As part of our academic journey, we read some fine writers and see how they craft nonfiction pieces.
We start with E.B. White. Please read the two excerpts and then, at the end, you will questions to spark a reading response.
E.B. White
Here is New York
Copyright 1949
EXCERPT ONE
On any person who desires such queer prizes, New York will bestow the gift of loneliness and the gift of privacy. It is this largess that accounts for the presence within the city’s walls of a considerable section of the population; for the residents of Manhattan are to a large extent strangers who have pulled up stakes somewhere and come to town, seeking sanctuary or fulfillment or some greater or lesser grail. The capacity to make such dubious gifts is a mysterious quality of New York. It can destroy an individual, or it can fulfill him, depending a good deal on luck. No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky.
New York is the concentrate of art and commerce and sport and religion and entertainment and finance, bringing to a single compact arena the gladiator, the evangelist, the promoter, the actor, the trader and the merchant. It carries on its lapel the unexpungeable odor of the long past, so that no matter where you sit in New York you feel the vibrations of great times and tall deeds, of queer people and events and undertakings. I am sitting at the moment in a stifling hotel room in 90-degree heat, halfway down an air shaft, in midtown.
EXCERPT TWO
There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born here, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size and its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter—the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. Of these three trembling cities the greatest is the last—the city of final destination, the city that is a goal. It is this third city that accounts for New York’s high-strung disposition, its poetical deportment, its dedication to the arts, and its incomparable achievements. Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness; natives give it solidity and continuity; but the settlers give it passion. And whether it is a farmer arriving from Italy to set up a small grocery store in a slum, or a young girl arriving from a small town in Mississippi to escape the indignity of being observed by her neighbors, or a boy arriving from the Corn Belt with a manuscript in his suitcase and a pain in his heart, it makes no difference: each embraces New York with the intense excitement of first love, each absorbs New York with the fresh eyes of an adventurer, each generates heat and light to dwarf the Consolidated Edison Company.
Please write between 300 to 500 words in response to these readings. Here are some questions to spark your own response:
- What is the “gift of privacy,” as E.B. White presents it?
- “No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky.” What does that mean?
- Why does White tell us where he’s sitting?
- What is your favorite sentence in this piece? And why?
New York City is not a place for everyone. First and foremost, I am from here, born in Brooklyn, raised in Queens. In this article, E. B. White states that there are three types of New Yorkers. First, being those that are born and raised here, which is what I affiliate with, those that commute here for work, and those that come seeking a new life. He states that for New York to be the best it can be, all three are very important. He also states that those in the first category have taken advantage of the greatness of this city, and that I whole heartily agree with. What is the gift of privacy? From what I can gather, E. B. White is saying that in a city populated with millions of people, one can still be alone. I say this because of the previous statement, in the same sentence, “New York will bestow the gift of loneliness”. In a city with so many people, struggling to survive their day to day and fulfill their dreams, most are not worried about their neighbors. This privacy that New York offers, can turn into the ultimate loneliness. It’s not being alone per say that scares people, its being surrounded by people, and feeling alone that terrifies us.
As said previously, New York is not for everyone. When E. B. White states, “No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky”, I believe he means that migrating here is a gamble. Some make it, while others run home with their tail between their legs. You need to be strong, not just in heart, but in mind to survive this city. The lazy or weak, more times than not, get chewed up and spit out. The homeless epidemic attests to that. If you have the drive and determination to follow your dreams and do what you got to do, you could grow and succeed. The type of people who try to skate by and believe the world will fall into their lap, won’t survive. If you can survive here you can survive anywhere.
In the first excerpt, White describes his atmosphere. His intention is to create a visual for his readers. Saying he is sitting in a 90 degree hotel room, “halfway down an airshaft”, attest to a state of stifling conditions in the New York summer. He wants his readers to get his point of view and also have an imagination of what a summer day in New York is like.
My favorite sentence in this piece is “Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness: native give it solidity and continuity: but the settlers give it passion”. I very much enjoy this part because it’s what make New York, New York. This city is about diversity and a forever changing and adapting community. There is no place like New York, and there never will be.
That sentence you like is one that my native-New-Yorker friend balks at, cause she thinks that it makes her sound boring, with the emphasis on “solidity.” She resents the idea that the people who come here are more exciting than she is…
New York is a double edged sword. It is both a blessing and a curse to experience the extremely independent lifestyle of New York . This loneliness is different for you aren’t isolated. In fact, you find yourself feeling lonely in crowds. On the other hand, this independent lifestyle is freeing. No neighbor will question your choices or snoop around in your life– that is the gift of privacy. When E.B. White warns the reader that you should not come to live in New York unless you are lucky, he is referring to the more common than not phenomenon of the thousands of people who live in New York and work hard everyday until their last and there’s not much reward. Those who do less than them may end up finding themselves with “luck” and they receive a greater reward. Being successful in New York can be similar to winning the lottery and this sucks.
