Jamaica

The Narration and Point of View of “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid A woman should stay at home and cook and clean, while the men do the real work. This blatant sexism can still be seen today in parts of the world and is conveyed throughout the short story, “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid. It is evident very early in the story when the narrator is giving instructions and rules on how to be a “good girl.” These instructions vary from washing clothes the right way, to how to iron her father’s shirt. “Girl” is…

Literary Analysis of “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid In the story, “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid, the premise and tone reflect that of a mother, who by her own past experiences and repression of being a woman in her time and tradition, administers guide to her own daughter in a changed world, to chasten her daughters modern ways and current views on society and their culture. In the story, Author Jamaica Kincaid uses symbolism, theme, and theme to convey the life of a girl battling to regain control of…

Jamaica Kincaid’s story “Girl” tells of a conversation between a mother and her young daughter. The mother tells her of the proper ways to perform simple tasks such as “cook pumpkin fritters in vert hot sweet oil” (page 1725). However, the mother also tells her things such as “try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming” (page 1725). At first the reader is struck by the carelessness the mother presents this information to her daughter and the underlying tone of…

Jamaica Kincaid’s Girl depicts the life of a Caribbean young woman growing up in a society that challenges her identity simply because she is a girl. Much of the narration in the short story is the girl’s mother. She gives her beneficial information like how to cook and how to take care of the house, but also scolds her for the things she must not do. “Wash the white clothes on Monday and put them on the stone heap…on Sundays try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on…

The short story “Girl”, by Jamaica Kincaid, is about a mother’s relationship with her daughter and the struggles they face when the mother tries constantly to control her child’s life choices. As a parent, she raises her children to know how to keep their house clean and how to effectively perform basic household chores. She tries very hard to give her daughter the best advice possible. Her mother also tells her how to make herbal medicine and to catch marine creatures like fish, crab, and…

Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” details sentiments of a mother advising her daughter how to become an Antiguan woman. It has no traditional plot, character descriptions, setting, or action. Instead, it only has two voices. From the story, the author strives to demonstrate the issues inherent in mother-daughter relationships, adolescent sexuality, contradiction of female roles, the legacy of colonialism, and life under patriarchy. All these are shown in the short piece, hence illustrating the mastery…

Jamaica Kincaid composed a short story called “Girl” and the brief narrative is about a stern mother teaching her young daughter life lessons as she is becoming a mature adolescent. The story is a laundry list of “women’s responsibilities”, such as doing household duties, dealing with men, knowing how to be nice to people you do and do not like and learning how to be a respectable individual in the Caribbean community. Concerned that her daughter is on the urge of being promiscuous, the mother’s…

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…

Useful Advice for a Daughter or No? You Decide. “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid is a poem with a universal theme that speaks to the relationships between mothers and daughters. This poem reflects the author’s own childhood and the culture in which she was raised. The mother imparts advice and wisdom to her young daughter about growing up and becoming a woman. Although, the advice the mother gives to her daughter could be applicable, some may perceive it to be very generalized and judgemental. In the…

“Girl” is a poem written by Jamaica Kincaid which was published in 1978 in The New Yorker. It was her first piece of published work. She is from Antigua, and most of her work contains stories of Antiguan life. As an African women, Kincaid always explores in her writing about class, race and gender discrimination. “Girl” is not exceptional from her other writing. Here she creates the image of Western Caribbean domestic lifestyle. The theme of this story is mother and daughter argument. In this…