A Small Place By Jamaica Kincaid

“You needn’t let that slightly funny feeling you have from time to time about exploitation, oppression, domination develop into full-fledged unease and discomfort; you could ruin your vacation” (Kincaid 10). In A Small Place, Jamaica Kincaid wrote about the repercussions of British rule in her country, Antigua. Antigua was controlled by the British until 1981 when they gained their independence. Due to Jamaica Kincaid’s experience in Antigua during its period of being under British colonial rule, she was able to explain Antigua and the effects of colonialism from the perspective of an Antiguan. When viewed through the Biographical, Postcolonial, and New Criticism Lenses, Jamaica Kincaid’s essay A Small Place revealed the consequences of colonization
Colonialism affected Antigua dramatically before and after Antigua gained its independence from Britain in 1981. In A Small Place, Kincaid revealed the greed and corruption in Antigua’s government (Metzger 1165). The result of a neglectful government caused by the desertion of British rule was described by Kincaid; “Antigua used to have a splendid library, but in the earthquake… the library building was damaged. This was in 1974, and soon after that a sign was placed, saying, ‘this building was damaged in the earthquake of 1974. Repairs are pending’ The sign hangs there more than a decade later.” (Kincaid 8). After gaining its independence, Antigua struggled to maintain a stable and uncorrupt government. Dr. Keith E. Byerman, a professor at Indiana University stated, Corruption in the government was a product of British domination (4). The British who colonized Antigua left the country to fend for itself when Antigua gained its independence, making it difficult to establish a secure, ethical government. Not only was the state of Antigua (after colonization) in despair, but the citizens were as well. Native Antiguans struggled with poverty, eradication of their native culture, and the paradox of using things created by the colonizers to fight against the colonizers. For example, Antiguans had to use the English language to combat the colonizers; “If the
Jamaica Kincaid’s use of pathos and second person point of view made her work an informative and powerful essay. Jamaica Kincaid’s use of second person point of view makes her essay more personal for the reader (Byerman 2). Making the reader emotionally connected to the essay is what Kincaid did to effectively get her point across. Kincaid criticized the white tourist using second person point of view; “An ugly thing, that is what you are when you become a tourist. and it will never occur to you that the people who inhabit the place in which you have just paused cannot stand you” (Kincaid 17). Jamaica Kincaid also used pathos to communicate her message to the reader. A biography about Kincaid, titled Voices from The Gaps, the author stated, “Her writing erupts with sharp, piercing emotion” (University of Minnesota 1). The emotion Kincaid used captivated the readers, making her works interesting yet informative. Kincaid’s biography also stated that her informative content and use of pathos engaged the readers and informed them using brutally honest writing (University of Minnesota 3). By informing the reader in a simple yet powerful way, Kincaid effectively communicated her message in A Small