Analysis Of Annie John, Annie, And Her Mother

The object of examining gender roles is to answer the question why should women and men be equal and "Are there populations in which men and women are absolutely equal? Are there societies in which women dominate men?" (Gender 238) By understanding the culture in which this piece of literature is written, the gender roles and the rules of behavior for a woman, then the relationships between genders can be realized. The general myth about women and their gender role in the American society is that the mother works in the home and supports her man in every way. For each relationship, the people in that relationship must decide the particular roles that they will play. In the literary work "Girl", Kincaid shows clearly that the woman's role in this work was to serve the family and to work mainly in the house. The mother writing this story tells her daughter that "this is how you iron your father's khaki shirt so that it doesn't have a crease" (Kincaid 489). In this marriage, it is understood that the wife is to do the laundry for the husband. Today's society does not always provide these clear roles since many women work a full time job and the house chores are a responsibility for both to handle. Though the woman is still mainly held responsible for the home. There should be a constant search for equality in gender roles. Kincaid explains how the man is working to bring home the money and the wife supports

Annie is a play set in the great depression about a orphan who manages to spend Christmas with a billionaire while trying to find her biological parents. Many people attempt to fake being Annie’s parents, to get a reward but none of them succeed, and Annie finds her real family in the Warbucks, the billionaire that cares for her, and gets adopted by him and lives happily ever after.

Elaine Potter Richardson, more famously known as Jamaica Kincaid, is recognized for her writings that suggest depictions of relationships between families, mainly between a mother and daughter, and her birth place, Antigua, an island located in the West Indies. She is also familiarized with Afrocentrism and feminist point of views. Kincaid’s work is filled heavily with visual imagery that produces a mental picture in readers that helps them connect stronger to the reading. An example of this really shines through in her short story piece, “Girl.” This short story describes the life of a lower class woman living in the West Indies, and also incorporates thick detailing between the relationship between her and her mother. Jamaica Kincaid structures the story as if her mother is speaking to her. She writes broad, but straight to the point, allowing readers to imagine to picture her experience. Kincaid uses visual imagery and repetition consistently throughout “Girl” to reveal the theme and tone of the story; conflictual affair between a mother and daughter.

In Jamaica Kincaid’s story, Girl, a mother is talking to her daughter about all the proper things she must do to be considered a good girl to her family and to the public, and when she grows up, a proper lady. She must follow the rules that are given to her by her own mother and by society. The mother also teaches the daughter how to act when things don’t go her way. She is told that along with being a proper lady, she must also be able to get what she wants and be independent. This story was written in the late 1970’s and gender roles, for women, back then were not being “followed” because women wanted equal opportunities (Women In the Workforce). “Gender stereotypes are beliefs regarding the traits and behavioral characteristics given to individuals on the basis of their gender” (Deuhr). This essay will discuss the gender roles that were given to women in the story, during the late 70’s, and in today’s society.

Throughout the history, in all cultures the roles of males and females are different. Relating to the piece of literature “Girl” written by Jamaica Kincaid for the time, when women’s roles were to work in the home. By examining

In this essay I will analyse to what extent the characters in the novels The House on Mango Street (text A), by Sandra Cisneros, and Annie John (text B), by Jamaica Kincaid, reflect the role of men and women in society. These two novels criticise patriarchal societies, where “women are taught to think as men, identify with a male point of view and to accept as normal and legitimate a male system of values…” . In both of them, there are clear examples of chauvinism, which conditions the lives of Esperanza Cordero, a “Chicana” who lives

For centuries, women have had the role of being the perfect and typical house wife; needs to stay home and watch the children, cook for husbands, tend to the laundry and chores around the house. In her short story “Girl”, Jamaica Kincaid provides a long one sentence short story about a mother giving specific instructions to her daughter but with one question towards the end, with the daughter’s mother telling her daughter if she had done all the instructions to become a so called “perfect” woman, every man would want her. Kincaid’s structuring in “Girl,” captures a demanding and commanding tone. This short story relates to feminist perspectives. The mother expects a great deal from her daughter to have a certain potential and she does not hesitate to let her daughter understand that. As a matter of fact, the story is about two pages long, made into one long sentence - almost the whole time the mother is giving her daughter directions to follow - conveys a message to the reader that the mother demands and expects great potential in her daughter. The daughter is forced to listen and learn from what her mother is telling her to do to become the perfect housewife. Throughout the story, Kincaid uses the symbols of the house and clothing, benna and food to represent the meanings of becoming a young girl to a woman and being treated like one in society. Women are portrayed to appeal to a man to become the ideal woman in society, while men can do anything they please.

