All throughout “A Small Place”, Kincaid highlights how “used” Antigua has been, and how that has impacted life in the country. She talks about the effects of colonialism, how even after Antigua gained it’s independence, it still had Queen Elizabeth’s birthday as a national holiday (though from what we can read, the Queen wasn’t really a hero); she talks about how government officials have used the country’s resources for their own personal gain and not really being there for the people of Antigua; and she talks about how the perception of Antigua as a paradise (though she does regard Antigua’s natural beauty) is false because of the amount of social issues still in Antigua’s existence. The highlighting of all these things prove to be convincing, at least to me, in showing how Antigua is not a perfect place and is actually far from it. It also makes me re-evaluate how I think about traveling to Jamaica as a U.S. citizen, though I have family there and can see first hand how life is for them. But overall, the read is powerful in it’s use of the rhetorical strategies like ethos, pathos, and logos, and though I’ve never been to Antigua it gives me a different outlook on how to view not just it but other countries in the same or similar situations as the island in their social, economic, and/or political issues.
Hi Tevon,
The colonial corruption was transferred along with the government when Antigua declared independence. The institutions without any accountability, the government officials owning companies, etc., they all come from colonialism. Since it is easier to maintain a broken government than to fix it, the corruption continues indefinitely.
-Zachary Rosman
Hey Tevon,
I agree with your takeaway completely here. I think that the author knows of the imperfections of Antigua and is writing this piece in an almost sarcastic, resentful way to show people what those in charge have done to this island. One of the main examples I saw of a continuation of oppression by the government (after the end of the British occupation) was the entire ordeal with the Japanese cars. Officeholders were encouraging affordable car loans as they owned many of the car dealerships themselves. This cycle of subjugation is hardly rare. In my own experience, when I was visiting family in Bangladesh, I was informed of home mortgages of a similar nature. Government officials are paid off by construction companies and they pass legislation to make home loans more affordable. In the long run, it actually ends up costing people more because of various taxes and fees but they often never realize it. The rich stay rich by keeping the poor in their place, a story as old as time.
– Lamyad Reham