TThe Lesson"
.... On this particular hot day Miss Moore takes the eight children( Sylvia, Suga, Junior, Flyboy, Fat Butt, Rosie Giraffe, Q.T., Mercedes) downtown to Fifth Avenue. She gives Sylvia five dollars to pay the taxi driver and to calculate 10 percent for tip fee. Sylvia is thinking of ways to spend the money and not paying the cab driver. Once they reach Fifth Avenue Sylvia notice everybody is dressed up. “Then we check out that we on Fifth Avenue and everybody dressed up in stockings. One lady in a fur coat, as hot as it is” (Bambara 384). Miss Moore announces they look in the windows before going inside the stores. Sylvia and the other students are amazed at the prices on some of the items. Miss Moore tells them to go inside. They enter F. A. O. Schwarz, a famous toy store in New York. Sylvia feels ashamed and uncomfortable because she is not used to this enviroment. Once inside they are all in awe. They all ask Miss Moore several questions. Sylvia is gazing at a sailboat that is very expensive. She gets angry with Miss Moore for bringing them there. Sylvia is wondering who are these people that spend money on such expensive gifts? “What kinda work they do and how they live and how come we ain’t in on it?” (Bambara 387). She could imagine her mother stating what she could pay: rent, bunk beds, and a trip. Miss Moore is watching Sylvia and notice her anger. Sylvia acts as if the experience is not affecting her and pretends to be bored and wants to leave. “I’m mad, but I won’t give her that satisfaction” (Bambara 387). Suga, her cousin, ask Miss Moore a question that really upsets her. The question was about being treated equal. ...