Jamaican Kincaid wrote such a drastic and dramatic short story, “Girl”, that it has had many in amazement over this mother/daughter relationship. The very short story gives the reader feel of a bitter mother, with every demand from the mother starting with what the girl ought not to do or telling her how she must do things. Although, the mother and daughter relationship is complicated this story shows that it is also a respected relationship. A mother only wants the best for their daughter and while wanting to give compassion to her daughter, a mother must give her the necessary tools to become an independent woman. In this short story the relationship shows what is expected of a girl in order to survive and how to become a well-respected woman. …show more content…
The daughter gets no input on things and the mother has demanded her on how to act, dress, talk, eat, and walk. The mother believes that there are two type of women, the respectable women- which she is trying to raise her daughter to become, and the “sluts’ whom walk, talk, and carry themselves like filth. While some may read the words as a harsh and dramatic story, a mother must get her point across in one way or another. Although, the mother is coming off harsh, throughout the whole story the girl only objects and questions her mother twice, which shows that even though her mother may be speaking to her in a bitter tone the girl still has respect for her and does not back talk …show more content…
Kinkaid’s mother seems to be trying to teach her daughter through her own lessons she’s had to learn growing up herself. Her mother is attempting to pass down information in order to raise her daughter up to become a respectable woman whom she hopes will become a wife to a respected husband. Kinkaid’s mother teachers her the importance of washing, sewing, and ironing because it reflects your appearance and how you will be perceived sexually to other’s. Women who are well-groomed and have a neat appearance hide the fact that you come from poverty (when saying she must wash with her spit it implies to me that she may come from poverty) and gives you respect from others. The way she is told to carry herself will help prevent her from suspicions of having illicit relationships with men. The mother therefore stresses the importance of appearance and how the daughter should carry