Jamaica Kincaid: On Seeing England for the First Time

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This activity contains 3 questions.

Why is Kincaid’s view of England and the English so negative? Why does she claim that growing up surrounded by English culture on Antigua made her feel like “nothing”? In her next to last paragraph, she argues that, despite her hatred for England, she cannot accurately be accused of prejudice. Do you agree?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

Throughout the essay, Kincaid presents concrete objects as having a larger symbolic significance—her father’s felt hat, to name one of many examples. Find as many of these as you can; then, choose several that you think are particularly important to analyze in detail. What does this technique contribute to the overall meaning of the essay?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

Kincaid writes that “the idea of something and its reality are often two completely different things . . . and so when they meet and find that they are not compatible, the weaker of the two, idea or reality, dies.” Can you recall instances in your own life when your idea of something collided with its reality? In an essay explore the validity of Kincaid’s statement.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

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