The Lesson By Toni Bambara: Analysis Of Sylvia's Potential

Throughout our childhood, we are thought multiple important lessons in life. Our teachers, friends, and relatives tell us stories, or use other methods which main purpose is to bestow wisdom upon us. “The Lesson” by Toni Bambara, is about a young girl named Sylvia and how she reacts to her experience with her teacher, Miss Moore, on a field trip. In the beginning of the story, Sylvia comes off as ignorant, immature and judgmental. But as the story continues, readers see that she is thoughtful, open-minded and angry. And these character traits will drive her to change her life for the better.

One of Sylvia’s least noticeable yet most significant trait is her open-mindedness. Right from the beginning Sylvia is seen as a person who is sure that she and her friend, Sugar, was the only ones who were smart. And that everyone else was foolish, which makes her seem closed off to opinions of others. Yet as the story continues, she is seen making use of knowledge learned from someone who she’s trying to rebel against. In the story Sylvia says, “So me and Sugar leaning on the mailbox being surly, which is a Miss Moore word”, is proof of her open-mindedness. At the beginning Sylvia describes Miss Moore as any person would describe someone who they don’t like. But why would she use a “Miss Moore word” if she isn’t open to learning from Miss Moore in the first place? Sylvia may not like Miss Moore, but she clearly is open to what has to say. And for people to learn, grow and change they need to be open to the things that others around them have to say.

Another trait Sylvia has that will push her to change her lifestyle is her anger. Accustomed to her environment, Sylvia thinks of it as normal since all her friends and those who live near her are in similar conditions. But her view of the world changes when she visits the toy store. In the story she and the children notice a sailboat that costs over a thousand dollars and Sylvia says angrily, “Who’d pay all that when you can buy a sailboat set for a quarter at Pop’s a tube of glue for a dime, and a ball of string for eight cents?” She is angry because she is starting to realize the inequities in life and wonders how people have access to that much money while she and her friends are struggling. Another example of her anger is when her friend Sugar touches the boat. “Then Sugar run a finger over the whole boat. And I’m jealous and want to hit her. Maybe not her, but I sure want to punch somebody in the mouth. ” She clearly realizes the life she has isn’t the norm for everyone and is angry that they’re people who have a better lifestyle than her. And is wondering how come she doesn’t have the same access to a luxurious lifestyle. Emotions play a strong role in motivating people to do things. And anger is a very powerful emotion that pushes people to do things they normally wouldn’t do. Sylvia does display that she is fearful, but her anger will give her the courage to strive for a better lifestyle.

The last yet important trait that will help Sylvia change her life is her thoughtfulness. For someone to be able to change, they need to be able to think about their circumstances to come up with a solution. Sylvia is shown to start thinking after she seen the prices at the store. After she walks out of the store and she goes to the train tracks and ponders, “Who are these people who spend that much on performing clowns and $1, 000 dollars for toy sailboats? What kind of work they do and how they live and how come we ain’t on it?”. She has become aware of the socioeconomic inequalities and is thinking about what has caused such conditions and how to overcome them. And she wants to overcome her poor lifestyle because at the end of the story she says, “but ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin”. Sylvia realizes that her life can be better and wants to figure out how to have the opportunities that others have.

Lessons may be thought in different ways but with the right character traits, a person is able to make use of what they learn. Sylvia’s open mind, her anger and her thoughtfulness will make her strive for a successful life. Just because she is from a poor neighborhood means she can never achieve anything. With Miss Moore guidance Sylvia now has a sense of what she needs to and her traits will drive her forward to change her lifestyle for the better.