A Small Place

1041 Words5 Pages
A Small Place A Small Place is a memoir published in 1988 by Jamaica Kincaid. The work is an indictment of the Antiguan government, the tourist industry and Antigua's British colonial legacy. After experiencing a frustrating and complex childhood, Jamaica Kincaid expresses her opinions about the life of Antigua, a small island, in her book, "A Small Place." Kincaid was born in Antigua and lived there until age 16, when she then moved to the United States. Reflecting back to her childhood, Kincaid shares her ideas about the American and European inhabitants. In this poetic style of writing, Kincaid grasps the reader's attention by vividly raising questions in our minds as she describes her own. The style she uses challenges the reader to look beyond the beauty of a place and explore the reality and truth behind that beauty. Kincaid begins the story with an outsider's point of view; a westerner expresses how wonderful Antigua is because of its Mill Reef Club right before Kincaid chimes in with the local's point of view. Two different opinions clash and leave the reader wondering, searching within oneself for answers. Book overview First section A Small Place is divided into four loosely-structured, untitled sections. The first section begins with Kincaid’s narration of the reader’s experiences and thoughts as a hypothetical tourist in Antigua. The reader, through Kincaid’s description, witnesses the great natural beauty of the island, while being sheltered from the harsher realities of the lives of those who must live there. Kincaid weaves into her narrative the sort of information that only an “insider” would know, such as the reason why the majority of the automobiles on the island are poorly running, expensive Japanese cars. Included in her guided tour are brief views of the mansions on the island, mostly gained through corruption or outright criminality. She
Open Document