Essay Database

In “The Lesson,” by Toni Cade Bambara, Miss Moore takes several children from a lower class neighborhood to F.A.O. Schwartz, an upper class toy store. For today’s lesson, Miss Moore, who has a college education, intends to teach the children about the different social and economic classes. The children soon understand that these toys are far beyond their means or their parents’, and that someone would have to be rich in order …

…if they misinterpret her lesson it would have a devastating effect on their lives. At the end of the story, Syliva says, “…ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin,” not realizing how tough it will be to not let anyone get in her way. At this age, Sylvia is too young to bring about change. She is powerless against the outside world. She is too young with too little voice in the outside world.