This is a story based on advice a mother gives her daughter. The mothers’ advice explains how to do normal household chores. This will assist the daughter to live on her own. She tells her daughter how to cook, sew, plant, act, speak, and tend to a home. In the story, the author discusses things that her daughter will need to know how to do. She explains to her daughter how to act in church, and how to live properly as a lady. The mother tells her daughter how to fix food so that she will not go hungry. She offers instructions on how to sew clothes. The daughter will need to know how to do this. Her character discusses what not to do when she is around men so she will not become promiscuous. The detailed instructions are for the daughter to follow, in regards to living on her own. In the article, the woman tells her daughter a list of positive steps to follow for survival. This story has great resourceful information for the daughter but the mother is concerned about the well-being of the child. It is as if the mother wants to help her daughter with the wonderful advice, but in the same breath wants to remind her daughter she may end up being a slut.
The girl listens to the advice that is being given to her. The daughter learns how to take care of herself, and how to make a home in the future. She only replies to her mother a couple times throughout the conversation. The daughter only replies in defense when the remarks are made about being promiscuous. Her character displays a timid person because she does not show disrespect to her mother. Instead, she listens to the advice she is given, and only speaks when her mother tells her what not to do. The advice is portrayed as a focal point, and the daughter is to listen and act on the mother’s life lessons.
In the story Girl the mother tries to give good advice to keep her daughter on a good path of survival. She wants her to know what she needs to do in life to survive on her own. This is something that she thinks her daughter needs to know. The way the mother talks to her daughter when she is giving her life lessons is a serious tone set. This advice will need to be followed carefully when she lives on her own. This is her way of helping her daughter be a respected young woman in society. She wants to make sure her daughter understands that. The daughter does not speak very often in the story and listens to her mother as she tells her what is expected of her. “The daughter only speaks when she is defending her character and explaining to her mother she is not a slut” (Kincaid). She emphasizes not to look at a stranger, and not to stand close to men. She should avoid any unnecessary advances a man makes, and she should walk away. In the mothers’ eyes, she wants her daughter to grow up and be independent. The story is about the mothers’ language, tone, and advice that she is explaining to her daughter. The mother was not internally degrading her daughter, but warning her of what could happen if she did not take her lessons seriously. The daughter only spoke when assuring her mother that she was not a slut, and would not become a slut. The meaning of this conversation was to relate daily chores with everyday life. It was important for the girl to know how to do the tasks that she was being taught. The skills that she was given will help her in the future. The girl could have a negative outlook on life since her parent keeps insinuating she wants to be someone who sleeps with many men. This can be disturbing to a teenage girl, and decrease her self-esteem. Her answers are disregarded in the story. When the female explains her defense, she is not acknowledged.
The Girl was a useful story that related to a mother and daughter’s conversation. The mother spoke seriously about what the daughter needed to do to live on her own. The daughter listened to her mother’s instructions as she spoke throughout the story. “The daughter only replied to her mother when her mom referenced about becoming a slut” . The daughter reassured her mother that she would not become one.
Work Cited
Girl. Dir. Chicago Humanities Festival. Perf. Jamaica Kincaid. 2015. web.
Kincaid, Jamaica. "Girl." The Norton Introduction to Literature. 2012. 171. web.
Rosenthal, Pamela. "Analysis of Girl ." Panmore Institute (2015): 1-4. web.
