Jamaica Kincaid's Attitude Toward England
England, lying gently on a map, seemed like a jewel to Jamaica Kincaid. By using rhetorical strategies and figurative language throughout her essay, she explains why and how she is overcome by England's greatness. With Kincaid's choice of details, figurative language, and creation of tone, she conveys an attitude of awe toward England. Kincaid uses repetition in many instances throughout her essay. In particular, lines 38-73 demonstrate a perfect example of the rhetorical strategy. She sets up the idea of her eating an English breakfast, and eventually starts listing things individually. By naming an abundant amount of items, and following them by "Made in England," she contributes to her attitude of awe. When specifically saying each
thing is "Made in England," she is creating the effect that everything is created in England and it adds to her awe of that country. Also, when naming the items that are "Made in England," she starts off by naming small, insufficient thing, and gradually changes them into ideas, and more important things. This is also contributing to her awe and admiration toward England. Another example of where Kincaid uses the rhetorical device of repetition is in lines 1 and 30. She starts off her essay with "When I saw England for the first time, I was [ ]" and then in line 30 she repeats herself by saying "At the time I was a child sitting at my desk seeing England for the first time, I was [ ]." When repeating this idea, Kincaid is adding to her awe and veneration of England. She first states that she was looking at England, lying delicately on a map, and then later refers to the same instance, but she is approaching it in a different way. By repeating this, she is portraying that seeing England for the first time was so enthusing and great that she just couldn't overcome that memory. Throughout Kincaid's essay, she uses many details and literary devices. At the very beginning of the essay, Kincaid refers to England as a "very special jewel," and lines 4-14 contribute to this metaphor. She first says that it is "a very special jewel; it lay on a bed of sky bluethe background of the mapits yellow form mysterious [ ]." When referring to England as a jewel in this way, she is expressing the country as its beauty. Later on, in lines 11-14, she conveys its power. She says "England was a special jewel all right, and only special people got to wear it. The people who got to wear England were English people. They wore it well and they wore it everywhere [ ]." When stating this, she is showing just how much power England has over not only her, but its own people as well. She is also using the literary device of personification, by saying that the English people can "wear England." In lines 6-9, Kincaid refers to the country of England as a leg of mutton. She says "[ ] though it looked like a leg of mutton, it could not really look like a leg of mutton because it was Englandwith shadings of pink [ ]." As she starts that sentence of in line 6, she is referring to the shape of England on a map as a leg of mutton. When she goes on to explain just exactly what she means, she combines antithesis with a simile by explaining exactly what she meant by that. When Kincaid continues to say that it "[ ] could not really look like anything so familiar as a leg of mutton because it was England [ ]," she is saying that England and its beauty is rare that it couldn't be so common. When conveying that England is rare, Kincaid portrays to her attitude, once again, with awe and veneration.
thing is "Made in England," she is creating the effect that everything is created in England and it adds to her awe of that country. Also, when naming the items that are "Made in England," she starts off by naming small, insufficient thing, and gradually changes them into ideas, and more important things. This is also contributing to her awe and admiration toward England. Another example of where Kincaid uses the rhetorical device of repetition is in lines 1 and 30. She starts off her essay with "When I saw England for the first time, I was [ ]" and then in line 30 she repeats herself by saying "At the time I was a child sitting at my desk seeing England for the first time, I was [ ]." When repeating this idea, Kincaid is adding to her awe and veneration of England. She first states that she was looking at England, lying delicately on a map, and then later refers to the same instance, but she is approaching it in a different way. By repeating this, she is portraying that seeing England for the first time was so enthusing and great that she just couldn't overcome that memory. Throughout Kincaid's essay, she uses many details and literary devices. At the very beginning of the essay, Kincaid refers to England as a "very special jewel," and lines 4-14 contribute to this metaphor. She first says that it is "a very special jewel; it lay on a bed of sky bluethe background of the mapits yellow form mysterious [ ]." When referring to England as a jewel in this way, she is expressing the country as its beauty. Later on, in lines 11-14, she conveys its power. She says "England was a special jewel all right, and only special people got to wear it. The people who got to wear England were English people. They wore it well and they wore it everywhere [ ]." When stating this, she is showing just how much power England has over not only her, but its own people as well. She is also using the literary device of personification, by saying that the English people can "wear England." In lines 6-9, Kincaid refers to the country of England as a leg of mutton. She says "[ ] though it looked like a leg of mutton, it could not really look like a leg of mutton because it was Englandwith shadings of pink [ ]." As she starts that sentence of in line 6, she is referring to the shape of England on a map as a leg of mutton. When she goes on to explain just exactly what she means, she combines antithesis with a simile by explaining exactly what she meant by that. When Kincaid continues to say that it "[ ] could not really look like anything so familiar as a leg of mutton because it was England [ ]," she is saying that England and its beauty is rare that it couldn't be so common. When conveying that England is rare, Kincaid portrays to her attitude, once again, with awe and veneration.