The short story by Edward P. Jones entitled “The First Day” presents a girl’s recollection of her first day of kindergarten. Some of the things she notes are how long her mother spent on her hair and what she was wearing. Similar to her, I also have a very strong memory of my first day of kindergarten. The only reason it is so strong is that this is when I first can remember hating when my mother brushed my hair. As anyone with curly hair can attest, brushing your hair is a challenge; it is even more so when you have a tender scalp, a curse I was born with.
I can also compare her mother to mine in the way they both want the best education for their children. When I started middle school, my mom insisted I attend a school in a better district with a good reputation; the one she chose was over a half hour away without traffic. She had to drop me off earlier and pick me up later just so she wouldn’t miss work. Most parents can probably relate to doing all that they can so their child can have a better future than they did, which is very clearly the intention of the mother in the short story.