An analysis of the short story “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid shows that the narrative has a modern, non-traditional structure. The story introduces a mother’s list of instructions and advice for her daughter.
The two characters in the short story are the mother and the daughter. The mother’s voice appears as a monologue, while the daughter’s voice briefly emerges to defend herself from her mother’s accusations.
The story’s physical setting is postcolonial Antigua, an island in the Caribbean Sea. The social setting reflects the tension between British and Antiguan cultures and the mother’s mixed expectations when it comes to raising her daughter.
As the story only contains instructions and pieces of advice, there is nothing to narrate and the narrator is hard to pinpoint. However, it can be argued that the story presents the daughter’s perspective upon hearing her mother’s advice.
The language is neutral, with repetitive structures that give the story rhythm and that make it resemble prose poetry. The form of the story also makes it appear almost as a stream of consciousness.
The story introduces several symbols which highlight the mix of British and Antiguan cultures in the characters’ lives.
A full analysis of the short story can be found on the following pages.
