When reading the short story "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid,
I automatically thought of the 2002 four-time Grammy nominated single
"Video" by India.Arie. Both had similar meanings to me as they both
discussed how society viewed women and their differed views from society.
"Girl" was essentially the advice a mother is giving her daughter,
the protagonist who was not given a name, on how to be the proper woman. The
mother shares what one must to do to fit the role of a woman in their culture.
Though the daughter does not speak, I made my own assumptions and sensed that
the girl felt skepticism or rebellion towards these traditional roles. As I
read the commentary about the short story, On "Girl," Kincaid shares
how the mother is doubtful that the girl will be able to live up to these
standards. I believe the mother is doubtful because she can already see that
the daughter is displaying traits of being her own person, despite the norms
society is attempting to place on her; the girl is essentially
"unconquered." In the song
"Video," India.Arie shares how she doesn't fit in with the social
norms or of being a woman in today's world, yet she's learned to accept it and
be her own person. It's expressed clearly in the chorus, where she sings,"I'm not the average girl from your
videoAnd I ain't built like a supermodel,But I learned to love myself
unconditionally,Because I am a queen..." These lyrics are a clear indication of how she
loves herself although she is different from what society views as acceptable.
Throughout the song, she advocates for having confidence in oneself and
freedom. India.Arie and Jamaica Kincaid both exposed the adversities women face
to break away from the traditional and cultural stereotypes. Both women, in my
opinion, are encouraging and trying to send a message to young women to be
themselves regardless of what others may think; that just because one does not
follow the norm, or role, of what society views as a woman, does not make them
any less of one.
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