The Lesson by Toni cade Bambara
"The Lesson" refers a short story by Toni Cade Bambara. The story was first published in the year 1972. Toni Cade Bambara refers to a highly renowned African American Author, social activist and documentary filmmaker of America. Along with a writer, social activist and film maker, Bambara was also a college professor. The aim of the author, here us to expose the issues faced by the African American community that clearly points out social inequality, discrimination and lack of quality educational opportunity for the colored population of the society. In this essay, detailed discussion of the short story “the Lesson” has been conducted.
“The Lesson” has bee found to be a first-person tale told by Sylvia, a young black girl growing up in Harlem during an undefined period known only as “Back in the days when everybody was dumb and senile or young and foolish and me and Sugar were the only ones just right.” Based on the costs, it appears that the short story takes place in the early 1970s. The story follows a tour organized by Miss Moore, a well-educated lady who has took it upon herself to educate the neighborhood's unappreciative youngsters to the reality outside of their oppressed environment. The objective is Manhattan's FAO Schwarz Toy Store, where toys intended at the white market are extraordinarily expensive.
Some are more expensive than the annual household incomes of the children. The children consider the exorbitant charges. Miss Moore utilizes the trip to show how an uneven economic and social system gives black Americans unequal access to financial resources. The children, too disdainful to give themselves up to the lessons imparted by the well-intentioned Miss Moore, complete the story by making plans to waste the remaining cab fare change. Sylvia, on the other hand, eventually seeks alone to reflect on the events of the day. Who can write my essay?
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The narrator has found a method to channel her rage and exclaims, "ain't nobody going to beat me at nuthin," reflecting how the story's two main protagonists take opposing paths towards the end. Miss Moore, the knowledgeable outsider, provokes resistance with her condescension in this story, emphasizing that those who are isolated to certain circumstances should not be condescended to.
The short story can be divided into a number of themes. one of the major theme includes wealth inequality. The children are from a low-income neighborhood, possibly Harlem. They reside in houses with winos in the stairwells and halls. Miss Moore refers to them as slums. She gets the children to Fifth Avenue, which is home to some of the nation's most luxury houses. For many, the first step over their financial level could be as simple as a taxi journey. Some of the children "are captivated with the meter ticking," implying that they have never seen anything like this before. The first thing the children notice in the window is a $300 microscope. The clear disparity is that none of their parents could afford to purchase it, whilst other parents could. The educational opportunity gap is another source of inequity. The children have no idea what a microscope is for.
Because the microscope is so expensive, it isn't a part of their reality, and the information it represents isn't either. The 480 dollars paperweight is the next item on the list. This item also exemplifies inequality in both directions. They can't afford it, but they're also baffled as to why it's necessary. Only one of the children, Mercedes, has a desk at home. In their houses, this is a luxury, not a need, as it would be in a wealthy household. The fiberglass sailboat comes in last. Given the fact that the children have a comparative analysis, the wealth inequality is the easiest for them to absorb. This one is $1,195, whereas their toy sailboats are only 50 cents. This could explain why Sylvia is taken aback when she hears the price.
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This toy has a stronger impact than the others. A toy boat costs 50 cents, so she estimated that a real yacht would cost $1,000. She becomes enraged when she learns that a toy can cost more than that. Miss Moore and Sugar make the most direct statements regarding wealth disparity at the end of their conversation. Sugar estimates that the group's annual food costs are likely less than the cost of the vessel. Miss Moore wonders what kind of society has people that can afford a toy that can feed a family of six or seven people. Sugar claims that if people don't have an equitable chance to make money, it isn't a democracy.
Empowerment is another key issue that can be stressed. Miss Moore is attempting to persuade the pupils to take action that will have a positive impact on society. This would necessitate their standing out and speaking up, to be unique. Miss Moore, with her "nappy hair, decent speech, and no makeup," is a wonderful example of this. She also does not go to church and does not use her first name. The first step is to inform the children that there is something unfair about which they should be upset. Miss Moore achieves this by emphasizing wealth inequality, which we've already discussed. Avail essay help service to get instant essay writing assistance.
Sylvia recalls one of Miss Moore's refrains on the return train ride, "We are who we are because of where we are... It doesn't have to be that way, though." "Poor individuals have to wake up and demand their portion of the pie," she says she wants in return. She wants the children to understand that where they grow up does not have to limit them. The word "demand" implies that they will have to take action. She's attempting to give them enough power to take the appropriate actions. Sugar exhibits a nascent sense of self-awareness as she interacts with Miss Moore. Sylvia tries to physically intimidate her into shutting up, but Sugar continues, "pushing [her] off her feet like she never done before."Thus it can be concluded that The lesson is a unique piece of short story that possess the potential to help children understand the concept of inequality and discrimination.
Bibliography
Bambara, T.C., 1972. The lesson. Gorilla, my love, pp.85-96.
Cartwright, J., 1989. Bambara's the Lesson. The Explicator, 47(3), pp.61-63.
Graves, R.N., 2008. Bambara's The Lesson. The Explicator, 66(4), pp.214-217.
Heller, J.R., 2003. Toni Cade Bambara's Use of African American Vernacular English in “The Lesson”. Style, 37(3), pp.279-293.
Marotta, M.A., 2009. The Influence Of Rural And Urban Areas On The Female Communities In The Works Of Toni Cade Bambara, Gayl Jones, And Toni Morrison.
Sari, V.C., 2018. Grammatical Features of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in Toni Cade Bambara Short Story, The Lesson. LANGUAGE HORIZON, 6(1).
Wright, K.M., 2008. The Role of Dialect Representation in Speaking from the Margins:“The Lesson” of Toni Cade Bambara. Style, 42(1), pp.73-83.
Wright, N.S., 2020. Black Girl Interiority in Toni Cade Bambara’s Gorilla, My Love. The Black Scholar, 50(4), pp.5-16.
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