1. Girl by Jamaica Kincaid
Presentation by:
Ms. Goodin
AP Literature
20 February 2015
Girl by Jamaica Kincaid

2. Jamaica Kincaid’s Life
Born on May 25, 1949 in St. John’s, Antigua
Novelist and essayist
Draws upon her own life for inspiration (neglected by her mother/very poor)
Pulled from school to support family (even though she was smart)
Loves to garden (and writes about it!)

3. Kincaid’s Writing Career
Kincaid’s writing is closely influenced by her own life and family.
Her work often prioritizes "impressions and feelings over plot development" and features conflict with both a strong maternal figure and colonial and neocolonial influences.

4. Themes Her work explores themes such as:
colonialism and colonial legacy
 gender and sexuality
renaming
mother-daughter relationships
writing
racism
class
power
adolescence

5. Kincaid’s Times
Antigua- a small island in the Eastern Caribbean Island chain
Culture: Amerindian (Carib and Arawak), West African, and European (primarily British) traditions.
“Creole”
Great Britain occupied Antigua until 1981.
Life in Antigua was difficult, especially for the poor.

6. “Girl” Focuses on Great Britain’s occupation of Antigua
Deals with the experience of being young and female in a poor country
Focuses on relationship between a parent and child
Grows more resentful as the short story comes to a close