Dalton Bagley

Mr. Neuburger

Composition 102

11 February 2011

Reading Response

Learning My Lesson

Toni Cade Bambara writes a compelling short story about the unequal division of wealth in the

United States; from the point of view of a young African American child. Bambara uses her story to show

social injustice and inequality through the self actualization of the Narrator, Sylvia. By providing the

reader with slang, Bambara gives depth and character to Sylvia to show how young and uneducated she

is, “And she was black as hell, cept for her feet, which were fish-white and spooky” (7). The Lesson

Sylvia is learning is what her socioeconomic status really is. She learns this from a visit to a toy store

where she is shocked to learn the prices of the toys inside and how she may never be able to afford them.

Bambara writes, “But the $480 don't make sense” (10). The only way for her to ever afford the nice things

of life is to become educated and get out of the ghetto. Sylvia decides that’s what she will do, and the

lesson will not go wasted on her. Overall, the story is more than just about economic inequalities; it is

about the importance of learning life's lessons and overcoming adversity.

Bambara, Toni Cade. "The Lesson." Pearson Publishing. New York: Pearson Custom

Publishing, 2009. 7-14. Print.