The Lesson Background and Context

Toni Cade Bambara makes use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) for the voice of her protagonist, Sylvia. AAVE is a dialect of the English language that is commonly used by many African Americans, and it is thus also known as Black English or Ebonics. The dialect is said to be just as consistent and complex as Standard English, but it has been associated with racist notions of ignorance and intellectual capacity. Most speakers of the dialect can switch between it and standard English depending on the nature of the interaction. Since AAVE is mostly reserved for informal settings that involve members of the community, the use of AAVE can communicate a sense of belonging that could not be established through Standard English for some African American communities. Many African American authors have displayed support for AAVE and conveyed pride in it as a part of their cultural heritage.

Toni Cade Bambara was an important author of the Black Arts Movement, which was a movement in the arts that began along with the Civil Rights Movement. Black artists set out to promote African American culture and created institutions that distinguished themselves from the traditions of the white western artist. Tony’s The Lesson is an exemplary work of this movement due to its use of AAVE, and because it features a character like Miss Moore. An African American young woman who takes pride in her black appearance and attempts to teach children about the racial and socioeconomic issues that they will be forced to confront as Adults. Many of her other short stories feature young black girls growing up in New York City during the Civil rights movement, although there is no indication about the exact timeline in The Lesson.