In Toni Cadi Bambara’s short story “The Lesson”, the children are exposed to a different perspective of life in the city of New York. Social class and inequality are crucial throughout the story and are represented through multiple scenarios. Throughout the story, situations and materialistic items made Sylvia realize what economic class she was positioned in and what it means to be in a lower class. Miss Moore takes it upon herself to educate these children on the social issue that society is facing…
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Life for the average African American in the 1960’s was characterized as being destitute and uneducated. This lifestyle is portrayed through the children in Toni Cade Bambara’s short story, “The Lesson.” In the story, a group of African American kids who are living the stereotypical life of the 60’s are taken under Mrs. Moore’s wing and taught how to live a better, happier life. Despite their unappreciative attitudes, she determines to convince them that there is something better to life than cheating…
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During the time we studied the story “The Lesson”, written by Toni Cade Bambara, one could notice that the speaker Sylvia seems to be a girl with an attitude problem that does not want to try anything different.This causing her a greater level of frustration when Miss Moore moves into her neighborhood.Right from the start of the story, one can feel the high tensions that Sylvia has with Miss.Moore. Miss Moore has a college education and all the parents that live in that block are pushing their kids…
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In “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, the story’s theme centers on education; the need for education and the importance of knowledge to promote racial and economic equality. It depicts how learning can lead to discomfort, but that discomfort is vital for a positive change. For the children living in the slums, Miss Moore takes upon herself the “responsibility for the young ones’ education” and exposes them to the world outside of their neighborhood and the truths it holds. As Miss Moore states, “where…
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"The Lesson” is a short story by Toni Cade Bambara published in 1972. The story is written in the first-person narrative by a young black girl named Sylvia, who lives in Harlem. Sylvia reflects on when she was young, and how a woman named Miss Moore moved into her neighborhood that took no pride in her appearance but spoke properly. Sylvia despised Miss Moore, claiming that all she did was teach them boring information. However, it is clear based on Sylvia’s diction that she is from a poorly educated…
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Not all lessons we learn in our life are easy ones, however, they are all important. In the story, “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, several children on summer break meet with a lady named Miss Moore who takes them on field trips to give them life lessons. On one of these days, the children go to FAO Schwartz, an exclusive toy store, in one of the richest parts of New York City. The children have never seen toys like the toys in the window and they definitely have never seen price tags that high…
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themselves. They see and experience many factors that influence their everyday lives, which help them grow stronger when they become adults. In “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid and “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara the characters within the stories learn valuable lesson with help them grow to become better individuals. In “The Lesson” the character of Sugar undergoes a realization that society does not treat everyone equally, that not every individual has the same opportunity and equality that they should have…
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Bennett Fontenot Professor Courtney Dueitt EN 2203-01 Fiction Paper Assignment 17 February 2015 “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara Setting is an extremely important role in portraying the deeper meaning behind any piece of literature. In “The Lesson,” by Toni Cade Bambara, the setting is the most influential part of the short story. Throughout the story are two immediate settings. The narrator and main character is Sylvia, a young African American woman living in Harlem who takes a field trip…
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experience many factors that influence their everyday lives, which help them grow stronger when they become adults. In “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid and “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara the characters within the stories learn valuable lesson with help them grow to become better individuals. In “The Lesson” the character of Sugar undergoes a realization that society does not treat everyone equally, that not every individual has the same opportunity and equality that…
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deserves, and no one being able to trust Dave. Neither Sylvia nor Dave came from rich backgrounds. Sylvia stated that she hated the way “The winos who cluttered up our parks and pissed on our handball walls and stank up our hallways and stairs” (Bambara 60). This quote indicates that she does not live in the cleanest neighborhood. Sylvia did not realize she was in poverty until Miss Moore “gets to the part about we all poor and live in the slums” (61). She does not say much more about her neighborhood…
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