Analysis of Fiction Story

Analysis of Fiction Story

In fictional stories, authors work to grow and develop their characters in different ways. In most cases, writers have a protagonist and antagonist, who often work on opposing sides. Some of the characters change in a negative way, whereas other characters remain unchanged. There are two characters in the story “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid. The two characters are mother and daughter, where the daughter seems as the protagonist in the story, and the mother seems to oppose most of what she does. The story is one long sentence, containing many themes such as the role of women in the society, mother girl relationship, and female sexuality among others. As the story develops the mother advices, instructs, reprimands, and warns the daughter concerning situations and circumstances in life. The mother and daughter characters in the story enhance the theme of mother daughter relationship, which is mostly prevalent through the mother’s words to her daughter.

The theme of the role of women in the society is evident in the story. Women are the main workers around the home. The mother comes across as demanding, instructive, concerned, caring, and realistic towards life. She is an experienced woman with a lot of knowledge and wisdom, which she passes to her daughter. The mother dominates the conversation while the daughter only speaks on two occasions. The mother advises her daughter based on her life experiences. She tells and shows the daughter how to perform domestic tasks such as washing, cleaning, ironing, sewing, and cooking. The mother believes that women ought to behave in a proper way, and she believes that they have different roles from the men. She tells her, “Don’t squat down to play marbles- you are not a boy.” She advises her daughter on proper etiquette such as the proper way to eat, walk, and dress. She believes that women should not behave the same way as men.

She represents and advances the themes of culture and tradition of the society. This is clear in the way she brings out the superstitious beliefs in her community, when she tells her daughter that she should not fling rocks at blackbirds because they might not be blackbirds at all. She seems to believe that situations are not always, what they appear to be and she thinks that the blackbirds might have a different meaning. She also shows the daughter how to dispose of a fish that she does not like, so that she can prevent a bad or saddening outcome. These are elements of superstitions present in the culture, and they show how society embraces them.

The story shows how medicine is made by ordinary people in the society according to tradition. The mother shows her daughter how to make medicine for colds, and how to make medicines that will prevent pregnancy, or that will induce an abortion. This is how to make a good medicine to throw away a child before it even becomes a child.” This illustration shows the conflicts that can occur between tradition and religion. She recognizes the importance of Sunday as a religious day, and she shows her daughter how to behave accordingly during that time. She believes that there is a certain way to walk on Sundays, which is different from the other days. She tells her daughter that there are certain songs that should not be sang in Sunday school. Thus, although the mother is traditional in many ways, she has also embraced religion because she upholds all the values required in the society.

Through the mother’s teachings, and instructions, it is clear that women in that society carry most of the burden. Other than the domestic chores that they have to do, they also have to undertake other tasks outside the house. They have to look for food for their families, and this is seen in the way the mother teaches the daughter how to catch a fish. They also have to plant, and this is evident when she shows the daughter how to plant a tree. The women have to ensure that the men are well dressed, and they have to know how to entertain them. Therefore, each woman should respect the men and ensure their welfare is catered for in the society.

In the story, the mother is trusted with the ability to enlighten the daughter and inculcate moral values in her life as the society demands. Although the mother seems tough, she considers herself as the only one suitable to advice her daughter concerning the world. She knows her daughter well, and she warns her against the path she seems to be taking. She tells her daughter that she is on the path of becoming a slut. The mother seems to uphold sexual morality, and she warns her daughter concerning sexual promiscuity. She recognizes the fact that the girl is innocent on sexual matters, yet she thinks that she knows it all. The mother is realistic, and she knows that her daughter can make a mistake, despite all her lectures and her best efforts. She believes that her daughter has already started on the path of becoming promiscuous. She tells her daughter, “This is how to love a man, and if this doesn’t work there are other ways.” Although this is the case, she tells her that she can take advantage of her sexuality to get what she wants. For instance, the mother believes that the daughter has to know what to do, so that the baker can let her feel the bread. She does not dismiss the importance of love, and it is clear that she has learnt different ways of loving men.

