To compare and contrast the themes of two different literary works, you should follow a specific process. What is the FIRST step in the process? Select one: a. Determine the theme of each work, and state it in your own words. b. Analyze the effects of setting and word choice in each work. c. Explain the differences between the two works, in terms of the effect of form on theme. d. Make a list of the literary elements found in both works.

Read the excerpt from the poem "growing up italian" by maria mazziotti gillan and answer the question that follows. when i was a little girl, i thought everyone was italian, and that was good. we visted our aunts and uncles, and they visted us. the italian language smooth and sweet in my mouth. in kindergarten, english words fell on me, thick and sharp as hail. i grew silent, the italian word balanced on the edge of my tongue and the english word, lost during the first moment of every question. source: gillan, maria mazziotti. "growing up italian." poetrymagazine. com. poetry magazine, n. d. web. 30 mar. 2011. what is the tone of this poem? what does the tone reveal about the speaker of the poem and the conflict she faces? based on this excerpt, what can you predict about the theme of the poem?