Small Place

Antigua

In the first selected reading from A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid  she writes about how tourist act and say during their visit in the island of Antigua. Antigua is a small island in the Caribbean, former english colony. One of the things Kincaid emphasize is the way the tourist constantly compare the way things are done in the island with the way they do it in their country.

The road on which you are travelling is a very bad road, very much in need of repair. You are feeling wonderful, so you say, "Oh, what a marvellous change these bad roads are from the splendid highways I am used to in North America." 

This is said with a slight sarcasm, cause even though the tourist might feel a sense of adventure the truth is that when he goes back to his country he will not miss them at all. 

Another factor she portrays of the tourist is that they stroll around fascinated by the "new" surroundings without actually understanding the significance of it and what the surrounding and people are trying to portray and what it represents. For Kincaid it is unjust the thoughts and attitude of the tourist that, maybe unconscious, but hurtful toward the natives in the island. She believes they see the island as an escaped from their systematic world and appreciate the islands historic culture nor customs and ways.  Tourist forget that people live there and have a culture.