Girl Analysis by Jamaica Kincaid

Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” is a powerful and unique piece of writing that has caught the attention of readers and scholars alike.

In this post, we’ll break down the story, looking at its different parts and what they mean. We’ll use easy-to-understand language to explore why this story is so important and what it tells us about life, family, and growing up.

Who is Jamaica Kincaid?

Before we jump into the story, let’s talk a bit about the author. Jamaica Kincaid is a writer from Antigua, a small island in the Caribbean. She moved to the United States when she was a teenager and later became a well-known author. Kincaid often writes about her experiences growing up in Antigua and the challenges of being a woman in a world that doesn’t always treat women fairly.

Kincaid’s own life experiences play a big role in her writing. She had a complicated relationship with her mother, which we can see reflected in “Girl.” Her books and stories often talk about the difficulties of growing up, family relationships, and the effects of colonialism (when one country takes control of another) on people’s lives.

What is “Girl” About?

“Girl” is a short piece of writing that’s hard to put in a specific category. It’s not exactly a story or a poem, but it has elements of both. The whole piece is basically a long list of instructions and advice from a mother to her daughter. These instructions cover all sorts of topics, from how to do chores to how to behave in different situations.

The “story” (if we can call it that) is told entirely through the mother’s voice. We never hear the daughter speak, except for two brief moments when she tries to defend herself. This style of writing helps us feel like we’re right there, listening to the mother talk to her daughter.

The Structure of “Girl”

One Long Sentence

One of the first things you might notice about “Girl” is that it’s all one long sentence. There are no full stops (periods) until the very end. Instead, the different pieces of advice are separated by semicolons. This unusual structure does a few important things:

1. It makes the writing feel like a constant stream of instructions, giving us the sense that the mother never stops talking.
2. It can make us feel a bit overwhelmed, just like the daughter might feel with all this advice coming at her.
3. It connects all the different pieces of advice, showing how in the mother’s mind, everything from washing clothes to avoiding sluts is part of the same lesson on how to be a proper woman.

Repetition

Another thing you’ll notice is that some phrases get repeated throughout the piece. For example, “this is how” comes up several times when the mother is explaining how to do something. This repetition makes the advice feel more forceful and shows how the mother is trying to drill these lessons into her daughter’s head.

Themes in “Girl”

Gender Roles and Expectations

One of the biggest themes in “Girl” is the idea of what it means to be a woman in the society the story is set in. The mother’s advice covers a wide range of topics, but a lot of it focuses on traditional female roles:

• Cooking: “This is how you set a table for tea; this is how you set a table for dinner; this is how you set a table for dinner with an important guest“
• Cleaning: “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 to dry”
• Sewing: “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”

These instructions show us that in this society, women are expected to be good at household tasks. The mother seems to think that knowing how to do these things is crucial for her daughter’s future.

But it’s not just about chores. The mother also gives a lot of advice about how a woman should behave:

• “On Sundays try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming”
• “This is how to behave in the presence of men who don’t know you very well, and this way they won’t recognize immediately the slut I have warned you against becoming”

These bits of advice show us that there are strict rules about how women should act, especially around men. The repeated use of the word “slut” tells us that there’s a big fear of women being seen as too sexual or improper.

Mother-Daughter Relationships

Another major theme in “Girl” is the complicated relationship between mothers and daughters. The way the mother speaks to her daughter can seem harsh or even mean at times. She accuses her daughter of wanting to be a “slut” and doesn’t seem to trust her much.

But at the same time, we can see that the mother cares about her daughter. All this advice, even if it seems overwhelming, is her way of trying to prepare her daughter for the world. She wants her daughter to know how to take care of herself and how to be respected in their society.

This mix of love and harshness is something many people can relate to in their own relationships with their parents. Parents often want to protect their children and teach them, but sometimes this can come across as controlling or critical.

Cultural Identity

While it’s not directly stated, we can tell from the content of the mother’s advice that this story is set in a specific cultural context. References to foods like “pumpkin fritters” and “doukona” place the story in the Caribbean, likely in Antigua where Kincaid is from.

