The first chapter describes how the
island is in a geographical and tourist way. You enter in the environment and
atmosphere since you're flying on the plane until you reach the hotel.
Consequently, you are transported to our neighboring island and have a clearer
idea about what Antigua is, in a general way, describing houses, cars,
buildings and poverty. It focuses more
on the tourist and vacation. On the other hand, the second chapter describes it
more clearly as the face of the real island, where Kincaid grew. It shows us
its British colonialism and racial problems. Without doubt these initial
chapters talks about national identity, neo-colonialism. The objective is to
show us the real identity of Antigua, despite the past whereby the island went
through, including the resistance and the imposition of a culture, language and
customs by the colonizers, searching their own identity.
The identity has own traits and is
what characterizes us against others. I liked very much when she mentions: “But
some natives--most natives in the world--cannot go anywhere. They are too poor.
They are too poor to go anywhere. They are too poor to escape the reality of
their lives; and they are too poor to live properly in the place where they
live, which is the very place you, the tourist, want to go--so when the natives
see you, the tourist, they envy you, they envy your ability to leave your own
banality and boredom, they enjoy your ability to turn their own banality and
boredom into a source of pleasure for yourself”. This is an example of which I
wrote in the previous paragraph. See the impact that has its past in its present
and questioning it.
All discomfort comes from suppressing your true
identity". - Bryant H. McGill
The quote you used to finish your entry, I loved it. I'm in complete accordance with B. McGill because if someone's identity is supressed his/her being is disturbed so this person can't be his/her self through the life. This is what happens when a country's identity is supressed, they can't be succesful, they can't be theirselves and the most important aspect is that they can't show their real identity to the world. You really made me think about this problematic, nice post.
ReplyDeleteI really liked that part of the book, what you quoted. About the natives not being well off enough to be able to escape their own boredom. I felt like I could relate to it. There's been times I've talked to people online about their vacations to Puerto Rico and they say it's beautiful and how fun it was and how they want to come back; but in the back of my head I think to myself "Do you really find it so fun in here? I'd rather leave every one in a while" which is exactly what she says in the end of the quote.
ReplyDeleteShe really nailed the reality of the tourist and native relationship. I almost felt uncomfortable reading it. I may have blushed a few times out of sheer nervousness.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHHA love the comment of Luis because i felt the same way.... i dont know about the blushing but yeah hahah nervous was indeed one way to describe it xD
ReplyDeleteThe quote you mentioned on the end of the post makes me sad because I can't help but think that this still happens in countries that are bombarded by poverty. It makes me feel so thankful for what I have and I wish that the natives could escape that reality and find a better life.
ReplyDelete