By Sharon Schiesl & Chuck Ogle
Analyzing First Impressions in Toni Cade Bambara’s
“The War of the Wall”
WRITING PRODUCT: Analytical essay
Recommended time: Approximately 4 class sessions
OVERVIEW
This lesson guides students through activities that focus on how first impressions influence the
interactions between characters in Toni Cade Bambara’s “The War of the Wall.” It culminates in
an analytical essay that examines how and why the boys’ impression of the stranger changes
throughout the story.
READING-WRITING CONNECTION
Lesson activities integrate reading standards for literary response and analysis with writing
standards for analytical essays.
OBJECTIVES
Students will do the following:
• describe the boys’ first impression of the painter lady
• examine what events influenced the characters’ impression of her
• discuss how the characters interact with this newcomer as a result of this impression
• write an essay analyzing how and why their impressions of her change throughout the
story
READING FOR WRITING
During and after reading, have students focus on the boy’s impressions of the lady to prepare for
the writing assignment.
1. Create a First Impressions chart
Purpose: to help students understand that first impressions affect how characters relate to one
another.
When we see someone for the first time, we form an impression of the person, typically based on
how the person looks and acts. Tell students to think about what kind of first impression the
painter lady made on the narrator and Lou. Then have them think about how this impression
influenced the boys’ actions. Either on an overhead or on the board, display a First Impressions
chart like the one that follows to illustrate the connection between the first impression and the
actions that followed. (Note: Students will need to refer back to this chart later.)
First Impressions chart
What the painter lady says or
does
The painter lady began painting
the wall without any explanation
of what she was doing and why
she was doing it.
The narrator & Lou’s
first impression
They view the painter lady as an
outsider who has no business
messing with a wall that is an
important part of their
community.
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The narrator & Lou’s
resulting actions
They holler at her, saying,
“You’re not even from around
here.” The narrator was about to
grab hold of her ladder and
shake it.
2. Note changes in boys’ attitudes
Purpose: to help students identify how the narrator and Lou’s attitudes toward the painter lady
change throughout the story.
Have students use words or pictures to fill in thought bubbles, showing the boys’ attitudes
toward the painter lady at the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Students should refer back
to the story to collect any quotations or other details they would like to add to the bubbles.
Examples:
Boys’ attitudes at the
beginning of the story
She should “quit messing with our
wall”!!!
“You’re not even from
around here.”
She’s so rude, but she
is kind of hip.
Boys’ attitudes at the end
of the story
“We were at war.”
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Wow! We feel so proud.
Understanding
Surprised
Respect
Awestruck
Note: The Copy Master that appears at the end of this lesson plan contains 8 1/2 x 11 copies of the thought bubbles
to hand out to students.
3. Reflect and Relate
Purpose: to reflect on the big idea of the story.
Ask students: “What do you think the big idea of this story is?” Have students meet in small
groups to discuss the question and review their thought bubbles. Because the story is so rich, it
lends itself to multiple interpretations. Students will probably come up with ideas such as the
following:
• First impressions can be deceiving.
• Strangers aren’t necessarily enemies.
• Don’t rush to judgment.
READING THE PROMPT
Present the following writing prompt to students to focus their attention on the requirements of
the writing task. In order to complete this essay, students must
• identify how and why the boys’ impressions of the painter lady changed
• understand how the boys’ feelings about the wall influenced their impressions
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Writing Prompt
Writing Situation:
In “The War of the Wall,” the narrator of the story tells us how he and his cousin Lou have a strong reaction
to a newcomer in their neighborhood. They form an impression of this stranger before they really know who
she is or what she is doing.
Writing Directions:
Write an essay in which you analyze how and why the boys’ impressions of the painter lady change during
the story. What was the first impression the boys formed of her, and why? How did they behave toward her
as a result of this impression? Note how the boys’ feelings about the wall influenced their attitude toward the
woman. Tell how and why their impression of the woman changed by the end of the story and what the wall
now represents to them.
