What are the social and political statements the story implies?

The socio-economic, social, and political underpinning of
the story is focused in Miss Moore, who is a “cousin, mostly” who moved north along with
Sylvia’s family, and who now lives on the same block as the family. Miss Moore, who has
attended college, says, “it was only right that she should take responsibility for the
young ones’ education” (paragraph 1). According to Sylvia, Miss Moore is always
contriving “boring ass things” for the children to do (i.e., informal but guided
educational tours), and we may assume that the excursion to F.A.O. Schwarz, which in its
time was the quintessentially high-end toy store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, is one of
these “things.” As a teacher, Miss Moore employs the Socratic method. Her method is to
demonstrate a situation, and then get the children to draw conclusions from
it.

Thus, as the children observe the toys, especially a
toy fiberglass sailboat selling “at one thousand one hundred ninety-five dollars”
(paragraph 25), their responses dramatize the economic inequality represented by the
price. The response of Sugar, Sylvia’s friend and roommate, is representative: “I think
… that this not much of a democracy if you ask me. Equal chance to pursue happiness
means an equal crack at the dough, don’t it?” (paragraph 51). All the dialogue, from
paragraph 11 to the story’s end, builds up to these conclusions.