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.