Reflection to "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid

       As a reader, I thought the poem “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid is for the most time true; we get an insight of all the expectations society has for women, which we can see are more than those for men. In this whole work Jamaica describes various aspects women have to be careful about and also manage, not only in the household but also to be respectable women. Women apart from all the chores she’s expected to do, also have to acquire an honorable image. The food to cook, the way to dress and walk what to sing or say, personal appearance, and even her sexuality are all features women must take care about. By the title Girl we can infer that the mother is telling her daughter all these things in advanced, in the time just before becoming a woman, so that when she does, she becomes a good one. There’s no doubt this poem presents some feminism in relation to the author’s perspective, though I agree with what is written and inferred throughout the text.

         I can relate to the poem because, me being a girl, I am expected to do many, with some exceptions, of what Jamaica writes in her poem. In addition as to present times, we are expected to study and become professionals. Being brought down from generations, and as part of Puerto Rico’s values, a woman must act respectably in order to be treated as one; this is a very important trait that defines women. Otherwise, as the poem says, they would be the sluts by not controlling their nature. For me, this would be a delicate statement to say, since it can vary given the variety of conditions us humans live at and our incomprehensible ideals. The reader can also appreciate the strict tone Jamaica uses, which I believe, represents very well the significance of moral values to the people in these countries. Finally, Jamaica presents the theme of love, also in a feminist way, and recalls the distinctions between men and women. 

Here's a link to the poem, I invite you to read it, if you haven't:

http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/virtualit/fiction/Girl/Girl.pdf