Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Analysis

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a play by August Wilson, deeply analyzes the works of the African-American music artists the the Jazz Age. The play delves into the oppression of the artist and the exploitation of their music. Through the youthful and self-assured trumpet player, Levee, the story of his personal failings and inevitable destruction of his aspirations is told. The focus of Wilson’s allegory is the purchase of Levee’s new shoes, and how his new shoes are symbolic of the changing of the times and pride in one’s self. Levee began the play by bragging about his new shoes, that he bought with money he won from a fellow band member. To his dismay, however, everyone begins to poke fun of him because of his pride. Cutler, a band leader, says …show more content…
Once Ma Rainey fired Levee, there really was no going back for him. The biggest blow, however, was when Sturdyvant made the choice not to make Levee’s music. Levee had made the rash decision to believe that Sturdyvant, a man who only cares about money, would honor the conversation that was had about his future career in music. Levee, who had everything riding on this implied deal with Sturdyvant, lost every connection to the music industry that could have made him famous. Sturdyvant had stepped all over Levee’s dreams, in a similar way that Toledo stepped on Levee’s shoes. The loss of a possible music career sent Levee over the edge. He had trusted in Sturdyvant, only to be double-crossed. Toledo represented everything that Levee could of had, but had lost it to an unreasonable dream. Toledo had a family, he was literate, he was happy with his life and where he was. Levee was left only with his amazing musical talent. Levee’s act of murder was not a personal offense to Toledo, it was an offense to his own musical talent. Levee never had his family to raise him, he only had his trumpet, so by murdering Toledo, and inevitably going to prison, Levee has given up every opportunity to play the trumpet again. The final words in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is, “stage direction of trumpet at the end”(Wilson END). The mournful sound of the trumpet proves that, if Levee had the patience to wait for an opportunity to play his music, without rushing into fully trusting Sturdyvant, he more than likely would of had a very different