The+Lesson

The Lesson
"The Lesson" is a short story about a group of poor children. They don't have much money, and they don't go to school. The kids also talk with slang. They do not like to work. So when a woman moves onto their street wanting to teach them, the children did not like her very much. She spoke proper English and the children were not used to that. Miss Moore, a college graduate, thinks that it is important for these children to get an education. The children were taken on a field trip by Miss Moore into New York City. The children go to [|FAO Schwartz], and see the overpriced toys in the window. These children live a poor neighborhood, and are used to living off of 5 dollars per week, so they are very surprised to see how much a toy boat cost. At first they want to buy everything in the place, but then realize they dont have the money. They also are confused on why the prices are over priced for basic toys. It makes the children wonder why everyone doesn't get a slice of the wealth.

**Flyboy- Flyboy demonstrates the crafty sophistication of a ghetto child. He knows how to extract pity and financial assistance from whites. In his clear-eyed understanding of how to play the monetary game, he appears older than he really is. ** **Junebug- Junebug is relatively quiet at the store. He sees the expensive sailboat, which launches the children on the success and failure of the fifty-cent sailboats they sail in the parks. **
 * CHARACTERS**:
 * Miss Moore**-an older black woman that is a graduate from college. She looks out for the children a lot. She is very smart and loves to teach the kids a lesson.
 * Sugar**- Good friend of the main character and also goes to school with her.
 * Big But**t- Big Butt most likely derives his nickname from his eating habits. Before the group leaves for the toy store, he is "already wasting his peanut-butter-and jelly sandwich like the pig he is." His response to the toys also reflects this rapaciousness. He wants things without knowing what they are.

   

This page has a list of all of the characters and a good description of each.http://www.answers.com/topic/the-lesson-story-3

**SYMBOLS/THEMES:**