Ever find yourself wanting to go back and relive the self-discovery period of your childhood? If you are like most people, the answer is most likely: Yes because of the innocence and NO because of the discomfort of becoming an adult! When growing up, it is no surprise that the world of self discovery will intervene eventually. To many, the growing up period can represent a time of difficulty and uneasiness. So how about reliving this experience through a book instead? How you ask? By delving into the compelling novel Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid.

This story poses significant stances of what self-discovery is all about, and what it entails. Kincaid has most definitely written an excellent story about a girl named Annie John and the importance of self-discovery. Annie John loves being the center of attention in her “circle of friends”, and whenever she sees a chance to be talked about, she not only takes it, but clings on like a rock climber to a mountain. The story takes place in the Dominican Republic in the city on Antigua. Throughout the book Annie seems to develop an obsession for death evolving from her fear of death. This obsession forces her to go to funerals where she does not know who has passed. The reason Annie becomes completely intrigued by the idea of death, is because her mother sits her down and holds a deep discussion about it. From that moment on Annie, becomes fascinated with death, and ironically people around her begin dying suddenly.

Throughout the story Annie is set on rebelling against her mother, by lying about going to a funeral when she was supposed to pick up fish for her mother. Annie seems to be extremely set on disobeying her mother by doing things such as playing with marbles (which her mother doesn’t like).The reader can easily identify with Annie’s reactions and happenings that occur around her. This book aims to teach one about universal truths, knowledge, and experiences. This novel is extremely accessible, relatable, and proves to be a story about maturation. This also proves to be relatable because it allows the reader to mature and follow Annie’s chronicled life, and experiences by Kincaid birthing a vivid and luminous personality in Annie. Not only does Annie grow physically and mentally, but I believe the reader grows with Annie beginning from age ten until age seventeen.

This is a great story to connect to in terms of revisiting self discovery and childhood experiences. I believe that Kincaid does an impeccable job at communicating the importance of self discovery, and birthing a character that attests to be easy to associate with.

“I could not be sure for the rest of my life, I would be able to tell whether it was really my mother and when it was really her shadow standing between me and the rest of the world (Kincaid, 107).”