Toni Cade Bambara’s novel, “The Lesson,” addresses the themes of poverty and wealth. The novel’s plot revolves around Miss Moore (a teacher who takes her kids) to a toy store. The primary objective of the visit was to find out kids’ reactions to wealth and poverty. Even though the kid’s displayed different reactions, Sylvia and her best friend sugar had an almost similar experience.
After completing their visit, the children take the subway home, where Sylvia thinks about her experiences at the store. Sylvia was taken away by the clown bearing a price tag of $35. The kid was amazed that a single person could purchase a birthday clown worth too much. In her real world, Sylvia notes that $35 could afford her entire family a visit to Grandpa, pay rent and the piano bill (p.6). The latter exposure leaves Sylvia wondering why some people have so much money while her family and friends have none. Sylvia’s experiences at the toy store are vibrant in connecting her childhood to the poor distribution of wealth and poverty. In addition to exposing her to unequal distribution of wealth, Sylvia is seen questioning Miss Moore’s ideology that poor people should not remain poor but rebel against their social status quo.
Sylvia’s experience at the toy store is similar to Sugar’s. Despite having different opinions about items sold at the toy shop, the two girls agree that the prices indicate that their country is not democratic since some people earn too much. In contrast, others can hardly pay for their rent. For instance, Sylvia notes that the price of a clown can afford her family many things. Likewise, Sugar is surprised by Sylvia’s comment that the cost of a sailboat could feed all the children in a year (p.6-7).
One thought on “Zachary Yudenfriend Discussion 4”
I agree with you that the girls both think similarly about the economic inequity that they realized when they went to that F.A.O Schwarz store. Sylvia seemed almost prideful in her reaction and would try to shut Sugar up so she couldn’t give Ms. Moore the satisfaction and so she couldn’t say out loud what Sylvia was already thinking about how different they were in economic standing. Sugar and her both are thinking about it, but Sugar doesn’t dwell on it a whole lot and chooses to focus on other things when they get off the train while Sylvia ends up really in her own head after that.