This assignment had a “putting a face to the name” kind of effect for me. It enabled me to visualize historical landmarks as well as poignant moments in the novel that depicted urban space. There are certain places, such as The Metropolitan Museum Museum of Art and Brownsville, that stand out to me because they are either significant locations in David’s life or well known places that most people have heard of. However, I found it quite intriguing that smaller urban spaces, like the traife butcher, were highlighted in certain posts. Although it may not be a place that has directly impacted David’s life, it is notable in that it gives us a portrayal of what urbanized life in NYC.
Places like Ellis Island, on the other hand, are treasured trademarks of New York City. I particularly love the line, “The small white steamer, Peter Stuyvesant, that delivered the immigrants from the stench and throb of the steerage to the stench and throb of New York tenements” (9). This accentuates the idea that even though New York was a considered the city of dreams for most immigrants, the struggles of urban life were equally as arduous as having to stay in the poorest part of a ship.
Places like Ellis Island, on the other hand, are treasured trademarks of New York City. I particularly love the line, “The small white steamer, Peter Stuyvesant, that delivered the immigrants from the stench and throb of the steerage to the stench and throb of New York tenements” (9). This accentuates the idea that even though New York was a considered the city of dreams for most immigrants, the struggles of urban life were equally as arduous as having to stay in the poorest part of a ship.