Toni Cade Bambara The Lesson Summary

Toni Cade Bambara’s short story, “The Lesson”, is about a young black girl named Sylvia and her neighborhood friends. Sylvia and her friends live in the projects of New York City. Miss. Moore, who is an educated black women, wants the children in the neighborhood to be more exposed to the life outside the projects. She takes on the role as their “teacher” to help educate them to the more cultural aspects of life. Just as the title suggests there is many lessons to be learned throughout this story. The important lesson for this day focuses on a trip to the toy store. Miss Moore hopes to show the students another side of life and point out that the education is important if they want a better lifestyle. From this trip, Miss. Moore exposes the children to the problem of poverty, lack of quality education, and social inequality. …show more content…
These children all have hopes and aspirations just like every other child their age. While window shopping they are given a glimpse into how the other social classes live. The children are surprised that people would spend thousands of dollars on a toy boat when they can get it for about a dollar. When observing the boat the children’s reaction all seem to be the same. "Parents silly to buy something like that just to get all broke up," say Rosie Giraffe; “That much money it should last forever," I figure; "Must be rich people shop here," say Q.T (Bambara)”. Through this lesson, Miss. Moore hope to inspire the students to make a change in their future and what their lives could be like instead of the poverty in which they live in