In "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid, we have a mother conveying important life advice to her daughter in order for her to adapt to her cultural customs and most importantly, to learn the rules of social behavior for a woman. Her mother's advice is not only intentionally told in order for her to become the proper Antiguan woman she believes in raising but is also told to criticize her actions and everyday doings. Her mother makes it very clear, in order to live a proper Antiguan life, there are many rules that one must follow. Kincaid's work, explores our society's ongoingness on imposing stereotypes directed towards women and the discouragement of female sexuality.
Webster dictionary defines the term housewife as "a married woman who stays at home, …show more content…
Girl's mother believes it is highly important for her daughter to learn how to properly dress and act genteel around men. We can interpret her mother as a well-opinionated woman who has a vigorous judgment in concluding that there are two types of woman in this world: the clean-living kind and the sinful kind. Her mother does not want to see her daughter submit to that horrible lifestyle and, therefore, explains how to dress properly and behave to prevent luring and the attention of men: "This is how to sew on a button; this is how to make a buttonhole for the button you have just sewed on; this is how to hem a dress when you see the hem coming down and so to prevent yourself from looking like the slut I know you are so bent on becoming" (Kincaid). Living in such a judgmental society we have come to understand that when we judge others, our judgement is highly based on the way they appear. Girl's mother knows these judgements too well and, therefore, wants her daughter to maintain a clean and proper appearance around others. Her mother has much uncertainty as is evidenced by the way she discusses how Girl should dress and behave. Kincaid uses the symbolic meaning of Benna to establish how Girl's sexuality must be carefully …show more content…
Benna is found to be a style of old Caribbean folk music that is described with sexual foulness. As stated in the text "don't sing benna in sunday school; but I don't sing benna on sundays at all and never in sunday school" (Kincaid). With further interpretation, we can interpret that singing Benna in school or in locations surrounded by others is an action that should never be done. Girl's hesitation and objection suggest that she may have of already sang Benna at Sunday school representing her exploration in her sexuality. Her mother is very worried about her daughter since she feels singing such songs in school can bring unwanted attention from the men around her. Not singing Benna around others comes to represent the significance of a woman's behavior in our
Webster dictionary defines the term housewife as "a married woman who stays at home, …show more content…
Girl's mother believes it is highly important for her daughter to learn how to properly dress and act genteel around men. We can interpret her mother as a well-opinionated woman who has a vigorous judgment in concluding that there are two types of woman in this world: the clean-living kind and the sinful kind. Her mother does not want to see her daughter submit to that horrible lifestyle and, therefore, explains how to dress properly and behave to prevent luring and the attention of men: "This is how to sew on a button; this is how to make a buttonhole for the button you have just sewed on; this is how to hem a dress when you see the hem coming down and so to prevent yourself from looking like the slut I know you are so bent on becoming" (Kincaid). Living in such a judgmental society we have come to understand that when we judge others, our judgement is highly based on the way they appear. Girl's mother knows these judgements too well and, therefore, wants her daughter to maintain a clean and proper appearance around others. Her mother has much uncertainty as is evidenced by the way she discusses how Girl should dress and behave. Kincaid uses the symbolic meaning of Benna to establish how Girl's sexuality must be carefully …show more content…
Benna is found to be a style of old Caribbean folk music that is described with sexual foulness. As stated in the text "don't sing benna in sunday school; but I don't sing benna on sundays at all and never in sunday school" (Kincaid). With further interpretation, we can interpret that singing Benna in school or in locations surrounded by others is an action that should never be done. Girl's hesitation and objection suggest that she may have of already sang Benna at Sunday school representing her exploration in her sexuality. Her mother is very worried about her daughter since she feels singing such songs in school can bring unwanted attention from the men around her. Not singing Benna around others comes to represent the significance of a woman's behavior in our