Summary Of The Lesson By Toni Cade Bambara
Toni Cade Bambara’s short story titled “The Lesson” is a tale about a group of African American children who are in the care of an educated woman named Miss Moore. The children are being watched by Miss Moore and consistent with her education and background she seeks to teach the young children an important lesson. The lesson that Miss Moore teaches the children is about economics, equality, democracy and race. Although these aspects of the lesson are not directly implied they are definitely implicated.
Toni Cade Bambara’s ability to inform her audience of the intricacies of “Black” lifestyle is apparent in this narrative. Bambara uses colloquial language to create a dynamic environment for her characters and her audience. Some readers might expect a story with
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However, Bambara uses the dialogue and colloquial language to juxtapose perception and reality for the characters in this tale.
It is also important that the story’s point of view is from the young children rather than the viewpoint of the “irritating” educated Miss Moore. The children’s perspective allow the story to be digested with ease. There is a lighter tone to the children’s perspective and because of this viewpoint the story does not take on an overly political tone. The children’s point of view also lends a certain light heartedness to the tale. The children’s characters allow for humor to be inserted into what would otherwise be a very serious narrative if it were happening between adults characters.
Also of concern is the overall thematic elements of the story. As stated previously Miss Moore is interested in teaching the children about economics, equality, democracy and race. These lessons are all something that is taught to them against their will. The children want to have an easygoing adventure that has nothing to do with Miss Moore or her ideas. Miss Moore seeks to expose the children
Summary Of The Lesson By Toni Cade Bambara
250 Words | 1 PagesIn “The Lesson” written by Toni Cade Bambara, the kids exhibit behaviors that suggest that they are uneducated. Aside from living in the “slums” as Miss Moore says, they also use words and phrases that are less than respectful. The kids seem to be uneducated because they use improper language, they look down on education, and exhibit bad behavior. The first way the kids indicate that they are uneducated is by using foul language and poor grammar. For example, at the beginning of paragraph two Sylvia says, “And the starch in my pinafore scratching the shit outta me and I’m really hating this nappy-head b*tch and her god*amn college degree.”
Analysis Of The Lesson By Toni Cade Bambara
426 Words | 2 PagesIn “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, Miss Moore travels with a group of children from a low-income neighborhood to a high end toy store in hopes to educate them on the value of money. At first glance her lesson seems simple, but a closer reading reveals a more complex message. There are many small indications throughout the story that indicate she is trying to teach the children about the vast differences between wealthy and poor individuals. For instance, on their way to the city, Sylvia—the narrator—mentions: “and she’s boring us silly about what things cost and what our parents make and how much goes for rent and how money ain’t divided up right in this country” (649). This quote shows that Miss Moore's lesson is about money and that she has strong feelings about how money is allocated to different individuals of different classes.
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Rhetorical Analysis Of Bambara's The Lesson
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The Lesson By Toni Cade Bambara Analysis
728 Words | 3 PagesThe symbols present in “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, depict the economic and social injustices faced by specific members of society, specifically the children in the story. The characters in the story are being mentored by Miss Moore, a woman from their block who has taken up the role of taking them out on weekly outings. The story touches on the situation of the children that are stuck in living in almost poverty. “The Lesson” focuses on the socioeconomic disparities between the different racial groups and how. Bambara uses several techniques such as irony, othering, and second person point of view to make the story meaningful and demonstrate the characteristics of the characters.
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