However, everyone really does have a different version of New York. I especially like the section of the excerpt that discusses the different versions of New York City that exist. I find it relatable because I myself grew up in New York, I always believed that the loud and fast-paced environment was entirely normal. I was utterly shocked and bored in other places I’ve visited when I came to the understanding that no other place is as alive as New York City. I also can relate to his description of the “Third New York City”, the one for the dreamers. When I studied at Indiana University, every time I’d make my way back from the corn fields, I would be in awe when I caught a glimpse of the skyline. There’s something romantic about New York. There is a magical feeling that us native New Yorkers have been accustomed or blind to.
Things that are of no glorification can still be beautiful because in New York, everything is so intertwined with culture and different lives. I think this is why White mentions where he is sitting in his piece, it takes us out of the setting for the moment into this authentic reality but yet it still has some magic to it because “no matter where you sit in New York you feel the vibrations of great times and tall deeds, of queer people and events and undertakings.” This piece made me actively appreciate New York but also, in the same breath, makes me want to leave.
I liked reading the Indiana perspective! I didn’t know you had been out there…we missed you in class.
New York is an iconic city. The energy in this city is supreme to any other city. New York can make you feel like you’re part of something bigger, bigger than life. At times you can wander Manhattan in a sea of people and still feel lonely. The “gift of privacy” is a perk of living in New York City. Everyone roams the streets minding their own business, drowning in their own thoughts. In New York, everyone has their own problems and doesn’t pay mind to others. You won’t have to worry about people asking about your dilemmas.
“No one should come to new york unless he is willing to be lucky” means people should come to New York with drive and a positive mindset. In order to “be lucky” in New York City, you can’t let the city defeat you or your dreams. At times living in a big city can be overwhelming due to the amount of competition. However, New Yorkers are lucky because where there’s competition, there are endless opportunities.
White tells us where he’s sitting to “take us there”. He wants to emphasize the feeling of great deeds done in the city. New York City has an extensive history that’ll make you appreciate every building you enter. Every building in the big city has its charm.
My favorite sentence is in this piece is “It carries on its lapel the inexpungible odor of the long past, so no matter where you sit in New York you feel the vibrations of great times and tall deeds, of queer people and events and undertakings”. I love this sentence because it’s true. As a New York native, I’ve come to appreciate the little things in the big city. My favorite place to feel the “vibrations of great times” is Times Square. Not because of all the lights there is today but rather the start of Times Square, built from nothing and transformed into one of the most known places in the world. Standing on those red steps just makes you feel like you’re on the top of the world.
Please remember to capitalize New York…cause the city deserves it.
I also like the sentence with the reference to the odor of the long past. Yes, that’s a good one!
The city that never sleeps. New York is a place within endless amounts of people, restaurants, museums, parks, and, conversely, loneliness. Even with all these people and, even more so, all these places to meet them, New Yorkers are notoriously lonely. Yet, maybe this is exactly what the people of New York want. A place where you can be your self without others looking down on you and judging. By the masses walking around minding their own business it gives every individual the feeling of privacy because no one really cares what he/she may be doing or wearing. Realistically though, it is a give and take. There are are times where someone may yearn to be noticed and not walked by like they are invisible and there are times where that someone just wants to put in their headphones and walk home unbothered.
At the end of the first paragraph White states “No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky.” White feels that in New York you either make it or you do not. People come to New York all the time in sight of the famous “American Dream”, yet this is something very hard to attain. Flocks of people move to the city every year in sight of a better life, and sometimes receive the exact opposite. According to White it luck that determines you success.
While White sits alone “in a stifling hotel room in 90-degree heat, halfway down an air shaft, in midtown” he writes about this “gift of privacy.” He does so because he wants the reader to really feel the atmosphere he is in, which led him to right the piece. He creates a setting that enables the reader to feel the position he was in at the time. Correspondingly, this is my favorite sentence in his piece. I comprehend his intentions of attempting to make the piece as real as possible and really hit home.
You mean “write the piece” instead of “right the piece,” correct? That’s the problem with spellcheck, I think…
Liked reading your thoughts. And those of your classmates. Very thoughtful.
In excerpt one, New York is spoken about as a place where there are alot of excitements and alot of activities to do on a daily basis for fun. However, it is perceived as a place that presents a “gift of loneliness” and a “gift of privacy”. From my apprehension “gift of privacy” refers to the fact that everyone is always busy and have no time for each other, in other words, everyone is basically “minding their own business”. This is ironic to me because, a gift is commonly recognized as a good thing, however, in this instant, it might be an awful thing.
