Courtesy is the most important word in “Little Things are Big”, by Jesus Colon because it reflects his identity. The story is about a man of color who is on the subway. A caucasian lady walks on the subway with many items with her including kids. The man was trying to decide on whether to help her or not to help her. In the end he just walked past her as if he did not care to help her with everything she had to carry because he felt she would be prejudiced against him. When the colored man did not help the lady he would talk about how he should have offered his courtesy with all her items. For example, “If you were not that prejudiced I failed you; I failed you too, children. I failed myself. I buried my courtesy early on Memorial Day morning.”
