Jamaica Kincaid Girl

From a young age, our interactions with our parents play an instrumental role in how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. The short story “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid exhibits the relationship between an Antiguan mother and her daughter in a patriarchal society where the list of rules and regulations for women is exhaustive and almost never-ending. By analyzing the unique and often tense dynamic between the mother and daughter, “Girl” showcases the direct influence mothers have on their children, and how traditional and patriarchal customs can influence that relationship. The main themes are represented by the subjects the mother spends the most time on as well as the overall tone of the piece and how it relates to the mother-daughter

“ You educate a man; you educate a man. You educated a woman; you educate a generation” stated by Brigham Young. Jamaica Kincaid in her short story Girl, this is the message she wants her readers to understand.Kincaid sets up a “ how to” format for the way a woman should behave. The mother gives her daughter advice on being a woman through her past experiences and shows her that being feminine revolves around maintaining a home, but the daughter disagrees. When the mother corrects her way of thinking, it is implied throughout the story that the daughter is trapped by the rules of femininity. Kincaid lists countless stereotypical roles of a woman which appears to be sexist and puts a limit on what women can and cannot do. However, Girl empowers women and gives power, freedom and control.

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

Many times throughout history it has been shown that people are shaped and molded into what society calls, “perfect people.” Jamaica Kincaid is the author of the short story titled, “Girl.” In her story there are two characters, an authoritative mother and her young daughter. Throughout the story, the mother expects so much of her daughter in various ways. She teaches her how to cook, what to wear, how to behave, and many other attributes she views to be significant for her daughter’s role in society. Kincaid elaborates the theme of how to be the “ideal,” or “flawless” woman in a society, along with being respected through the literary elements of diction, imagery, and mood.

“Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid is a perfect representation of a bildungsroman. It is about the transition of a girl to a woman dictated by the mother and their relationship. As the mother tries to define traditional womanhood; she lays out a fine list of dos and don’ts for the teen girl on how women should behave, dress, and their expected duties. There seems to be some conflict between the mother and girl; as the girl states “but I don’t sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school”. She seems compliant, yet resistant toward her mother (typical teenager). It seems as the daughter is growing up in world that may differ from the one in which her mother grew up in. The mother keeps referring back to “and not like the slut you are so bent

Junot Diaz, both authors, use a short narrative story as an instructional and or a how-to guide. "Girl" is instructions on learning how to become a woman according to her mother. "How to date a brown girl..." is a how-to guide for an adolescent boy to prepare for a date. Using two literary methods of point of view and diction, both Kincaid and Diaz successfully portray the theme of stereotypes in society.

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.

Because this narrative is more like a list of how to do tasks or how to be a good person there is no conflict between the person who is speaking and the girl. The girl only speaks twice and even then she is not trying to start an argument. The first time she speaks she says, "but I don't sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school." (Kincaid) Here she is just answering the question, " is it true that you sing benna in Sunday school?"

In a stream of authoritative orders of domestic chores, appearance, and behavior, a female in the short story, “Girl”, depicts her overwhelmingly self-conscious actions during her repetitive inner dialogue. All the necessary knowledge and skills the girl must know is a reflection of society’s requirements for women to avoid shame. However, her effort in maintaining a perfect appearance may not guarantee a respectful standing in society. The author, Kincaid, sheds light on society’s judgmental and demanding expectations towards girls through repetition, symbolism, and imagery.

One Mother’s Lesson Have you ever sat down and had a conversation with your Mother? Not the typical everyday short talk, but sat down and listened to your Mother’s words of wisdom as she tells you how to become a respectable young adult? She uses her calm, loveable, and soothing voice as she pours out her priceless knowledge. “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid is a twisted version of this event, depicting a Mother giving her daughter a harsh lesson to her daughter on the realities of becoming a respected woman.

A Short Story That Is Not So Short After All Jamaica Kincaid wrote a short story called “Girl” that had many powerful meanings to it. She spoke with honesty and with a format that was eye opening and different from others. She made the girl come to life by allowing the mind to fill in the blanks for anything she left out. Kincaid also wrote in a way that made each time reading it, a new thing to infer or connect to as a reader.

In the story “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid, the speaker, a mother figure, is preoccupied with the girl’s image but indifferent to the girl’s individual personality. The speaker is obsessed with the girl’s becoming a respectable woman rather than any specific issues that the girl might be having. The story consists of the speaker teaching the girl about the skills and behavior that a respectable woman needs. When teaching her daughter how to walk she says, “walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming.” The mother is worried about behaviors as superficial as walking and implies that the girl is consciously trying to become a slut by using the word “bent.”

A mother teaches her daughter at an early age about values and morals. Most lessons reflect society’s expectations about what it means to be a woman. Throughout Kincaid’s poem titled Girl, I noticed the use of “how to”, followed by “duties” of a woman. Kincaid’s poem is flooded with variety of emotions, and I feel a personal connection to it. Reading the poem the time setting was in the past days. Women did not take a stand, and felt

There are several responsibilities a girl should learn about before going off on her own and it is usually the mother’s job to teach their daughter these life lessons. In the prose poem “Girl,” by Jamaica Kincaid, a mother writes out a “guide” her daughter must follow in order to succeed in her adult years.