Jamaica Kincaid Girl Essay

1077 Words3 Pages

In the midst of a girl’s senior year, she is getting prepared for the prom night of her dreams, of course, that is, once she is asked by the boy of her dreams. High school students throughout the years have conformed to normal traditions and customs that have been happening since times as early as the 1970s. In the story "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid, many of these customs that girls are expected to conform to are listed to show what is right and wrong for that era. At this time in age, women of their senior year, or lesser, are being constructed more and more into the past characteristics of women. Whether it is clear to the eye or not, women today after being transformed into the wife and mother that is seen in this eras female figures. Many examples of this can be seen in high school itself, and more specifically, in social …show more content…

As women, we are told to not “act like a boy.” Acting like a boy is not a real thing in reality, it is just characteristics of men we are trained to not enjoy or partake in. For instance, when the story states “don't squat down to play marbles - you are not a boy, you know” as well as “don't throw stones at blackbirds, because it might not be a blackbird at all,” these are both preoccupations of boys, and what they enjoy. Women today after high school are not typically seen pushing one another around on the football field, but rather cheering on the team from the sidelines. Or, they could be doing their homework inside rather than shooting some hoops at the community recreation center. It is all seen that the ideas high schools put in their heads all relate back to history. These women will carry these customs throughout their adult years, creating barriers that will never be overcame, because, simply, it is not what we were

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