Kinkaid

“Girl”, by Jamaica Kinkaid is an interesting piece of work. There isn’t really a specific perspective that it’s written in. One can say that it’s second person, yet it could also be first person. The story consists of a series of commands that seem like they come from a mother, with a couple of phrases that are from the receiver of the commands. It doesn’t seem like there’s much of a story, yet it’s interesting. Personally, I found myself in the girl’s shoes and imagined show more all the commands being issued by her culture. It felt like a rant, like a “Do this. Do that. But what if I don’t want to?” It’s a very interesting style. It think that the style makes the story more relatable (more “a walk in her shoes”) than another POV would.

Also, the couple of italicized phrases in the story helped to create a story. The phrases were against the commands being issued. They create a character for the commands to be directed towards. It also establishes a sense of rebellion, or at least emphasizes it, since natural reaction to such a long list of commands is often times rebellion. However, if this is what establishes the story, it seems like only a piece of the story. It’s still interesting, nonetheless. show less

Before I even saw the text of "Girl," I thought it was going to be something completely different than what it was. I assumed it would be a short story of a little girl growing up into being a woman, or something relating to that nature. When the text loaded on my computer, however, it was something much, much different! This read was definetely a different kind of story, (if you would even call it a story, or a poem, or whatever you would like) first off, it was told in second person view show more point. Which is not "wierd," but I am just saying normally the stories and books that I read are all first and third person. Not to say that I don't like second person, I am just saying, it just added to make the story more different than it already is.
Another thing which entrigued me while reading this story, and is still not solved but actually added to after class on Monday, was the mystery of who is telling the story? Most people in my class said that it was most likely a mother talking to a daughter. I specifically said in class, and thought myself that maybe an older sister or brother, would be giving this advice on how to be a woman, with having people have respect for you, and while not being referred to as a slut by other people. Although after the class discussion, I felt that it was most likely maybe the "cool aunt/uncle." (Pretty sad right? a bio major leaving his english class and still thinking about a story that he will most likely never read again ever in his lifetime)
Another mystery of this story was that whoever that was really telling the story, was being not so clear. In some exerts from the story, the narrator talks of how to go for a man, but not be a slut to get him, but don't fail in getting him, but if you do fail, don't give up...If i was the girl being instructed here, I would be a little curious in what the hell she was talking about. Also at the end of the story she talks about her being the girl who the baker won't let touch the bread, when the whole story she is saying not to be a slut...this to me, just a little confusing. However I am sure that whoever reads this will come up with their own intrepretation of the story and will find some things more than others more entruiging, I guarentee you will find something. show less