The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara

This is an eye opening account of the social conditions and the class difference so evident in every major city in the United States. The kids were taken for the ride of their lives when Ms. Moore decided to take them to the famous toy store FAO Shwartz. The was like a new world for the kids they have never seen such expensive toys in their lives. One kid even make the observation that one perticular toy was more expensive than they all spend on food in a year.
This is the tragedy of our time when one part of the city is the richest in the world and few block from it people are living in utter poverty. Ms. Moore was the kind of bright shining light in the lives of those kids who tries to open their eyes to the class difference in the hope that one day they might learn something to bring them out of their condition.
The transformation of the main character "Sylvia" is stark. She was a very confident, doesn't give a damn kind of a kid before she come face to face with the reality. The reality of how there is so much class difference around her.Once she was put on the spot she lost her confidence and got intimidatd by the shere seriousness of the situation.

Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

This is a very short story about two people. they are arguing about the abortion. the girl wants to have the child, she is looking forward to the bright future and a life with her boyfriend and the baby. She feels that she could have everything if she wants. the boyfriend on the other hand is not ready for commitment. He wants her to abort the baby and enjoy life traveling around the world.
The story doesn't have a structured plot or storyline. it consists of just dialogue between two main characters.. I think it is the age old story of modern times where mostly girls want to have a normal life in suburb with a nice house , a car and a living family where as the men mostly wants to over extend their youth as far as possible without having any real responsibilities or ties that could restrict their movements.
In the story, Hemingway has used the imagery to convey the different sides of the argument. one side of the station is full of life with trees river and such things, the other side is dusty and bleak. the two sides represent the feeling the girl is having about her life.

A & P by John Updike

The story is about the life in a small town America. The highlight of the day for 19 year old Sammy was 3 girls walking into the store half naked. He did something stupid to impress them but realized very soon that he had made a mistake. But who can blame him for doing what he did, I know I cant I have made my share of stupid mistakes to impress girls when i was that age.
On a more somber note this story can be seen as a cautionary tale about making the right choices. Sammy realized that in the moment of heat he had done something stupid but merely the fact that he realized his mistake hinted that he might do ok afterwards.
The story is also a commentary on the sheepish nature of subarban America and how people in suburbia are totally immersed in their bubble.

Everyday Use By Alice Walker

This story is about the interaction of a mother and her two daughters inwhich she came to realise the true worth of her daughter who she had been neglecting up to this point. on a larger scale it is about the clash of two different point of views in the dialouge among the African Americans about their heritage. the story was written at the time when more and more African American were drawn towards their African roots in the defiance of their so called "white masters' culture."
In the story the narrator who is the mother of two daughters travels a long journey in order to find her daughter who was up to this point was seen as someone worthless. The older daughter Dee was always given special treatment which made her confident and bold and opened her to the new culture of rebellion while Maggie was unable to overcome her shyness and remained quite and subversive.

A worn Path by Eudora Welty

I am confused which story we are suppose to read because the story that i have read has nothing to do with a trip to newyork and to FAO schwartz. can somebody haep me. I found the sotry on this Link. http://www.moonstar.com/~acpjr/Blackboard/Common/Stories/WornPath.html

The Good Man Is Hard to Find

This is a very interesting story about the true nature of good and evil. It asks us questions about the perception we have about good and evil. Flannery' O Connor has raised some good questions about the way we percieve someone like a grandmother to be always good and someone like misfit as always evil. The story made us question stereotypes. Grandmother was obviously a very self centered woman. After reading on of the blogs from a fellow student I am thinking if O Connor was commenting on the christian practice of asking for forgiveness at the death bed.
I am also wondering why Quinten Tarentino hasnt decided to adopt it yet for one of is ultra violent action movies.

The Hunger Artist by Franz Kafka

This story is clearly bemoaning the lack of respect faced by many forms of art in the fast changing world. The hunger artist was very sad and angry at the fact that people misunderstood his art. They often accuse him of cheating. Sometimes people who were suppose to post gaurd on him provide instances where he can eat without anyone looking, what they seemed unable to realize was that he was not trying to find ways to eat but he take pride in his abbilities and his stamina for staying hungry for so long. It was an art for him and he could not dare cheat his art form.
This is very common these days when many skilled artist feel there art is not taken seriously by the people and they feel neglected. the fast changing world is making many art forms obsolete and with it many artists starving for the praise they so much struggle for.