Globalization--Assignment 5

1. "Have you ever wondered to yourself why it is that all people like me seem to have learned from you is how to imprison and murder each other, how to govern badly, and how to take the wealth of our country and place it in Swiss bank accounts? have you ever wondered why it is that all we have seemed to learn from you is how to corrupt our societies and how to be tyrants? You will have to accept that this is mostly your fault. Let me just show you how you looked to us. You came. You took things that were not yours, and you did not even, for appearances' sake, ask first. You could have said, "May I have this, please?" and even though it would have been clear to everybody that a yes or no from us would have been of no consequence you might have looked better." -A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid, p. 34-35

2. Scene from Life and Debt: A tour guide on the bus (speaking American English) is giving American tourists a tour guide down Queens Highway. As they're driving down the road on the left side of the highway, the tour guide points out a fancy resort on the left, followed by a variety of large fast food chains. These chains consist of McDonald's, Basket Robins, Burger King, Taco Bell, and an ice cream shop. In the background of this for part of this scene, the narrator says, "When we wished for independence from Great Britain, we had something else in mind. We cannot now remember what that was".

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Kincaid's blunt and direct questions are signifiers of globalization through the means of violence, authoritarian power, and selfish motives. In this piece, Swiss Bank accounts are signifiers of wealth and even robbery through the means of North American control over the area. Before this passage, Kincaid brings about the Mill Reef Club and her disgust for it. So, essentially, she is referring to tourists in this passage. Tourism in Antigua allowed for North American expansion/globalization in the area. From a native's perspective, tourists are more often than not rude as they come to Antigua knowing nothing about the history or culture. They come to the area with bundles of cash and splurge on themselves at resort hotels (in this case, the private, luxurious Mill Reef Club), tourist attractions, the beach, etc. In Kincaid's book, the Mill Reef Club serves as a signifier of globalization as it is an exclusive hotel where the natives are not allowed. Quite obviously, this shows the power the North Americans have over this area and the expansion that comes about because of it. As the passage states, there is no trade dealing or borrowing, just intrusion. This intrusion then "takes the wealth of Antigua" and adds to the North Americans' wealth and power.

2. In this scene, the fancy resort, the familiar fast food companies and their logos are signifiers of globalization. When an American tourist travels to Jamaica, they are exposed to much familiarity from their own country; tourists see nearly similar conditions of their own standard of living in their hotel, at restaurants, and tourist shops. However, outside of Montego Bay are completely unfamiliar conditions to tourists. These two completely different environments demonstrate the way in which much of the globalization taking place today is simply the spread of popular American culture. Ironically, I feel the cut in this scene that shows Jamaica's history of being ruled under the queen derides much of Americans' ignorance towards other nations' histories. This scene starts out by showing what is currently seen in Jamaica (that is, indirect and unofficial American ruling) and then cuts to the history of Jamaica when they gained their independence in 1962 (and then back to the current state again). The ridiculing thing is, this shows the ignorance of American tourists. The truth is, Jamaica is in a worse economic state now with the U.S. "ruling" Jamaica than when it was when it was ruled under the queen. Through clever camera work, many signifiers of American globalization are shown. Several separate camera angle display many common and familiar American fast food chain. The low camera angles portraying Taco Bell and the golden arches displays the power big American businesses and America in general has over Jamaica. There is also a shot that scrolls across the Burger King title, implying the same thing. Lastly, there is a broad, long-shot showing a large portion of all of the tourist attractions in Montego Bay. This shot also shows viewers just how much of the Jamaican culture has been destroyed due to indirect American dominance.

Connections: These pieces seem to have many uncanny commonalities. In my pieces, it seems as though the piece from A Small Place is describing what is seen in Life and Debt. The Mill Reef Club in A Small Place could be compared to Montego Bay in Life and Debt. In both cases, these places are being used for tourist means. Both places were created by Americans in opposition of the native's wishes. Both Antigua and Jamaica struggle against the dominance and forces of American commercialism and globalization; these societies are unable to advance economically because of American intrusion. In Jamaica's case, when they gained independence, they did not have enough economic strength to build a strong economy right away. When the U.S. came about and took over certain areas, the economy became worse because of the globalization forces. This is what currently accounts for the major financial problems in their nation. Likewise, Antigua, once ruled by the English struggles to rebuild it's economy in the same way; North American globalization and commercialism are forcefully preventing some societies from building their own economy and society, separate from that of popular American culture.