Literary Analysis

Running Head: LITERARY ANALYSIS
LITERARY ANALYSIS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

2LITERARY ANALYSIS
Literary analysis refers to the observation of the use of literary elements, plot, and
context. It also includes the analysis of the reflections made by the creator in any piece of
literature like- short story, poem, play, novel and essay. The first section of this study
attempts to look at the short story” "The Lesson" through the prism of social standing, class
and status. This study also observes the author’s treatment to the literary objects. The next
section of the study analyses one of the significant characters of the story-"The Lesson" by
Toni Cade Bambara (Bambara p: 85). Next, this study focuses on the importance of land and
community as depicted in the essay "Street, Haunting" by Virginia Woolf. The final section
of this study, also examines the notion or idea of haunting in the essay "Street, Haunting".
The thesis statement for this essay, is to analyse "The Lesson" and "Street, Haunting"
depending on their justice with the theme of ‘status’ and ‘haunting’ respectively.
The projection of ‘status’, in the short story "The Lesson", can be observed from the
treatment of the story to the sensitive issues of class inequality. In this story, the author
attempts to portray the discrimination based on economic status and race that existed in
America during 1970s. The whole story revolves round the struggles of the African-
American children with poverty. The author has shown the realism of the concept of ‘status’
by introducing the sunny afternoon trip of the sub-protagonist Sylvia, a poor African
American girl, to a store full of costly toys in the “Fifth Avenue”. Hence, the store in the
“Fifth Avenue” have become an embodiment of income disparity. The author has also
introduced a character-Miss Moore in order to educate the readers about the struggles of the
people of lower economic status. This has been done through the advices of Miss Moore to
Sylvia. Finally, the author has shown how knowledge shatters all the myths regarding
“status”. This is the lesson, the author provided to the “White affluent society of America”
through the story “The lesson” (Bambara p: 87).

3LITERARY ANALYSIS
The author has represented community in "Street, Haunting", in three different ways-
through the introduction of dark character; through the personification of the lifeless objects
like-streets, pencil and through the intervention of ghosts in the climax of this essay.
In the short story "The Lesson", Toni Cade Bambara introduces the character of Miss
Moore as a teacher who teaches the lessons of life. Author represents her as an educated,
African American woman, who lives in the slums. Her motherly affection to the children of
the slums, especially to those, who have to face ignorance of their parents, is an evidence of
her kind heart. Eventually, with the natural flow of the story, Miss Moore takes the
responsibility to enlighten five young children, by introducing them with the glitter and glows
of the world outside the slum area. She also acquaints them with the social inequality and
conflicts. This is evident from her act of taking Sylvia and other children to an expensive
toyshop. Initially, the author presented Miss Moore as an antagonist who attempts to foil the
protagonist Sylvia’s desire to enjoy during summer vacation. Finally, Miss Moore symbolizes
awareness as she educates how one can pursue personal aspirations regardless of his or her
social status. In this way, Toni Cade Bambara has represented the character of Miss Moore as
an intelligent, patient and caring woman (Bambara p: 92).
The use of objects reflects in the theme and symbolism of “The Lesson,” by Toni
Cade Bambara. The key objects of symbolism and theme give depth to the story. Sylvia’s
comment, “we kinda hated her too, hated the way we did the winos who cluttered up our
parks and pissed on our hand ball walls” (Bambara), shows that the author has used literary
objects that proves Sylvia’s judgmental nature. Sylvia utilises the experiences she gathered at
the toyshop to enhance her self-awareness (Bambara p: 88).
The title, “The Lesson” is another example of perfect use of literary objects. It
symbolises, how the authors educates the readers about the power of knowledge to combat