"Girl" - Silent Discussion by Katheryn Schrier

142231_9 — 2025-10-17 17:14:15 UTC

A young girl being shamed and told how to be more like a 'lady' and less like a embarrassment to the title of a 'lady'

154141_3 — 2025-10-17 17:14:18 UTC

the use of multiple semi colons to create an almost endless sentence highlights the endless amount of expectations and rules forced onto women

relationship with narrator

2025-10-17 17:14:23 UTC

who is the narrator speaking to? is it a specific person or just girls in general?

2025-10-17 17:14:30 UTC

The structure of the whole piece is very overbearing and it really reflects on how the girl's mother acts towards her. The sentences are very long and repetitive like how a mother will tell a child to do things over and over again.

the narrator

1423403 — 2025-10-17 17:15:12 UTC

the narrator is critical of herself and appeals to what others want and think, shown through how she talks about how to smile at others in certain situations.

142231_9 — 2025-10-17 17:15:25 UTC

Does it mention anything about a specific place or time?

2025-10-17 17:15:40 UTC

Is the setting found through what action the narrator is describing?

At the beginning of the story when the girl is washing the while clothes the white clothes represent purity

2025-10-17 17:16:03 UTC

2025-10-17 17:16:12 UTC

The repetition of the phrase "this is how" shows a general conformity among women in this community's culture

Narrator

143073_4 — 2025-10-17 17:16:25 UTC

Is the Narrator just a summary of these rules or is she an actual person?

2025-10-17 17:16:28 UTC

The two interjections of the presumed daughter allow her to defend herself or ask for clarification, such as "but I don't sing benna on Sundays"

2025-10-17 17:16:45 UTC

A young girl is being taught how to behave like a girl and live like one to avoid being called out and embarrassment.

2025-10-17 17:17:14 UTC

The structure of having everything in one sentence, subjects separated by only semicolons, is being used to emphasize the overwhelming amount of expectations that young women have.

2025-10-17 17:17:41 UTC

Is the setting significant to the story and how her mother lectures/tells her how to behave?

142231_9 — 2025-10-17 17:17:56 UTC

through the use of semi-colons, it is continuous and almost seems never ending. Also told through one big paragraph instead of multiple ones

At the beginning of the story when the girl is washing the white clothes the white clothes represent purity

2025-10-17 17:18:10 UTC

2025-10-17 17:18:37 UTC

Is the narrator living with the person she is referring to because the passage seems like a long letter sent to tell her about what to do and not to do?

2025-10-17 17:18:41 UTC

The use of semicolons creating a series/list exemplifies all that must be done to meet the criteria of a girl and fulfill the expected duties. "this is how you sweep a corner; this is how you sweep a whole house"

2025-10-17 17:19:03 UTC

The repetition of the phrase "This is how" reveals the gender roles limit the women's choice to freely express. Silencing their individuality and personal identity.

1423403 — 2025-10-17 17:19:08 UTC

is the setting meant to show the time period and how women would be judged based on their actions in this time?

2025-10-17 17:19:13 UTC

setting is described through the actions described by the narrator such as "singing benna" or making "doukona"

2025-10-17 17:19:26 UTC

While discussing respsonsibilities the speaker mentions having to "iron your father's khaki shirt so tht it doesn't have a crease;this is how you iron your father's khaki pants so that they dont have a crease" (14). The repetition in sentence structure with the change of the type of clothing, the father's pants and the father's shirt, highlights the societal expectation that woman should take care of not only thee own needs but also the needs of men in their life. This displays the unfair societal expectations of woman.

2025-10-17 17:19:57 UTC

is the narrator a mother figure or society?

2025-10-17 17:20:59 UTC

Why does the text change to italics in line 34?

2025-10-17 17:21:08 UTC

The setting gives context to what the narrator is saying and why these are customary in this community. for example it mentions "Sunday school" so religious beliefs are significant ect.

2025-10-17 17:21:25 UTC

The mother character feels like dominating by telling her what to do it almost feels like the narration is less compared to the mother's dialogue. Or is the girl narrator?

The use of long sentences and semi colons create a long and overwhelming tone that represents how society views women and all the pressures that are expected of them

2025-10-17 17:21:31 UTC

2025-10-17 17:22:11 UTC

Juxtaposition was frequently used but one that stood out to me: "this is how to make doukona; this is how to make a pepper pot." What does this mean in the context of the story? Why do we care about being able to cook a variety of food (sweet, savory, etc.)?

2025-10-17 17:22:13 UTC

Could the inclusion of going to church or foods such as okra be used to imply this story takes place in the American South?

2025-10-17 17:22:27 UTC

Semicolons throughout the story display the never ending nature of the high expectations of woman within society.

Could "don't walk bare-head in the hot sun" (2) be part of the setting?

2025-10-17 17:22:44 UTC

1423403 — 2025-10-17 17:22:52 UTC

the repetition in the story is meant to show a constant stream of thought or maybe show into the mind. this is seen when simple sentences are divided by semicolons rather then periods. "this is how you set a table for tea; this is how you set a table for dinner"

2025-10-17 17:22:58 UTC

The mother character feels dominating and controlling the little girls choices and limiting her individuality and personal identity due to the gender roles limiting their choices.