E.B White states that no one should come to New York to live unless they are planning to be lucky. As was mentioned before a “gift of privacy” can be an awful thing, meaning, it can destroy and indivual or fulfill him depending on a great deal of luck.Therefore if you are person who priotitizes solitude, or if you are an antisocial individual, you might be in great luck when it comes to living in New York. On the other hand, if you are an outgoing person who loves to socialize and interact with others then you can be very lonely living in New York.
White mentions in excerpt two, that, no matter where you sit in New York you can always feel the vibrations of great times and tall deeds. He then goes on to saying “I am sitting in a stifling hotel room in 90-degree heat, half way down an airshaft in midtown”. He describes where he is sitting to reassure the reader that he can still feel “the vibrations of great times” even though he is in a seemingly uncomfortable setting.
“The capacity to make such dubious gifts is a mysterious quality of New York” is my favorite sentence in this piece because I completely agree with what was said based on my very own experience and experiences of my friends. It is beyond my belief that such a diverse and well populated city can make an individual feel isolated.
I like what you’re saying about why White writes about where he’s sitting. I think that sentence really takes us into his experience in a compelling way…
Please remember that “a lot” is two words and not one.
New York has changed my life forever. My perspective of the world completely changed when I moved here from Italy. New York is a crowded city and even If there are millions of people you can still be lonely. The “gift of privacy”, that E.B. White mention in his excerpt, is something very common to find in this city. In New York City the people don’t judge you and you are free to express yourself. When I came here five years ago, I had to buy some milk for breakfast and I remember that I went at the supermarket with my pajamas. Nobody was looking at me and I felt really comfortable. This could never happen in Italy because the people will stare at you and will think that you are crazy. In that moment I realized how things were different in New York compared to where I come from.
New York is not for everyone. When E.B. White says “No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky ”, I think that he means that you have to think positive and work hard in order to succeed and be lucky. Even If New York is one of most advanced city in the world, I think that it is like a jungle. Every day you have to work hard to be a better man and If you don’t do it someone else will take your place. There is no time to relax and stop, you have to be fully concentrated in what you are doing otherwise the competition will eat you alive. If you can succeed in New York you can succeed everywhere.
The writer tells us where he is seated because he wants to emphasise how great it is If you succeed in New York City. Everywhere in the city you can feel the atmosphere that drives the individual to give the best from himself everyday. My favorite sentence is this one : “There is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something”. I affiliate myself in this category of New Yorkers and I like it because the people who are not born here, made the decision to come here to improve their lifestyle and they knew how tough it would be.
I do think White is differentiating between those who are ready for their luck and those who are not. Maybe he’s saying that you have to be open to luck and meet the opportunities when you come.
In this excerpt by E.B. White presents the idea that New York City bestows a “gift of privacy” on its inhabitants. In order to truly understand what this means, I think we have to look at context. Right before this is mentioned, the gift of loneliness is also given. I think these two are hand in hand. New York has so many people, from all over the world. You can be in a packed train, yet still feel alone. This is because everyone is minding their own business. To a certain extent, it could be said that they simply do not care for you. It is because of this that a citizen of NYC is bestowed with the gift of privacy.
As crazy as it seems, NYC can have a great impact on a person. Now whether that impact be positive or negative is a different question. When E.B. White talks about how someone must be lucky to make it in New York, he is not wrong. The city is a tough place, full of tough people. If you cannot handle it, and by bad luck get hit with the wrong situations. It can lead to your demise. I do think that it takes a certain type of person to thrive in this great city, not always attributed to luck. More like perseverance and will, which could be a trait we must be lucky to receive.
I think that White tells us where he is sitting to emphasize the power of the city. No matter where you are, you can feel it. In his example he is sitting in a hotel room, yet regardless he can feel the vibrations of everything. This goes to show his point of how if you live in the city, you become a part of it. In turn it will become a part of you, forever connected no matter where or when.
Personally my favorite part of this piece is when he categorizes the different types of New Yorkers. It could not be more correct in my opinion. I can say this because I know people that fit in all three categories. My friend was born here, who wants to leave as soon as possible because the city “sucks”. My family escaped the Soviet Union and fled to the U.S to arrive in NY. To this day they cannot stop telling me how great the city is. Then I myself am the commuter, constantly running in and out of the city.
I do think that the categorization of New Yorkers is a crowd-pleaser. He’s sort of generalizing, but it’s well-written. And gives us a sense of who is here and why.
I’m not sure you need the word “truly” in there. But I feel that way about that word most of the time.
