Editor's Choice
When does the climax occur in "The Lesson"? Is it plot or character-driven?
Quick answer:
The climax of this story is when the author reveals that Miss Moore has lived up to her name and the lesson she wanted to show the children. "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara is character-driven and does not have one main climax.
"The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara is character-driven, and as such, it does not have one main climax. Miss Moore, the college graduate who has moved into a poor Harlem community, wants to show the neighborhood children a lesson about poverty and privilege. The plot primarily concerns their visit to a fancy toy store in midtown Manhattan and subsequent return to their neighborhood.
The children interpret this lesson in different ways, however. Sylvia, the protagonist , seems to absorb more information than Miss Moore had expected, and after they return, she takes longer to process the experience. The author shows her to have a more introspective personality. In contrast, her friend Sugar quickly picks up on what Miss Moore wants them to take away and repeats the desire message back to the young woman. The reader is left to wonder how much more Sylvia will do with...
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the new ideas she has started to think about that day.
The climax of a story usually occurs at the same time as the crisis or turning point. This is when a character makes a choice which will determine the outcome of events and once done, the consequences are irrevokable.
Mr. O'Flynn obviously has the last 'say-so' concerning Curly since it is his steer and he knows Johnny is attached to it as a pet. When denial over Curly's fate breaks down and Johnny understands that Curly will be evenetually slaughtered, he could decide to make an exception in Curly's case, but he doesn't. He needs the money; cattle are his livelihood. Besides, his son needs to learn to be realistic in life.
When Johnny's sister tries to convince her father to do otherwise ("Dad! Do something!"), he resolves to put an end to this "nonsense," although he is not indifferent to his son's feelings.
- This is evidently not about the same short story as the other one which has comments! Same title, different story...