Amy’s Metaphor, by Elisa Oh, is about a girl that completes an assignment about a metaphor. She tells her teacher she can’t complete the second part of the assignment because she is struggling with her own identity. From Scratch, by Susie Castellano, is about a girl who is working in the kitchen with her mother. She feels sad when she realizes she is losing her connection to her mother's culture. The plot structures of both stories mix present and past events. In From Scratch, Priya and her mother bond over the course of the story. In Amy’s Metaphor, the plot structure is organized as a reflection on past events and how they have shaped the character's present circumstances.
Amy’s Metaphor has a first person point of view. The story is told by the character, Amy. From Scratch has a third-person point of view. The story is told by the author. At the beginning of both stories, the characters are unhappy about certain aspects of their lives. At first, Priya is sad and lonely after moving to a new country. At the end of the story, she appreciates the new experiences and friendships she has made. The evidence that supports this is when Priya says, “I never realized how much I would miss my home until now.” Amy is upset about feeling lost in her own identity. At the end, Amy sees herself as a strong and resilient individual. The evidence that supports this is “I may not know who I am completely, but I know that I am capable of figuring it out.”
I enjoyed reading From Scratch more because the character development was richer and more relatable. My attention was captured when Priya began to embrace her new surroundings and find joy in her experiences. I was able to relate to the character when she struggled with feeling like an outsider in a new place. My favorite part of the story was when Priya finally felt at home and accepted in her new environment. I would recommend this story to a friend because of its themes of identity, culture, and belonging.