Third Essay
In Toni Cade Bambara’s short story, “The Lesson,” Sylvia and her cousin Sugar had a strong dislike for anyone or anything not like them. When Miss Moore the educated woman of the block brought the local children to F.A.O. Schwartz Toy Store that is more up-scale than what the children were used to they thought they could act the same way they did at a toy store near their home. However, the children are oblivious to what the difference is to their typical toy store. This passage allows reality to set in for the neighborhood kids and helps teach them a lesson in Marxist theory. In which social injustices are corrected in the aspect of eliminating the class struggle. The class struggle in, “The Lesson” relates to the lack of knowledge the children have toward rich up-scale environments such as F.A.O. When the ideals of money are brought into prospective people are oblivious as to what occurs in everyday life. Toni Cade Bambara is an individual who loves to educate the misconceived about the truth of racism and class struggle. She is a holder a many degrees in numerous areas of study. Among these fields are theater, mime, dance, film and linguistics. She is committed to assisting those in need as a former welfare investigator, a community organizer and a literacy instructor. Some of her works include, “The Sea Birds Are Still Alive,” and two novels, The Salt Eaters (1980), and If Blessing Comes (1987). Bambara was born in New York City and educated in Queens College and City College.