Summary Of The Lesson By Toni Cade Bambara

“The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara is a narrative told by a young black girl named Sylvia. The main theme of the story is social inequality for African-Americans. Miss Moore is an educated laby who lives in the same neighborhood that Sylvia lives in. Miss Moore’s intelligence and education allows her to take the children out for educated lessons. One day Miss Moore takes the children out to the city to visit the toy store F.A.O Schwartz, in an attempt to show the children something that they would not see in the projects. In the store the children discover that the cost of some of the items in the store could “feed a family of six or seven.” Miss Moore took them to this toy store so that they could realize that they could have that as well if
they work for it. Sylvia’s cousin Sugar realizes what the lesson is when she says “equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough, don’t it?” Miss Moore wants the children to understand that even those who come from poverty have an “equal crack at the dough” if they decide to work hard despite the odds. She wanted the children to get a taste, perhaps be jealous, so that they would be inspired to succeed. Miss Moore understands that the children will probably not fully understand the lesson but hope glimmers in the end when Sylvia states “nobody gonna beat me at nuthin.” Sylvia’s final words reveals that the children are beginning to want to change and get a better life despite where they are now.