Girl by Jamaica Kincaid
Throughout the years, the mother-daughter relationship has always been as strong as mothers, and their daughters spend ample time together. With modernization, daughters are increasingly disobeying their mothers and perceive them as old fashioned and believe they know more about the world than their mothers. The society expects that mothers should teach their daughters manners as they grow up, teach them how to perform house chores, and society quickly blames mothers when their daughters display bad behavior. The short story “Girl,” by Jamaica Kincaid, is a prime example of this relationship. Kincaid uses the mother to put forward the many ways a girl should behave in her society. The girl in the story only listens to her mother as she gives her the instruction she is supposed to follow. The girl only talks to defend herself from her mother. The theme is “Girl,” by Jamaica Kincaid, which shows how a girl should remain domestic, behave, and carry out various activities in a certain way.
The theme in Girl clearly says that a woman should remain domestic, and there is a sure way she should act. The story does not advise a woman on how to have a successful career. “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.” This is the mother telling her daughter that this is the way to wash your clothes. “This is how to sweep a corner.” The mother goes on to describe how her daughter should sweep the house. She continues to describe many house chores and the way her daughter should perform them. There is no mention of a college or how the young girl should pursue a career that can give her income. Society does not give the girl a chance to make her own decision, and the house is considered her place. The female gender seems to be considered as inferior.
Jamaica Kincaid’s’ girl’ uses parataxis syntax. It is a six hundred and fifty-word single sentence conversation between a mother and her daughter. As opposed to other writers, Jamaica Kincaid uses parataxis to enhance the language of her story. Her one-sentence syntax fits her work well as it is a conversation where the mother does not stop giving instructions until the end of the story. Parataxis in ‘Girl’ helps the reader connect with the characters quickly as they are not introduced in the story. “Is it true that you sing Benna in Sunday school?” the girl is caught off-guard as her mother had not questioned her obedience before. This surprises the reader as it is in this question that the clause is broken; this makes the reader realize the girl’s betrayal to her mother by singing Benna in Sunday school.
The characterization in the story is also an important part of understanding the theme. Characterization enhances the idea that a woman should remain domestic. Elder women believe that a woman should act in a certain way. “On Sundays, try to walk like a woman and not like a slut that you are so bent on becoming.” The mother is of the notion that her daughter’s walking style would determine her sexuality. This shows that a woman must act in a certain way so as not to be judged by others. “This is how to behave when in the presence of men, you don’t know very well.” Once again, the mother tells her daughter how to behave; she wants to imply that for a woman to find a good husband, she should act in a certain way when she is among men so that she can be spotted for her behavior. The mother also constantly accuses her daughter of being inclined to becoming a slut. This is wrong as the daughter is shown to have good behavior as she went to Sunday school. She is told not to eat in a way that she would not upset someone’s stomach. The characterization constantly shows the attitude of elder women on how a girl should behave. Kincaid brings out the character of the mother as a stern and overprotective. The girl’s minor presence characterizes how her mother’s sternness deprives her of the right to express herself. She only talks twice in the story to express herself to her mother’s instructions on how to be a woman. The girl is seen as calm due to her few words. The aim of her mother tends to be protective of her daughter as she gives her too many instructions on how to act. Kincaid uses characterization to succeed in showing the attitude of elder women in society about the behavior of a woman.
Italics on the two sentences signify a small voice that speaks on our behalf. “But I don’t sing Benna on Sundays, what if the baker won’t let me.” The writing creates a force and shows urgency; the spike feels high because of the consequences for not following the instructions. The writing forces the audience to think beyond the story to their relationship with their daughters or with their mothers. The italics are only used when the girl is speaking. She seems to be sorrowful when her mother asks whether it was true she sang Benna in church. The italics are used to reveal her sorrow. She is also confused when she is told to squeeze bread to check whether it was fresh. She wonders whether the backer would allow her. The use of italics shows her confusion.
The point of view used in this story is the second person; the story addresses the reader. Throughout the story, the reader is directly referred to as you. It is hard to avoid thinking of yourself as the girl in this story as a reader. It leads to thinking about the authority imposed on us by our own parents. The imposition can either protect us in life or limit us to achieve our goals in life. “This is how you smile to someone you don’t like at all.” The mother seems to be giving the girl instructions on how she should socialize with the outside world. She tells the girl hoe to smile to people she likes, people she doesn’t like completely, and people she likes completely. The reader cannot avoid feeling as if they were the girl.
In Jamaica, Kincaid’s Girl women are seen to be domesticated in the way they behave and carry out their various activities. The mother gives many instructions to her daughter, who does not express herself. Parents today should learn to allow their children to express themselves so that they can avoid limiting them socially.
Works Cited
Kincaid, Jamaica. Girl. San Francisco Examiner, 1991.