The dominant tone in this story by Maya Angelou is monotone as there is barely any emotion present or feeling until the end of the story where she gains color in her life.

Characters: Marguerite (Protagonist), Mrs. Flowers, Momma

Setting: The story takes place around the 1930s and 1940s, before the civil rights movement.

Line(s) of Reflection: " Yes Ma'am " (Angelou 180). - These two words showcase the hardships in Marguerite's life; she had struggled with her confidence and went through a lot of adversity and only slowly overcame it with the help of Mrs. Flowers.

Features: Description. The descriptions of how words are necessary to understand one another and the description of the way of living clearly stated the main message.

2. Include the pervading (most often utilized) tone (attitude) in the narrative

3. List all of the characters, choosing the most significant character; then explain how this person helps develop a characteristic or concern of the protagonist

4. identify the setting, noting how it develops the plot

5. Choose a line or two that best represents a narrator's reflection--something learned/realized.

6. Identify and explain the significance of a noteworthy feature of the text: syntax, imagery, diction, figurative language, dialogue, etc.

Tone: Anxious. First, Saeed was nervous about his mother's reaction to his come-out. Then, he felt guilty about hiding secrets from his mother.

Characters: Saeed (the protagonist), and his mother.

After his mother accepted his sexuality, Saeed realized that he would forever have secrets to hide from his mother, which made him feel very sorry.

Setting: The summer of 2005. Back then, society wasn't as accepting as it is in the present, and the discrimination against homosexuals and blacks was much worse, which made it very challenging for the protagonist, who was a gay black man.

Line(s) of Reflection: "My being gay was never actually the burden" and "I realized I had not come out to her as myself" (Jones 98).

Feature: Diction. The word choice of this story is very important because it helps to set the mood and lets the reader understand the narrator's inner thoughts.

Tone: Downcast, Amy Tan is told she is not beautiful, which makes her sad, but her mother talks of the curse that beauty really is, which makes Amy feel bad for wanting beauty, understanding that she wants it but doesn't have it, but to have it is to be cursed.

Characters: Amy, her mother

Setting: 1960s, Oakland California (where Amy was born)

Line(s) of Reflection: "By then I didn't care that I would never meet my mother's standards of beauty. I had a boyfriend who loved me." (Tan Para. 8) Amy learns of the burden of having beauty, and no longer cares about how she looks, but how she is thought of as a person.

Feature: The dialogue of this story is the most important feature; the discussion between Amy and her mother takes up nearly the entire story. It conveys both characters' thoughts and opinions which leads to Amy being taught a lesson.

Tone: Self-Mocking. This is displayed at the beginning of the story as she said she doesn't want to be seen as an ugly American. This is later reinforced when she talks about her attempts at being polite by abiding Japanese culture but being subpar at best at it.

Characters: Barbara, Barbara's Japanese friend

Setting: Kyoto, Japan and Osaka Airport (the time is not stated)

Line(s) of Reflection: "You have no idea, I told him, how thoroughly I forgive you" (Kingsolver 91).

Feature: Imagery. Vivid descriptions of how culturally built Japan was in contrast to Barbara's embarrassing American looks are given. This builds the gateway to dive into how Japanese people support forgiveness which is the cornerstone of the message.