An analysis of toni cade bambarass short story the lesson

Literary analysis “The lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara – Barbra Dozier's Blog

It causes her to think while Sugar can only think about buying sweets with the four dollars. O Schwartz and it is possible that Bambara is attempting to highlight how similar or equal all children are. Though again only the very wealthy and white appear to be able to shop in F. Which suggests a lack of racial equality and a difference among classes.

Toni Cade Bambaras The Lesson - Essay Example

The fact that neither Sylvia nor Sugar can walk into F. Schwartz may also be important as there is a sense that they may feel ashamed of who they are poor and black. They feel out of place based purely on their class and the colour of their skin. It is only when the other children push them in that they actually enter the store. This pushing action may be significant as it could suggest progress in numbers. Just as an individual might have to join other individuals to protest in mass likewise the action of the children pushing their way into the store suggests something similar.

Short Story Analysis: The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara - The Sitting Bee

There is power in numbers. Bambara also manages to highlight the innocence of the children particularly when it comes to Flyboy who does not know what a paperweight is. Something that Miss Moore is attempting to promote among Sylvia and her friends. It is also noticeable that Miss Moore is giving something to the community, helping to educate the children. Bambara may be suggesting that in order for black people to overcome racial and economic differences they have to help each other.

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Even if an individual may not be a church goer like Miss Moore. Bambara seems to be drawing on the practical rather than the spiritual throughout the story and may be suggesting that change not only comes from helping each other but by being practical.

There is no sense in the story that Bambara is using religion as a tool for progress. Sylvia is a tough girl from the ghetto who uses her experience at the museum and the toy store to become more self aware.

The Lesson Summary

What the reader knows about Sylvia is very little. Bambara provides no physical description of her although we suspect from the beginning that she is from the ghetto as she speaks very colloquially and talks of winos and pee in the hallway of her building. The reader can also glean this knowledge from the other characters in the story. Sylvia is stubborn and she keeps her true feelings inside.

Toni Cade Bambaras The Lesson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - words

Maybe not her, but I sure want to punch somebody in the mouth She is even angry at Sugar for expressing a lesson learned from this experience. She understands exactly the ramifications of this experience. Sylvia is bright and she does have sort of an epiphany while entering the toy store. She is intuitive enough to realize that she cannot afford these things even though her family works hard as well.