By the second page, she is depicting the house, the garden, and her nonsensical feelings, for example, her propensity to "get unreasonably angry" (6). All of this backings customary female attributes and inclinations. John 's sister, Jennie, is "a dear girl,” “a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper," and cheerfully fills the female part of overseer, adjusting totally to her sex part (14). Thus, as the story starts, conventional patriarchal sexual orientation parts are being upheld. As the story advances, the normal sex parts are tested all the more regularly and all the more forcefully, however the characters keep on falling back on them. The storyteller makes the startling disclosure that she is not dealing with her own infant since she "cannot be with him" (10). She keeps on affirming that the rest cure is impeding her advance. In the meantime, however, the infant is dealt with by another lady and the storyteller keeps on submitting to her better half 's analysis over her own, calling him "so wise" (21). At the point when the storyteller tries to dissent her imprisonment, John pull rank as a doctor and implores her to surrender her "false and foolish fancy" for her purpose and the youngster 's purpose (23). In spite of the fact that the storyteller communicates questions about

For centuries, women have had the role of being the perfect and typical house wife; needs to stay home and watch the kids, cook for husbands, tend to the laundry and chores around the house. In her short story Girl, Jamaica Kincaid give us a long one sentence story about a mother giving specific instructions to her daughter but with one question towards the end, with the daughters mother telling her daughter if she had done all the instructions to become a so called “perfect” woman, what man would not want her. Kincaids structuring in “Girl,” captures a demanding and commanding tone. This short story relates feminist perspectives. The mother expects a great deal from her daughter to have a certain potential and she does not hesitate to let her daughter understand it. As a matter of fact, the story is two pages long, made into one long sentence - and almost the whole time the mother is giving her daughter directions to follow - sends a message to the reader that the mother demands and expects great potential in her daughter. The daughter is forced to listen and learn from what her mother is telling her to do to be the perfect housewife. Throughout the story, Kincaid uses the symbols of house and clothing, benna and food to represent the means of becoming a young girl to a woman and being treated like one in society.

The acceptance of gender role by both the characters puts John in a place where his misrecognition of the narrator’s requirements makes him the villain of the story. John and the narrator have accepted the “normal” of the society like the fetishizing of women as an ignorant child, husband as the decision maker in a marriage and the conventional ideals of “reputable wife.” The narrator’s intention to keep her journal hidden is the cause of the expectations of society to treat literacy for women as a luxury which allows John to think writing to be useless for the narrator (a homemaker), and is rather laborious in a rest cure which he thinks to be necessary for the wellbeing of the narrator. The narrator’s mental illness grows without an understanding

opinion is brushed aside for what is “best for her” even though she could perform menial tasks around the house. Although her husband could be seen as the villain of the story, he is simply a reflection of the society of the time. The narrator’s desire to have more in her life than John and her child does not correspond to the social expectations that a woman fell under. Her love of writing and creativity distanced her from the idealized “angel of the house” that she is supposed to emulate.

Through the minimal interactions that John has with his wife, he is consistently revealed as a superior and patriarchal figure to the narrator, rather than a romantic partner. The narrator’s trivialization in the marriage is demonstrated at the very beginning of the story when she admits that her husband “John laughs at [her]” then tries to vindicate his insensitivity by saying that “one expects that in marriage” (3). Likewise, she introduces John as someone who is “practical in the extreme..., has no patience with faith...and scoffs openly at

The role of women in the society is also shown in this quote because the narrator is only able to dress, entertain, and order things. She is not able to do things which she likes, for example to write because the role of women in society expects her to follow John’s (husband) orders and John wanted the narrator to not write, instead he wanted her to do unimportant things like dress,entertain, and order things. This quote also includes phrases like “what little I am able to” and “I cannot be with him”, these phrases have a similarity, it’s that the narrator is being limited. While speaking on the topic of role of women in the society, Gilman states “And dear John gathered me up in his arms , and just carried me upstairs and laid me on the bed, and sat by me and read to me till it tired my head (page 652).” Two, this passage demonstrates how the narrator is oppressed/limited to what she can do. This is because the role of women in society doesn’t allow her to reject her husband’s orders, so she had to accept it. It is shown in the quote that the narrator didn’t ask for this and it also shows that John dominates the narrator. This relates to oppression and the role of women in society because oppression is shown where John carries the narrator up the stairs. This is an example of oppression because she has

In the novel, Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid, Kincaid reveals difficulties and tension in Annie and her mother’s relationship through Annie’s rebellious action towards her mother, Mrs. John insensitivity towards Annie’s emotions and Annie’s lack of separation. Annie’s mother is her abet for being a rebellious child. ” I had to do exactly the opposite of whatever she desired of me”(Kincaid 61) Annie goes out of her way to antagonize her mother, going

Simply put, John treats his wife as if she were a child. Without listening to her feelings or concerns he is quick to diagnose and treat her for her mental and emotional ailments. It is worth noting that a few pages in, John begins to call her pet names such as “darling”, “dear”, and most notably “little girl” (Gilman 95). He is a powerful and successful man who does not waste time listening to his wife’s complaints. Early on, it is clear just how