"The Lesson", by Toni Cade Bambara

Name: Course: Instructor: Date: The Lesson," by Toni Cade Bambara The actions in the story that create the plot of the story are those of Miss Moore. Miss Moore has moved into the neighborhood of African Americans, but unlike others, she is the only woman using just one name. On top of that, she has a passion of teaching and this she does through giving the neighborhood children practical and challenging lessons (Bambara 1). The main conflict in the story is Miss Moore’s attitude and the change she represents which is opposed by Sylvia. The conflict is between Sylvia and Miss Moore. The protagonist in the story is Miss Moore. The importance of the toy store is to show how extravagant some people are for basic things and it shows the difference between those who are rich and those who are not. F.A.O Schwartz was chosen, as it is a national brand (Bambara 1). The visit is ironical, as Miss Moore knows that none of the kids can purchase anything at the store yet she took them there. The three examples of the kids diction that make the way they speak distinct are ‘white folks crazy’, ‘watcha bring us here for, Miss Moore’, and ‘you wanna who that costs what?’ The tone of the children’s diction is satirical. It changes towards the end and it is important because it shows the children have been challenged by the trip. The significance of the difference in diction is to show that education is the difference and not the race. The main theme in the text is education exhibited by the phrase, ‘she had been to college and …….for the young ones education’ The mailbox symbolizes the lack of education, as the ...