Keep the following key traits in mind as you compose your essay:
Key traits
Ideas
• Has a thesis statement that tells how the boys’ impression of the painter lady changes throughout the story
• Includes evidence from the story (examples and specific quotes) to support the claim made in the thesis
• Describes the boys’ feelings about the wall at different points in the story
Organization
• Has an introduction that “hooks” the reader
• Includes body paragraphs that support the claim made in the thesis statement
• Has a conclusion that goes beyond the introduction to deepen the analysis
Voice
• Writes with authority, using an appropriate tone
Word Choice
• Uses precise, appropriate, and descriptive language
Sentence Fluency
• Varies sentence structure and length
Conventions
• Follows the conventions of written English
Note: The Copy Master that appears at the end of this lesson plan contains an 8 1/2 x 11 copy of the Writing Prompt
to hand out to students.
Have students underline the key words and phrases in the Writing Directions that describe what
students need to do in the essay.
PLANNING
After students have read the prompt, have them complete these activities to help them prepare
their responses.
1. Quickwrite
Purpose: to compile key ideas that set the stage for writing an analytical essay.
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Having thought about the story and discussed its key ideas, students should compose a
quickwrite that answers the question, “What is the author saying about judging others based on
first impressions?”
2. Brainstorm additional details/organize ideas
Purpose: to develop ideas and collect information for writing a rough draft.
Ask students to review what they are being asked to do in their essays. Then have them look
back at the First Impressions chart, their notes about the boys’ attitudes, and their quickwrites
about the author’s message. After looking over these materials, students should think about any
other additional ideas they might have and put a checkmark next to the details they would like to
include in their essays.
3. Develop a thesis statement
Purpose: to form a thesis statement around which to build the essay.
After brainstorming for additional details and organizing their notes, students should develop a
thesis statement that tells the main point of their essay. The thesis statement should make a claim
about how and why the boys’ impressions of the painter lady change in the story. Here are some
examples of possible thesis statements that students might compose:
•
At first the boys thought that the woman was taking over something that belonged to them, but they later
realized that she was actually celebrating their community along with them.
•
At the beginning of the story, the boys were afraid that the painter lady was interfering with their
neighborhood, but at the end of the story, they realized that she was supporting their heritage.
DRAFTING, SHARING, AND REVISING
These activities will take students through the rest of the writing process.
1. Structure the introductory paragraph
Purpose: to help students lay down the foundation for their essays.
Have students consider what kind of attention grabber or hook they can begin their essay with.
They could, for example, describe an exciting moment or include a quotation from the story,
relay an anecdote, or pose a thought-provoking question. Instruct students to follow their hook
with a TAG—a sentence that identifies the Title, Author, and Genre of the literature selection.
Students should then follow the TAG with a brief summary of the story and its conflict; two or
three sentences are usually sufficient to provide enough background information for the reader.
Have students conclude the introductory paragraph with their thesis statement. A sample
introductory paragraph follows:
Have you ever jumped to conclusions and condemned someone before getting all of the facts? (Hook) This is what
happens in the short story “The War of the Wall” by Toni Cade Bambara. (TAG) In the story, the narrator and his
cousin Lou are upset that a stranger comes into their community and, without explanation, starts painting the wall
outside the barbershop. They think this painter lady has no business in their community. Once she finishes her
mural, though, the two discover that her work is a magnificent tribute to the people of Taliaferro Street. (Summary
statement) The boys realize that their first impression of the woman was misguided, and they come to respect her
for what she has done for the community. (Thesis statement)
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2. Complete an Essay Frame
Purpose: to assist students in structuring their essays to ensure they have an organizational plan,
key ideas, and enough supporting evidence from the text.
Distribute copies of the Essay Frame form that is included in the Copy Master at the end of this
lesson plan. Have students transfer their introductory paragraphs to the appropriate place on the
form. Then have them include the main points they wish to make in the essay, followed by the
supporting evidence for those points.
Once their Essay Frames are finished, students might do a pair/share to help one another make
sure that the introductory paragraphs have a thesis statement, that the body paragraphs have
supporting ideas, and that the conclusion is strong.
3. Write the first draft
Purpose: to get ideas down on paper in an appropriate essay format.
Refer students to the writing prompt and have them review the key traits for the essay. Students
should use this information along with their completed Essay Frames to write the first draft of
their essays.
