Girl

Kincaid’s experimental short story is technically a single sentence predominantly comprised of a compilation of instructions, with all 53 phrases separated by semicolons. The writing, although direct and simplistic, is lyrical, and the text is considered a prose poem. Within this single sentence, Kincaid employs several literary devices, including repetition, imagery, and metaphor, to provide commentary on mother-daughter relationships, gender dynamics, women’s rights, and transitioning from childhood to adulthood. One interpretation of the text is that the main speaker is the mother addressing her daughter in real time. However, another interpretation is that the main speaker is actually the daughter recalling the advice passed on to her by her mother. Kincaid intentionally omits any details of the characters as well as a clear linear timeline so that the reader must infer the story’s thematic message:

[Kincaid’s] style, which, at times, borrows the surrealistic tones of magical realism, blurs the boundaries between literary genres and also between personal stories and history. In spite of the author’s stress on open emotional revelations, her books also remain deeply elusive as they consciously omit information, thus repeatedly calling on the readers to make sense of the characters’ emotional and psychological predicaments (“

Unlock all 30 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,450+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App

+ Printable PDF

+ Literary AI Tools

Unlock Full Library