At the Bottom of the River

How does the Caribbean history of slavery and British colonialism influence the characters and their development (or lack thereof) in the story?

There are two “songs” that are presented in the text in italics, one sung by her father (66) and one by the school chorus (74). Research where these come from. How do they thematically impact the story?

Much of Jamaica Kincaid’s work has been placed in the genre of magical realism. What aspects of this story fit that genre, and how do her roots in the Caribbean influence this designation?