The advice also gives us clues about the values and beliefs of this society. For example, there’s a lot of emphasis on proper behavior and reputation. The mother teaches her daughter how to buy bread, how to smile at someone you don’t like, and even how to “bully a man.” All of these show us what’s considered important in their community.

Coming of Age

At its heart, “Girl” is about growing up and the transition from childhood to adulthood. The daughter is at an age where she’s learning how to be a woman in her society. The mother’s advice covers everything from practical skills to social behaviors, all aimed at helping her daughter navigate adult life.

This theme is especially clear in the parts of the advice that deal with sexuality and relationships with men. The mother seems worried about her daughter’s sexual development, hence the repeated warnings about becoming a “slut.” She’s trying to teach her daughter how to interact with men while maintaining her reputation.

The Voice of the Daughter

While most of “Girl” is the mother speaking, there are two moments when we hear the daughter’s voice:

1. “But I don’t sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school”
2. “But what if the baker won’t let me feel the bread?”

These brief interruptions are important because they’re the only times we get a sense of the daughter as a person with her own thoughts and feelings. In both cases, she’s defending herself against her mother’s assumptions or trying to understand the rules she’s being given.

These moments show us that the daughter isn’t just passively accepting everything her mother says. She has her own mind and is trying to make sense of the world and her place in it.

The Writing Style

Kincaid’s writing style in “Girl” is unique and powerful. Here are some key aspects of how it’s written:

Stream of Consciousness

The way the advice flows from one topic to another without clear transitions or organization feels like we’re inside someone’s mind. This style, called “stream of consciousness,” helps us feel the rush and intensity of the mother’s words.

Lack of Quotation Marks

Even though “Girl” is essentially one long speech, Kincaid doesn’t use quotation marks. This choice blurs the line between the mother’s voice and the overall narrative, making the mother’s words feel more universal and less like a specific conversation.

Mixing of Practical and Moral Advice

The way Kincaid jumps from practical advice (“This is how you set a table for tea”) to moral judgments (“You mean to say that after all you are really going to be the kind of woman who the baker won’t let near the bread?”) creates a sense of how interconnected these ideas are in the mother’s mind.

The Significance of “Girl”

“Girl” is an important piece of literature for several reasons:

1. It gives voice to experiences that aren’t often represented in mainstream literature, particularly those of women in the Caribbean.
2. It challenges traditional ideas of what a story should look like. By presenting the whole piece as one long sentence of instructions, Kincaid makes us think about new ways stories can be told.
3. It touches on universal themes like growing up, family relationships, and societal expectations in a way that feels both specific to its cultural context and relatable to people from many different backgrounds.
4. It sparks discussions about gender roles, cultural norms, and how these are passed down from one generation to the next.

Examples from the Text

Let’s look at a few specific examples from “Girl” and what they might mean:

1. “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 to dry; don’t walk bare-head in the hot sun”

This advice shows the importance of routine and proper ways of doing things in the mother’s world. It also suggests that even small daily tasks have a right and wrong way to be done.

2. “This is how to make a good medicine to throw away a child before it even becomes a child”

This line, which seems to be referring to abortion, shows that the mother is willing to talk about difficult and controversial topics. It suggests that in their world, women sometimes need to know about these things, even if they’re not openly discussed.

3. “This is how to love a man, and if this doesn’t work there are other ways, and if they don’t work don’t feel too bad about giving up”

Here we see the mother giving advice about relationships. It’s interesting that she acknowledges that her advice might not always work, and that it’s okay to “give up” sometimes. This shows a certain practical approach to love and relationships.

4. “Always eat your food in such a way that it won’t turn someone else’s stomach”

This piece of advice shows the importance of manners and being considerate of others. It’s not just about what you do, but how you do it and how it affects those around you.

5. “This is how to spit up in the air if you feel like it, and this is how to move quick so that it doesn’t fall on you”

This advice is more playful and shows that the mother does make room for some mischief or fun, as long as you know how to avoid negative consequences.

