Gender Criticism In 'Girl' By Jamaica Kincaid

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Gender criticism is a technique that displays how the other sex is perceived and how it is observed. Many critics believe that literature has been dominated by men for so long, it was time to hear the female perspective. As a result, it is now observable for readers to understand how the author’s gender can perhaps make their characters become bias. This tool has revealed many psychological, social, and physical characteristics of the human race and the perception of how people see themselves and how they see others. How does each author portray the kinds of confinement and limitations imposed on their central characters? What redemption, if any, do they show in their stories? Use two forms of textual evidence from each story. “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid Often women during this time period are their children’s teacher, role model, and guidance because girls were not frequently allowed to be educated. Reading “Girl” comes from the perspective of a mother teaching her daughter to be a …show more content…

Mallard immediately reacted with grief and felt abandoned because of the train incident. But as soon as she is alone, she attempts to fight her true emotions because it is not part of the typical grieving process, “she was striving to beat it back with her will – as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been (pg. 157).” Mrs. Mallard felt relief from her husband’s death, “She said it over and over under her breath: “Free, free, free!” This sentence reveals the true feelings of Mrs. Mallard that her marriage made her feel trapped. This seems to be the common perspective for those who married young she felt empowered with the loss of her husband because she could now live for herself, “she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory (pg.158).” This journey gave Louise a moment of redemption that would give her the chance she so long desired, but the moment her husband comes back alive she still redeems her misery with her

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