“But no one will beat me for nothing” is an ironic choice of words coming from a young, lower-class African-American girl who grew up in a brutal environment. streets of New York. In the short story “The Lesson,” Toni Cade Bambara illustrates the lack of opportunities for African American women after the Civil War. Being a woman of color limited socioeconomic class and removed the importance of personal motivation in life. Bambara grew up in two of New York's poorest neighborhoods, Harlem and Bedford. The trails, tribulations and moments of uncertainty she faced are illustrated in this short story. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an original essayBambara transposes these difficulties from his personal life into a short story written in the limited third person, then shifts to the third person omniscient, a story intriguing. point of view which is not generally chosen by literary writers. Sylvia, the protagonist of this short story, must choose between allowing herself to be limited by her socio-economic status or pushing herself to reach places she never thought possible. The motivation behind this short story is to make readers aware of the different social classes that determine cultural decisions within communities. Even though Sylvia was born into poverty, this does not restrict her ability to find meaning in her life. Sylvia's narrow-mindedness limits her interpersonal skills, leading her to avoid classes that would benefit her personally. Sylvia's animosity toward her antagonist, Mrs. Moore, undermines the impact it would have had on Sylvia's life near the end of the novella. From the beginning, we sense Sylvia's annoyance with Mrs. Moore's common but educational ramblings. For example, Silvia says: “She bores us about how much things cost...how money is not well distributed in this country. She manages to say that we are all poor and live in slums, which I do not present. And I’m ready to talk about it.” Although some may view Sylvia as an ignorant child raised in the "slums", doomed from birth, I view her as a frightened young woman who is afraid to face reality or step out of her comfort zone. Bambara wishes to highlight the lack of knowledge and visibility of minorities after the end of the civil war, making it clear that living in the “slums” and being poor was ordinary, normal and acceptable. This marks the start of the conflict. Although Bambara says it implicitly, Mrs. Moore is the gateway to knowledge for Sylva. Ms. Moore's persistence in teaching about the relative prices of toys in the "slums" versus those on display in wealthier neighborhoods eventually surfaces. of Sylvia's thick skin. The vivid images inside the FAO Schwarz store create a moment of suspense and nostalgia as Sylvia looks through the store window. However, thinking about the price of expensive toys, she understands that these can only be bought by the rich, which is clearly not the case. The reality of life's asymmetrical economic privileges takes effect and begins to shake Sylvia's unbreakable spirit. This is where the conflict begins. Sylvia says: “But I feel a strange shame. But what do I need to be ashamed of? I have as much right to enter as anyone. But somehow I can't get my hand on the door. Although Sylvia hates the concept behind college education, she begins to realize and understand that it has the power to change circumstances.