The Power of Social Expectations in Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl”

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The Power of Social Expectations in Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl”

In every society, unspoken rules and social expectations shape individuals, especially young women. The short story by Jamaica Kincaid titled Girl is rather forceful and discomforting work concerning the instillation of cultural values and gender roles in girls at a tender age. It was written in the form of a breathless list of instructions that a mother gives to her daughter, and all it shows is the list of expectations that a person has to accomplish in society. The minimalistic yet suggestive style of Kincaid highlights the way the identification of a woman is defined and caged within old conventions. Kincaid can express the strictness of societal preconceptions limiting women's independence and their self-definition through the literary devices of character, tone, imagery, and symbolism.

In addition, the bond between mother and daughter is central to the theme of oppressive social expectations. The mother exists as both a parent and a living manifestation of the society in which they live. Her incessant spate of orders, such as "wash the white clothes on Monday and put them to dry on the stone heap; wash the color clothes on Tuesday" (Kincaid), is a life meticulously regulated by duty and appearance. Her daughter, who speaks but twice, is silenced, revealing how young women are muffled under expectation. This conflict brings forward the issue of control and submission, where social expectations construct or deconstruct identity.