The Impact of “Girl”

Since it was first published in 1978, “Girl” has had a big impact on literature and how we think about storytelling. Many writers have been inspired by Kincaid’s unique style and her ability to say so much in such a short piece.

The story has also been important in discussions about feminism, especially how it relates to women of color and women in post-colonial societies. It shows how complex and sometimes contradictory the expectations for women can be, and how these expectations are passed down from mother to daughter.

In classrooms, “Girl” is often used to teach about different writing styles, cultural perspectives, and how literature can challenge our ideas about what a story is. Its short length but deep content make it a great piece for discussion and analysis.

Connecting “Girl” to Our Lives

Even if we don’t live in the same time or place as the characters in “Girl,” there’s a lot we can relate to in this story. Many of us have experienced getting lots of advice from our parents or other older people in our lives. We might have felt overwhelmed by expectations or rules that we didn’t fully understand.

The story can also make us think about the “unwritten rules” in our own societies. What are the things we’re expected to know or do? How are these expectations different for different genders, cultures, or social groups?

Reading “Girl” can also encourage us to think about how we pass on knowledge and values to younger generations. What are the important things we want to teach? How can we do this in a way that’s helpful and not overwhelming?

Conclusion

Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” is a powerful piece of writing that packs a lot of meaning into a small space. Through its unique style and rich content, it explores important themes like growing up, family relationships, cultural expectations, and what it means to be a woman in a specific time and place.

By looking closely at “Girl,” we can learn not just about the characters in the story, but also about ourselves and our own societies. It challenges us to think about the expectations we face, the advice we give and receive, and how we navigate the complex world of growing up and finding our place in society.

Whether you’re reading “Girl” for the first time or coming back to it after many readings, there’s always something new to discover in this rich and complex piece of literature.

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The Main Ideas Of The Short Story “Girl” By Jamaica Kincaid

FAQs

1. Q: Is “Girl” a short story or a poem? A: “Girl” doesn’t fit neatly into either category. It’s often called a prose poem or a vignette. It has elements of both story and poem, but breaks the usual rules for both forms.
2. Q: Why is it written as one long sentence? A: The single-sentence structure helps create a sense of the relentless flow of the mother’s advice. It makes the reader feel the overwhelming nature of all these instructions and expectations.
3. Q: Who is speaking in “Girl”? A: The majority of “Girl” is spoken by a mother figure giving advice to her daughter. The daughter’s voice only appears twice in brief interjections.
4. Q: What does the repeated use of the word “slut” mean in the story? A: The frequent use of “slut” shows the strong emphasis on a woman’s sexual reputation in this society. It reflects the mother’s fear of her daughter being perceived as sexually improper.
5. Q: Is the mother in “Girl” a good mother or a bad mother? A: This is open to interpretation. The mother’s advice can seem harsh, but she appears to be trying to prepare her daughter for a difficult world. Whether her approach is helpful or harmful is a matter of debate.
6. Q: What culture is represented in “Girl”? A: While not explicitly stated, the cultural references in “Girl” suggest it’s set in the Caribbean, likely in Antigua where Jamaica Kincaid is from.
7. Q: Why doesn’t the daughter speak more in the story? A: The daughter’s near-silence emphasizes the one-sided nature of this advice-giving. It might also represent how young women in this society are expected to listen more than they speak.
8. Q: What’s the significance of the practical advice mixed with moral judgments? A: This mixture shows how, in the mother’s worldview, practical skills and moral behavior are deeply connected. It suggests that being a “good woman” involves both knowing how to do household tasks and behaving in socially approved ways.
9. Q: Is “Girl” based on Jamaica Kincaid’s real life? A: While “Girl” isn’t strictly autobiographical, Kincaid has said that it was inspired by her relationship with her own mother and her experiences growing up in Antigua.
10. Q: Why is “Girl” considered an important piece of literature? A: “Girl” is valued for its unique style, its powerful exploration of mother-daughter relationships and cultural expectations, and its representation of Caribbean women’s experiences. It’s also admired for how much meaning it conveys in such a short piece.