Assignment 5

In the opening scene of Life and Debt it shows the civilians sitting around watching the news about the trouble and unrest going on in their country. This shows globalization in that they are using media as their source of information, and as they are being informed about the current standing of their nation, we are watching them get informed as we too are being informed. This also shows that everything in Jamaica is not perfect and wonderful as they project to the tourists. After the scene of the war and unrest, it shows the happy tourists arriving and being welcomed with song and looking at the scenery in awe, while in reality there is crime and social unrest all over the country.

As Seth mentioned, English is major sign of globalization. The film was made in English, however there is a pretty good chance that the main language tour guides in Jamaica speak would be English, even though people from many different countries may go to visit, all the tour guides and workers in the hotel spoke English. I also realize that English is the language they inherited from the British, however it has stuck with them over time and become a main language there. They communicate the past, such as the queen being their ruler, in English, and they listened to her speak in English. And in A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid, she points out the that she despises the fact that she can only speak about her country's history and all the bad things they did to the country in their tongue, and not her own. "For isn't it odd that the only language I have in which to speak of this crime [colonialism] is the language of the criminal who committed the crime? And what can that really mean? For the language of the criminal can contain only the goodness of the criminal's deed. The language of the criminal can explain and express the deed only from the criminal's point of view. It cannot explain the horror of the deed, the injustice of the deed, the agony, the humiliation inflicted on me." (31-32)

The Hospital is another comparison between the tourists and the native. The tourist is wprry free as they are in this exotic country and are not worried about the realities and necessities of everyday life, such as a hospital. They are not concerned about its condition or qualified doctors or not because they do not actually care about the stability of the country and its people, they only care about their relaxation and enjoyment. Many have referenced the quote, "An ugly thing, that is what you are when you become a tourist, an ugly, empty thing, a stupid thing, a piece of rubbish pausing here and there to gaze at this and taste that, and it will never occur to you that the people who inhabit the place in which you have just paused cannot stand you, that behind their closed doors they laugh at your strangeness..." (p. 17). The tourists are not concerned or troubled at all by the state of the nation as long as it does not effect them. They see that the nation has all of these other American products that make it seem just like home, but prettier, so therefore they would not think to consider the actual differences and where this country is lacking in funding, such as the hospital. Tourists become greedy self centered people that are only concerned about their enjoyment and happiness that they do not consider the real effects that their travel and tourism has on the country. Although tourism can be god, because it does bring in money, there is also a much greater cost the country has to pay for this revenue. They have to give up their uniqueness as a country in order to become a "flat" place where all people from around the world feel a sense of familiarity and want to continue to spend their time and money there.

Although the British were the ones to conquer Jamaica, the fast food chains in the movie were American. This shows that the island has adapted their catering to America's tastes, since generally speaking other countries do not prefer American fast food. These restaurants line the Queen's road which was built specifically for the Queen and made to represent a clean, happy Jamaica, and ignore all the hardships and displeasure they were really facing. They have now restructured this road, which was built to pleasure the Queen, in order to pleasure the tourists that visit. They cater to the tourists needs and wants, and although the tourists are there to experience a different country, they feel like they are the top of the hierarchy when they see familiar American brand names and see American products and luxuries that have reached this island though globalization. This familiarity to their home makes them feel like they are the reason that this country is so beautiful and developed, and without western influence and the American tourism then maybe the country would be impoverished and lacking in technology and other necessities. The tourists are put in a position of power by the host country.

Terribly sorry this is a day late...completely forgot all about the blog.