Jamaica Kincaid's novel Lucy revolves, in large part, around the immigration and acclimation experiences of the main character, who leaves her small Caribbean island to forge a new life in New York. . Yet there is another woman among the characters in this novel who is equally important to the development of the plot, and that person is Mariah, Lucy's employer. Mariah comes to represent a range of symbolic figures for Lucy over the course of the novel. Initially, Lucy sees her as a learned and accomplished woman who leads a comfortable and enviable life. However, over time, Lucy realizes how Mariah, despite her privileged position, lacks knowledge of the world beyond her own microcosm and basic skills. It is thanks to Mariah that Lucy manages to imagine a model for the person she would like to become, and it is also Mariah from whom she must free herself to become this person. In this way, Mariah is the agent and catalyst for Lucy's development. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay On the surface, Mariah seems to have the perfect life. She has a beautiful family consisting of herself, her handsome husband and their beautiful and charming daughters. Mariah and her husband are also wealthy, as evidenced not only by the fact that they can hire Lucy as an au pair, but also by the fact that they travel and have been to the Caribbean. But at first, what Lucy notices is that Mariah has a refrigerator so full that there's food left from the day before, and that the apartment building she lives in has an elevator - which Lucy didn't notice. never seen or used in its life. These are all outward markers of Mariah's success in living a particular good life. Lucy believes that Mariah and her husband are sincere when they invite her to "consider them my family and to make me feel at home" (p. 7). Despite Lucy's admiration for Mariah's seemingly perfect life, she does not immediately connect or intimately with Mariah. . For her part, Mariah is also fascinated by Lucy. She observes that Lucy has an interesting story and caresses Lucy's face in a tender gesture that perhaps exceeds the bounds of appropriate behavior. Mariah appears to be completely unaware of her privileged position and power, and while she does not have ill intentions towards Lucy, her actions do not take into account Lucy's cultural context, experiences, needs, and feelings. Mariah wants Lucy to see the world exactly the same way she does. One of the first and most defining moments in their relationship comes when Mariah tries to convince Lucy to see the daffodils the way she sees them. Lucy, however, has a different association with daffodils, one that Mariah simply cannot understand. She insists on showing Lucy the Great Lakes, the magic of spring, the zoo, and many sights and attractions Lucy has never seen. It's like Mariah wants to become mother Lucy; Lucy is so different and so lacking in certain experiences that she presents Mariah with an interesting and challenging project. Clearly, this is a project doomed to failure. Mariah and Lucy have radically different frames of reference. Mariah, unaware of the invisible privileges afforded to her by her social class, race, and nationality, is unable to see the world, its disappointments, and its dangers from Lucy's point of view. She knows little, if anything, about Lucy's country and culture of origin. In fact, it becomes painfully obvious to the reader familiar with postcolonial theory that Mariah knows very little about her own country and culture in terms,.