This story directs a deeper meaning in regards to inequality and how minorities may experience the same situation differently. Ms. Moore brings the children into the toy store and begins to look around. However, the main two characters in focus would be Sugar and Mercedes because of the fact of how different yet similar they can be at times throughout the story. Ms. Moore took the children to the toy store to show how different socioeconomic and financial factors can alter the experience for someone, most vulnerable being children who grew up not having too much. For instance, as stated in the story, it states, ” “This is the place, “ Miss Moore say, “Can we steal?” Sugar asks very serious like she’s getting the ground rules squared away before
she plays. “This quote portrays the sense that Sugar wasn’t brought up with too much money and her family came from the struggle. The text emphasis “serious like” to illustrate to readers on how significantly she wanted a toy that she would just maybe steal one instead if she didn’t have enough money. On the other hand however, Mercedes experience in the toy store is a little different than rest of the pother children. She doesn’t seem to mind the prices too much when looking at them compared to the other children. For example, it states, ““I don’t even have a desk,” say Junebug. “Do we?” .“And I don’t even have a home,” says Flyboy.
“I do,” says Mercedes. “I have a box of stationery on my desk and a picture of my cat. My god-
mother bought the stationery and the desk. There’s a big rose on each sheet and the envelopes smell
like roses”. This quote shows readers on how Mercedes was more fortunate then the re3st of the children such as Flyboy and Rosie. Mercedes was the only child with a complimentary homework station while the other kids expressed how they barely have a secure home, which can be exaggeration but shows readers the depth/seriousness of their situation compared to Mercedes. However, not all of the children were happy and appreciative of the lesson Ms. Moore was trying to teach the children in the toy store
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2 thoughts on “Week #4 Discussion Board”
Hello Adib, I enjoyed reading your perspective of the children and how they reacted differently to the prices of the toys in the store. I did not realize how Mercedes did not really have an extreme reaction to the prices compared to the other kids. It only makes sense since she seems to be the most fortunate one out of the group based on how she described her home situation, that was eye opening. I definitely feel like the “I don’t even have a home” remark from Flyboy was an exaggeration but it kind of sheds a light on the attitude flyboy boy has on his living conditions and its far from positive. Great Post, thanks for sharing!
Hi Adib, I agree with you. The story gave us a narrative of how inequality and the underprivileged don’t experience the luxury of things or have the mean to purchase what they like as the more privileged. Mercedes, in the story, isn’t concerned about the prices she sees because she has a family that can provide things for her; on the other hand, Sugar doesn’t have that privilege, and his first instinct is to steal. Ms. Moore taking the children to explore the difference in society should have taught them a lesson, education is the key, and everything else could fall into place.