Provoking the Inevitable Change: an Analysis on Jamaica Kincaid’s Girl

In the short story “Girl”, by Jamaica Kincaid is told from the perspective of two different people. There is a bonding relationship that is happening between the two people in this short story. The mother seems to be the main character in this essay uses a very strict tone to her daughter. The daughter is being told about how to do things in her life the correct way. The daughter barely speaks during this essay, she is doing more analyzing than arguing with her mother. When the mother gives the daughter advise she was trying to give her words of wisdom. But, at the same time, some of the ideas the mother gave to her child was offensive like “slut”. The mother has different perspectives throughout this essay with a lot of different

This story, with its lack of rhyme structure and rhythm, is similar to a prose poem. The sharp and repetitive sentence structure makes the list of instructions seem as if they are being given in one endless dialogue. The seemingly infinite commands create a suffocating sense of obligation for the daughter. By including questions in the mother’s list of commands, the author makes it seem like the mother is speaking in a stream of consciousness and is rattling off orders and advice to her daughter. “Soak salt fish overnight before you cook it; is it true that you sing benna in Sunday school?; always eat your food in such a way that it won’t turn someone else’s stomach” (Kincaid). Simultaneously, it smothers the exchange between the daughter and mother, restricting the idea of a real, two-way conversation. Throughout the story, the daughter rarely speaks, only to protest against her mother’s claims, including the belief that the daughter will become a “slut” when she is older. Her mother states, “prevent yourself from looking like the slut I know you are so bent on becoming” (Kincaid) twice within the story, emphasizing the mother’s accusatory words that simultaneously assume the daughter is already on track to becoming a “slut.” Subsequently, the daughter argues how she doesn’t “sing benna on Sundays at all” (Kincaid) when harshly criticized by her mother. The daughter’s haste and sharp responses to her mother’s brusque accusations suggest that the daughter has already

A mother’s words are the ones that ring loudest in a child’s ear, are passed down from generation to generation, and the one’s that hold a special place in a child’s memory and heart forever. Expectations and guidelines are set at a young age. Morals and values are learned throughout the years, and life lessons are taught through the wisdom passed down from a mother to a daughter. Every mother has a wish for their daughter to be the best they can be. But at what point does instruction and wisdom become simply words that have been said one too many times? The short story “Girl,” written by Jamaica Kincaid is presented to the reader as a list of instructions from a mother to a daughter on how to live life to the

The narration of the mother lecturing her daughter with commanding diction leads to the theme of women conforming to domesticity and if they don’t conform then they will lead a life of promiscuity that will affect the way people perceive them. Women in the past believed that a woman’s role was that of a domesticated housewife. The narration of the third point of view in this story and the commanding diction of it places an importance in the reinforcement of this idea, that if a woman doesn’t follow social norms, she will eventually turn to a “slut” one that her family will be ashamed of. She must set the table for lunch and for breakfast that is “how to behave in the presence of men who don’t know [her] very well, and that it the way they won’t recognize immediately the slut that [the mother has] warned her against becoming.”(Kincaid 485) through her commanding diction, the mother is telling her daughter how to set a table, how to cook, she

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.

Throughout the short story we can see that the mother wants her daughter to inhabit specific beliefs and traditions from her culture. The mother constantly reminds her daughter of how to become the "perfect" woman in order to fit into society, reminding her consistently not to become a “slut.” As the mother in the story continues to lecture her daughter on how to not become “…the slut she is so bent on becoming,” you can see how it reflects the mother’s perception of her and her daughter, which in return plays an important role on how she instructs her daughter. Kincaid shows the intensity on how the mother wants to protect her daughter’s sexuality. The fundamental reason her mother is giving her such strict domestic guidance is because she is trying to shield her from a life of promiscuity. As she gives her daughter an extensive to-do list, the reader is able to depict that

