The Lesson

by Toni Cade Bambara

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The Lesson Questions and Answers

What is the lesson that Miss Moore is trying to teach the children in "The Lesson"?

Explain what Sylvia means at the end of "The Lesson" by saying, "But ain't nobody gonna beat me at nuthin."

How does Miss Moore's sad look suggest there's more to the lesson Sugar learned in Bambara's "The Lesson"?

Why does Sylvia feel anger and shame at the F. A. O. Schwartz toy store in "The Lesson"? Why is Sylvia, not Miss Moore, the narrator?

What do the students learn in "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara?

What is the central conflict of The Lesson? How is it resolved?

What figurative language is used in "The Lesson"?

What are some examples of a strong thesis statement and three topic sentences about "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara? 

What is the climax of Toni Cade Bambara's "The Lesson"?

What lessons has Sylvia learned?

What is the tone of "The Lesson"?

How does Miss Moore's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors make her an outsider in her community, and does she overcome these barriers with Sylvia?

How does Sylvia change from the beginning of "The Lesson" to the end of the story?

In Toni Cade Bambara's "The Lesson," what is the meaning of Miss Moore's statement "Where we are is who we are," and does Sylvia understand it by the end?

What is the theme of the story "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara? "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara.

Define the nature of the conflict between the narrator, Sylvia, and Miss Moore in The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara.

In the story "The Lesson," what is Sylvia's reaction to the lesson that Miss Moore taught the children?

Why did Miss Moore take the students to FAO Schwarz in "The Lesson"?

Who is the protagonist of "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara? Is this person static or dynamic?

Who is Miss Moore and why does she take an interest in the neighborhood children?

Why doesn't Sylvia go with Sugar to spend the money at the end of the story? What exactly is she attempting to think through on her own?

What is the time period for "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara? 

The story is called "The Lesson." What is the lesson that Sylvia learns? And how does that lesson create conflict in the story?

Why does Sylvia keep the change in "The Lesson"?

What makes Sylvia a credible character in "The Lesson"?

In "The Lesson", what is the relationship between Sylvia and her cousin, Sugar?

What does Sylvia say to Miss Moore when they enter the toy store in "The Lesson"?

What does Ms. Moore mean by "where we are is who we are" in "The Lesson"?

What is the significance of the last line in "The Lesson"?

How would you characterize the narrator in "The Lesson"?

What is the language level of the narrator in "The Lesson"?

Why does Sylvia keep $4 from Miss Moore's five-dollar bill in "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara?

In "The Lesson," by Toni Cade Bambara, is Sylvia a dramatic character or an author's mouthpiece?

What are Sylvia's feelings at the toy store in "The Lesson"?

What would be a good thesis for a research paper on "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara?

When does the climax occur in "The Lesson"? Is it plot or character-driven?

Can you critique my introduction and thesis statement about social class, poverty, equality, and education in Toni Cade Bambara's "The Lesson"?

What is the theme of the short story "The Lesson"?

What lesson does Ms. Moore try to teach Sylvia and is it successful? What is the conflict?

Is the narrator, Sylvia, in Toni Cade Bambara's "The Lesson", writing or speaking the story?

In "The Lesson," what does Miss Moore symbolize?

What's the most important element of fiction in "The Lesson"?

How is Miss Moore perceived as an outsider in her community?

What is the central idea of "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara?

How does the conclusion of "The Lesson" contribute to its central meaning?

Explain the use of literary symbolism in "The Lesson".

In "The Lesson," what realization does Sylvia have after visiting F.A.O. Schwartz, and how does she plan to change?

What ideas about equality and inequality are exposed in Bambara's "The Lesson"? Will the kids remember Miss Moore's message?

Why does Bambara tell "The Lesson" from Sylvia's perspective instead of Miss Moore's or an omniscient narrator's?

What is the inciting force in "The Lesson"?