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The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara

            Conflict is often an important part of a short story and this is very true for "The Lesson," by Toni Cade Bambara. There are so many conflicts, big and small, in this short story but there are two that really can be seen as the main conflicts. The easiest to point out are the many conflicts that revolve around Miss Moore. The clash between Miss Moore and Sylvia as well as the conflict between Miss Moore and the children all together are two big battles we see in this story. When we are first introduced to Miss Moore the reader is immediately made to believe that she will be the root of all conflicts and we further learn that many of the problems do indeed actually revolve around Miss Moore.
             First and foremost, the main component that links the two main conflicts is one of the central characters, Miss Moore. Miss Moore links the two conflicts of Miss Moore and Sylvia as well as Miss Moore and all the children as one. Another component that links the two conflicts is how Miss Moore is trying to teach "her lesson" to Sylvia as well as all of the other children. These two conflicts relate to the theme of the story because they link directly to Miss Moore, who is basically the one presenting the theme of the story not only to the children, including Sylvia but also to Bambara's audience.
             The conflict of Miss Moore versus Sylvia as well as Miss Moore versus the children is an enormous factor in how Bambara chooses to get the theme of this short story across to her readers. This is because this story's theme is also the "lesson" that Miss Moore is trying to teach to the children. The relationship between Miss Moore and Sylvia is even more important in understanding the theme because she is the only one of the children who the reader sees actually may be understanding Miss Moore's lesson. The fact that the reader gradually sees Sylvia learning this lesson, also gradually gives the reader a more understanding of Bambara's lesson in this short story by showing us how to understand "the Lesson".


Essays Related to The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara

1. Toni Cade Bambara

African American author, Toni Cade Bambara, was born on March 25th 1939 and lived the first ten years of her life in Harlem. ... In her short story, The Lesson, many of her personal beliefs and attitudes are apparent. ... With the creation of Miss Moore, Bambara is showing us the importance of the wisdom of the old. ... Also in this work, Bambara presents some of the stereotypical ideals associated with black folk. ... The Lesson is a prime illustration of the issues facing Toni Cade Bambara as she was growing up Black and proud in a society that shunned this pride and belittled it. ...

  • Word Count: 911
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Lesson

A Valuable Lesson From the moment we are born, we are pursuing knowledge. We are surrounded by an environment that permeates our senses and teaches us many valuable lessons. In the story "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara, the teacher, Miss Moore, brings the poverty stricken children to a rich toy store. ... In this short story, Bambara tells of a little girl who does not think education is of such importance for her and her friends. ... "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara is very well written story that has a powerful message to give to the reader. ...

  • Word Count: 838
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Bambara's Lesson

When Toni Cade Bambara wrote "The Lesson" she had a definite meaning in mind. ... The main device Bambara uses to create her point is contrast. ... Another issue that Bambara stresses is the lack of teaching by the parents. ... The parents and not a stranger should do the job of teaching these children the lessons of life. ... The issues presented in Bambara's story are prevalent in our society today. ...

  • Word Count: 433
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

4. The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara

After reading "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara, I was inspired to inform myself with the issue of poverty and its effects on educating children. You can infer from the story that the children are poor and are not very well educated. In the article entitled "Education and Poverty Reduction," I ...

  • Word Count: 675
  • Approx Pages: 3

5. the one

toni cade bambara By: tek Toni Cade Bambara xxxxx Toni Cade Bambara was a native of New York City who devoted her life to her writing and her social activism. ... The Lesson, a short story written by Bambara, is about a young girl named Silvia that over the course of one afternoon, she is forced to an unpleasant awareness of the unfairness of the social and economic system that prevailed in the 1960s. ... After leaving the store, Sylvia confronts the truth of Miss Moore's lesson. ... toni cade bambara By: tek Toni Cade Bambara xxxxx Toni Cade Bambara was a native of New York C...

  • Word Count: 1387
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Literature and Effective Characterizations

"The Lesson,"" by Toni Cade Bambara and William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily,"" both illustrate how effective characterization can shape a story and evoke a response from the reader. ... In "The Lesson, " Bambara's lead character Sylvia speaks and immediately tells something about who she is and where she might be from. ... Someone reading "The Lesson " might see the protagonist as a tough-as-nails inner-city kid who does not care about anything, but that soon changes. ... This is evident in both Toni Cade Bambara's "The Lesson " and William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily....

  • Word Count: 1262
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

7. The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara

"The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara is a story that shows me how the cycle continues. ... The title "The Lesson" is teaching us that we all need help no matter how old we are also we must take charge of our lives and get a good education. ...

  • Word Count: 574
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

8. The Lesson

The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara People come in and out of the life of a person each and every day leaving lasting memories and lessons learned. ... A person's relationships, whether good or bad, affect their opinion, reveal truth, and teach life's confusing lessons. In the short story, "The Lesson," Toni Cade Bambara focuses on the relationships of a young indigent black girl, Sylvia, with her schoolteacher Ms. ... As Sylvia encounters the material wealth represented by the toys, her anger becomes a cover-up for increasing feelings of envy, as she is the first to uncover the day&...

  • Word Count: 556
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

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