A Small Place

A Small Place Irony

Natural Beauty (dramatic irony)

The natural beauty of the island of Antigua is ironic, for it conceals a troubled history of slavery, colonialism, and modern-day exploitation. Tourists may visit to see the island's stunning sights and relax on beautiful beaches, but they are entirely ignorant of the locals' situation, and very often contribute to a vicious cycle of Antiguan suppression.

Emancipation (situational irony)

It is ironic that, even though slaves were technically emancipated long ago, most Antiguans still live a life of servitude waiting on tourists that visit, and very often are still viewed as lesser than them. Many vestiges of slavery and colonialism still remain, even though Antigua is technically "free."

Luxury Japanese Cars (dramatic irony)

It is ironic that many Antiguans, despite being extremely poor, drive around luxury Japanese vehicles even though they may live in small, run-down houses. Kincaid explains that this irony is because the car dealerships are government-owned, and the government makes car loans easily available as yet another moneymaking scheme on their part.

Minister of Culture (verbal irony)

The title "Minister of Culture" is an ironic name, because, as Kincaid points out, no place that actually has culture would need to appoint a "Minister of Culture." She believes that the Minister of Culture solely exists to try and create a culture out of a place that has none of its own, since Antigua had been dominated by occupation and colonial powers for so long.