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. She takes the children to the FAO Schwartz toy store in Manhattan to observe expensive toys, to demonstrate how social class may differ for each and every child. Some children notice they have less than others placing them on a social class scale.
