How Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” is a bridge between modernism and postmodernism

“Girl”, written by Jamaica Kincaid acts as a great bridge between modernism and postmodernism by the means through which the work is drawn. First, the modernism in the story is mainly depicted through the conversation that the mother is having with the daughter (Gale 37). In the text, the mother constantly gives useful and beneficial information to the daughter. The relevant information that the mother asses include how to prepare meals and even what should be done within and out of the house.  As an aspect of modernism, the mother also gives some negative information to the daughter such as not taking part in Sunday school participation. The aspect of parental responsibility and neglect al play out in equal measure through the works of Kincaid.

The entire story also illustrates an aspect of modernism whereby parents are too overprotectively of their children. The issues of the parent being so much overbearing is visible as much of the decisions were made by the mother and the girl had very little options of having choices on her own. From the story, the author depicts the mother as not having little concerns about what the girl may be thinking, feeling or even gain her opinion on any issue. Generally, the mother’s reaction points to the readers that parents should not be too overbearing to their children at any of the stage.

On the other hand, the story by Jamaica Kincaid tries to provide a link between modernity and postmodernity. The story shows the high level of the stereotyping in the society, especially in creating class difference and marginalization of specific groups of people. The ideas and instructions that the mother gave to their only child is a bigger representation of the female discrimination within the society. When, for example, the mother warns the daughter not to behave like a boy by playing marbles, it becomes very clear of just how the women have been stereotyped and they are thought to have the inability to get involved in certain activities. When the mother also tells the daughter to do household chores, she has also continued to the process of separating the girl from the boys as she gets no opportunity of being with them (Charters 90). By also calling her daughter ”slut”, she is creating a delusion that exists within her and makes it appear like all the ladies have the negative behaviors of engaging in anti-social acts.

The interlink between modernity and postmodernity is also witnessed through the level of blind acceptance that the daughter gives to her mother. Through the mother may have an important information to pass across, she also becomes abusive and gives some information to the daughter that may not be of any substantial benefit. However, the daughter represents the postmodern day girls and other kids who only employ obedience and accepts such conditions without any question. It only on two occasions that the girl questions the validity of her mother’s actions and seems to hit back at her. The postmodernity then represents the lack of intimacy and parental love that the daughter may have towards her mother is also another important aspect that the story tells briefly. Despite having a candid conversation, the relationship between the two doesn’t seem strong.

References

Charters, Ann. The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. Boston: Bedford Bks St Martin’S, 2015. Print.

Gale, Cengage L. Study Guide for Jamaica Kincaid’s ”girl.“. Detroit: Gale, Cengage Learning, 2016. Print.