In the short story “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara the story is an instrument for social transformation. The story represents an instrument of social transformation because the characters standings in society in the short story is very poor and Miss Moore teaches guides them to acquire greater things in life by one trip to the town. The characters in the story are poor and are guided by Miss Moore. This story indicates the beginning steps of social transformation. Throughout the short story Miss Moore tries to influence kids such as sugar, flyboy, Fat Butt, Junebug, Q.T., and Rosie Giraffe. Though it is very difficult for Miss Moore to influence these children because of their current social standing and attitudes. Miss Moore influences these kids to be the best they can be by showing them what the can acquire with the right motives. It was obvious that it was difficult for Miss.
Moore to teach and influence these children because the main character and sugar hated her. “And we kinda hated her too, hated the way we did the winos who clutter up our parks and pissed on our handball walls and stank up our hallways and stairs so you couldn’t halfway play hide-and-seek without a goddamn gas mask.” Though they hated her they still were acquire good guidance from Miss. Moore in her teaching for the day. In this story the toy clown signifies a lot more than just an expensive toy, the main character wants for his birthday. The $35 dollar toy clown signifies social transformation for the main character. The main character views the clown as a stepping stone to the next level of society. The main character actually realizes himself through his mothers words that the people that buy these products must have acquired a lot of money somehow.
The Essay on Story and Character Development in “King of the Bingo Game”
What does it mean to be the “King of the Bingo Game”? The main character [He] of Ralph Ellison's story by the same name desperately wanted to find that out. Even though He did win bingo, He was far from winning the jackpot or even becoming “king.” In the surreal flow, the main character experienced several realizations while He held down the button. He became aware of what the bingo wheel meant to ...
His mothers words played out in his head prove that the clown is a symbol of transformation. “”You wanna who that costs what?” she’d say, cocking her head to the side to get a better view of the hole in my head. Thirty-five dollars and the whole household could go visit Granddaddy Nelson in the country. Thirty-five dollars would pay for the rent and the piano bill too. Who are these people that spend that much for performing clowns and $1000 for toy sailboats? The clown in the story definitely symbolizes a step in the direction of social transformation. Another symbol in the story of social transformation was when the kids were tentative about taking that first step into the toy store. This was a symbol of social transformation because it was something the kids had never experienced before and it would give them motivation to get to the next level in society.
Miss Moore stood behind them when they were deciding whether or not to go in so they could choose if they wanted to step to that next level or not. In this short story “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara there were many symbols of social transformation expressed. The symbols of social transformation were expressed throughout the story by the toy clown, and by the toy store. There were also signs of social transformation through the main characters mothers words.