Women in the society have their own survival tactics despite their submissiveness. Although the mother seems to have accepted the subdued position of women in the society, she also knows that men are weak in certain areas. She recognizes that the society can sometimes oppress women, and seek ways to subdue them further. She therefore realizes the importance of knowing how to survive in this world, and using any available means to do so. She shows her daughter how she can bully men, and she tells her that men can sometimes be unlovable despite her best efforts. She tells her daughter that she should not give up when all her efforts in loving a man have failed. The mother acknowledges the fact that they live in a hypocritical society. She shows her daughter how to smile at different people, based on her preferences towards them. “This is how you smile to someone you don’t like too much…don’t like at all…this is the way to smile to someone you like completely.” She also shows her how to treat people based on their importance and worth. She shows her daughter that people are not the same, and she should not treat them same way. “This is the way you set a table for dinner with an important guest.” She shows her how to treat the people that she knows well, and how to treat the people that she does not know well.

The mother seems to be overly concerned about what other people think about them. This explains why she is so adamant that her daughter learns the proper way of behaving around people. She teaches her daughter decorum and etiquette. She tells her to consider other people’s feelings, even when she is eating. She tells her daughter, “Always eat your food in such a way that it won’t turn someone else’s stomach.” Although most of the advice and instructions that the mother gives concerns serious issues, she comes across as a humorous person. For instance, she teaches her daughter how to spit in the air, and how to run away so that the spit does not fall on her. She also tells her to make sure that she bathes daily, even if she has to use her own spit. Moreover, she tells her daughter not to eat fruits on the street, so that she can avoid the flies. Thus, she wants her daughter to present herself in a modest and respectful way.

The character of the daughter is not brought out through her speech because she appears passive. She does not seem to have a voice, and this brings the possibility that the short story could be more of a recollection on the daughter’s part, rather than a conversation between mother and daughter. The girl seems trapped as her mother’s voice pass through her mind. She remembers all her mother’s advice, teachings, and warning. When the mother asks her whether it is true that she sings benna in Sunday school, she does not wait for a reply. Instead, she continues to lecture and instruct her daughter. The daughter does not seem to have a way of escaping, as her mother’s voice echoes through her mind. It is clear that the mother does not let her speak, or even have an opinion.

The daughter in the story contributes to the theme of mother daughter relationship. She has to live with a mother that does not trust her, sees her as promiscuous, and one that does not take the time to listen and understand her. In two cases, the mother tells her that she is bent on becoming a slut. The daughter advances the themes of the elder v. the younger in the society, in the sense that her mother does not allow her to speak. The mother tends to believe that the elder people in the society have all the wisdom, and the younger ones are only supposed to listen and not make any valuable input to the conversation. The mother does not allow her daughter, or give her a chance to make an opinion, or even ask a question, until the end of the story.

The daughter advances the theme of women’s role in the society. Her mother gives her many instructions of the dos and don’ts in the society. It is clear that the society expects women to start playing their role when they are young. The girl speaks once in the story. In the first instance, she is defending herself against her mother’s accusations, but the mother does not notice this. In the second instance, she asks her mother a question, but the mother asks her another question instead of answering her. The girl has to find the answers she is looking for on her own. Although the mother has lectured and advised her for long, she has not answered the only question she asked.

Although the mother seems to be demanding and instructive, she cares about her daughter. She realizes that her daughter is naïve in many areas in life. She opens up to her daughter concerning issues such as sex, sexual morality, and relationships in a candid manner. Most mothers avoid talking of such intimate issues with their daughters. Thus, although the mother daughter relationship might not be friendly, there is much concern on the mother’s side. The mother does not want her to face the world in her naïve form. She looks for ways to pass the knowledge and wisdom she has to her daughter, using whatever means she can. The story might only have two characters in the story, but the two have managed to develop many of the themes in the story.

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