Jamaica Kincaid

Girl was written by Jamaica Kincaid and If was written by Rudyard Kipling. They are both poems about a mom telling her daughter what to do and a dad telling his son what to do. In the poem If the dad is talking to his son, giving him advice on how to be a man. Talking about the things the make a good man, honesty, virtue. If is written in a more traditional poem format. In the poem Girl the mom is talking to the daughter, giving her advice and instructions on how to sew, set the table and fish. This is written in one long sentence format, like the mom is speaking quickly sharing all her ideas. The similarity is that both parents are giving their children advice but in very different ways. They both seem to