The Lesson

"The Lesson" is a story about one African-American girl's struggle with her growing awareness of class inequality. The character Miss Moore introduces the facts of social inequality to a distracted group of city kids, of whom Sylvia, the main character, is the most cynical. The conflict between Sylvia and Miss Moore, "This nappy-head bitch and her goddamn college degree" (470), represents more than everyday dislike of authority by an adolescent. Sylvia has her own perception of …

…essentials. Lack of funding initiates this inequality. More money is being poured into the rich area schools and teaching is more effective. In the less kept schools education is second, just making it to and from school is the first thought. The government says it is equal, but if that is true then why is there a dramatic difference in our children's learning. Civilization is a race between education and catastrophe" (H.G. Wells 1866-1946).