"Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid

My Reflections on “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid



In the short story, “Girl,” it sounds like directions a mother might be giving to her daughter. The mother speaking to the daughter in this story sometimes has harsh things to say to her. The theme of not turning into a slut (slang from book)is found throughout the story as well. In the introduction of the author, it mentions that Jamaica Kincaid’s stories are often sent in post colonial society times. This time period seems appropriate as the person telling the story warns or becoming a slut, dressing like one, or acting like one. The girl of the story is told how a lady should act too. The mother telling the girl what to do in the story seems certain that the girl will grow up to not act like a lady.


Young girls do need direction from their mothers. Mothers usually do not speak to their daughters in a derogatory manner though. So, those harsh words set the tone of the story. The instructions seem to be at a rapid rate as well. At the end of the story, the person (or mother) telling the story can’t believe after all the many details given, that the girl would only be concerned about the last meaningless thing described. That type of thing seems typical of a young teen. They kind of tone out what their mothers say. The mother telling the story doesn’t seem to have a good relationship with the girl.


The time setting seems like an older time period when women were more subservient to men. It seemed to be at a time when it was looked down upon to not be that way. The time period seemed to take place at a time when women only worked in the home as well.