The Place Where Antigua and Puerto Rico Meet

At times, one seeks to hide the imperfections that once were or still are present in the place we call home. Needless to say, one must open his or her eyes in order to face reality and be capable of finding one's true identity. In the short novel A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid, Antiguan-American novelist, the author, through autobiographical and fictional writing, writes about a small island called Antigua, a territory that was colonized by Great Britain, and that, after many years, in 1981, received its independence. Moreover, it is the place Jamaica Kincaid calls home. 

Kincaid divides her text in four short essays that generally speak about how Antigua has changed over the years. She narrates a journey through a tourist's point of view while hinting details that only an Antiguan would know, such as how some mansions were obtained by corruption or criminality. Likewise, she describes an old library that hasn't been repaired even after it was damaged by an earthquake many years ago. Also, the Antiguan novelist deals with her memories of what used to be Antigua and remembers Antigua being better than what she sees at the moment. However, throughout the text, she questions herself if the "old" Antigua truly was better than how it is now. Nevertheless, Jamaica Kincaid, recognises the beauty of her island and refers to her surroundings as a mixed blessing to the Antiguans. 

Jamaica Kincaid, as well as I, fears for the present and future of the place she calls home. Unfortunately, both islands, Antigua and Puerto Rico, meet in a place of corruption and decadence. They have shared a similar history, being colonies and having relatable political issues. Due to bad management, Puerto Rico keeps falling into the hands of retrogression and with the passing of time, it gets harder to help the island get back on its feet. Sadly, because of the corruption, Puerto Ricans continue to emigrate from their land in search of a better living and more opportunities, such as Jamaica Kincaid who left Antigua in order to become a writer. By leaving, one choses to leave behind a part of one's culture, race, and more specifically, identity.

I can easily understand why Kincaid refers to her surrounding as a mixed blessing, and I can also adapt it to life here in Puerto Rico. The reality of the matter is that the sun shines bright enough to gently tan my skin. The wind blows soft enough to make me cool, the beaches are as clear as water can be, and there is no other place I would call home. Nonetheless, I must face the facts and become fully aware that a part of my identity, as well as Kincaid's, is defined by the political, social, and economic devastation my island is going through. Antiguans along with Puerto Ricans must take action in order to maintain and protect the legacy of their culture and history. Or else, in a future not too far from now, the place Jamaica Kincaid, I, and many others call home, will no longer be where the heart is.

Puerto Rico

Antigua