Social Inequality in 'The Lesson' by Bambara: An Analysis Essay

This essay analyzes Toni Cade Bambara's short story, 'The Lesson,' focusing on social standing through the eyes of the young narrator, Sylvia. Set in 1970s Harlem, the story portrays the prevalent inequality in American society, particularly against the black community. Sylvia's initial dislike for Miss ...Read More

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Name of the student
English
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Social standing in The Lesson
The essay aims to analyze the short story titled The Lesson written by Toni Cade
Bambara to understand the social standing or status explained in the story. A young black girl
narrates the story in which, one Miss Moore is the central character. The story is set in the 1970s
in a poor region of Harlem in New York City. Bambara portrays the inequality that was
prevalent in the American society during the 20th century especially against the black
community. The author chooses to narrate the story through a young girl to project the oblivion
people have about social and economic inequality. The thesis of the essay, therefore, is to present
the social standing in the story through the eyes of the young black girl Sylvia.
In the beginning of the story, Sylvia makes it clear with her introduction of Miss Moore
that she was not someone welcomed in her block while also giving a clear picture of the bad
condition of the place. She describes Miss Moore as some “lade with nappy hair and proper
speech and no makeup” (Bambara 85). Sylvia’s description of the place where she lived while
expresses the level of hatred she has for Miss Moore clearly shows the kind of place they lived
in. She states that she and her cousin hated Miss Moore like the drunkards who used to urinate
on their parks and hallways where they used to play and reside: “And we kinda hated her too,
hated the way we did the winos who cluttered up our parks and pissed on our handball walls and
stank up our hallways and stairs..”( Bambara 85). One of the descriptions from which the
readers could have an understanding of the poor condition of the place and the people living

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there comes from this narration. Miss Moore was the only exception there and although the
adults bitched behind her back because of her apparent lack of faith in God. However, when she
used to come with a book in her hand and a sachet and gingerbread, the adults would be “too
embarrassed to turn her down” and let the children go with her (Bambara 85). The author makes
it evident the inequality present in this situation as the adults in that slum show respect to
someone who looked richer and who could provide for some good to them.
Sylvia’s dislike for Miss Moore, as analyzed from the story, is because the young girl
refuses to accept the inequality she sees when Miss Moore takes her to visit F.A.O Schwarz.
Miss Moore takes Sylvia and the other children to the toy store F.A.O Schwarz where the
children for the first time in their lives, learn about the difference between their class and the
upper class. The class distinction has been shown clearly in the passage where Sylvia
contemplates about the price of a somersaulting clown, which is $35 and what things she could
have done with such an amount that the rich people waste in buying toys. “Thirty-dollars and the
whole household could visit Grandady Nelson in the country. Thirty-five dollars would pay for
the rent and the piano bill too”, Sylvia imagines while going back to her place (Bambara 89).
The passage then demonstrates Sylvia’s ambiguity and her realization about her social condition.
She asks herself as to what these people do to have abundant money to waste on a performing
clown and a sailboat and her community does not. This shows that the popular American Dream
that people boast about is shallow because it depends only on economic prosperity but not on
equality, equal opportunity for all. Sylvia’s hatred or dislike for Miss Moore is just her way of
expressing the anger and frustration she feels when she could not figure out as to why her people
are not having the same life as the upper class people have. She remembers Miss Moore’s words
when she had once said that the people in her place have to demand their deserved right in the

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society, “their share of the pie but none of the people know what kind of pie” Miss Moore is
talking about (Bambara 89). This is where her anger and frustration lies. This clearly reveals the
sad truth about the American society where the lower class people are not even aware of the
rights and opportunities they deserve.
The social inequality comes from the unequal opportunities given to the so-called lower
class people who are devoid of the right to pursue the American Dream. Bambara’s story
strongly brings forth the failure of the society in providing equal chances for all of its citizens
through the eyes of a young girl who is not yet to come to terms with the harsh realities of the
world. The girl, Sylvia, finds it an accomplishment to being able to steal four dollars from Miss
Moore’s pocket but deep down she struggles with the inequality she just witnessed at the toy
store. When Miss Moore asks the children as to what do they think of F.A.O Schwarz, Sylvia
tries to avoid the conversation because she feels defeated and beaten by the inequality she
witnessed. However, Sugar replies to Miss Moore’s question and from that, the readers could
have an explanation of the social status the story tries to portray. Sugar states, “I think that this is
not much of a democracy. Equal chance to pursue happiness means equal crack at the dough”
(Bambara 89). These lines are enough for the readers to understand the shallow dreams that the
powerful people of the society try to sell to the people. Without equal chance at happiness, the
dream to become an ideal nation could not be achieved.
At the end of the story, Sylvia refuses to race with Sugar to Hascombs as she wants to
think over about the day at the toy store. The events of the day still play in her head because she
is after all a young girl who has little idea about the actual race of the world. She then states,
“ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin” (Bambara 90). One could interpret these last lines in
two ways: one, Sylvia would not let her cousin win the literal race to Hascombs and two; she

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would not let anyone beat her in the race to pursue her happiness, not even the upper class
society. It could however be interpreted in another way in that Sylvia could not let her realization
of the social inequality ruin her happiness that she finds being with her people in her block.
Nonetheless, the story conveys a strong message about the social standing of the black
community in the American society during the late 20th century.
To conclude, it could be reiterated that the story The Lesson, demonstrated the social
status of through the eyes of the young black girl, Sylvia. Her narration of the story made it clear
for the readers to understand the sad picture of the society where the people in the lower strata
are not even aware of their rights and opportunities they deserve. As evident from the analysis,
the author did an exceptional job in portraying the inequality through the eyes of a young girl
who narrates the story and presents her perspective. Though the narration sounded objective, it
very much revealed the subjective reality of the American society. Miss Moore was the medium
through which the readers could view and understand the kind of inequality, in both social and
economic terms existed in the society. Further readings on the great American Dream are
suggested for the readers to understand the social standing demonstrated in the story.

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Works cited:
Bambara, Toni Cade. "The lesson." Gorilla, my love (1972): 85-96.