Summary of "The Moth" Podcast Episode: Jamaica Kincaid - The Letter

Introduction

In this captivating episode of The Moth, acclaimed author Jamaica Kincaid shares her poignant and deeply personal story titled "The Letter." Delivered live in Vermont in 2011, Kincaid's narrative explores complex family dynamics, cultural identity, and the longing for maternal connection. The theme of the night, "Building a Bridge," aptly reflects the emotional journey Kincaid undertakes to bridge the gaps between herself, her mother, and her aunt.

Early Family Dynamics and Mother-Sister Relationship

Kincaid begins her story by delving into her relationship with her mother and her mother's sister. She describes her mother as a graceful woman with long black hair, embodying the Caribbean side of her family, while her aunt, distinguished by her red hair and gray eyes, presents a stark contrast.

“Like most people in the world. I had a mother and she had a sister and they were very unlike each other. And so they quarreled all the time.”
[02:30]

Kincaid highlights the constant quarrels between her mother and aunt, primarily conducted through letters. These letters, written in proper English, masked their verbal disagreements conducted in French patois, a language Kincaid couldn't understand. This linguistic divide added a layer of mystery and tension to their relationship.

“The letters that they sent to each other were written in English, proper English. But the language they spoke, the spoken language, was French patois.”
[04:10]

Arrival in Dominica and Life with Her Aunt

At the age of nine, Kincaid is sent to live with her aunt in Dominica following an incident involving her younger brother. Her departure marks the beginning of her struggle to adapt to a new environment vastly different from her mother's Antigua.

“I was put on a boat with my little valise with my little things in it. I was put on a boat.”
[05:45]

Dominica, named after its discovery by Christopher Columbus on a Sunday, is portrayed as a bleak and perpetually rainy island, contrasting sharply with the sunny Antigua. Kincaid describes Dominica as “all the things my mother had described,” making her feel isolated and longing for her mother's presence.

“It rained all the time. The beaches had no sand. They had little black pebbles because the island is volcanic.”
[07:20]

Living with her aunt, Kincaid experiences a loss of the refined upbringing she enjoyed with her mother. Her aunt's coarse demeanor and lack of the bourgeois manners that characterized her mother's household deepen her sense of displacement.

“My aunt seemed incredibly coarse to me. She didn't have my mother's graceful ways.”
[08:35]

The Secret Letters and Miscommunication

Desperate to bridge the emotional distance from her mother, Kincaid begins writing letters that express false grievances against her aunt. These letters, which she never sends, are her way of communicating her true feelings of neglect and longing.

“I would write to my mother things that were not true. I would say that my aunt had mistreated me, had denied me food, had made me go without sleep.”
[09:50]

She secretively places these fabricated letters under a stone near her home, hoping to convey her distress. However, her aunt uncovers this act, leading to increased tension and eventual punishment.

“Apparently one day my aunt saw me do this without my knowing. She saw me secrete these pieces of paper under a stone and she let me go off to school, but she retrieved them.”
[11:15]

Return to Antigua and Reflections

Kincaid's persistent efforts to reconnect with her mother, despite the misunderstandings and conflicts, ultimately lead to her return to Antigua. However, reuniting with her mother is bittersweet, as she now has a younger brother, further complicating their relationship.

“I arrived in Antigua and waiting for me on the pier was my mother and I was very happy to see her. Except that yes, she had another child.”
[12:05]

Her story concludes with a reflection on the unbridgeable gaps that sometimes exist within families, despite the desire to connect and understand one another.

Conclusion

Jamaica Kincaid's "The Letter" is a moving exploration of familial bonds, cultural identity, and the complexities of communication. Through her evocative storytelling, Kincaid invites listeners to empathize with her experiences of longing, misunderstanding, and ultimately, the fragile attempts to bridge emotional divides.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• “Like most people in the world. I had a mother and she had a sister and they were very unlike each other. And so they quarreled all the time.”
  [02:30]

• “The letters that they sent to each other were written in English, proper English. But the language they spoke, the spoken language, was French patois.”
  [04:10]

• “I was put on a boat with my little valise with my little things in it. I was put on a boat.”
  [05:45]

• “It rained all the time. The beaches had no sand. They had little black pebbles because the island is volcanic.”
  [07:20]

• “My aunt seemed incredibly coarse to me. She didn't have my mother's graceful ways.”
  [08:35]

• “I would write to my mother things that were not true. I would say that my aunt had mistreated me, had denied me food, had made me go without sleep.”
  [09:50]

• “Apparently one day my aunt saw me do this without my knowing. She saw me secrete these pieces of paper under a stone and she let me go off to school, but she retrieved them.”
  [11:15]

• “I arrived in Antigua and waiting for me on the pier was my mother and I was very happy to see her. Except that yes, she had another child.”
  [12:05]

About Jamaica Kincaid

Jamaica Kincaid is an award-winning writer born in Antigua. She resides in North Bennington, Vermont during summers and teaches at Claremont McKenna College in California during the academic year. Kincaid is known for her powerful storytelling and exploration of themes such as identity, family, and displacement.

Additional Information

• The Moth's first book, a collection of 50 moth stories, is scheduled for release on September 3rd. Pre-orders are available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBooks, and IndieBound.
• The Moth Mainstage is returning to St. Paul on Friday, November 8th, presented by Minnesota Public Radio. For tickets and tour information, visit themoth.org.

This summary provides an overview of Jamaica Kincaid's story "The Letter" as presented on The Moth podcast. For the full experience, listening to the original podcast episode is highly recommended.