Literature has the ability to explore many different subjects under a concise body of work that can speak volumes to different people. It allows people to come together in a discussion, to tackle different angles of different issues. Such examples are the two works of that speak of the same themes are Guy De Maupassant's "The Necklace" and Toni Cade Bambara's "The Lesson." Both stories explore human greed, the division of wealth, the perceived power objects have among a few others One important theme both stories share is the perceived power that objects can have on people. Toni Cade Bambara shows this very well when before the kids (who act as the story's protagonist) enter FAO Schwartz. When they first look at the toys, they looked at them like they deserved it. They immediately start to claim things as their own and talking about what they wanted for themselves. After Miss Moore (the educated woman who took them to the toy store) points out the prices (notably a one thousand dollar toy sailboat) the toys began to take a different effect on the kids. It is most noticeably seen in the story's main character. She is the type of characters who doesn't let anyone get the best of her. She takes charge and doesn't take anything from anyone. Despite her boldness, when she find out that the sailboat is something so out of her reach and something that she could never attain, it gave her a feeling of shame. Like she didn't belong. She states "but when we get there I kinda hang back. Not that I'm scared, what's there to be afraid of, just a toy store. But I feel funny, shame. But what I got to be ashamed about? . Where as a few minutes before when she had no knowledge of the toy's worth, she approached it like she was deserving of it. The toy suddenly had a power over her. Inversely, the necklace in The Necklace has the same effect over Mathilde Loisel (the main character) was going to borrow jewelry for a wealthier friend. While lookin