough to make this his full-time job. Although Avery has received his prophecy, in the public eye during this time if you were a reliable preacher you have a wife on your side.

Avery also believes that by being a preacher it would be better to get married since he does not picture himself being alone. Avery has had feelings towards Berniece like he has never felt towards another woman. For that reason, he wants to get married with her in order to have someone by his side that actually meets his needs. Unfortunately Berniece pushes him away since she is not ready to get married. He encourages her to leave everything behind since Crawley death was three years ago

So far in the reading, there have been two things that Avery values. He values his religion in which he always talks in the words of the bible when talking to others. He also values that by being a preacher he should be married. Since he has been having feelings towards Berniece he decides that he is the right person to get married with but is not responded in the same way.

My Impression on Berniece

In The Piano Lesson by August Wilson, Berniece is one of the characters in the play. Berniece is the mother of Maretha and the sister of Boy Willie. She is different from the other characters since she is not that ambitous with money. I trust her since she does not think of selling the piano because it represents her families history. I believe that Berniece has become a strong person after her husband died and be able to confront Boy Willie. At the same time I think that she should try to move on with her life because she seems so lonely and her right option could be to marry Avery.