The Characterization of Sylvia Sylvia is one of the main characters in Toni Cade Bambara’s “The Lesson.” Sylvia’s actions and personality traits are key when it comes to comprehending the backgrounds of Sylvia and the other children. Throughout this story, Miss Moore tries to educate the kids with lessons such as realizing social unjustness and calculating change among other things. During their day out, Sylvia shares her feelings through her narration and actions. Sylvia’s strong will is developed through her characterization, which includes her being mischievous, stubborn, and underprivileged. One of the first qualities a person will notice that Sylvia has is that she is a mischievous young girl. Like most youth, she is susceptible to
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That is one prime detail about Sylvia that one can infer due to her attitude towards certain situations and objects, like money. “But something has changed, Sylvia feels ‘funny, shame’ for reasons she can’t articulate even to herself, she does not want to enter the expensive toy store. Once in the store, Sylvia finds her behavior even more uncharacteristic. She and her best friend Sugar move quietly, silently, on tip-toe. Then Sylvia finds herself angered, like she wants ‘to punch somebody in the mouth,’ although again, she cannot articulate why,” Eldred explains (510). Sylvia is frustrated by all of the confusion going on inside of her at the moment. She knows life as she sees it, but Miss Moore is opening her eyes to how a part of society lives while Sylvia and her friends note that they do not even have things like stationary, and some do not even have desks. Sylvia takes notice of these things. Eldred also elaborates, “Sylvia’s rage is the anger that comes with awareness of injustice” (Eldred 511). Her other characteristics can be traced back to her lifestyle. It supposedly defines her in others’ eyes, which is what Miss Moore is trying to break. She wants Sylvia and the other children to realize they can do anything they want to do. Sylvia may not like Miss Moore and her teachings, but she may be thankful for them in the long run because she has the opportunity to become whoever she wants to be and gain even more self-defining
That is one prime detail about Sylvia that one can infer due to her attitude towards certain situations and objects, like money. “But something has changed, Sylvia feels ‘funny, shame’ for reasons she can’t articulate even to herself, she does not want to enter the expensive toy store. Once in the store, Sylvia finds her behavior even more uncharacteristic. She and her best friend Sugar move quietly, silently, on tip-toe. Then Sylvia finds herself angered, like she wants ‘to punch somebody in the mouth,’ although again, she cannot articulate why,” Eldred explains (510). Sylvia is frustrated by all of the confusion going on inside of her at the moment. She knows life as she sees it, but Miss Moore is opening her eyes to how a part of society lives while Sylvia and her friends note that they do not even have things like stationary, and some do not even have desks. Sylvia takes notice of these things. Eldred also elaborates, “Sylvia’s rage is the anger that comes with awareness of injustice” (Eldred 511). Her other characteristics can be traced back to her lifestyle. It supposedly defines her in others’ eyes, which is what Miss Moore is trying to break. She wants Sylvia and the other children to realize they can do anything they want to do. Sylvia may not like Miss Moore and her teachings, but she may be thankful for them in the long run because she has the opportunity to become whoever she wants to be and gain even more self-defining