Essay on Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl" as a modern Zeitgeist

Introduction

Jamaica Kincaid is a short story that was written in the year 1978 giving an insight of the association existent between a mother and her daughter. The girl is a representation of Kincaid during her youth. Throughout the piece, the mother is trying to advocate behavior that she perceives suitable for women, and it is with no doubt that this girl has been constrained in the commendable conduct. The constrictive situation emanates from the mother's governing behavior towards her daughter. Taking Kincaid's background and also the used cultural keywords into account, the writing puts emphasize to how some given cultural features passes from generation to generation. The daughter does not have a say in all the things that the mother dictates to her, and she tries to say in questioning all these rules, it goes without notice. This essay is going to focus on the story as a voice of modern Zeitgeist.

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For decades, females liberation has been seen to tatter the relationship of daughters and their mothers. Most mums tend to have the ancient belief regarding what a woman is supposed to become which in most cases comes from their experiences as objects of oppression. The subject of "Girl" powerfully implies that females are supposed to be domestic, not forgetting the code of ethics that are supposed to define them. The perception of the majority of elder women is that the responsibility of a woman is to be domesticated and the theme girl profoundly reinforces this outlook. 'On Monday, clean the white garments and place them on some heap, on Tuesday, clean the colored ones and place them on the clothesline so that they dry Vasquez 69). The mother is trying to tell the daughter that for a woman, things are done in a particular manner. She continues describing other house chores and how to perform them correctly.

The mother tells her how to sweep a corner, how to make a table for various meals, how to prepare meals and also pick out read (Girl 90). However, these are coming from a mother of who cares, who does not want the daughter to make any mistakes when it comes to the place of women in the society. The modern woman is likely to visualize so many negativities in mainly because of the diversity existing in the contemporary world. But in the 1970s, the place of woman as the home was defined, and being able to be a wife, a mother who comprehends all the roles at home and performs them correctly bought a definite distinction. The tone is loving, coming from a mother who cares about her daughter and wants her to how to do things in a particular way.

In the last line of the story, the girl is asked if after everything she is going to be the type of girl who the baker is not going to let close to the bread (McManus 3). The statement can be interpreted as the mother trying to challenge the morals of her daughter and also her strength as a woman. It could be seen as tough love as the mother harshly mandates her learn the methods and customs, but then she knows better. Her words are coming from experience and not instruction, and she expects the daughter to heed to them strictly. Then someone gives hope the women, that they don't have to be what the mother imposes strictly. The girl says "But then again I usually not sing benna during Sundays, how about if the baker is not going to let me bake bread" The writing seems to have force urgency and the risks feel elevated as though there will be consequences for not heeding to the instructions.

The daughter can follow the instructions, but she is trying to put her condition. That is, she doesn't have to attend to the chores if the baker does not allow her to bake. She does not have to do them when there is no need. It is a voice to liberate herself from the set cultural habits which are an initial step to letting women speak for themselves. The piece is more of a declaration but the correct assertions are a little ambiguous, affirmations of love showing the challenging labors that women go through every day in silence and since it is the cultural norm, they accept them. But it is clear that only the girl liberate herself from such bondage and the fact that she attempts freedom in a society where her opinion does not count, brings a light of hope.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the directions in Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl" tends to discriminate the female gender. The society is imposing its stereotypes on woman declaring what they can or cannot do. But from a mother to her daughter, these instructions come from parenting love. However, the girl sends a voice of question even though her opinions are not heard declaring that she does not have to follow everything that the society gives. It is a voice to liberate herself from the set cultural habits which are an initial step to letting women speak for themselves.

Works Cited

"Girl." Short Stories for Students, edited by Ira Mark Milne, vol. 7, Gale, 2000, pp. 84-98. Gale Virtual Reference Library, http://link.galegroup.com.db11.linccweb.org/apps/doc/CX2695400016/GVRL?u=lincclin_hcc&sid=GVRL&xid=2a31191d. Accessed 4 June 2018.

McManus, Dermot. "Girl by Jamaica Kincaid." The Sitting Bee. The Sitting Bee, 23 Apr. 2018. http://sittingbee.com/girl-jamaica-kincaid/http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/selena.anderson/engl2341/readings/girl-by-jamaica-kincaid/view

Vasquez, Sam. "In Her Own Image: Literary and Visual Representations of Girlhood in Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John." Meridians: feminism, race, transnationalism 12.1 (2014): 58-87.