Comparison and Contrast of “Girl” and “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” Over a lifetime a person is forced to make many decisions. The way a person lives their life is that individual’s decision. Often times, one choice is better than another, yet society doesn’t always support what is best. In the poem “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” by Adrienne Rich, and the short story "Girl" written by Jamaica Kincaid, illustrates the ways women reacts to a society dominated by men, and how their lives are molded by different decisions they make. A woman can simply ignore the restraints they face and suffer the consequences, or she can take a stand, challenge her authority, and enjoy the life she deserves. In Adrienne Rich’s poem, "Aunt Jennifer’s Tiger,” one could assume that the poem is about a woman, who is saddened by her husband’s death. So, the woman knits a magnificent panel that has tigers on it to remind her of her husband because she misses him. But actually, Aunt Jennifer is creating this panel because she desires to be brave, just like a tiger surviving in the wild. Tigers have energy. They are fearless creatures that are free to roam and do not fear men. Aunt Jennifer’s is a woman whose soul burns with creative fire and passion; but she has been defined by the rules of others for some time that she is unable to express herself. Her role in society is decided by a patriarchy; which means society is male dominated and women should occupy the margins (Webster). Aunt Jennifer feels like she is unable to rise. She is a caged bird who doesn’t know how to fly anymore. She has taken the role that society has assigned to her, without question. When Rich describes “The massive weight of Uncles wedding band, Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand,” (Rich 7-8) the mood of the poem becomes clear. The tone went from being in high spirits to low-spirited and sorrowful. Rich also wrote when “Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie, still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.” (Rich 9-10) this suggest that Aunt Jennifer was probably nothing to her husband, and was not looking forward to someday seeing her husband again in the after-life. The wedding ring symbolizes the responsibilities of her marriage that is weighing her down and keeping her from doing the things she wants. It’s safe to say, Aunt Jennifer was a victim of her husband, who caused her to live a life without say or freedom. Her husband is suggested to be dominating. Rich emphasizes on colors, such as topaz denizens of the world of green (Rich 2) or the ivory needles. (Rich 6) Aunt Jennifer is visioning and creating this better world in her imagination filled with color and warmth, because in reality her colors are so lifeless and dull. The only thing that makes it possible for her to see the world in a brighter light is in her panel or just knitting in general. Art is her way to escape, even if it is just for a moment. In Jamaica Kincaid’s short story, “Girl” is also a feminist piece of literature. It expresses how women- in this case, the mother as the speaker- becomes subjects of their own marginalization by consenting to the society’s dictates of that they should be and how they should act. The mother gives her daughter instructions on what she needs to do and how she should act now that she is a woman. The mother displays a sense of authority in order to get the girl to listen. The mother is harsh, but straightforward. She repeatedly tells the girl that she mustn’t do this and don't do that. She also tells the girl things like this are how you should do something instead of that. For example, the mother says, “this is how you smile to someone you don’t like, this is how to smile to someone you don’t like at all, and this is how you smile to someone you like completely”(Kincaid 44). It was a pleasant way of clarifying to the girl how women should go about doing their daily task. Jacqueline Austin, who is a hyper-educated cyberian and a writer herself; views the relationship between the mother and daughter as very mechanical. Austin points out the conversation between the two were almost “in a rhythm so strong it seemed to be hypnosis, aimed at magically chanting out bits of the subconscious. (Austin 7). By being instructive, the mother expects a lot out of her daughter. She also cares about her and wants to see her become a successful woman. There are striking similarities between “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” and "Girl. “ The women in Kincaid’s and Rich’s work illustrates that if they do things labeled as feminine they will become an ideal female and exert femininity. Another very big similarity is they both follow the rules of society. For example, “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” was written in 1951. During this period of time, there was a huge difference in gender roles. If a woman was unhappy, divorce was not an option. It was simply frowned upon. In “Girl” the mother is teaching her daughter the importance of proper manners and how a woman should perform daily task. The mother stresses that if daughter did things other than the way she was told; she would be considered to have no morals or values and