“A Small Place” a Story by Jamaica Kincaid Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

There are many different periods in the history of development of any country. They have been developing in a unique manner, obtaining some peculiarities and character features. Moreover, the more unique traits a country has the richer its history is. Usually, a state has several stages of its development which show us the way in which a country obtained its modern appearance. Slave owner and feudal systems, rule of tribes, colonial dependence and a great number of other factors can influence current state of affairs in any country, leaving their mark on the worldview of people who inhabit it.

There is no use denying the fact that mentality of people is the reflection of all these processes and citizens of a state are responsible for its development and prosperity. This thought is often used by different authors who want to show peculiarities of some country or its topical problems. The story A small Place by Jamaica Kincaid is not an exception. It is the work devoted to the description of a small country Antigua and analysis of the influence of its colonial past on the modern life of a state.

Jamaica Kincaid is an Antiguan-American novelist, who was born in Antigua. That is why, it is quite logic that she devotes her works to this small state. In the work A small Place she makes an attempt to analyze and underline great influence of the colonial epoch on the current life of the country. The main reason for it lies in the history of the state. Being discovered by Christopher Columbus, in 1632 Antigua, though, became British colony.

This fact is the turning point in the history of a state. British Empire turned it into one of the most important harbors of the Caribbean basin. It is obvious, that slaves became the main workforce. Abolishment of slavery in 1834 did not influence greatly the life in Antigua and conditions became even worse. However, in 1981 the state obtained its independence. Besides, people saved colonial mentality and Jamaica Kincaid tries to show it in her story A small Place.

The work is divided into four parts which are rather loosely connected. The first part is devoted to the issue of tourism, which is one of the main sources of income of the country nowadays. Jamaica Kincaid describes views of the island which can impress a common tourist and leave a false impression of a good life in Antigua. However, at the same time the author shows that not everything is good in this country.

Being born in this state, Jamaica Kincaid shows some details which can be known only for people who live there. She depicts criminal problems and the problem of corruption. Being a small country, Antigua is mostly ruled by criminal authorities and bureaucrats. Majority of mansions are desolated and serve as the place where corruption prospers. This part can be taken as the introduction which shows a reader that Antigua still has some problems. The author also tries to trace the roots of these problems, describing colonial past of the state and mentioning the British rule. The author emphasizes the fact that there was a great number of problems connected with racism.

People, who lived in Antigua, were taken as a cheap workforce. Moreover, inhabitants of the Island were satisfied with this treatment, making no attempts to change the situation. In general, it is possible to say that this section is devoted to the mentality of people who live in Antigua and influence of the colonial period of the history of a state on its formation.

The third part of the story is devoted to the current situation in Antigua. The author tries to analyze if there were any changes in the life and mentality of people. Moreover, the author shows readers her thoughts about the library, which was damaged by the earthquake. It can be taken as the symbol of the whole life in Antigua. Jamaica Kincaid describes her childhood memories connected with it, underlining that the library was a kind of escape for a young girl. Nevertheless, now it still needs to be repaired, however, the government cannot do it as the whole life of the country is subordinated to corruption and criminals

Jamaica Kincaid ends her work with the description of admiring beauty of the island. The fourth part centers around the authors cogitations about the influence of wonderful landscapes on the life of people in Antigua, which still remains unchanged.

Having read the book, it is possible to make certain conclusion. The author touches the issue of the influence of colonial past on mentality of people. Descriptions of beautiful views of nature are opposed to total poverty and corruption which are the result of the attitude of people towards their country and destiny. Being born in Antigua, the author regrets that having obtained independence, the country is still not able to get rid of the vestiges of the past. The story A small Place shows the destiny of a state which has no future.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2020, June 25). "A Small Place" a Story by Jamaica Kincaid. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-small-place-a-story-by-jamaica-kincaid/

Work Cited

""A Small Place" a Story by Jamaica Kincaid." IvyPanda, 25 June 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/a-small-place-a-story-by-jamaica-kincaid/.

References

IvyPanda. (2020) '"A Small Place" a Story by Jamaica Kincaid'. 25 June.

References

IvyPanda. 2020. ""A Small Place" a Story by Jamaica Kincaid." June 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-small-place-a-story-by-jamaica-kincaid/.

1. IvyPanda. ""A Small Place" a Story by Jamaica Kincaid." June 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-small-place-a-story-by-jamaica-kincaid/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. ""A Small Place" a Story by Jamaica Kincaid." June 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-small-place-a-story-by-jamaica-kincaid/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1