The Lesson- Toni Cade Bambara

Abstract: Sylvia and her friends are from the ghetto. They are poor. Sylvia is pretty tough. She doesn't let people mess with her, and she is kind of a bully to her friends. Sylvia doesn't like Miss Moore very much. She doesn't want listen to her, and she especially doesn't want to be standing outside with her in the hot weather when she could go to the movies or go swimming. Miss Moore is a college grad that is unmarried that moves into their neighborhood. She likes to teach them different lessons. One day, she takes them to New York City. They go into a toy store where they see all of the different and expensive toys. They see how expensive all of the toys are. When they get back home, Miss Moore asks the what they all learned from going to the toy store. Sylvia's friend, Sugar, says that they the price one person pays for a toy could feed all of them for a year. Sylvia is upset with Sugar because she feels like she betrayed her, but then she starts thinking. When Miss Moore asks them if they have anything else to say and looks straight at Sylvia, Sylvia doesn't say anything. Sugar then says how they have four dollars, and she runs to away to go get some food. Sylvia doesn't follow her though because instead she is going somewhere else to think this day through because no one is going to beat her at anything.

Response: At the end, Sylvia really has learned a lesson. She realizes that she may be on the bottom of the totem pole, but that does not mean that she is not going to be successful in life. She wants to make a better life for herself and beat the odds. I think Miss Moore taught them a powerful lesson. She taught them that there are economic inequalities in the world. I think that the children never really thought this before. Instead they just thought that they were poor. Miss Moore taught them that there are injustices in the world, and its not always fair that some people are already born with an advantage over others. Sylvia's tough attitude made her want to overcome the odds and be successful. She has a lot against her though like her being black, from the ghetto, and being poor. She never likes to lose though, and she especially doesn't want to lose to people who already have an advantage over her. Sylvia also felt kind of bad about herself at the toy store like she shouldn't be there or touch the toys, but she had the same rights as everyone else. Sylvia didn't like feeling this way which will be another reason to why she will so determined to make a better life for herself. She is also very different from her friend Sugar. Sugar says its because of the flaws of government and our economy, but Sylvia won't let that stop her from doing what she wants and becoming successful. This story also teaches how it is important to listen to others when they have something to say. Sylvia tried to ignore what Miss Moore was trying to teach her, but when she finally did listen, she learned a really good lesson that will probably impact her for the rest of her life.