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The Narrator

This character is a first person plural entity, representing a group of brown immigrant girls growing up in Queens, New York.

The Brown Girls

These are the main characters of the novel and come from a range of different ethnic, cultural, racial, and familial backgrounds.

The Brown Boys

These characters are first seen as similar to family members. Once puberty hits, however, they are viewed as attractive.

White Boys

These characters are first compared to celebrities and are considered a prize. Later they are sometimes a cause for loneliness and show the stark reality of how different the lives are for People of Color.

Mothers

These characters are often seen as nagging and a nuisance and often less than. By the end of the novel, they are seen as having been brave and strong.

Brothers

Early on these characters are determined to get out and start new...

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This section contains 253 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample