Kincaid By Thomas Hardy

A lack of perspective on any subject matter often muddles one’s understanding and sense of sympathy in regards to the conditions and personal experiences of others. Without this exposure, it makes it more difficult to remain educated on the issues some people may not have to face, which can lead to the disenfranchisement of these voices. However, even when someone is unable to directly relate to what is being said to them, the capacity to listen remains, allowing the other party to ponder how and why these advantages and disadvantages are placed, especially when there are societal conditions, such as gender, that create this distinct divide between people who are and are not effected by certain attitudes on a daily basis. Literature, as well
Therefore, there are different possibilities the reader could interpret, and there are multiple options that still support Kincaid’s writing. First, aligning with the nature of a list of commands, the narrator could be through the perspective of those that surround this young woman in her life, offering advice or demands to keep her within the confines of what a woman is supposed to be like. This is further supported by how the poem often breaks up from its flow, interruptions indicated by the use of italics: “…but I don’t sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school” (12-13). These interruptions could possibly be this young woman that is on the receiving end of these commands in an attempt to speak up and better her genuinely taxing position. Having the poetic narrator be a person or group of people who are significant to this girl’s life enforces the message of how women are often policed to act a certain way. Second, taking influence from the poem’s structure, the poem could be from the girl’s point of view. It is not a far-off idea to have the girl repeat this list of commands to herself. Taking this into account, it harkens back to the poem’s layout, eliminating line breaks, fitting a stream of consciousness on the narrator’s part. This makes the lines that refer to her dress being as if she were a slut
However, this should not inhibit the reader’s ability to comprehend the poem’s themes or to potentially learn from them, either by gaining a new insight on these matters or to have something to relate with. Kincaid seemed to have purposefully left details of the narrator out to strengthen any account of relatability readers may have with the poem because she knew that the contents of the poem would connect with people in one way or another. A poem of this caliber benefits from every decision the writer has made whilst writing it, particularly regarding the poem’s structure, or lack thereof. Excluding line breaks allows the reader to go through the poem with minimal interruptions, expediting the chance of engaging the reader, which greatly benefits Kincaid as a content creator. Aside from writing a well-written and powerful poem, Kincaid managed to deliver important themes to her readers, themes that could potentially stick, develop, or educate readers, and that type of success is a feat all on its