“The Lesson” is a book authored by Toni Cade Bambara. It is set out to depict the contemporary life of the African Americans. It is a narrative of a black girl, Sylvia laments on the inequality of life after Miss. Moore takes her and her friend to the areas dominated by the wealthy. This paper aims to highlight the various valuable lessons that Miss. Moore, an educated and sophisticated black woman, teaches the young adults that they should view life beyond their nose as there is much more to life than they are accustomed.
One of the major issues depicted is illiteracy and ignorance. Miss Moore, having attended college believes that the only way she can eradicate this plague was through encouraging the children to go to school and get a basic education (Bambara 429). Sylvia and her friends having been raised in this oppressive African American society believes that there is no better life out there. Ignorance is also illustrated by the fact that the children would rather go for swimming or a cool joint rather than waste their time making them more knowledgeable and they believe that they can also outgrow education.
Economic oppression of the African American community is also a valuable lesson that has been illustrated in this book. Miss. Moore believes it’s a wise idea to take the young adults to the Upper East Side where the rich people live. However, the young adults are narrow-minded and believe the only way to come out of this inequality is by robbing the West Indian children and the rich people. Economic oppression leads to the increase in the poverty rate. The economic inequality is depicted by the fact that the white people would buy toys worth $35 for their children, whereas in the African American society that was enough to buy household effects and would also pay bills. This situation pains Sylvia as she wonders why anyone would spend such money on things that are of less importance in life. Miss Moore is more taken aback by the statement made by Sugar in that what their family spends annually would never amount to the cost of the sailboat(Bambara 433)
Racism can be defined as the belief that a certain race is more superior or inferior to the others(Definition of racism ).The mere fact that the black community lives in a different community as the white community illustrates the concept of segregation. The black community is thought to be inferior and therefore their income is way less than the amount that the average white American earns. The fact that, in an African American family, $35 is enough to buy all the households, whereas, in the white occupied areas, it is used to purchase a clown for a child is saddening. Due to the economic oppression and poverty, it has led to the children from the African American society to revolt to stealing as a means of sustaining their livelihoods(Bambara 431)
Poverty and ignorance is a plague that ought to be eradicated, and the only way this can be achieved is by the few educated individuals coming back to their communities and encouraging the children to pursue bigger and better dreams. The mere fact that a person is black does not mean that they should be engulfed in the jaws of poverty for the rest of their lives, and this can only be achieved through education. Martin Luther King Jr did, and yet he was black therefore we can all achieve our dreams.
Work cited
Bambara, Toni Cade. The Lesson. New York: The Continuum Publishing Corporation, 1972. Print
Definition of racism. 22nd June 2016 Web <www.merriam-webster.com/racism>.
