Lymon Jackson Character Analysis in The Piano Lesson

Lymon is 29 years old. He is Boy Willie’s good friend and has partnered with him in various work ventures. Lymon doesn’t talk very much, but when he does, he is disarmingly straightforward. Lymon served time on Parchman Farm for being involved in Boy Willie’s wood theft; he got shot in the stomach during the incident. Later, Lymon was jailed for not working and then forced to work for Stovall to pay off his bail. Refusing to work for Stovall, Lymon lived in his truck in order to hide from the sheriff. Though Lymon is more mild-mannered and laid back than Boy Willie, he is ambitious in his own way—he is determined to make a new life in Pittsburgh work out. Lymon is very interested in women and can hardly wait to start meeting Northern ladies. He initially doesn’t seem very successful, but at the end of the play, it’s suggested that he and Grace have hit it off, and they slip away together. He also shares an affectionate moment of mutual understanding with Berniece, who seems to respect him and to believe that he has better prospects in life than Boy Willie.

Lymon Jackson Quotes in The Piano Lesson

The The Piano Lesson quotes below are all either spoken by Lymon Jackson or refer to Lymon Jackson. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Racism and Self-determination Theme Icon

BOY WILLIE: Lymon bought that truck so he have him a place to sleep. He down there wasn’t doing no work or nothing. Sheriff looking for him. He bought that truck to keep away from the sheriff. Got Stovall looking for him too. He down there sleeping in that truck ducking and dodging both of them. I told him come on let’s go up and see my sister.

Related Characters: Boy Willie (speaker), Berniece, Lymon Jackson, Jim Stovall

Related Symbols: Truck

Page Number and Citation: 6

Explanation and Analysis:

They got so many trains out there they have a hard time keeping them from running into each other. Got trains going every whichaway. Got people on all of them. Somebody going where somebody just left. If everybody stay in one place I believe this would be a better world. Now what I done learned after twenty-seven years of railroading is this…if the train stays on the track…it’s going to get where it’s going. It might not be where you going. If it ain’t, then all you got to do is sit and wait cause the train’s coming back to get you. The train don’t never stop. It’ll come back every time.

Related Characters: Doaker Charles (speaker), Boy Willie, Lymon Jackson

Page Number and Citation: 19

Explanation and Analysis:

BOY WILLIE: They looking for Lymon down there now. They rounded him up and put him in jail for not working.

LYMON: Fined me a hundred dollars. Mr. Stovall come and paid my hundred dollars and the judge say I got to work for him to pay him back his hundred dollars. I told them I’d rather take my thirty days but they wouldn’t let me do that.

Related Characters: Boy Willie (speaker), Lymon Jackson (speaker), Jim Stovall

Related Symbols: Truck

Page Number and Citation: 37

Explanation and Analysis:

That’s how the whole thing come about between me and Lymon’s mama. She knew me and his daddy used to run together and he got in jail and she went down there and took the sheriff a hundred dollars. […] The sheriff looked at that hundred dollars and turned his nose up. Told her, say, “That ain’t gonna do him no good. You got to put another hundred on top of that.” She come up there and got me where I was playing at this saloon…said she had all but fifty dollars and asked me if I could help. […] I will give anybody fifty dollars to keep them out of jail for three years.

Related Characters: Wining Boy (speaker), Lymon Jackson, Cleotha Holman

Page Number and Citation: 63

Explanation and Analysis:

Lymon Jackson Character Timeline in The Piano Lesson

The timeline below shows where the character Lymon Jackson appears in The Piano Lesson. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...and severe-looking, enters the room. He opens the door, and 30-year-old Boy Willie and 29-year-old Lymon walk in. Boy Willie is boyish, beaming, and talkative; Lymon is reserved and straightforward. (full context)

Doaker is surprised that Boy Willie and Lymon have traveled all the way from Mississippi. Boy Willie explains that they’re here selling watermelons—they... (full context)

Spirituality and the Supernatural Theme Icon

...in the morning. Boy Willie ignores her scolding and tells Doaker to get him and Lymon a drink—they’re celebrating. Sutter drowned in his well, he explains—everyone says “the Ghosts of the... (full context)

