When reading “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara there is a clear distinction between two characters and their experiences in the FAO Schwarz toy store. These two characters are Mercedes and Sugar. From the very start once they get out of the taxi they see all the white people in their attire. They head to the toy store and see a toy that catches their eyes instantly but once they know the price they are in awe. Mercedes seeing all the fancy stuff shows from the start that she is more educated on certain things and is more fortunate than the others seeing that she owns a stationary and that she would go back when she got her birthday money. On the other hand, Sugar tells us that even saving up all the allowance money they would have already outgrown the microscope that they had seen in the window. The clear separation of social class and education shows that they have completely different upbringings. Mercedes isn’t fazed when she finds out what stuff costs at the store and wants to come back when she gets money, while Sugar knows she isn’t fortunate enough even if she saved for some time.
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