At first glance "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker and "El Tonto del Barrio" by Jose Armas appear to have nothing in common. However, after a closer inspection readers will see that there are a few similarities between these stories. No matter which story component a reader looks at there is something in common between the stories. Whether a reader looks at the plot, setting, or characters he or she will find at least one similarity in the two stories. .
The first similarity can be found in two of the characters. In both "Everyday Use" and "El Tonto del Barrio" a character left home only to return changed. Take "Everyday Use" for example. In this story the character who left was Dee. She grew up in poverty wanting more. So, she decides to go to a nice school and to get a good education. When she returns home society has taken its toll on her. She now has a new name and feels her mom and sister have disregarded their heritage. In "El Tonto del Barrio" it is the same thing, only in this story the character is Seferino. He also grew up in an underprivileged area. Like Dee he went to a nice school and returns changed. It is not that he took on a new name, but he is obsessed with fairness. That may seem like a good thing, but there is a person named Romero who sweeps the sidewalks where Seferino lives. The townspeople do not pay Romero with money, but with handouts. Seferino feels this is unfair, so he decides to start giving Romero a daily wage. Then when Romero demands a raise Seferino says no. Romero becomes angry and refuses to sweep the streets anymore. Both Dee and Seferino grew up in poverty, went off to get a good education, and return home changed. .
Another set of characters that have things in common are Maggie, from "Everyday Use", and Romero, from "El Tonto del Barrio". Both Maggie and Romero are mentally slow. Another thing that Maggie and Romero have in common is that they are treated poorly.