...looks outside at the truck filled with watermelons. She’s skeptical about how Boy Willie and Lymon came to own the truck. As the men drink Doaker’s good whiskey, Boy Willie explains... (full context)

...Willie also mentions that the last time Wining Boy was home in Mississippi, he and Lymon were doing time on Parchman Farm. (full context)

Lymon notices the family piano. Boy Willie points out how beautifully polished it is, as well... (full context)

Doaker changes the subject, asking after Lymon’s family, who still live in Mississippi. Lymon explains that he wants to see what life... (full context)

Boy Willie argues that this is ridiculous. He and Lymon weren’t anywhere near Sutter when Sutter died; he thinks the “Ghosts of the Yellow Dog”... (full context)

After Berniece goes upstairs to wake up Maretha and Doaker exits, Lymon suggests that Boy Willie stay in Pittsburgh with him. Boy Willie refuses, though—he thinks Lymon... (full context)

...and ambitious,” well-dressed, and carrying a Bible. He is surprised to see Boy Willie and Lymon, and they tease Avery about becoming a preacher. When Boy Willie asks how Avery got... (full context)

...to selling the piano. She leaves with Avery and Maretha. Soon after, Boy Willie and Lymon venture out to sell watermelons. (full context)

...outdated and a bit pitiful. He and Doaker discuss Boy Willie’s plans. Boy Willie and Lymon haven’t yet sold their watermelons. They keep intending to sell to the white people who... (full context)

Boy Willie and Lymon come in; they’ve had to leave the broken-down truck with a mechanic and are arguing... (full context)

The men drink whiskey, and Wining Boy asks Boy Willie and Lymon about their time on Parchman Farm, where he’s done time himself. Boy Willie explains that... (full context)

Lymon claims that he’s going to stay in Pittsburgh because people are treated better here. Boy... (full context)

...the law says—he goes by whether the law is right in his eyes or not. Lymon says that’s why Boy Willie is going to wind up on Parchman Farm again. But... (full context)

After they admire Berniece’s piano, Doaker starts telling Lymon the story behind Berniece’s refusal to give it up. It dates back to slavery, when... (full context)

...and Berniece greets Wining Boy briefly before going upstairs. After she’s gone, Boy Willie gets Lymon to help him attempt to move the piano. While this is going on, Doaker hears... (full context)

...Boy Willie insists that by saying this, she’s just being ignorant—Crawley knew that he and Lymon were sneaking wood, and he chose to intervene. They asked Crawley to help them load... (full context)

...offer him enough money for it. Berniece is still at work, and Boy Willie and Lymon are out selling watermelons. Maretha is refusing to sleep upstairs anymore. Doaker tells Wining Boy... (full context)

Love, Relationships, and Independence Theme Icon

Boy Willie and Lymon come in, excited—their pockets are full of money. People were lining up to buy watermelons,... (full context)

While Lymon is trying on his new outfit, Wining Boy tells the others he knew Lymon’s father... (full context)

While Berniece is making tea in the kitchen, Lymon knocks. He says he’d been with a woman, but she was only interested in his... (full context)

Berniece says that Lymon shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a job—it’s all in how you present yourself. Boy... (full context)

They talk a little more, and after an awkward pause, Lymon dabs a bit of perfume behind Berniece’s ear (he’d just bought the bottle off a... (full context)

Late the next morning, Boy Willie walks in, finding Lymon asleep on the couch. He spent last night at Grace’s but left before her ex-boyfriend,... (full context)

As Lymon and Boy Willie continue to wrestle with the piano, Doaker comes in and orders them,... (full context)

...her. Berniece asks Doaker what’s been going on, and he explains that Boy Willie and Lymon are getting ready to move the piano. Berniece says that she’s done playing around with... (full context)

...the idea, saying that the haunting is all in Berniece’s imagination. Before Avery can start, Lymon enters with a rope for the piano, saying he’d run into Grace and bought her... (full context)

As Lymon and Boy Willie get ready to move the piano, everyone senses the presence of Sutter’s... (full context)