Innocence Lost by Joni Anders

Curation Statement

heydwoman — 2024-11-25 04:30:58 UTC

"The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara (1972)

heydwoman — 2024-11-25 04:34:29 UTC

“The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara tells the story of a group of colored children in New York City who are led by a teacher, who lives in their neighborhood, on a summer field trip to the F.A.O. Schwartz toy store. The lesson shows the group the inequality of life based on the disparity between the rich and poor.

Cade Bambara, Toni. “The Lesson.” The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story, edited by Freeman, John, Penguin Books, 2022, pp 1-9.

"The Flowers" by Alice Walker (1973)

heydwoman — 2024-11-25 04:36:03 UTC

“The Flowers” by Alice Walker follows a young girl, the daughter of a sharecropper, enjoying a summer day collecting wildflowers, until she finds a skeleton and is forced to face the reality of a violent death.

Walker, Alice. “The Flowers.” The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story, edited by Freeman, John, Penguin Books, 2022, pp 36-37.

"Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid (1978)

heydwoman — 2024-11-25 04:37:42 UTC

“Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid details a mother’s life lessons and practical advice given to her daughter, who is learning to run a household at a young age.

Kincaid, Jamaica. “Girl.” The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story, edited by Freeman, John, Penguin Books, 2022, pp 38-39.

"Salvador Late or Early" by Sandra Cisneros (1986)

heydwoman — 2024-11-25 04:38:55 UTC

“Salvador Late or Early” by Sandra Cisneros describes a boy who has the daily responsibility of caring for his younger siblings. He wakes them, feeds them, dresses them, and gets them to and from school each day.

Cisneros, Sandra. “Salvador Late or Early.” The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story, edited by Freeman, John, Penguin Books, 2022, pp 123-124.

Reflection Questions

heydwoman — 2024-11-25 04:42:03 UTC

What are the similarities in the lives of the children in these stories? Do you think that the life lessons taught in these stories are important for children to learn or should they be protected from these realities until they are older? How do you think each author's background is reflected in their respective piece?