4. Engage in share/respond
Purpose: to give and receive feedback about whether the first draft meets the requirements of the
prompt.
Once the first drafts are complete, have students pass them to the person behind them. Distribute
copies of the Response Guide, located in the Copy Master, so that students can provide feedback
for each other. Have students carefully read the essays and thoughtfully complete the Response
Guides. All students should end up reading three different students’ drafts. This provides good
practice for the readers and gives more feedback to the writers.
5. Complete word choice and sentence fluency activity
Purpose: to practice the skills of sentence fluency called for in the prompt.
Explain to students that using appropriate, precise, and descriptive language as well as a variety
of sentence structures can help them convey their ideas clearly, fluently and articulately. Have
students review the sentence openers they have used throughout their first drafts. If they find that
most sentences start the same way, i.e., with the same noun or pronoun, they should change their
sentence structures to add more variety.
Example: The boys resent the painter lady at first. They do not understand why she is there.
They find her presence annoying. They consider shaking her off the ladder to teach her a
lesson.
Rewrite: The boys resent the painter lady at first because they do not understand why she is
there. Annoyed by her presence, they consider shaking her off the ladder to teach her a
lesson.
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6. Revise the draft
Purpose: to strengthen the clarity of ideas, organization, and language.
Review the key traits section of the writing prompt with students and have students carefully
read the three completed Response Guides for their essays. With the information culled from the
Response Guides, students should decide what changes to make to their essays and prepare their
revised copies.
EDITING
Proofread in read-around groups
Purpose: to focus on the technical correctness of the essay.
Students should check each other’s papers for proper English conventions. Writers should make
corrections as necessary.
EVALUATION
Refer to the Student Writing and Teacher’s Assessment Criteria
Purpose: to use as a guide for revision and as an assessment tool.
Give students the criteria for an exemplary paper, as shown on the Student Writing and
Teacher’s Assessment Criteria form in the Copy Master. Students should use this guide when
revising their papers. Teachers can also adapt these criteria into a scoring rubric.
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Student Model
First Impressions in “The War of the Wall”
“We were late for school. So we just flat out told the painter lady to quit messing with the
wall.” This is the beginning of the war between the narrator and his cousin Lou, and the artist
from New York in Toni Cade Bambara’s story “The War of the Wall.” As human beings, we are
at times fearful or angered by things which elude our understanding. The boys feared losing a
precious childhood place—the wall. They were unaware of the painter lady’s purposes and
intentions, and this made her bad—someone to be despised. Her presence unlocks a sense of
priority in the boys. Something they’ve taken for granted for so long is suddenly threatened with
change. It will no longer be a beacon of safety and familiarity. The wall is the boy’s childhood,
and somehow if it’s okay, then they are too. For all these reasons, they instantly form a negative
impression of this woman, never suspecting that, in the end, they will learn that they were too
quick to judge. And so the war begins.
From the boys’ perspective, the painter lady came out of nowhere and just started
painting their wall. “You’re not even from here,” they hollered after checking out her New York
plates. But the painter lady just ignored them. In fact, she ignored just about everybody. When
the Morris twins brought her dinner, she lied and said she had brought her own dinner. Then
when she was starving, she went to the diner and insulted everyone by being too picky about the
food. Maybe she was busy planning her “masterpiece,” but she was just plain rude. All of these
factors contributed to the opinion fashioned by the boys.
Their opinion of her leads them to treat her as an outcast. At times it’s as if they’re trying
to run her out. “Why couldn’t she set up an easel downtown or draw on the sidewalk in her own
neighborhood?” they wondered. After all, it was their wall. And if they couldn’t have it, neither
could she. After hearing about graffiti in the New York subways, they hatch a plan to get even
with the painter lady. This part of the story took a cold-hearted turn. The narrator and Lou are no
longer just angry. They despise this woman to the point that they are willing to destroy her work
and the wall because of it. The narrator and Lou are willing to break the law in order to hurt the
painter. I believe they feel the need to wound her as she unwittingly wounded them.
