je pense doc je suis

Jamaica Kincaid's Lucy chronicles the life of the protagonist, Lucy, over her first year in America as an au pair. The author herself came to America as an au pair. Kincaid originally published the novel as installments in the New Yorker; the novel is arranged into five episodic chapters. Lucy narrates her story by interspersing flashbacks, dreams, and internal dialogue. The product is a nonlinear narrative that flows smoothly between past and present because of the strength of Lucy's voice and Kincaid's craft.

Upon arriving in America, Lucy finds everything new, from the weather to the refrigerator. Lucy feels an influx of unexpected emotions. When she left home, she expected to feel excitement and relief rather than homesickness. In order to comfort herself, Lucy dreams of her grandmother's cooking.

Lucy likes the family she works for. Lewis, the father, is a successful lawyer, and his wife Mariah is a willing guide and source of support for Lucy throughout her adjustment. Mariah and Lewis yearn to expose Lucy not only to new things but also to new concepts. For example, after Lucy tells the family about a dream full of sexual imagery in which she was naked and running away from Lewis, they realize that she would better grasp the dream's implications if she had encountered Freud. Throughout her time with the family, Lewis and Mariah buy Lucy not only a book on Freud but also a myriad of other books on various topics such as photography and feminism.

March comes around, and Mariah is looking forward to spring. Daffodils are one of Mariah's favorite flowers, but Lucy despises them even though she has never seen them. As a child Lucy was made to memorize a poem about them. Although she recited the poem perfectly, she deeply resented it. Back in the present, Mariah is busy making plans for the family's summer trip to the lake house, and Lucy meets her new best friend Peggy. Peggy helps her get acclimated to American culture, but she is a bad example and is