154141_3 — 2025-10-17 17:23:19 UTC

the narrator is a young girl who acts with the intention of following the rules laid down by her mother

2025-10-17 17:23:29 UTC

Could the lack of a stated setting be intentional to focus the reader on the message of gender norms as a whole?

143195_2 — 2025-10-17 17:23:38 UTC

The main character is a young girl learning how to be the best woman or wife she can be. The repeated use of the phrase "this is how" shows the girl learning about house chores that women are assumed to do. The narrator also seems critical and urgent that the girls learns these things by the repeated phrase "Like the slut you are so bent on becoming," making it seem like they want to avoid the idea of a future woman becoming shameful or embarrassing.

2025-10-17 17:23:47 UTC

Could the days of the week towards the beggining to describe the setting have a significant meaning to the story?

1423403 — 2025-10-17 17:23:57 UTC

is the narrator a person or maybe the thoughts of other people towards certain topics?

2025-10-17 17:24:23 UTC

This entire passage seems to be made of one long sentence broken down by semi colons. Why was it written this way? Why were the daughter's internal thoughts not separated from the rest of the text?

2025-10-17 17:24:35 UTC

The narrator is obsessive about the fact that they don't want the girl to become a "slut" so maybe the narrator was perceived this way and is trying to protect the girl.

143073_4 — 2025-10-17 17:25:21 UTC

Does the narrator indirectly mentioning certain aspects of life reveal what is taboo to talk about in this society? Specifically the "this is how to catch a fish line."

2025-10-17 17:25:21 UTC

Whoever the narrator may be is very keen on characterizing most girls as potential sluts. The text reads "Slut you are so bent on becoming" (7-8) or "They won't recognize immediately the slut I have warned against you becoming" (23-24).

2025-10-17 17:25:24 UTC

The setting feels it is referring to the religious for example this quote "is It true that you sing benna in Sunday school?" as it representing connection to religious beliefs.

154141_3 — 2025-10-17 17:25:46 UTC

the narrator recites the phrase "the slut you are so bent on becoming" multiple times as either a criticism towards women who act that way or to serve as a reminder to herself that she isn't meant to act like one

2025-10-17 17:26:42 UTC

The italicized interjections that are presumably just thoughts highlight that the girl is possibly frightened of her mother, possibly because the mother's expectations are high, and she shouldn't argue. This could also serve as a way to show how she is oppressed as a woman.

2025-10-17 17:27:13 UTC

Do you think the narrator like the girl because she is calling her "slut" while giving her all these rule to guide her?

2025-10-17 17:28:09 UTC

Semicolons throughout the story display the ongoing sentence throughout the whole story and also revealing the high expectations of an women duty and behavior within society. It is almost like women are expected to behave in a certain way.

2025-10-17 17:28:25 UTC

Interrogative sentences such as "sing benna at Sunday school?" or "what if the baker won't let e feel the bread?" are used in between a list of instructions. Why were they placed in between this long list?

2025-10-17 17:29:07 UTC

Is the narrator the little girl who is observing the mother's dialogue on how to behave and how to do things?

2025-10-17 17:29:10 UTC

could the narration actual be an internal monologue? like the girls thoughts on line 34/35 aren't separated from the text nor in quotes and it's presented in a first person pov (9) so the narrator shouldn't know the thoughts of the girl

154141_3 — 2025-10-17 17:29:24 UTC

the scarce use of italicized sentences as the narrators thoughts act as a break in the list of expectations where the narrator can voice her true feelings about the expectations forced onto her

2025-10-17 17:30:02 UTC

Is there any significance to the phrase "This is how a man" on line thirty one. Specifically the letter a instead of a statement of "to" or "you" followed by an action.

154141_3 — 2025-10-17 17:31:26 UTC

Do the last 3 lines where a "Baker" and "bread" are mentioned have any significance or meaning?

2025-10-17 17:31:29 UTC

the narrator is obsessive with the thought of an outward image. "prevent yourself from looking like the slut I know you are" "so they wont recognize immediately the slut I have warned you against becoming"

143195_2 — 2025-10-17 17:31:57 UTC

I think the repetition of the phrase "this is how" makes the texts seem like instructions, which gives the passage a stressful tone that shows the pressure women have in the everyday world.

2025-10-17 17:32:22 UTC

How does the daughter feel about these instructions? She does not respond much, so is she scared by this conversation or is she internalizing it?

The narrator feels like she must follow social norms and social rules

2025-10-17 17:33:06 UTC

2025-10-17 17:33:07 UTC

the narrator presents her values as the only way to do things saying "this is how" showing a very controlling nature/feeling from the narrator.

2025-10-17 17:33:17 UTC

I think the repetition could also be represented as a commanding tone on what to do and what not to do at the same time she cares for her daughter so she wouldn't go that way.