Toni Cade Bambara's The Lesson

The portrayal of a character throughout the plot of a short story or novel is essential to the successful picture a reader vividly imagines while interpreting a writer’s text. Main characters in such publications most certainly possess certain traits or characteristics intentionally expressed in order to resonate within the reader. Possible characteristics portrayed through the actions and thoughts of such characters may include: perseverance, stubbornness, or couragessness. While examining the prominent traits of main characters Jing- Mei (Two Kinds) and Silvia (The Lesson), the reader is capable of witnessing character traits of immense resilience and countering traits of acceptance to change though the actions expressed by these two characters.
This story revolves around a trip taken by five young children, accompanied by a woman named Miss Moore, to Fifth Avenue in New York. Miss Moore takes these young children to this precise location in order to teach them a lesson regarding the invisible privileges and vastly greater possibilities of wealthy individuals living in America. Although main character Sylvia does not strongly or outwardly express a will or newfound desire to change her currently low economic status for her future self, the reader is able to interpret by a specific line in this short story that she has undergone a significant transformation. Towards the conclusion on this publication, the reader can observe Sylvia's interest in overviewing what she had learned earlier that day. Sylvia mentally states, “Ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nothin,” which suggests that her stubborn, hardheaded resistance to see the truth in front of her has been transformed. Her transformation will perhaps drive her will to succeed financially in the future. This fiery, young lady certainly seems to be expressing a different outlook not only on the leader of the field trip, Miss Moore, who she formally resented and ridiculed, but also on her future aspirations to become successful. The reader may be able to infer that young Sylvia has learned the lesson of social inequality and her discovery of such an existence, motivates her will to one day become educated and financially stable. Even though the entire short story does not revolve around Sylvia expressing an acceptance or reason to change her once ignorant outlook on society, she certainly gives sufficient reason through her actions and her mental thoughts that she is going to strive to make a difference in her current