I. Introduction
a. Thesis: In both poems, "What It's Like to Be a Black Girl" (For Those of You Who Aren't) and "Child of the Americas", we can see the youth is struggling with their inner selves; their races and identities. In "What It's Like to Be a Black Girl" (For Those of You Who Aren't) the young girl is struggling with her African American self, trying to learn how to be comfortable with herself while also fighting the fact that she wants to be something she is not. In "Child of the Americas", I see a young girl who is being proud of who she is and not apologizing for who they are not.
II. Body Paragraph 2: Conflict in Stories
a. In "What It's Like to Be a Black Girl" (For Those of You Who Aren't) the conflict is how a young girl is growing up to be a black woman whose race isn't accepted in society. The 9-year-old girl is also going through puberty where her body is changing and different pressures are being added on her.
b. The conflict in "Child of the Americas" is social diversity. The young girl in the story is mixed with different races who is fighting that her identity doesn't compromise herself as an American.
III. Body Paragraph 3: Literary Techniques
a. Imagery
b. Symbolism
c. Simile
IV. Body Paragraph 4: Compare and Contrast
a. The two poems show how blacks and minorities born into the U.S are prejudiced against due to their nationalities.
b. The negativity the two girls experience affects the perception of themselves.
c. In "What It's Like to Be a Black Girl", the little girl wants to change her appearance to be accepted by society while in "Child of the Americas", the young girl wants to embrace her culture and still be accepted within society.