Toni Cade Bambaras The Lesson Essays - The Lesson, Toni Cade Bambara

Toni Cade Bambara's The Lesson Essay on The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara Toni Cade Bambara's The Lesson is a very well written piece of history. This is a story from yesterday, when Harlem children didn't have good education or the money to spring for it. Bambara's tale tells about a little girl who doesn't really know how to take it when a good teacher finally does come along. This girl's whole life is within the poverty stricken area and she doesn't see why she must try hard. The teacher, Miss Moore, shows them what it is all about by taking them to a rich toy store, one in which a single toy costs more than year's supply of food. We immediately learn that Miss Moore is not the average Harlem teacher. She is educated herself, along with being very opinionated. The children explain that she has nappy hair and no makeup, probably signifying that she was a part of the African American movement. Miss Moore was more than arithmetic and spelling. She attempted to teach the children about life and politics as well. In a way the children were innocent before Mi ss Moore came along. They thought that everyone else old, stupid, young, or foolish- while the children were perfect. Miss Moore showed them what they truly were- and why education was so important. The first thing learned is that poverty is a way of life for these children. Although they know they are poor, it doesn't bother them because everyone there is poor. It's okay to be without when there isn't any competition. An example of this is seen when the children talk of their study areas at home. Only one of them actually have a desk and paper, and the others think nothing of it. Instead they tell her to shut up about it. The children are proud of themselves and of their life. Miss Moore finally leads the kids to the toy store. The are immediately dazzled by the toys in the windows; even declaring which ones they were gonna buy. The children seemed to know they couldn't afford the toys, but they didn't think they would be off by much. The once brave and proud and strong children we re hobbled at the door, none of which wanting to go in first. Here is the point where they get slapped in the face. Here is where they first see that they do not belong here. Eventually one of them pushes through the crowd and throws herself into the gallery of toys. They go around gazing at the different objects. Miss Moore drives the point home by leading them to the fact that one toy costs as much as their family eats in a year. In the end they feel like fighting for more than they have. One thing that pulls the reader deeply into the story is the narration. It is told through the eye's of a little Harlem girl. She thinks she is tough and mean but the reader sees she is not by reading between the lines. The best part of the narration is the voice. The lines that are read are in the dialect of the girl. This gives the voice a poetic rhythm that keeps the story flowing. With out slang the story would lose a lot of it's heart. Theater Essays

Water and air pollution

Water and air pollution AIR AND WATER POLLUTION RESREACH ESSAYIf there are two things that are essential to humans and other living creatures, its clean water and air, butwith pollution of these natural resources on the rise it's become increasingly important to find ways to cutdown on man-made pollutants in the environment. Find out more about air and water pollution.What is Air Pollution? Air pollution is actually the addition of any harmful substances to the atmosphere,which causes the damaging of the environment, human health and the quality of life. With thedevelopment in industry, came along the increase in air pollution, which occurs inside homes, schools,offices even in the countryside. Consequently there has been an increase in the death rates resultingfrom various diseases caused by air pollution varying from breathing problem to lung cancer. Air pollutiondoes not only affect people but it also damages the whole ecological system in which plants and animalsare harmed as well.Air pollution has reac hed such a critical stage where it affects the earth's atmosphereas it lets in more harmful radiation from the sun. Consequently, our polluted atmosphere is becoming abetter insulator, thus, preventing heat from escaping back into space. That is why there is a global rise intemperature which scientists refer to as " global warming".It keeps us alive but at the same time, it can also be harmful. We breathe air everyday. Air provides uswith oxygen that is essential for living. Nitrogen, water vapor, and inert gases comprise air along withoxygen. Emission of substances that contaminate air results to pollution. Air pollution is both natural andhuman-based. Natural air pollution is caused by phenomenon such as volcanic eruption, wind erosion,decomposition and radioactive materials. Volcanic eruptions send sulfur dioxide, tons of...