Jamaica Kincaid's Girl

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Jamaica Kincaid lists various stereotypical roles of the typical Caribbean woman in her short literary piece, Girl. Openly defining the roles of women in a manner similar to Kincaid’s may appear sexist and seem to limit what women can and cannot do. Yet, Kincaid’s piece allows women and allots countless amounts of power, liberty, and control to women. “this is how you iron your father’s khaki pants so that they don’t have a crease; this is how you grow okra-far from the house…this is how you sweep a corner; this is how you sweep a whole house; this is how you sweep a yard” (43). The excerpt above consists of some roles which Kincaid recognizes in her piece. Though ironing, cooking foods, and housecleaning are old-fashioned womanly …show more content…

Kincaid writes, “this is how to intimidate a man; this is how a man intimidates you; this is how to love a man, and if this doesn’t work there are other ways, and if they don’t work don’t feel too immoral about giving up; this is how to spit up in the air if you feel like it” (44). Kincaid is relating to the reader several points about the role of a woman in the relationship, and how a woman can select to act. Kincaid starts off by writing “this is how to bully a man,” and then writing “this is how a man bullies you.” Kincaid is suggesting that in a relationship, there is an equilibrium between the man and the woman, and both genders have the liberty to intimidate each other. No single gender can bully the other gender without retribution or penalties. Kincaid also goes on to say that there are different techniques if things fail and that a woman should not feel bad about this. In other words, Kincaid is inferring that a woman has the freedom to pursue different resolutions. When Kincaid writes about how a woman can spit in the air if she wants to, Kincaid is implying that a woman has the choice to act like a man if she feels like it. Kincaid is not listing restraints of women; she is listing their

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