"The Piano"

Anibal Machado's story the "The Piano" was a delightful story that I enjoyed reading unlike the previous two stories we read. The author chose to begin with the setting of the story, which he did as medias res. We are immediately thrown into the story as the point Joao was trying to sell the piano, and it ends with an ironic twist.

The story is written in third person omniscient and the reader gets an understanding of the story through Joao and Rosalia. Joao though as the greater connection to the piano, it was like the piano was an old dear treasured relative. When he tried to give it to a relative while initially agreeing even they did not want to take this aging member of the family. Rosalia was in the position of giving Joao comfort for having to losing a cherished member of this family, but also being practical that they needed the space and the money for their daughter Sara's impending wedding.

The author has given the piano a life like existence in this story, the piano is the holder of joyful family memories throughout time, from when he was young and it belonged to his parents/grandparents, when his daughter was first learning to play a musical instrument. The piano's place in the family has caused some conflict as well "you're always against it, Rosalia".

As the story continues the author shows us Joao's despair when no one wants to purchase his cherished piano, and his family doesn't want it. Joao decides to give the piano a burial at sea. He gets help to move the piano to the ocean, and along the way his neighbors will ask where he was going with the piano. When he offers them the piano they are first say yes until they realize they must find an immediate home for the piano.

The piano has been tossed in the ocean and destroyed, which brings about another set of problems because the police believe he has thrown away more than the piano. His troubles don't end when he gets rid of the piano, now he has more questions to answer to. For Jaoa tossing the piano in the ocean was the same as having a burial at sea of dear family member. As the story comes twisting to an end the redheaded man who inquired many times about the piano had come to make an offer. Only adding to Joao's despair.