Stories of growth: Caribbean Women Writers (3) Individuation through Separation: Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid

Outline §KincaidKincaid l About colonialism and Antiguacolonialism and Antigua l And her motherher mother §Annie JohnAnnie John §“Circling Hand”Circling Hand §“A Walk to the Jetty”A Walk to the Jetty

Jamaica Kincaid: Bio (1)  Born Elaine Potter Richardson in St. Johns, Antigua in 1949; lived her step-father, mother, and three brothers §father: a carpenter and cabinetmaker §mother: a homemaker and political activist. §Completed her secondary education under the British system

Jamaica Kincaid: Bio (2) §Left Antigua (before its Independence) when she was 17. §As the eldest of four, and the only girl, she was apprenticed to a seamstress, then plucked from school, where she was excelling, and sent to the US as an au pair ("really a servant") §changed her name to Jamaica Kincaid because her family disapproved of her writing.

Antigua §A lot more blacks than white people; §No experience of “freedom apprenticeship” after Emancipation in “Freedom was immediate but total.” (Murdoch 99) §A British colony till 1967.

Kincaid on Colonialism & Antigua  Within the structure of the British educational system imposed upon Antiguans, Kincaid grew to "detest everything about England, except the literature" (Vorda 79). § A Small Place: rage at colonialism & the failure of Antigua independence l "But nothing can erase my rage... for this wrong can never be made right and only the impossible can make me still: can a way be found to make what happened not have happened?" l “You distorted or erased my history and glorified your own")

Kincaid about her mother § She "should never have had children."  “She loves us when we‘re dying - not when we’re thriving because then we don‘t need her.” §She favors her sons over Kincaid.

Annie John §One central question: What makes Annie change her views about her family and esp. her mother? e.g. pp ; 136

“The Circling Hand”: Starting Questions §Mother-Daughter Relationship: l What kind of gender model does the mother offer Annie? e.g. p ; 25 l What role does the father take in this part? l What's the significance of the trunk? P. 20 l What do you think about the mother’s way of teaching Annie? §What does the title mean? What “finishes” her happy childhood and love for the family (p. 32).

Mother-Daughter Relationship in Annie John  Major Factors : § Caribbean society: a male-dominated society in which the men are allowed to be irresponsible about housework, and enjoy sexual relationships outside marriage. § Mother as a social institution to teach her girl to be socialized (= Englishized; lady- like)

“The Circling Hand”  1. The symbiotic stage: (pp ) Examples of the daughter’s complete identification with the mother. pp Physical intimacy (bathing); protective Mother’s gender role model: shopping; doing housework [cooking, washing clothes] p ; 25; -- admiring the mother 18-19; be like the mother p sharing cloth -- continuation of identity -- the Trunk P. 20 (the mother’s past + Annie’s sourvenir + story-telling)

“The Circling Hand” 1-2 §1. The symbiotic stage: (pp ) -- the father’s role – outsider; has a lot of women; -- Someone to be sympathized with; -- Served and mothered by his wife p. 24 “A Walk” -- builds and makes a lot of things in the house; -- p. 132 – 35 years older than his wife; sickly

“The Circling Hand” (2)  2. Separation: the changes at age 12  in Annie’s body p. 25; p. 27 §her schooling -- p. 29 §The changes in the mother’s attitudes: l The mother’s distanciation: her dresses p. 26; trunk p. 27; differentiation l the mother’s expectations of her: “young lady business” pp Housework 29-30

“The Circling Hand” (2) § Why does the mother do this? Is it necessary for the mother to be so stern? §Possible Reasons – l The mother’s preoccupation with housework; l Her failure to smooth the transition from Annie’s childhood to puberty; l Her being influenced by the dominant British values.

“The Circling Hand” (3)  3. the primal scene § the importance of the circling hand? P. 30  What role does the father take after this scene? §Context: Annie’s wanting to “reconquer” her mother

The mother’s hand  1. Mother ’ s Hands -- taking care of Annie; -- doing housework;  “ white, bony, dead, left out in the elements ”

Mother-Daughter Relationship in Annie John: Examples § “The Circling Hand” -- Forced to separate herself from the mother; sent to be educated, witnessing the parents’ sexual intercourse (primal scene). § “Columbus in Chain”: mother turned into a crocodile p. 84 § being called a slut by her mother after conversing with a boy -- “Well, …like mother like daughter” (p. 102)

Annie’s independence process §Pre-occupation with death; §Pre-Oedipal symbiosis with the mother §Exploring her own sexuality; Girl friends (Gwen, Red Girl) §Resisting British education (“Columbus in Chain”) §Fascination for the father (112-13) §Illness; grandmother’s (Ma Chess) care-taking -- a substitute for the mother (pp ) §Leaving Antigua

“A Walk to the Jetty” –Starting Questions §Is Annie’s separation from her family and the past inevitable and absolute? e.g “never” “for the last time” l Is it appropriate for Annie to criticize her parents? Are you sympathetic with her hatred of the mother? Pp. 133 l What does she reject in leaving the place? Can you relate to her need to leave the place forever? pp

“A Walk to the Jetty” --separation  A. From Mother (“Circling Hand” 1.different dresses—A’s bitterness and hatred 2. Enforced “lady” education — mother’s disappointment 3.stop kid’s talking---awareness 4.after the turning point—“All that was finished” talk back.) 5.complete separation--- “never to be fooled again” “hypocrite” Talk back 136 – mother’s image degraded

“A Walk to the Jetty” --separation  A. From Mother §7. On guard against the mother’s love and expectations 147

“A Walk to the Jetty” –separation (2) B. From the social norm(and oppression) 1.to be a lady  e.g. exploited by Ms Dulcie marriage  sexual inequality 3.Gwen p. 137 C. From the past (childhood memory) 1.Gwen 2. The community –does not even want to say good-bye Childhood memory

“A Walk to the Jetty”  Contradictory signs of independence + signs of nostalgia in this chapter?] § independence: l Name, address, l separation: her listing of what she “never wants to see”; joy at not having to see them. pp ; l her attention at what’s “hers” and what’s on her p §Nostalgia and fear: l the moment of getting out of bed 133 l remembering a lot; §contradictory feelings at the wharf: 144; 145, 147

Walking away from the past (memories, education and transitional objects) §Ms. Dulcie the seamstress, p. 138 §first experience of buying things 139 §saving money §interests that she has outgrown: glasses, porcelain dog, §library §  cannot deny the mother’s good intention in educating her; §  do we need to reject things we are no longer interested in or people who are no longer on a par with us?

Walking to Empty Oneself §Does not know why it is an absolute departure for her 134 §Passing through the place as if she were in a dream 143 §Emptied out at the end