Girl

by

Jamaica Kincaid

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Bare-head Term Analysis

To go without wearing a head wrap. Head wraps are a common accessory worn by many Black Caribbean women. The wearing of head wraps is a tradition passed down from West African women who were brought to the islands as slaves. The wearing of head wraps is a symbol of feminine modesty, but it is also a way to avoid the exposure of kinky hair. Mother tells the girl not to go “bare-head in the hot sun” to prevent her hair, which was probably straightened, from curling due to the heat and humidity.

Bare-head Quotes in Girl

The Girl quotes below are all either spoken by Bare-head or refer to Bare-head. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Gender and Domesticity Theme Icon
).
Girl Quotes

Don’t walk bare-head in the hot sun.

Related Characters: Mother (speaker), Girl
Page Number: 3
Explanation and Analysis:
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