One of the issues that still exists among Americans is racial discrimination. It seems that people are so obsessed with their rights and freedoms that they neglect some certain simple rules in their relationships. Two literary works refer to how cultural differences may shape the population. Based on their personal experiences and observations, Amy Tan and Maya Angelou deliver interesting writings about racial differences and prejudice. In her essay “Fish Cheeks,” Tan shares a narration about a family dinner where Chinese and white traditions are compared. On the other hand, Angelou depicts people’s emotions during one of the most famous boxing matches between the “Brown Bomber,” Joe Louis, and a white contender. Both authors explain how minority groups have to break barriers and resist oppression. In their stories, Angelou and Tan use different settings and social contexts to highlight the role of family relationships, support the idea of removing racial barriers, and believe in positive change. Angelou raises the theme of racial discrimination in a specific way, focusing on the role of settings, family, and society. She describes a famous boxing event and African American reaction to the black boxer’s victory. The author underlines the importance of the environment for minority groups in American society. At the beginning of “Champion of the World,” Angelou points to the place where people gather to listen to a radio broadcast of the match. “Along the walls of the Store,” there was no empty “inch of space” even if it took hours for some people to reach the place (Angelou 88). The author intends to specify that black communities do not have large spaces to share their needs or interests. At the same time, the worth of family relationships cannot be ignored as Angelou defines the impact of black and white attitudes. Although it is not the initial goal of the author to specify the impact of family relationships, she still mentions that the store is the uncle’s property. People feel safe when they come to a place that belongs to a black family. Another remark is made after Joe’s victory, who is introduced as a hero, the “champion of the world,” and “some Black mother’s son” (Angelou 90). This literary work shows that racial inequality involves not only individuals but also all black families. Finally, a comparison is developed between the match and human relationships in general, as a part of the social context. When Louis is about to go down, Angelou writes that “my race groaned,” and “it was our people falling” (89). Her main intention is to demonstrate how the example of one person motivates other people to break social barriers, follow their needs, and consider their rights. “Fish Cheeks” is another short story, with the issues of family, society, and settings being properly explained by the author. It is a narration of a 14-year-old girl who feels affection for a young boy, Robert, who belongs to a different race. Tan’s descriptions are brief and limited, but the information is still sufficient to learn the issue of racial discrimination. The event of the story is about Christmas Eve dinner hosted by a Chinese family. In fact, the author does not mention tha