Rhetorical Analysis - Kincaid

Gena Gordon

Ms. Parham

A.P Language and Composition

7 October 2013

“ Put yourself in my shoes” ;  a overused cliché that many may discount, but the way Jamaica Kincaid sets her writing in  The Small Place, she takes this concept to different level  placing readers only to imagine themselves as Native Antiguans. Through the  telling of the Market Street Library as a symbol, Kincaid fills her writing of hyperboles and uses an invective tone to not only bring awareness towards Antigua’s corrupt postcolonial society but to force the reader into deeper thinking beyond the obvious.

    Kincaid's use of hyperboles is one of her most effective method in informing the reader of Antigua’s corrupt postcolonial society .  Her deliberative exaggerations and continuation to stress the library’s inactiveness ,over the length of 2 pages, to be rebuilt. From the beginning of the excerpt, Kincaid details explicit imagery of the library before the hurricane ; “ if you saw the old library, situated as it was in a big old wooden building painted a shade of yellow that is beautiful to people like me with its wide veranda, its big always open windows, its row and rows of shelves…” ( Kincaid 42) etc. She purposely emphasis the beauty of what used to be to set an vivid picture in the readers mind . Kincaid's  turns around to again to emphasis the condition of the library currently; “ above a dry goods store, in the old run down building, etc. ( Kincaid 43). Her persistence in stressing the little detail that made the library what it was , highlights its importance to lives of Antiguans that non-natives wouldn’t understand, but she then she strikes her reader with the horrid image of a ruined library. Emphasizing the condition before and after the earthquake is used in order to highlight to readers , the symbol of the failing government. As the library was filled with books that enlightened and educated the community, readers generate an opinion of what the government's real intention and purpose  in Antigua, which is no where focused for the people.

    Kincaid’s invective tone was an highly effective method to cause her readers to step outside their one-minded country’s view and see life as an Antiguan in the actual situation.  Kincaid repeats a  strategy of strictly asking the reader why is the library the way it is? This takes back to the reader to think in there mind ‘I really don’t know why”. This lets the reader acknowledge their lack of knowledge toward this, which juvinates us to want to figure out why. As you, the reader keep reading learning some more about the reason for the libraries condition , Kincaid pops up directly talking to the reader saying ; “Oh, you might be saying to yourself …”. This surprising question once again takes back the reader to think “ How can u be asking me this , when I don't even know enough to assemble a fair opinion to this situation?”  While the reader is puzzled once again Kincaid forcefully lays down her thoughts and opinion  in the situation. This strategy purposefully does not allow for the reader to confirm an opinion of their own but rather be distracted from thought long enough to only taking in Kincaid's argument. Kincaid has the ability to fill that time for thinking with her opinion restricting the reader to fully ponder on Kincaid's claim toward the bad mind government. Her tirade tone may came across as verbally attack, but effectively interrupts the careless reading of the reader demanding them to think deeper in an irrelevant topic to them : the corrupt Antiguan government who pay no attention to important institutes that benefit communities making it available for Antiguans to be relevant and not just an island ,full of former slaves, where poor sap stamps are issued too.

To simply bring awareness to Antiguans corrupt government, Jamaica Kincaid in her book of , The Small Place , she forces the reader to imagine themselves as Antiguans going through the same situation using hyperboles and an invective tone. Ranting and compelling to readers who kindly picked up your book to read isn't an prevalent technique to use in writing. But, Kincaid took a risk that I believe paid off half and half.  Some people will be affected by it, not only thinking deeper to acknowledge Antigua's demoralized government but wanting to take action, and some not. Traditional writings lay the facts and readers more likely only looking at the actually fact and move onto the next, not taking the time to analyze the numbers, emotions or background of that fact. Kincaid tackles that problem by laying down the facts of Antiguan  government by making readers uncomfortable and restricting them to analyze the library's inactive repairs effects on Antiguans educationally , breaking the hearts of many and finally how the government has no interest at all to repair it. Who cares if a reader becomes uncomfortable, and puts down the book after a while, at least as an author you did your job getting what you have to get across.