The Lesson, was there really a lesson?
This story takes place in New York City during the 60s presumably. Ms. Moore, an educated black woman, takes the neighborhood kids on a trip to FAO Schwartz, a high-class ritzy toy store located in an upper-class neighborhood. Sylvia, the main character is observant about the prices of these toys and makes a mental note on how expensive they are and how they cannot afford them. Perhaps Sylvia did not know a world like the rich didn't exist before the trip, since she was only exposed to her surroundings as we see. She gets angered and frustrated and maybe feels a slight shame or embarrassment of being of a low social class. Ms. Moore wanted to teach the kids a lesson about social class and social inequality, which they can clearly see its true existence during this trip. However, what Ms. Moore does not teach them, is that these kids CAN get out of the lower social class, with proper education and training. It's sad to see how the end of the story doesn't make it clear if S...