Sexuality In Jamaica Kincaid's Girl

In the beginning of the story, the relationship between the narrator and the teacher appears to be rigid, as Emily’s mother is immediately defensive of her child’s welfare. After the teacher ensures that she is “deeply interested in helping” the young girl who is still maturing, the narrator immediately retorts with, “Even if I came, what good would it do? You think because I am her mother I have a key, or that in some way you could use me as a key?” She then goes on to discuss how wonderful and beautiful Emily was as a baby, which will later be contrasted as the young girl begins to age and becomes more thin and frail. The fact

The character Mama decided that she had enough of her eldest daughter Dee(Wangero) getting whatever she wanted while her youngest daughter Maggie stood by in fear. Mama knew that Maggie feared her sister, because as Dee arrived at their home “Maggie attempts to make a dash for the house, in her shuffling way, but I stay her with my hand. (151)” Maggie is used to Dee getting everything while she stood back

Girl: Summary and Analysis “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid, eloquently draws readers into an interaction between a mother teaching her daughter about the ways of a domestic wife and not a slut. The mother gives her a list of rules and tells her to follow these particular rules or she will be deemed a slut. There is an exorbitant amount of rules about laundry, cooking, and behaviors, ranging from what days it is proper to do laundry to “this is how to spit up in the air if you feel like it, and this is how to move quick so that it doesn’t fall on you” (Kincaid). During the entire dialogue the mother repeatedly tells the girl that her behavior is that of a slut. The girl only says two sentences.

The mother intends to give the young girl a respectable character through the aspect of following all the implemented rules. The story then ends with the daughter questioning “but what if the baker won't let me feel the bread?” (pg 44) in which the mother responds with a rhetorical question: “after all you are really going to be the kind of woman who the baker won't let near the bread?” (pg

She was having a peaceful time babsitting Molly, but out of nowhere Kate and her friend Patrick. Kate starts distracting Molly and making fun of Jenny. One of the words that was constantly said was baby. Jenny first trying to ignore her but Jenny couldn’t take it anymore so she said “ Look I am sorry, but you need to leave now” (Cabot 38). Another way the story was proving that she was standing up for herself was when her mother advises her about friends.

Ms. Johnson didn't have an education, yet she knew the value of the quilts and she didn’t let a few words from Dee change her decision of giving the quilts to Maggie. Dee leaves her mother’s house quite upset and tells her sister, “You ought to try to make something of yourself, too, Maggie. It’s really a new day for us. But from the way you and Mama still live you’d never know it” (Walker 12). This quote relates to education in many ways.

Her mother always nags on Connie saying that she should be like June who follows the rules and is a good role model. Her mom tells her, “Why don’t you keep your room clean like your sister?.. You don’t see you sister using that junk” (988). Connie does this so that way she can see what she likes and what she does not like. Connie’s actions also coincide with her being fifteen.

It shows she is very protective and loving towards Nelson and she is always worried something bad would happen to nelson. Patria not only cares about her own kids, she is very motherly to others as well, in this quote she was at the discovery day dance, which she was invited to, by Trujillo. Minerva said, “Always the mother that one. She got a handkerchief in that purse should someone sneeze, a mint to keep a child happy, a rosary in case anyone wants to pray” (Alvarez 97). The quote is very important because it shows her motherly characteristics, and how she reaches out to others.

Character Analysis of the Protagonist in “Everyday Use” Like an onion, the protagonist (mom) in Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use” has many layers to her character. As a single parent the mom has to solely provide the necessities of life for her kids, being the only emotional support and dealing with daughters whom are both needing their mother’s wisdom. Her daughter Dee/Wangero, an exceptionally beautiful young woman blessed with “her feet …always neat-looking, as if God himself had shaped them with a certain style” (111), is having an identity crisis as well as being used to getting what she wants. These character traits of Dee/Wangero ultimately creates a conflict within the family dynamic. Maggie is the complete opposite of her sister, while Dee/Wangero is beautiful and smart, Maggie is disfigured and simple-minded.

Kate’s motherly and concerned attributes gave her the ability and strength to support her daughter. She felt sorry and wanted the best for Helen, and Kate would have done anything to protect her. In the story, Kate wanted to call a doctor to help Helen, but Captain Keller disagreed. Keller’s line reads, “I’ve stopped believing in wonders… Katie. How many times can you let them break your heart?” In reply, Kate says, “Any number of times” (Gibson 497).