Analysis: The Lesson By Toni Cade Bambara
Brian Okpei
ENGL 203
Professor Nelson Shake
15 November 2017
*****
In order to set oneself apart from the rest, we often tend to establish some sort of unique identity characteristics. This can include clothing styles, musical preferences, personal beliefs and much more indicators. Amongst these indicators is speech which is one of the more significant aspects, seeing as not only can it reveal a lot about someone but also is one of the first things used when evaluating a first impression. This concept of creating a unique identity is exemplified throughout Bambara’s “The Lesson” as the adolescent protagonist, Sylvia, experiences certain interactions with her peers and educated Another analysis of speech in this short story is conducted in the article “The Role of Dialect Representation in Speaking from the Margins: ‘The Lesson’ of Toni Cade Bambara” by Katy M. Wright. This article performs an accurate breakdown of the use of African American Language as a means of empowerment which supports and can be
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More specifically she focuses on the use of African American English (AAE) or African American Vernacular English (AAVE) versus the more common Standard American English (SAE). She describes that AAE emerged under a highly oppressive time for the minority and was often rejected, ridiculed and frowned down upon by the masses, creating tension. Furthermore, Wright explains that Bambara choosing to write in this dialect displays the freedom for Sylvia that “is a style of empowerment, for she speaks (unlike educated Miss Moore) outside of the domain of the conventional social power structures” (80). Overall, I agree with Wright’s analysis pointing out how this language signifies breaking out of the traditional norm and would add that, ultimately, a unique identity is formed while clearly articulating the bigger concept at
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