At the most superficial level, the two essays appeared almost identical. Both Laymon and Steele were popular black authors and college professors. In addition, Laymon’s essay was about growing up black in America during the 1980s; while Steele’s essay was about growing up black during the 1960s. Utilizing similar writing techniques, both Laymon and Steele began their essays with narratives written in the first person. The first paragraph of Laymon’s essay opened with a narrative about his goofing-off during church services. Laymon was an adolescent boy, not yet a teenager; he and a friend, David, got suspended for flatulence play during church services at their black Catholic school. That evening Laymon’s mother gave him a “whupping”
