In this reading what I found most interesting was the description of New York City begining on page 89. I first noticed that the author talks about the city as if "she" were a person. The author gave the city human characteristics and the ablity to make or break ones life. The author describes the cities allure as being able to suck one in with the initial glow and once inside the true nature is uncovered. I think that this description is given because while a place may seem ideal from the outside there are always internal demons, the one in this book being segregation.
In my opinion the city is used to also describe life or a sort of predestination. The passage "some she at once crushes beneath her cruel feet, others she condemns to a fate like that of gally-slaves, a few she favors and fondles riding them high on the bubbles of fortune" pg 89. illustrates this. I think that this statement is rather pesimistic on the authors behalf because it does not include those who work hard in order to better their lives. I think that the author speaks this way because of the state the country was in at the time dealing with racial tensions.
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6 comments:
I agree with what you have posted 110%. What I found interesting was that the personification of New York City, which was a city in which he seems to feel negatively about as the story progresses, was completely unlike his description of Paris.
He seems to give NYC characteristics of of a person where his descriptions of Paris are those of physical appearance. You would think that the style of writing the author uses would be enhanced and embraced when he gets to a place that he seems to love.
I think that alone supports your post.
I think you bring up a good point. Since this book is a novel yet told as a narrative it's easy to forget the symbolism and artistic value of the writing and I think you did a good job of disecting that to see beyond the words.
Your blog brings up what was talked about in class on Monday. I agree with your post and I really enjoyed the way the author talks about the city specifically because if a person has never been there they can read this and get a very good feeling of what NYC is like.
I honestly didn't realize that the narrator employed personification to give NYC human qualities...but now that you pointed it out and I looked over the section again, I realize what an important role those human qualities took on in the narrator's life. At the beginning of his stay, "she" is like an exciting new friend and the narrator is eager to please her by testing out all she has to offer. However, by the end of his stay "she" has become dark and bitter and therefore the narrator cannot leave her soon enough. What a good observation!
The narrator does have a rather pessimistic view of life in New York City. I suspect that this is shaped in part because of his unpleasant experiences as a gambler. His experiences at the club are much more positive, but that place is ultimately marked by violence, so his view of NYC ends up being pretty cynical.
New york city is great and so appealing your right. it draws or "sucks" one in and gives the perception that it can lead to infinite dreams. The "inner demons" comment brings about some of my own memories of this city. I took it for granted once and got burned. It took me some time but i have stepped back and re evaluated the city, it is bigger and badder than originally thought, but i also have found a new respect and (way of handling it when i visit and use it) as being someone not from within. The truth about this place is that it will either chew you up and spit you out or be a place to display your brightest lights. Luck and talent may be the two biggest factors.
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