In Jamaica Kincaid's essay "On Seeing England for the First Time," Kincaid expresses her viewpoint on England's authority over her homeland, the Caribbean island of Antigua. Kincaid has strong resentment towards England. She sees England as a dictator in her life. Through the use of emotional arguments and social appeal the author, Kincaid, gets the feeling across that she was a victim of England. At an early age she started to realize that the English had taken over her culture. Kincaid conveys her resentment toward England in her essay through tone, anaphora, and figurative language.
Tone is a writer's or speaker's attitude toward a subject, character, or audience. In Kincaid's essay "On Seeing England for the First Time," the tone is one of sarcasm. When Kincaid views the map of England presented to the class by the teacher, she makes a sarcastic comment, "at the time I saw this map - seeing England for the first time - I did not say to myself "Ah, so that's what it looks like." Her teacher views the map with awe. Through this statement it is evident of Kincaid's perspective of England. She shows much less enthusiasm because she feels a loss of her Antiguan culture with an over emphasis on the English way. Another example of sarcasm used by Kincaid is when she tells of the realization that nearly everything on her island comes from England. She states that the food, clothing, accessories and cars all seem to have been "Made in England." Kincaid explains to draw a map of England would result in her erasure, not physical erasure, but her erasure all the same.
Anaphora of the word, "England" or the phrase of "Made in England" is used extensively throughout Kincaid's "On Seeing England for the First Time." Anaphora is the repetition of a word or words for emphasis. The word "England" or a derivative of England such as "English" is found repeatedly in the essay.
