Shock Value
“Donuts. Is there anything they can't do?” (Homer Simpson) Many times, the first sentence of an essay or the first paragraph of an essay really get your attention and makes you want to read the rest of the essay. One way to get the attention of a reader is write something or do something shocking. Jamaica Kincaid in her writing “Girl” uses shocking word choice to grab the attention of the reader and make the mother look bad so that she can make a point about conclusions people make about each other and how the ends justify the means. Jamaica Kincaid finds a way in her writing to use shocking words, which one would think scare people away, to reel in her audience. For most people, something surprising or not expected snatches their attention. Many times, people are attracted or intrigued by something that stands out from the norm. Kincaid uses strong and thought inspiring words that resonate with a reader. For example, one of the most shocking word choices in this story is “slut.” Many times the mom says to her daughter, “to prevent yourself from looking like the slut I know you are so bent on becoming”(313).