Female Gender Roles as Portrayed by Kincaid and Bailey

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Female Gender Roles as Portrayed by Kincaid and Bailey
Jamaica Kincaid is one of the compelling writers of the twentieth/twenty-first century. Her novels address issues of class, race, culture, exploitation, and gender. Her most renewed work in the short prose titled “Girl,” which follows a young girl interaction with her sharp-tongued mother. Through “Girl,” the concept of gender becomes evidence (Kincaid 320). This paper examines how the idea of gender in incorporated in Carol Bailey’s article titled, “Performance and the Gendered Body in Jamaica Kincaid's “Girl” and Oonya Kempadoo's Buxton Spice.”
After reading Bailey’s article, I agree with her evaluation of “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid. Bailey article reveals that the Mother in “Girl” is not trying to force the young girl to confine to the traditional gender roles assigned to women. The article indicates that the Mother is trying to direct the young girl into the behaviors and practices that she should embrace to survive in the male-dominated society describe by Kincaid’s “Girl.” I agree that women’s bodies as described in “Girl” are always under scrutiny. The Mother recognizes this, and this is why she keeps telling the girl “do this, do that, do not do this, do not do that.” However, as described by Bailey, the Mother in “Girl” is not castigating the girl because she believes that these roles are perfect for women. I agree with the article that the Mother is giving this advice to this girl because she wants the girl to succeed in a society where women are oppressed. For example, Kincaid writes, “… so to prevent yourself from looking like the slut I know you are so bent on becoming (Kincaid 320).” In Bailey’s article, this is not abuse on the girl but a way that the Mother is helping the girl avoid actions that could ruin her life. Bailey writes, “…is helping the girl to avoid the crippling effects that an unplanned pregnancy may have on her future” (Bailey). I agree with the article that the Mother probably knew that if the girl continued behaviors like those of a “slut” things such as unwanted pregnancies would ruin her future. I believe mothers in this society were trying to protect their daughters in a society they feel is unfair to women.
Further, I agree with Bailey’s that women are aware of the roles set for them by society, but they also recognize that they can ensure that these roles are flexible to their needs. Bailey describes how the girls in Buxton ...