Tell Me More, Tell Me More!

I feel as if there is a chapter missing from Lucy. I was sort of disappointed with the last chapter of the book because I feel as if we, the reader, are missing a part of Lucy's growth--both as a character and as a person. I realize that oftentimes it is hard to pin point exactly where it is in life we realize we have "grown up," but I wanted Jamaica Kincaid to give me more. The best part of the chapter that gave me the previously mentioned idea is on page 134 when Lucy states, "But the things I could not see about myself, the things I could not put my hands on--those things had changed, and I did not yet know them well. I understood that I was inventing myself . . ." (134). I think Kincaid could have made this shorter work of fiction a true novel--a good, long novel. I would be happier with Lucy's character if I could just get to know her a little more; if I could just get more about who she is and how she is going to continue to grow. I guess I just feel as if Kincaid picked me up by giving me this nicely written work of fiction but then just dropped me, at the exact time I wanted to read more! The ending, at least for myself, gave me the sense of a loss of hope--we are left with Lucy crying in SHAME at the thought of "[loving] someone so much that [she] would die from it" (164). I felt happy that Lucy had realized she was an adult, a woman, her OWN person and no longer a child, but at the same time I felt sad because I feel as if Lucy will never be able to truly love.