Girl by Jamaica Kincaid Literary Analysis Essay Example

Have you ever had a mom harshly telling you what you should or shouldn’t do? Well… Jamaica Kincaid short story’s “Girl,” the subject’s mother gives crucial advice to her daughter and is trying to help Girl steer the onerous world she’s been brought into. The mother is trying to preserve her daughter by decrying the role of female sexuality and shaping her on how to be a  “perfect” woman.  She wants to inculcate her daughter about developing and growing into a  mature, respectful woman. This story gives a wealthy illustration of what the mother wants from her daughter, from  “how to sew”, “how to cook”,  “how to clean”, etc.  This story uses punctuations to pull apart words of intelligence but frequently itself, especially because she doesn’t want Girl to become a slut.  Truly,  the mother is grating (although it may not seem like that), she believes that her helpful comprehension will not only help her from a life full of brutality and rottenness but will authorize her as a woman in a patriarchal community. 

It seems that this story was written back in the 1900s, based on its tone. “This is how you do this, this is how you do that”, in her brain she knows how a perfect young woman should act. Such as, “on Sundays try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming”. The mother highlights this so that she will fit into the group or won't be judged by others. The mother is frightened not only because of how society will treat her but because of her culture or religion. “This is how you smile at someone you don’t like very much; this is how you smile at someone you don’t like at all; this is how you smile at someone you like completely ”.  All this comes together how to walk like a lady or how to smile, and having to be perfect even if you want to. This was important for Girl to know because back then, these little things that people think are pointless today are important. It’s important to act like a perfect lady so that everyone can accept and won’t speak negatively towards Girl. 

The mother's role was to not only teach Girl how to be a perfect woman but how to take care of the house. In the 1900s the husband would do all the jobs outside of the house, while the wife stayed back at home doing all the cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc. “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” or “cook pumpkin fritters in very hot sweet oil”.  Including how to sew, sweep, iron, set the table for dinner or breakfast, etc. These are good things on how to be the perfect housewife or on how to take care of the house. In her belief,  she is teaching and directing Girl on how to be the perfect caretaker of the house.