Within the first few pages of A Small Place, I immediately began to analyze my view on luxury travel. Jamaica Kincaid challenged the mindset of tourists, and takes a straightforward approach in communicating to the reader the flaw in our thinking. In Kincaid's perspective, for anyone to see Antigua as a place of a get-away and relaxation takes effort. She says, "And you needn't let the slightly funny feeling you have from time to time about exploitation, oppression, and domination develop into full-fledged unease, discomfort; you could ruin your holiday." Here, Kincaid points out the undeniable fact that a tourist feels the level of oppression and domination in his/her trip; but, for the sake of having a good time, they choose to ignore it.

This idea of being able to enjoy a place riddled with inequality-- to be able to live, temporarily, in a place that experiences oppression-- and call it a vacation is privilege at its finest. We, as Americans, have the luxury of leaving our great country to enjoy the scenery of a place like Antigua. The exotocization  of places like this reminds me of Haiti.  Before recently, I thought of Haiti as a beautiful island, not fully understanding the issues that go on there.

I appreciate the work of Kincaid because she revealed the privilege that I have being from America.