Patricia Jackson Week 5 Discussion

In “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, Boris Pasternak’s quote resonates profoundly, “Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people, and saying with ordinary words something extraordinary.” The narrative unfolds in a Harlem neighborhood, portraying seemingly ordinary children exposed to economic disparity. The protagonist, Sylvia, becomes a lens through which readers witness the jolting realization of social inequality. Ordinary moments, like a trip to a toy store, transform into a exploration of privilege and societal injustice. Bambara utilizes everyday language to articulate the extraordinary challenges faced by marginalized communities. Through the characters, the story unveils layers of societal critique, echoing Pasternak’s idea of extracting the extraordinary from the ordinary. “The Lesson” is a good example of literature’s power to show profound truths about ordinary lives, acting as a mirror reflecting the disparities woven into the fabric of society, thereby fulfilling Pasternak’s vision of literature as a pathway for extraordinary revelations