The Mother Theme in Jamaica Kincaid's Fiction

Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2, University of Education Ludwigsburg, language: English, abstract: One of the most basic and insightful bonds women form with each other is that of a mother and daughter. The different stages that a mother and her daughter are going through during their lives and the insuperable unity they have is a fact that people have been reflecting about at all times. The impact that a mother has on her daughter is huge no matter how distinct their relationship is. Passing on values, protecting the child and showing unconditional love are some of the main tasks of being a mother. But what if the mother fails to complete these tasks? Jamaica Kincaid grew up in Antigua and was raised by a father who was never there and a mother who gave all her attention to her brothers. She fled the island at the age of seventeen, left her family as well as her name behind and entered North America as Jamaica Kincaid. Even though she came to terms with the past, she copes with her experiences through writing books. Kincaid's tight, lyrical prose guides the reader through memories of her mother and her childhood. Due to her lifestory, Jamaica Kincaid manages to portray her fiction in an extremely pure and touching way. In the following, I will take a closer look at her biography and origin. I will also analize two of her novels, Autobiography of my mother and Annie John and interpret them in regard to the mother theme.