The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara dumps us unceremoniously into the lives of Sylvia and her cohorts. Obviously, Sylvia is the leader of the group, although others try to wrest this leadership from her. This leadership is known because it is to Sylvia that Miss Moore gives the $5.00 for taxi fare. For all her outspoken antagonism to Miss Moore, Miss Moore sees in Sylvia potential and brains. Miss Moore wants Sylvia to have opportunity, and feels dutybound to provide it, as no one else is.
Sylvia is articulate and cagey, but Miss Moore is cagey too. Even though Sylvia calls Miss Moore's talks "blah, blah, blah" we, the readers, soon realize that much of what Miss Moore is doing, much more than what she says, is getting through to Sylvia.
I like Sylvia, and I admire Miss Moore. These are two worthy adversaries, each strong willed and determined. Miss Moore is determined to enlarge Sylvia's world, and in the process knows that the other children's worlds will be enlarged too. Sylvia is a fighter, she has had to be. We learn that her mother does little for her. She evidently is kept by a man in what Sylvia calls a "la di da" apartment, and it is the aunt who minds the kids. Sylvia thinks her aunt is an easy walkover, but knows where would she be without her?
Sylvia's brains can be seen in her vivid descriptions of actions and people. Her language is colorful and specific. Her description of them all going into F.A.O. Schwartz is beautiful: (p. 460) "Then the rest of us tumble in like a glued-together jibsaw done all wrong." No one stupid could have thought and written that!
I think we see Sylvia's mettle in the last lines of the story: (p. 462)
"We start down the block and she (Sugar) gets ahead which is O.K. by me cause I'm going to the West End and then over to the Drive to think this day through. She can run if she want to and even run faster. But ain't nobody gonna beat me at nuthin." I believe Sylvia will fight her way to a better life.....I have hope for her.
I like the very first sentence of this short story. It says, "Back in the days when everyone was old and stupid or young and foolish and me and sugar were the only ones just right". I imagine Sylvia and Sugar were around twelve or thirteen. They were at the age where they thought they knew everything about life. They knew better than everyone else. Sylvia and Sugar were the only ones that were "just right". I love the way the author described this attitude.
ReplyDeleteI liked when Sylvia was putting the dollar amount of the toys into perspective of how it would translate into her world. $35 would go a long way to get things that they really needed.
ReplyDeleteThis story was great! I loved the way the author brought me into the story with the very first line! The images that she paints with her words are so believable that I can imagine the neighborhood and the kids. Her use of slang In the characters dialogue makes the story and characters seem real. In just the few words that Cade uses to describe them, in addition with their names make them each separate entities. I agree with Prof. Waterman about Sylvia. She comes off tough, too cool to be interested in anything that Miss Moore has to teach. But in the end she seems to have learned more than most!
ReplyDeleteI was angered by this story. I thought Ms. Moore had good intentions but perhaps passed on to her students a different message than intended. Although, I don't blame Ms. Moore. She was just passing along what she had learned. Why did she pick the toy store on Fifth Avenue anyway? New York is a big place. Why take less fortunate children to a place of great fortune to teach the value of a dollar? Didn't she know this may incite envy, jealousy and hatred toward the upper class? I think that her lesson on the value of a dollar actually turned into a lesson of social inequality. I think that is why Sylvia was angry.
ReplyDeleteMiss Moore was really teaching multiple lessons at one time. She was exposing the kids to a world outside of the slums. I think she wanted to introduce them to a life to strive for rather than becoming complacent with living in the ghetto. I believe she wanted them to experience the value of money on multiple levels which is evident in Sylvia’s case. Above all, she was giving them insight to the importance of higher education. Miss Moore was showing them the opportunity available to them if they educate themselves.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to spend your summer vacation, with a lady who is trying to enlighten you. Yeah right! This is what Sylvia thought of Miss Moore, but she soon found out about a world that was totally unlike hers. The unique style Miss Moore used to educate Sylvia and the other students, was really great. She opened their eyes to a world unknown to them. Syliva was a very bright younglady, who had street smarts to boot. I loved how these two ladies battled but in the end Syliva was reached by her teacher. This was a great story of vivid color and lanuage. I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDelete