Jamaica Kincaid Analysis

¨Girl¨ by Jamaica Kincaid is a short story, definitely is not a usual short story. Some of the most outstanding features of this story are that only have 2 characters. Commonly, the stories are written in first or third perspective, ¨Girl¨ is written in second person perspective. Therefore, the reader is involved in the story and takes a role in the play. Consequently, the reader is able to experience the feelings of the characters. Jamaica Kincaid does not establish the relationship of the character, but it can interpret as a mom and daughter relationship. I have chosen to analyze the structure and some interesting and controversial topic written in the story ¨Girl.¨ The fascinating fact about this short story is that it is written in the

I support my statement, for the lack of participation of the girl in the story. The old lady talks all the time, and because there are no periods, it gives the idea of no interruption while she is talking. ¨Girl¨ is an interesting story that touches different themes and even controversial topics.
Gender- oriented topics are explored by the author through the story, exposing the meaning is has to be a woman in two important areas such as gender identity and sexuality. Kincaid writes, “this is how to bully a man; this is how a man bullies you; 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; this is how to spit up in the air if you feel like it” (44).
Kincaid is addressing to the reader different points about the roles a woman develops in a society, the relationships that need to be established, the choice has to make on the daily basis, including how to behave. A quote that provides these concepts is “this is how to bully a man,” consequently “this is how a man bullies you.” Kincaid supports that a balance should be, and it’s needed in the relationship between a woman and a man, by giving them the option to choose how to bully each

Kincaid also goes on to say that there are alternative methods if the relationship doesn’t go well and that a woman should not feel bad or sad about this. In other words, Kincaid is concluding that a woman has the freedom to pursue a variety of solutions in order to be happy.
The moment where the another writes about how a woman can spit in the air if she wants to, Kincaid refers that a woman has the freedom to behave like a man just if she likes it or if the situations demands to behave like man to achieve what she wants in a society where man has more privileges than a woman. Kincaid makes this part ambiguous because throughout the story she presents how a girl must behave in a specific situation and at the end, she gives the woman the liberty to do whatever she desires to