Characterization of the First Day

1. Who is the protagonist? Antagonist? How do the minor characters function in the story?

   Protagonists (mother, girl). Antagonist (people who rejected at first school). The minor characters are the core contributors to the plot of the story - they incite the conflict and resolve them.

2. What do specific details reveal about characters’ values, beliefs, assumptions, biases, and cultural norms?

   The mother does not know how to read, but is still strong-minded and decisive when it comes to sending her daughter to school.

   The daughter seems a bit lost - which is understandable as she’s just in kindergarten following her mom around

3. Are the descriptions and characterizations direct or indirect?

   Both, towards the beginning of the essay there are a lot of direct characterizations and descriptions, but as the plot grows I think it becomes more indirect.

4. How would you describe the relationship between mother and daughter?

   The daughter at the time trusts her mom, but as of now she seems to be ashamed of her.

5. How do the characters change throughout the story?

   The girl seems to mature throughout the story. Originally, she seems to just follow her mom around, kind of like in an blind, aimless sense. Towards the end, she accepts that she’s on her own.

6. Do you see some characters differently form the way they see themselves?

   I think so. The girl views her mom as someone she’s ashamed as, which I wouldn’t totally agree with judging from the given context. Her mom seems to strive to ensure that her daughter is educated, even if there are many challenges in the way. Not all parents would be willing to go through so many hoops to ensure that their kids get good and high quality education.