Girl, Woman, Other

Evaristo uses the vast complexity of Black British womanhood as an example of human diversity. The structure and interlocking narratives of Girl, Woman, Other imply an overarching theme of human connectivity and Interdependence. As Evaristo unspools the fate of each character, it becomes clear that one character’s life trajectory would not be possible without several other characters. This weaving of storylines posits that humans are always connected, however tangentially. These connections build throughout the novel, culminating in Penelope’s discovery of her birth mother as Hattie, which both exposes and assuages her prejudices. Evaristo writes, “[W]ho cares about her colour? […] [W]hy on earth did Penelope ever think it mattered?” (452). Penelope’s narrative arc embodies the idea that bonds of family can heal prejudice.

However, this tree-branch narrative structure also highlights the negative aspects of human interconnectivity, most notably through Slim’s discovery of Hattie’s ancestors’ accumulation of wealth through the trade of enslaved Africans. That Hattie’s paternal relatives’ contributed to the very industries that enslaved and exploited Slim’s ancestors reveals the complex inherited traumas and lingering effects of colonialism. Lennox’s affair with Shirley’s mother, Winsome, likewise posits that there are more connections between people than they care to know.