A "Lesson" to Learn

 

"The Lesson" by Tony Cade Bambara is written on the context of the African American's struggle in the society and the Black movement. A woman named Mrs. Moore moves into a neighborhood of the slums of the Black people. She attempts to spread the light of education among the children living in the slum. The story has a particular steep of flow. Unlike the general characteristic of short fiction, the theme is not established in one particular portion of the story. The writer gradually sets up the stage, the more you advance with the reading, theMore you get to its core.

Mrs. Moore was not in the cab; hence, we get to see sylvia back in her natural instinct. Sylvia initially was judging the choice of the other kids and their wish-list. But she was moved by the price of a sailboat. With all her quotes in this segment, we can say that she started to open her eyes. Deep down and unconsciously, she felt that she is not welcomed in such a nice place like here. She feels an unexpected fear and shame. The inequality and biasness hit her for the first time. She finally started to raise questions on the ridiculously high price.

Mercedes, a comparatively well-off kid in the group, sees her cousin Sugar touching the displayed toys whereas she didn't even have courage to do that. She identifies an instinct to hit her cousin out of jealousy; but she was quick enough to realize its not about her cousin. Her anger was not only on her cousin but actually building up on the system- the social system that is based on the economic background. She realized that she was in the lowest one. After seeing the life the rich lead, she discovered it herself and pondering over the overwhelming difference between her family and the families who buy their kids $1000 sailboat.

Short fiction by Tony Cade Bambara. First her denial, then her unconscious realization- "Sylvia's fear and shame at walking into FAO Schwarz are an important part of the lesson. The focus on the children's slow processing of the unfairness of the economic system and on Sylvia's emotional response is key to the story's effectiveness"

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