The story revolves around the competition between an elderly grandmother from Barbados and her young granddaughter from America. Although separated by seventy years, they quickly notice an uncanny resemblance to each other. This bond is based on their mutual stubbornness and steadfast conviction that their view of the world is the right one.

Both characters are conscious of and actively participate in this rivalry. Da-duh brings the wisdom that comes with her age and life experiences, while the narrator carries the fearless confidence of youth. Da-duh takes pride in her environment, proudly displaying her land filled with lush plants, trees, and sugar cane fields. In contrast, the narrator boasts about the technological progress of the modern world, which leaves Da-duh confused and unable to fully comprehend her granddaughter’s tales of life in New York. The story concludes with the narrator winning this rivalry, a victory tinged with sadness, as she realizes it came at the expense of her grandmother's defeat.

As the oldest and youngest figures in the narrative, Da-duh and the narrator embody the passage of time and its recurring nature. In the final paragraph, Marshall states, ‘‘She died and I lived’’; this suggests that the role Da-duh once played within the family has now been inherited by the narrator. Da-duh's passing paves the way for her granddaughter, symbolizing the unavoidable change and evolution of the world.

The relationship between the grandmother and granddaughter also demonstrates how time alters the world, often leaving older generations behind. The granddaughter’s triumph by the end of her visit signifies that the world, in many ways, now belongs to the younger generation. This idea is further stressed by Da-duh’s eventual death, indicating that there is no longer a place for her in the contemporary world, necessitating her exit.

The grandmother and granddaughter, both strong-willed, engage in a competition to assert the superiority of their respective worlds. Da-duh praises the beauty and wonder of the natural environment, while her granddaughter supports the marvels of the urban, technological world. Da-duh is daunted by the complexities of the modern world; during a truck ride through Bridgetown, she holds the narrator’s hand tightly. Yet, she finds comfort and security when back in the countryside among the sugar cane fields. The granddaughter, used to the liveliness of one of the world's most bustling cities, is unimpressed by these rural landscapes. To her, the sugar canes—which have sustained the Barbadian economy for centuries—are merely oversized weeds.

Da-duh and the narrator spend much of their time together exploring the island. Da-duh points out all the island’s remarkable sights—the fruit-bearing trees and plants, the tropical forests, and the majestic royal palm. These natural features are precious to Da-duh and represent Barbados's agricultural heritage. In contrast, the narrator demonstrates the dances she has learned from movies and the songs played on the radio. She boasts about the various machines and technologies available in New York, such as kitchen appliances, trolleys, subways, and electricity—symbols of a modern, urban world. The narrator ultimately triumphs in their friendly rivalry by describing the Empire State Building, which was the tallest building in the world at the time and celebrated as an architectural wonder.

For centuries, Barbados was under British colonial rule. Historically, the land was owned by a privileged white minority, while enslaved Africans worked tirelessly, generating wealth for their owners. Although emancipation was declared in Barbados in 1838, the power dynamics largely remained the same, with whites maintaining control and conditions for Africans changing little.

Many elements of ‘‘To Da-duh, in Memoriam’’ mirror this historical context....