"I find England ugly...I hate England; the weather is like a jail sentence...the food in England is like a jail sentence."
"For anyone from Antigua, and for anyone whose ancestors were affected by the British Empire in similar ways, it is difficult to see English society and culture without some feeling of bitterness and indignation."
"In Annie John, England appears in the background of nearly every social encounter, through symbols and hymns."
"We began our [Brownie] meetings with the whole troop standing in the yard of the Methodist church, forming a circle around the flagpole, our eyes following the Union Jack as it was raised up."
Jamaica Kincaid's collection of nonfiction reflects on her profound disdain for England, stemming from the historical injustices faced by her ancestors under British colonial rule. In her essay "On Seeing England for the First Time," she articulates her feelings of hatred towards the country, describing it as ugly and likening its weather and food to a jail sentence. Kincaid's literary works often explore the lingering effects of British imperialism, illustrating how it permeates social interactions and cultural identity in Antigua.
Read at The Nation
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