After warning her of not becoming “the slut I know you are so bent on becoming”, the mother reminds her daughter that she is not a boy, and instead, a girl who do not share the equal social rights and expectations that boys have been acquired for centuries. To provide an example, the mother insists that Kincaid shouldn’t “ squat down to play marbles - you are not a boy, you know”. These statements introduce the clear distinction between male-female relations where a larger question mark is stamped on females’ sexuality and mannerism. It points out the strongest evidence of sexism in the story, depicting a girl's sexuality as a greater issue in comparison to her opposite sex. The gender bigotry surely is huge, however, what made the mother’s voice different from that of the society is her experience with men. For instance, after advising Kincaid on how to love and expect love from a man, she secures her daughter’s heart by stating that “ and if this doesn't work there are other ways, and if they don't work don't feel too bad about giving up”, she then continues on suggesting “how to bully a man; this is how a man bullies you”. It is clear that the mother has had past negative experiences with men, experiences that may introduce such behaviors in a woman. Otherwise, society would surely

Since the beginning of mankind, oppression has been a major obstacle for women to overcome. In “Girl,” Jamaica Kincaid illustrates through written word the struggle women go through due to the expectations set for them. While there is female oppression of different forms, Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” is a resemblance of the oppression she felt during her childhood on the small and remote island-nation of Antigua. In its most basic form, “Girl” vividly paints a literary picture depicting the way an “old-fashioned” wife is supposed to be in the eyes of her male patriarch.

“Girl”, a short story by Jamaica Kincaid, narrates a mother’s advice to her daughter as she matures. Although it could be argued that other genres are represented by this story, coming of age is the most prevailing. The story is written from the daughter’s perspective. The writing appears to be a mother giving advice for her daughter as she becomes an adult. “Girl” is a narration of a mother’s words to her daughter, the overarching theme is a coming of age.

Through time, things have changed for women. “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid is a short story that launched her career. A story of an older woman who provides an endless list of rules or advice, using the discouragement of female sexuality and showing how it defines what it means to be a woman and shapes the way women are expected to behave to a young girl. This short story limits to what women are able to do and what they cannot do. Often the older women seem more insulting and scolding than helpful to the younger girl. “Girl” has a variety of themes. For instance, the discouragement of female sexuality.

The story immediately starts off with the mother telling her daughter what she is expected to do. All of these things that are explained are said to send out the message that the mother is creating a lady, developing a house wife, and a strong, independent woman. Kincaid’s thesis in the story “Girl” is very clear because the intentions she has are expressed through the dialogue between the mother and daughter. The theme of the story does not change much throughout the story.

Being a woman in not only today’s society, but throughout history is one of the most difficult things a person can be. Being a woman that is respected by her peers and by men is even more challenging. There are specific rules that women are expected to live by everyday, in order to fulfill the task of being an “acceptable” woman in the eyes of society. In Jamaica Kincaid’s short story “Girl”, she illustrates a mother teaching her daughter the rules of life for a woman. Though this story was written in 1978 and takes place in what can be assumed as a predominantly African-American populated area, a vast majority of the lessons is taught are still relevant today. These lessons, combined with the lack of sugarcoated language, create a handful

Kincaid's story "Girl" allows readers a glimpse into the strict, demanding manner in which parents reared their children for decades and still do today. The relationship between the mother and the girl also reeks of empowerment and distance, as best seen through the girl's short-lived speech in the story. Most importantly, "Girl" shows readers how particular the lessons taught to the children two decades ago were. This story relates to feminist perspectives. The mother in "Girl" expects a a lot from of her daughter, and she does not hesitate to let her know.

The mother reinforces the feminine gender role by showing her daughter what behaviors and things were appropriate for her. She used repetitive voice to encourage her daughter to learn how to become a lady, a housewife, and how to deal with relationships, and how to grow food, because this is how the mother managed to survive under her living circumstances. Jamaica Kincaid, demonstrates this idea when the mother said, “On Sunday walk like a lady..., this is how to sew on a button.., this is how to grow okra.., this is how to make a bread...”( Shreve &Niguyen, 2006, p. 183-184). Back in society girls at a young age needed to learn how to conduct themselves as ladies and the basic duties of a housewife. These components were necessary in order to be seen as a respectful woman in society. This idea shows us that Jamaica Kincaid uses the character of his story “Girl” to demonstrate the influence that time and place have on gender roles in society.

Jamaica Kincaid’s text provides an uncomfortable, one sided discussion between mother and daughter. Portraying the grand rules that a mother sets up for her daughter, which she must obey in order to be accepted in the society. A narrative that connects womanhood in a way a woman must portray herself to the world.