Jamaica Kincaid 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

Written in 1983, Kincaid narrates the thoughts and moral beliefs of the time by her mother. In Girl, Kincaid uses repetition of the term “slut” to emphasize that her mother did not want her to develop a bad moral reputation (Kincaid 118-119). Later in the narration though are her mother’s thoughts on abortion, “this is how to make a good medicine to throw away a child before it even becomes a child” (Kincaid 119). It shows that while the mother instructed her in moral principles, she also understood that things happen to a young woman. The practical nature of this instruction seems to indicate more modern thought while still living in a society of traditions. Another hint of the time period is the mention of divorce and how to live after it, “this is how you love a man…and if they don’t work out, don’t feel bad about giving up” (Kincaid 119). This could indicate that divorce is an accepted practice in the more modern society that Jamaica Kincaid wrote Girl in.

In Jamaica Kincaid’s short story “Girl,” the narration of a mother lecturing her daughter with sharp, commanding diction and unusual syntax, both affect the evolution of a scornful tone, that her daughter’s behavior will eventually lead her to a life of promiscuity that will affect the way people perceive her and respect her within her social circle. As well as the fact that it emphasizes expectations for young women to conform to a certain feminine ideal of domesticity as a social norm during this time and the danger of female sexuality.

If a woman is unable to properly care for the men in her life, she is looked down upon in society. This gender role, while still existing today, was very prominent during the mid-twentieth century; the time period that “Girl” takes place in. Throughout the story, it is clear that this gender role has a major effect on the way that the mother wants her daughter to act in their society. For instance, the story begins with the mother telling her daughter the correct way to wash clothes and cook and prepare certain foods, such as pumpkin fritters and salt fish (Kincaid 355). By demanding her daughter in this inflexible way, the gender role that women are meant to cook and clean for others arises.

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 time the relationship between mothers and daughters have changed. Many mothers hold on to the “old fashioned” opinion of what a woman should be and many older women feel that a women’s true role in life is to be domesticated. This idea of a woman’s place in the home is being reinforced throughout Kincaid’s short story. The mother in the story is telling her young daughter the ways things should be done. “Wash the white clothes on Monday and put them on the stone heap; wash the colored clothes on Tuesday and put them on the clothesline to dry.” She further goes on to describe other household chores and how they should be correctly done. "This is how you sweep a corner." She tells her daughter how to set a table for different meals, how to cook things, and even how to pick out bread. Unfortunately, though, the story doesn’t tell a woman how to have a successful career, to go to college, or how to work outside of the home. In those days’ women were expected to stay at home while their husband’s go out to work and make all the money. Even if they tried, they were not allowed to go outside the way society made them to be and this mother is trying to raise her young daughter the same way she was raised which is to be a house wife.

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.

Both “Girl” and “Everyday Use” highlight the relationship that mothers and daughters have with each other. In the beginning of Girl the mother gives her daughter instructions on how to wash cloths. (Wash the white clothes on Monday and put them on the stone heap; wash the color clothes on Tuesday and put them on the clothesline

The mother mentions food in the story to show that happiness comes from domesticity and as a tradition; it has to be passed as an old family recipes down to the future generations of the family. In addition, the mother stresses about the importance of the way her daughter will dress and her appearance; the appearance shows the community view of a woman’s sexual respectability. She also mentions that knowing how to wash, sew and iron allows women to know there self-worth. Woman who are organize, productive, and well-groomed have a less chance to be label as a

In “Girl”, the main character lets the reader to the feeling of injustice. It’s because she believes that being a woman seems to be synonymous with keeping a house clean and the man is the most powerful person in the family. Kincaid suggests that both the girl and her mother are restricted by the rules of femininity. On the other hand, woman and femininity in “The Storm” is different. They seem invested in caring for their families and dreams of the time when they were single and free. One finds pleasure in sexuality and the other reliefs in its absence. Women individuality is underscoring the traditional, domestic position for a

Elena Gonzalez Hoggatt-Abader Engl 101 September 29, 2015 The Demands of Womanhood Society plays a key role in determining how people are supposed to fulfill their roles in society—specifically their gender roles. This means that typically the norm is that men are to be the head of the house and are to be the financial supporters while women are typically categorized as being the homemaker and caretaker. The complexity and importance of being a woman the “right” way is shown through Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl”, a short story reflecting her growing up in Antigua.

She continues to tell her daughter how to get certain things done and to make sure she completes certain responsibilities in certain ways. For example, when it comes to the men’s position in this story and in society, the mother says “this is how you iron your father’s khaki pants so that they don’t have a crease,” (Kincaid 1). When it came to women in society, their duty was to make sure that they took care of the man because that was their initial job. The men were expected to go out and work while the women would stay home and do the housework. If certain expectations were not met, then women; in this case the daughter would have to face the many consequences that the men would initially provide to them.

Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” is the story of a girl whose mother advises her daughter on different aspects of being a proper woman. The mother has antiquated even repressive ideas about what a woman is supposed to be. The mother focuses on two main categories in her guidance, social manners and domesticity. “The mother does most of the talking; she delivers a long series of instructions and warnings to the daughter, who twice responds but whose responses go unnoticed by the mother” (Short stories). First, she defends herself against what her mother argues she has done,

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.