Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid is the coming-of-age story of a young Antiguan girl who traces her physical and psychological journey from an idyllic childhood to adulthood and a quest for freedom. . Kincaid's narrative is a contemplative progress toward individuality and self-awareness that arises from internal struggle, loss of hope, and the need to sever the bonds of love. Annie's desire for identity and independence arises from her disillusionment with her mother's love; she realizes that only a great physical distance from her mother and her familiar environment can allow her to free herself and establish her own identity. The mother-daughter relationship is an essential theme that runs through the bittersweet narrative to explore the cause of Annie's desire. for freedom. This relationship was beautiful when Annie was a little child: enveloped in her mother's tender love, Annie lived in a fulfilled and secure world. As she grows up, the harmony and unconditional love – “Paradise” (25) of childhood are threatened by her mother's apparent loss of love and Annie suffers a mental upheaval. Her emotions are turned upside down – pain, indignation, anger and resentment conflict with the love and dependence she has always known. From his inner conflicts arises the need to assert himself and test invisible limits. She aspires to independence and finally makes a momentous choice by leaving her family and her native country for distant England. Annie's emotional difficulties as a teenager finally give her the courage to dare to live alone. Annie's difficulties begin in early adolescence when her mother's behavior changes. As an only child, when she was little, she was the sole holder of her mother's adoration - "no little p...... middle of paper...... uh mother as stimulus for his quest for freedom and self-awareness. Annie's means of achieving independence of mind and body and her ultimate separation from her mother show us a spirit that seeks to be independent of the chains of love. Interestingly, the bond of love that initially binds him and prevents his individuality from surfacing is not his mother's love but his own love for his mother. But hardened by the loss of hope and the knowledge that her greatest weakness is her love, Annie finally finds the strength to walk away. Tired of adults' dictates about how she should behave and equally tired of her own admonishments, Annie wants space to listen to the wishes of her own heart. In traveling outward, Annie truly journeys inward to find her deeper self, distinct from the image her mother, friends, and teachers wanted to see in her...