The narration of Jamaica Kincaid's short story "Girl" is done in the first person narrative. This story is about a mother giving instructions to a girl on how to be a "girl" and carry herself accordingly. In the story, the mother says, “This is how you sweep a corner; this is how you sweep a whole house; this is how you sweep a yard; this is how you smile to someone you don't like too much…" The mother is directly giving instructions to the girl, and there are a few instances where the girl defends herself from the mother's sentiment. The girl says, "but I don't sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school." (Kincaid, 1991). This brings out the theme of caring, as it reveals how much she cares about her daughter’s character in future.
The narration affects my point of view regarding the reading. The first person narration creates the agency and immediacy of the story. The narration shows direct communication between the mother and her daughter. The story is narrated from a feminist perspective as the mother tells the dos and don'ts of being a girl. She seems to be biased and misjudges the girl's character creating an image on the mind of the readers. The mother says, "On Sundays, try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming." This gives the reader an idea about the character of the girl. However, if it was done in second or third person narrative, the effect of the story could be altered since the immediacy and urgency could not be achieved. For example, the second or third person narration would have made the reader distant from the story (Kennedy & Gioia). The fact that there are no actions or events in the story, the first-person narration is the most appropriate narration for the story.
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Reference
Kennedy, X. J., Gioia, D. The Literature Collection.
Kincaid, J. (1991). Girl (p. 4). San Francisco Examiner.
