Critical reception A Small Place

positive reception

kincaid’s work has received mixed reviews, both positive , negative. of overall reactions in united states characterized immediate , enthusiastic. anger people felt attacking nature in reading simultaneously lent strength argument postcolonial condition of antiguan people manifesting authentic , emotional account. uses anger situation way definitively inform readers postcolonial antiguan daily life. being enraged essay focusing on racism , effects of colonialism, people account consistent , striking aspect of work critic susan sontag calls her, “emotional truthfulness. susan sontag describes kincaid s writing poignant, s poignant because s truthful , s complicated ... doesn t treat these things in sentimental or facile way.

negative reception

in 1988, small place criticized vitriolic attack on government , people of antigua. new yorker editor robert gottlieb refused publish it. according jamaica kincaid: writing memory, writing mother not banned unofficially 5 years home country voiced concerns had gone in time, worried killed.

jane king, in small place writes back, declared “kincaid not caribbean much, finds dull , boring , rather live in vermont. there can no difficulty that, not see why caribbean people should admire denigrating our small place in destructively angry fashion.” moira ferguson, feminist academic, argued “an african-caribbean writer kincaid speaks , position of other. characters maligned history , subjected foreign culture, while kincaid herself has become , increasingly mainstream american writer”