Jamaica Kincaid Research Paper

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Jamaica Kincaid Jamaica Kincaid was born in St Johns, Antigua, which is located in the Caribbean sea, in 1949 with the given name ' Elaine Potter Richardson'. Kincaid grew up with her mother and step father and received a British education, which she took full advantage of, frequently landing at the top of her class. When Kincaid turned nine, her mother gave birth to three sons in quick succession, and her life was downhill from then. After her brothers were born, Kincaid claims that she was neglected by her mother and father and treated very badly. When her third brother was born she was taken out of school for the family could not afford to support her knowledge craving mind. She was sent to the United States to work as an Au Pair…show more content…
Kincaid was marginalized on a small scale by her mother. After her brothers came into the world her needs were shrugged off. Her education was valued less, she was ignored and quotes show that she was deprived of the knowledge that every female child should be told. "I went to take a bath and noticed this brown rust thing in my underwear and was terrified of it and I told my mother and, I think she thought it was the best way to act, she said 'oh yes that happens'. And I felt kind of betrayed and nobody had told me that would happen to me so young. I remember I had a lot of pain during it and fainted and had to be sent home." While Kincaid was marginalized by her mother, she holds many traits that would cause her to be valued less than other authors. Although she was writing in the 80’s and the majority of race issues occurred in the 1950’s-60’s, the fact that Jamaica Kincaid was black still had an effect on her success. When asked about the angry tone in her writing Kincaid is quoted saying “ I promise you, if I had blonde hair and blue eyes this wouldn’t be an issue. No one ever says, “That angry Judith Krantz…” or whatever. “ Not only is Jamaica Kincaid a black writer in the 1980’s, shes a woman writing in the 1980’s. In alot of interview’s with Kincaid, she speaks of how the fact she is a woman makes people doubt her ability. ” people used to say to me, other women, when I was young and
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