The Lesson
Anger is such a common word in everyday language and society. It is an emotion, a violent passion that is usually caused by real or supposed injury. Anger can result from something as major as bodily harm or as trivial as not being able to afford a toy. In Toni Cade Bambara=s short story AThe Lesson,@ the audience is shown how anger can be expressed at an early age. One would think that children in their carefree lives would not allow the injustices of society to cause them anger. Bambara=s use of child to portray her feelings about the value systems at work in the dominant culture and in her own life, helps her to grasp her audience=s attention and forces them to continue reading to find out the end consequences. Sylvia, the main character in the story, inspires Bambara=s audience to take a look at the economic class structure in the American society. In AThe Lesson,@ Bambara reveals her anger about the economic value systems in America through Sylvia. Sylvia is a ten-year old African American girl who is on an outing with the neighborhood children. Miss Moore, a lady who feels that it is her duty to teach the kids certain lessons that will aid them later in life, is the leader of this journey. Miss Moore feels that it is her r
Sylvia is confused with this economic system that does not include her or her family and she can=t take it out on the white upper-class so she chooses the next best person to blame, Miss Moore. Obviously, rich people are the only ones who can afford such expensive items. She forces them to understand Sylvia=s anger and frustration. This anger is what keeps Bambara=s audience. She intends to work harder so that she can accomplish her own personal goals. The aforementioned sailboat is a Ahandcrafted sailboat of fiberglass at one thousand one hundred ninety-five dollars@ (420). Sylvia learns and so does the audience from Sugar=s observations that A. Bambara=s anger towards the economic system of America is shown through Sylvia who takes her anger out on Miss Moore. One of the children in the group, Sugar, points out that A. Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough, don=t it?@ (422).
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Acceptance Essays
