Jamaica Kincaid’s second novel,

, is a continuation of sorts to her previous novel,

, which documented a young girl’s coming-of-age in the West Indies, as well as her increasing alienation from her family and, in particular, her mother.

continues this story by having the protagonist (not explicitly Annie John, but the associations are difficult to ignore) leave the island to become an

for a wealthy Chicago couple with three children. Ostensibly, this is so she can take nursing classes at night, and eventually return to the island with a respectable position. However, as the novel progresses, Lucy chooses to abandon her former life, refusing to open any of her mother’s letters (which contain news of her father’s death), ditching school, and exploring a…

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Citation: Grasso, Joshua. "Lucy". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 04 August 2023 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=3807, accessed 24 November 2024.]

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