Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” involves a narrative between a strict mother and her daughter. The story is written in a style of speech where the mother speaks almost throughout advising her daughter on how to do housework like cooking, cleaning and washing clothes, and how she should behave when moving around society. She tells her all about walking, smiling and how she should be around men. The mother always tells the girl to keep away from doing things that may make them look chide. She advises the girl, for example, not to become “the type of woman who the baker won’t let near the bread,” to basically not do anything which might damage your reputation.

Kincaid uses her story “Girl” to  show the idea that such a life of expectations and rules will cause great constriction in young girls. The narrative proposes that these norms can crowd out identity, expression and choice.  Kincaid wrote this story to be relatable to any woman who has been forced into these situations by her family or society in general. She may of also written this to show how the expectations of women have changed throughout time and how forcing expectations to a young women can be overwhelming 

Kincaid uses a few key tools in “Girl” to effectively make her point. One is repetition, where the mother keeps saying things like “this is how you do this,”. This repetition helps show how overwhelming it must feel for the girl, who is constantly being told what to do and how to behave. The rules cover things from daily chores to more personal aspects of life, Kincaid also uses imagery to paint a picture of what might happen if the girl doesn’t follow the rules. For example, the line about the girl becoming “the kind of woman the baker won’t let near the bread” gives an image of how her reputation could be ruined if she steps out of line. This image helps the reader understand the stakes involved, showing that the girl’s future depends on her ability to meet these expectations.The tone of the mother’s voice is serious and strict, showing that there is no room for discussion or disagreement. The girl’s two attempts to speak up are quickly ignored, making it clear that her voice and opinions do not matter.. This tone shows how unchanging these societal expectations are, leaving little room for the girl to express herself 

Kincaid’s use of repetition, imagery, and tone works to show how powerful and controlling societal expectations can be to not only young women but to people throughout the world. The mother’s constant advice represents the many rules that young girls are expected to follow, while the imagery shows the consequences of not being able to fit in. These strategies show how these expectations can trap the  young women, which can be  making it difficult for them to make their own choices. In the end, Kincaid achieves her goal of showing how harmful these rules can be, she encourages readers to think about the ways in which the expectations of society can affect  people’s lives