The Lesson

The Lesson

The story talks about a lady called Miss Moore, that attended college. She came from a poor neighborhood. She was a black woman that achieved a great deal in the time. As a result of her higher education, she took it upon her self to teach the children of her neighborhood, which she called slums. Even though the story touches upon socio-economical issues that were in existence probably then more than now, the story's main point is the importance of having an education. 

They talked about the value of money. Miss Moore took them to F.A.O. Schwartz, as a way to get down to their level and they could appreciate something that otherwise would be difficult for them. How unfair it is that some can afford to pay for toys what an entire family would eat. The reading says, ”Imagine for a minute what kind of society it is in which some people can spend on a toy what it would cost to feed a family of six or seven."


There is indeed much inequality. However, the most critical part of the reading for me was the idea of educating and instructing future generations. Thus, they will get a better chance of creating positive change for themselves and the society they live in. 

Comments

  1. Tom LavazziOctober 16, 2019 at 11:59 AM

    Consider also what being "educated" or learning means in context of this story. What did Sylvia essentially learn to do that none of the other characters did? this is why the final Sylvia's analysis of the clown, and scenes involving Sylvia and Sug, then Sylvia alone ( and her final comments) are important--otherwise, it would be easy to say that both Sylvia and Sug were "educated" in the same way; there is, however, as I hint in my post, a great difference; consider that the literally--and symbolically--split, going in different directions, at the end.

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