Biography
Where is Jamaica Kincaid from?
Antigua and Barbuda
Provide a synonym for warned.
advised
What's the meaning of 'sweep'?
The act of cleaning / brushing away dirt with the use of a sweeping brush
Who are the main characters in the story 'Girl'?
Mother and Daughter
What is this story about?
A mother giving advice to her daughter, explaining what duties and responsibilities she has in society
What did Jamaica Kincaid go to New York to do?
Work as an Au Pair
Provide a synonym for pants
trousers
What is benna?
A type of music from Antigua. The lyrics include gossip; could be inappropiate
name 3 activities the mother tells her daughter she will have to do ?
set a table; how to sew; how to cook; how to iron; how to make medicine.....
Where does this story take place?
At home
For 20 years, which famous magazine did Jamaica Kincaid work for?
The New Yorker
Provide a synonym for plenty
a lot
What is doukona?
A kind of pudding, usually wrapped in plantain or banana leaf.
What is the point of view in this story?
The mother giving advice to her daughter about the duties and responsibilities of a woman
Why does the mother give her daughter advice?
To prepare her for the life of a woman in society
What are 3 themes in Jamaica's writing?
Life experiences, Colonialism, Gender...
Provide a synonym for khaki
brownish green
What does it mean to 'make ends meet'?
Earn just enough money to survive
What does this story represent?
The expectations of women in a patriarchal society
What would change if the story was called 'Boy'?
There wouldn't be a such a long list of responsibilities. It would be about earning money and providing for the family
why did Jamaica cut off her family and not return to Antigua?
she had a close relationship her mother until she focused her attention on her brothers and felt betrayed / upset. She resented her mother for this
Provide a synonym for squat
Bend down / crouch
what is the meaning of 'wharf-rat'?
someone with criminal activity and low social status
What is the importance of food in the story?
It emphasizes the domestic duties of a woman
Why are there two sentences in italics?
They represent the daughter's thoughts