Justice

The singular theme that stands out in all three texts of The Stolen Party, The Garden Party and The Lesson is the negative impact of class distinctions. In Heker's The Stolen Party, we see the painful awakening to the realities of class distinction of young 9-year-old Rosaura who believes that she is completely accepted as a friend of Luciana, the daughter of her mother's employer. It is only when Senora Ines offers her money instead of a leaving present at Luciana's birthday party that she wakes up to reality and receives a blow to her idealism and pride. Heker goes onto make an even more powerful comment on social class distinctions when she concludes her narrative with Senora Ines standing with her hand outstretched and the observation, "...didn't dare draw it back...shatter an infinitely delicate balance." (Heker, 123)

Bambara, too, makes a statement on the negative effects of social...
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