▁of ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁characters , ▁showing ▁events ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁fun eral ▁in ▁flash back s . ▁Seven ▁Gu it ars ▁represents ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁entry ▁in ▁Wilson ' s ▁Pitts burgh ▁Cy cle , ▁a ▁de cade - by - de cade ▁anth ology ▁of ▁African - American ▁life ▁in ▁Pitts burgh , ▁Pennsylvania ▁during ▁the ▁tw enti eth ▁century ; ▁Wilson ▁would ▁revis it ▁the ▁stories ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁these ▁characters ▁in ▁King ▁Hed ley ▁II , ▁set ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁Plot ▁syn opsis ▁Just ▁released ▁from ▁j ail , ▁Blues ▁singer ▁F loyd ▁" Sch ool boy " ▁Bart on ▁is ▁asked ▁to ▁sign ▁a ▁record ▁deal ▁after ▁a ▁song ▁he ▁recorded ▁months ▁before ▁becomes ▁an ▁unexpected ▁hit . ▁After ▁a ▁year ▁of ▁tri als ▁and ▁trib ulations , ▁F loyd ▁is ▁ready ▁to ▁right ▁the ▁past ▁year ' s ▁wrong s ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁Chicago ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁understanding ▁of ▁what ' s ▁important ▁in ▁his ▁life . ▁Unfortunately ▁his ▁means ▁of ▁right ing ▁wrong s ▁are ▁inher ently ▁fla wed . ▁ ▁The ▁play ' s ▁rec urr ing ▁theme ▁is ▁the ▁African - American ▁male ' s ▁fight ▁for ▁his ▁own ▁human ity , ▁self - under standing ▁and ▁self - accept ance ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁personal ▁and ▁soci etal ▁ill s . ▁The ▁ro oster ▁is ▁a ▁rec urr ing ▁symbol ▁of ▁black ▁man hood ▁throughout ▁the ▁play , ▁and ▁provides ▁a