would not be accepted. The authors wanted to show how women valued the importance of being accepted by society, especially men. This gives an idea that the girls role is completely different than that of boys. Jamaica Kincaid wanted to show women were made to be overassertive around the house but only to become compelled by every situation that occurs, but does not mean that she would be able to rule the man or even have equal status in the house or in their society as a whole. This is also similar in “Aunt Jennifer’s Tiger.” Aunt Jennifer must remain with her husband, even if that means being miserable for the rest of her life. In both pieces of work, the reflection of a social structure is apparent; what society was like, what women were able to do, and what they were not allowed to do. There are also many differences between “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” and “Girl.” One of the many differences is the character. The daughter that the mother is speaking to in “Girl” might have possibly contested against the behavior of her mother. The daughter’s statements may be defenses and resistance against the mother’s will. For example, the girl says, “but I don’t sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school” (Kincaid 44) and then she also speaks at the end of the story, about “what if the baker won’t let me feel the bread? “(Kincaid 44) This could be seen as the daughter is from a different generation than her mother and may not need her mother’s advice. Or perhaps, question whether or not the girl has already done something that her mother disapproves of which would be the reason why the mother is lecturing her. On the other hand, the mother and Aunt Jennifer follow all the rules and would not dare step out of line. It’s either black or white. There are no gray areas. There are also differences between the mother and Aunt Jennifer. The mother in “Girl” is very powerful and outspoken. She has complete control of the situation and her life. She knows what is right and wrong. Aunt Jennifer on the other hand has no say or power, especially over her marriage even though she is unhappy she would rather stay in the marriage and suffer. Men on many levels view women differently. There are those who view women as delicate flowers and princesses. Men would do anything for them. Then there are those who view women as slaves, who are suppose to wait on them hand and foot, with nothing return. Majority of women have been ignored throughout society and is apparent in Kincaid’s short story and Rich’s poem. Women during these times held no serious position in society other than being wives, mothers, and lovers. Over time women have been moving up in society. A lot of women nowadays are more independent and don’t need or want a man holding them back or dictating their lives. They are beginning to take control of their lives. Women are no different than men. They deserve equal respect and attention too. The idea of the poem and the short story are not completely pessimistic. They can also be viewed as a celebration of the potential of women. Aunt Jennifer may have been repressed and timid but she visions tigers that were proud and unafraid these tigers and her spirits will live beyond her death. The mother and the daughter also show the strength, dedication, and hard work that women face. Both pieces of work represent women from the entire world that was caught up in an oppressive society. It is important for everyone to realize the obstacles that these women faced and understand that even though a woman’s role has improved today, there are still women who are fighting for their independence. “Girl” and “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” illustrates with power and change. They should speak to women, letting them know that their voices are important and to never let their dreams die. No one, including a man should have a bearing on a woman’s life.

Works Cited

Adrienne Rich, “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” ©2002 by Adrienne Rich. Copyright 1973 by W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. “Living in Sin” copyright 2002,1955 by Adrienne Rich. Reprinted by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC. Burto, William, and William E. Cain. Chapter 21/”Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers" An Introduction to Literature. By Sylvan Barnet. 16th ed. Glenview: Pearson Education, 2011. 641. Print. Freeman, Barbara Claire. The Feminine Sublime: Gender and Excess in Women's Fiction. Berkeley: University of California, 1995. Print. Keohane, Nannerl O., Michelle Zimbalist. Rosaldo, and Barbara Charlesworth. Gelpi. Feminist Theory: A Critique of Ideology. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1982. Print. Jacqueline Austin, "Up from Eden," Village Voice Literary Supplement, 34 (April 1985), p. 7. Jamaica Kincaid, “Girl” from At the Bottom of the River by Jamaica Kincaid. Copyright 1983 by Jamaica Kincaid. Reprinted by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC. Burto, William, and William E. Cain. Chapter 2/"Girl" An Introduction to Literature. By Sylvan Barnet. 16th ed. Glenview: Pearson Education, 2011. 43-44. Print. "Patriarchy." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. .