The main character in story "Girl" written by Jamaica Kincaid, learns through her mother's fierce instructions and advice that she must be perceived as a woman and not as a negative stereotype of womanhood. The title itself provides several ideas such as representation of daughter's age. She is not a woman, not yet on her own, but a girl, still reliant on another, still with much to learn. Second, the title "Girl- symbolizes the mother's awareness of her daughter. Her mother does not deem her a woman or a young lady, but a naive girl in need of steady instruction and supervision. A third idea of the title is that it represents the girl's struggle to find her own rising identity in the shadow of her mother and the shadow of the identity her mother wants her to take on. .
The conversation or summation of demands and advice, takes place between two females, a mother and a daughter. Issues concerning gender rolls and feminism are spotted throughout this poem. Girl is thought how to be a responsible, independent, perfect woman before she even reaches the womanhood. Girl learns through her mother important lifestyle rules she needs to take on, way she needs to act and behave in order to be a respectful lady and nothing opposite from it. "On Sundays try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming; don't sing benna in Sunday school; you mustn't speak to wharf-rat boys ."". "This is how to hem a dress when you see the hem coming down and so to prevent yourself from looking like the slut I know you are so bent on becoming-(18). She is told how to dress and speak appropriately so there wouldn't be any negative impressions of her. .
Girl's mother is aware that her daughter is stepping into adolescence and that she is nave and in need of steady instruction and supervision. At this point in her life, girl is seeing the changes in her mind and body. Now she really appreciates the facts that she has her mother there to help and guide her through it.