My immediate reaction to reading The First Day was in the first sentence when the author begins to describe the setting as a time long before they grew to be “ashamed of their mother” I was a little taken aback by the way the author chose to begin the story by claiming to be ashamed of their own mother. Personally, the first sentence without context seemed unexpected and uncalled for. Moreover, some details from the text that made a strong impression on me were the details of the peach hair grease because it made me imagine myself getting ready for school in the morning and using scented hair greases to slick my own hair down. Also, the author’s description of her entrance into school makes it a little chaotic, given that she was not allowed to enter the first school. Lastly, an element I can identify within this story is the plot and how her mother was illiterate. I have seen the effects of disadvantages as such in my community and cultural history.