Annie John

Compare and contrast Annie with her mother. In what ways do they conform to the society that oppresses them, and in what ways do they rebel? How does Annie’s life path paradoxically differ from and mirror that of her mother’s? Use examples from the text to support your response.

How does the author celebrate the actions of youthful rebels who resist the pressure to accept oppressive social mores?

Research Jamaica Kincaid’s biography to find significant similarities and differences between her life and Annie’s. To what extent is Annie John autobiographical? How might one account for the ways in which Annie differs materially from Kincaid? What do these differences contribute to the text?