The short stories by Jamaica Kincaid, “Girl” and Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour,” entirely focus on women and their experiences. The story “Girl” takes the form of a mother’s list of rules for her daughter, detailing everything from domestic chores to social etiquette. In “The Story of an Hour,” a wife learns of her husband’s death and goes through various feelings as she adjusts to her new life. The two pieces are short but give insight into women’s lives, navigating the world with difficulty. The female protagonists in “Girl” and “The Story of an Hour” question their assigned societal roles and advocate for greater autonomy for women.
According to the basic allocation of gender roles in a societal setup, girls are required to be able manage to take care of the members of a family, which means they need to know how to cook, clean, and take care of their children. Additionally, they should behave well in public through decent dress code and acting in a mature way and are at many times regarded as subjects to their elders (Mambrol). The protagonist, in the story, “Girl” needs to learn the finer points of ladylike behavior. However, she resists fitting into these stereotypical gender stereotypes and longs to be treated as an individual with complete autonomy. On the other hand, the protagonist of “The Story of an Hour,” Mrs. Mallard, begins to feel a sense of freedom and she is finally free to pursue her interests. In both works, gender norms are questioned, and women are given new agency and they advocate for women’s autonomy, saying they shouldn’t have to conform to societal standards based on gender.
Both narratives expose the heinous maltreatment of women in today’s patriarchal culture. Women are at times regarded selfless and therefore, prone to mistreatment by inconsiderate men (Mambrol). The main character in “Girl” is assumed to be capable in the kitchen and around the house which she resists to fit as she longs to be treated as an individual with complete autonomy. The protagonist of “The Story of an Hour” is a heartbroken widow who finds a newfound feeling of independence as she grieves. She does not have to please her spouse anymore and she is finally free to pursue her interests. The ladies in both narratives advocate for their autonomy and freedom from traditional gender norms which belittle them and hold them in their cocoons dominated by societal values.
In conclusion, the oppression of women is a common theme in Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” and Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour.” Women’s oppression is a common problem in each of these narratives. The two stories culminate in different ways, but highlight the power of women (Chopin). At the end of “Girl,” the main character finally speaks her mind to her mother. The main character in “Girl” is continually lectured about proper behavior. She is never allowed to speak her mind or share her perspective. After her husband dies in “The Story of an Hour,” the protagonist is first crushed. Soon, though, she recognizes the liberating reality that her marriage no longer holds any power over her. She has complete autonomy over her daily activities and major life choices and finally comes into terms that she is free. These narratives demonstrate the potential for women to be robust and triumph over oppression through self-realization over any circumstance and taking an initiative to show independence in the society
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. The story of an hour. Joe Books Ltd, 2018.
Mambrol, Nasrullah. “Analysis of Jamaica Kincaid’s Stories.” Literariness»,: 2020.