However, when they see the faces of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and even their
own faces staring back at them among the “swirls of purples and oranges,” and when they read
the dedication to the people of Taliaferro Street, they finally understand her intentions. They see
their error and know why they were wrong to judge her so hastily. All along, she was working to
make their wall a symbol of hope and change. She made their wall more than a security blanket.
She dedicated to them all a reminder of the spirit that drives this great nation to change and to
blossom.
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Copy Masters
(CM)
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Writing Prompt
Writing Situation:
In “The War of the Wall,” the narrator of the story tells us how he and his cousin Lou have
a strong reaction to a newcomer in their neighborhood. They form an impression of this
stranger before they really know who she is or what she is doing.
Writing Directions:
Write an essay in which you analyze how and why the boys’ impressions of the painter
lady change during the story. What was the first impression the boys formed of her, and
why? How did they behave toward her as a result of this impression? Note how the boys’
feelings about the wall influenced their attitude toward the woman. Tell how and why their
impression of the woman changed by the end of the story and what the wall now represents
to them.
Keep the following key traits in mind as you compose your essay:
Key traits
Ideas
• Has a thesis statement that tells how the boys’ impression of the painter lady changes
throughout the story
• Includes evidence from the story (examples and specific quotes) to support the claim
made in the thesis
• Describes the boys’ feelings about the wall at different points in the story
Organization
• Has an introduction that “hooks” the reader
• Includes body paragraphs that support the claim made in the thesis statement
• Has a conclusion that goes beyond the introduction to deepen the analysis
Voice
• Writes with authority, using an appropriate tone
Word Choice
• Uses precise, appropriate, and descriptive language
Sentence Fluency
• Varies sentence structure and length
Conventions
• Follows the conventions of written English
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Boys’ attitudes at the beginning of the story
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Boys’ attitudes in the middle of the story
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Boys’ attitudes at the end of the story
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Essay Frame for “The War of the Wall”
Introductory paragraph (Begin with a hook, a TAG, and a summary statement. End with a thesis statement.)
Supporting paragraph
Main points to make:
Specific references from text to support main points:
Supporting paragraph
Main points to make:
Specific references from text to support main points:
Supporting paragraph
Main points to make:
Specific references from text to support main points:
Conclusion (deepens interpretation of story, discussing a theme or lesson that can be learned)
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Response Guide for “War of the Wall” Essay
Writer______________________
Reader_____________________
Introductory paragraph
1. What method—a quotation, a question, or an anecdote, for example—does the essay writer use to hook the
reader?
2. Does the introductory paragraph include a TAG, a brief summary, and a thesis statement?
3. What claim does the essay writer make in the thesis statement?
Supporting paragraphs
4. What story details does the essay writer use to describe the boys’ first impression of the painter lady?
5. What story details does the essay writer use to show how the boys behaved toward the woman as a result of this
impression?
6. What story details does the essay writer use to show how the boys’ impression of the painter lady changes at the
end of the story?
7. What does the essay say about the boys’ feelings toward the wall?
Concluding paragraph
8. Does the conclusion do more than just restate the introduction, such as by showing some kind of lesson that was
learned? Explain.
Overall essay
9. Does the writer sound authoritative and use appropriate language?
10. Does the writer vary the sentence structure and length?
11. What are the strengths of this essay?
12. How could the writer improve this essay?
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Student Writing and Teacher’s Assessment Criteria
An exemplary paper is superior in its insight, organization, and language. It has most or all of
the following characteristics:
Ideas
• Has a strong thesis statement that clearly tells how the boys’ impression of the painter lady
changes throughout the story
• Includes ample evidence from the story (examples and specific quotes) to
support the claim made in the thesis
• Makes insightful comments about the boys’ feelings toward the wall
Organization
• Has an effective introduction that “hooks” the reader, drawing him or her into the essay
• Includes body paragraphs that support the claim made in the thesis statement
• Has a conclusion that goes beyond the introduction to deepen the analysis, such as by
commenting on the story’s “lesson” about first impressions
Voice
• Writes with authority, using an appropriate tone
Word Choice
• Uses especially precise, appropriate, and descriptive language
Sentence Fluency
• Varies sentence structure and length to create a pleasing rhythm
Conventions
• Follows the conventions of written English, with few or no errors
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