Girl Poem - Questions

1. Who do you infer is the narrator? Who is he or she speaking to? Support your answer with specific details from the story.

When I began to read the poem, the narrator sounded like that could have been her mother, her sense of tone and her demanding request made it seem like it could be the mother speaking to the girl.

2. Describe at least two specific instructions the narrator gives? Why do you think she gives these instructions?
One specific instruction that was given to the girl was to walk like a lady on Sundays and not like the slut she is, another instruction was for her to stay away from wharf-rat boys. She gave these instruction's because she wanted to make sure Jamaica was at her very best every Sunday and she wanted to make sure she stayed away from boys who would distract her and do her no good.

3. Find the two sentences in the story that are in italics. Why do you think they are in italics?
"but I don't sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school" I think the reason why it was in italics was because that was Jamaica talking to the narrator.
4. What can you infer about the setting of this story?
That it was in a different time period where younger girls had more responsibilities than they do today.
5. What tasks or chores does the narrator associate with being a girl? Support your answer with specific details from the story.
Doing the laundry, having to cook and making sure she holds her self like a respectful young lady.
6. What behaviors do you think the narrator associates with being a girl? Support your answer with specific details from the story.

7. What is the listener’s reaction to the narrator? What is the narrator’s reaction to the listener? 

The listeners reaction seems to be overwhelmed yet calm and the narrators reaction is a bit more demanding.

8. If a girl follows all of these instructions, what kind of person do you think she will become? In what ways could a girl establish her individuality if she follows all these rules?

I believe if a girl were to follow all of these instructions she will grow up to be a responsible woman. Teaching young ladies how to handle their priorities allows them to absorb it at a young age so that they can be able to handle responsibilities on their own later on in life.