Annie John
Encyclopedia
Annie John, a novel
written by Jamaica Kincaid
in 1985, details the growth of a girl in Antigua
, an island in the Caribbean
. It covers issues as diverse as mother-daughter relationships, lesbianism, racism
, clinical depression
, education
, and the struggle between medicine based on "scientific fact" and that based on "native superstitious know-how".
Annie John becomes closer to her friends at school and Red Girl, while alienating herself from her mother and the other adults in her life. It later becomes clear that she also suffers from some kind of mental depression
, which distances her from both her family and her friends. The book ends on a symbolic note, in which she physically distances herself away from all that she knew and loved by leaving home for nursing school in England
.
Symbolic references to water (including the sea, rain, and other forms) illustrate Annie's development from childhood to maturity. Near the start of the novel, the reader learns that Annie has both a normal baby bottle and one shaped like a boat - and that is only the beginning of her water-connected choices in life.
Annie John originally had its chapters published in The New Yorker; because of this, each chapter contains a strong plot on its own. When the stories were combined into Annie John, Jamaica Kincaid uses Annie John as a strong narrator in order to connect each one to each other.
Water is consistently used throughout the novel to depict the separation between Annie John and her mother.
The novel never directly talks about Annie John's sexuality; however, it can be inferred that she is actually homosexual due to her love she feels for other girls. Annie John never talks about loving any male, and when asked about marriage, she despises the idea.
Asked if the relationship between Annie and Gwen was meant to suggest “lesbian tendencies,” Kincaid replied, “No…I think I am always surprised that people interpret it so literally. The relationship between Gwen and Annie is really a practicing relationship. It’s about how things work. It’s like learning to walk. Always there is the sense that they would go on to lead heterosexual lives. Whatever happened between then, homosexuality would not be a serious thing because it is just practicing,” (Vorda 94).
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by Jamaica Kincaid
Jamaica Kincaid
Jamaica Kincaid is a Caribbean novelist, gardener, and gardening writer. She was born in the city of St. John's on the island of Antigua in the nation of Antigua and Barbuda...
in 1985, details the growth of a girl in Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, an island in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. It covers issues as diverse as mother-daughter relationships, lesbianism, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, clinical depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, and the struggle between medicine based on "scientific fact" and that based on "native superstitious know-how".
Plot summary
Annie John, the protagonist of the book, starts out as a young girl who worships her mother. She follows her everywhere, and is shocked and hurt when she learns that she must some day live in a different house from her mother. While her mother tries to teach her to become a lady, Annie is sent to a new school where she must prove herself intellectually and make new friends. She quickly falls in with an emotionally close crowd of girlfriends, but later is attracted to a wild girl who climbs trees like a boy, and whom Annie John calls "Red Girl".Annie John becomes closer to her friends at school and Red Girl, while alienating herself from her mother and the other adults in her life. It later becomes clear that she also suffers from some kind of mental depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, which distances her from both her family and her friends. The book ends on a symbolic note, in which she physically distances herself away from all that she knew and loved by leaving home for nursing school in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Symbolic references to water (including the sea, rain, and other forms) illustrate Annie's development from childhood to maturity. Near the start of the novel, the reader learns that Annie has both a normal baby bottle and one shaped like a boat - and that is only the beginning of her water-connected choices in life.
Interesting facts
In the story, the theme of colonization is conveyed. England has colonized Antigua, and has reconstructed its society. This is seen when the reader is introduced to Miss George and Miss Edward, teachers at Annie's school, whom are both named after English kings. Antigua in return, strongly dislikes England for disposing of its native culture.Annie John originally had its chapters published in The New Yorker; because of this, each chapter contains a strong plot on its own. When the stories were combined into Annie John, Jamaica Kincaid uses Annie John as a strong narrator in order to connect each one to each other.
Water is consistently used throughout the novel to depict the separation between Annie John and her mother.
The novel never directly talks about Annie John's sexuality; however, it can be inferred that she is actually homosexual due to her love she feels for other girls. Annie John never talks about loving any male, and when asked about marriage, she despises the idea.
Asked if the relationship between Annie and Gwen was meant to suggest “lesbian tendencies,” Kincaid replied, “No…I think I am always surprised that people interpret it so literally. The relationship between Gwen and Annie is really a practicing relationship. It’s about how things work. It’s like learning to walk. Always there is the sense that they would go on to lead heterosexual lives. Whatever happened between then, homosexuality would not be a serious thing because it is just practicing,” (Vorda 94).