In the words of Bob Dylan, “New York was a city where you could be frozen to death in the midst of a busy street and nobody would notice.”. You could be in a subway full of people, a lecture hall full of students and yet feel lonely. Be lonely. This loneliness is different because you are not put aside, you are not far away, but are an individual in a crowd and that is what serves as the “gift of privacy” as Eb white mentions. That sidewalk full of people rushing by you, everyone with their objectives, their own concerns is the privacy EB White mentions. Best put, New York is a group of individuals under a common flag.
Further EB mentions the word ” Luck”. Here White warns the people coming to this city. He tells them to be prepared. That no matter how many times this city knocks you down, keep striving for what you set out for. This city will knock you down but you have to prove to be better, smarter and stronger. When he mentions luck he also refers to the highly competitive environment and the endless opportunities in this City of dreams.
“.. sitting at the moment in a stifling hotel room in 90-degree heat, halfway down an air shaft, in midtown.” At this point, White brings us in a moment where we appreciate the great deeds done in this very city. it helps appreciate every inch as it shines upon the extensive history of New York and makes you appreciative of everything the people before you have accomplished. This is, therefore, my favorite sentence. For me, it proves to be a motivation to do better, be better under the footsteps of those who have set examples for us today.
You know I admired the Dylan quote, even if I think that what Dylan is saying is different.
Be sure to capitalize White each time, as it is the writer’s name.
It is not uncommon to find yourself mindlessly following the fast paced hustle and bustle way of living that accompanies life in New York. People that call New York home adopt anonymous personalities and live in solitary existence cohesively with the city’s large population. This is what E.B White refers to as the “gift of privacy,” the ability to live your life unquestioned by nobody but yourself. He refers to the inhabitants of the city as “strangers” because that’s what they are. Most people won’t go out of their way to get to know you, they are too focused on living their day to day lives.
New York’s reputation precedes itself, it is known as the center of the world, the place where your dreams come true. People come here for an opportunity for a better life. E.B White says that New York “can destroy an individual, or it can fulfill him.” You either get that life that you dreamed of, the one that pulled you towards New York in the first place, or you can end up worse than where you started. This is why E.B White says that “No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky,” in other words you shouldn’t come to New York unless you are willing to test your luck, willing to give up what you had just for the chance of something better.
No matter how you live in New York, or how lonely you find yourself, you will inevitably be swept into the current of life that flows through the city. The way people’s solitary lives intertwine with each other is what creates New York’s liveliness. This is why he deemed it necessary to mention where he was sitting, even in the deepest corners of the city, you will still be able to feel the buzz of community, the hum of people living their lives.
My favorite sentence in this piece is, “Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness; natives give it solidity and continuity; but the settlers give it passion.” I believe that this sentence depicts the diversity and sense of community within New York beautifully. New York wouldn’t be New York if you were to remove any one of the groups. The constant movement of people getting to where they want all day and night is what gives the city its wakefulness, no road is devoid of cars, no street devoid of pedestrians, and no subway devoid of commuters at any time of day. Natives are the ones who watch over the new guys, teaching them the tips and tricks, the best way to live your life in the city. Finally the new people who come in to call New York their home are the ones who keep the city alive.
You’re onto something when you write about the “current of life.” I think about that sometimes, feeling that the energy of the city is something I can tap into, and that it can be sustaining, even though sometimes people focus on how they think it’s exhausting.
New York City is often bustling with people no matter where you go. There is no escape. Even though it is crowded, New Yorkers rarely take the chance to meet someone new and strike up a conversation with them. E.B. White depicts this idea as the “gift of privacy” as people are sheltered in their own personal bubbles that they hardly ever step out of. The thought of speaking with someone new is merely unimaginable to some. We are presented with various opportunities to do so in day to day life, but seldom act on it. Such moments arise as you commute to work, riding on packed subways, surrounded by masses of people all in their own bubbles living obliviously. Since we almost never leave our bubbles, we are endowed with this “gift of privacy,” thus protecting us from any unnecessary social interaction as we go from point A to point B.
White goes on to remark “No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky,” as nothing is guaranteed here in the city. People from all around the globe move to New York in hopes of starting a new life in the land of infinite opportunities but few actually make it. Luck comes to those who work hard and are passionate about what they strive to achieve. White is sending a warning to those who travel here expecting it to be effortless and simple but this is clearly not the case.
One of my favorite lines from White was the last sentence from the second excerpt in which he illustrates three people coming to New York. Although they have different reasons for their journey, they each share something in common. Each embody a flame burning bright, ready to take on new experiences with boundless possibilities in the city of New York. They are behind New York’s exceptional achievements as their creative capabilities allowed them to flourish and contribute to society.
I do think you might be right about how there’s some work involved with the luck—along with the willingness that White writes about. I love the sentence about the three different people! But I think I already said that in class…
My favorite sentence from this piece would have to be,”It is this third city that accounts for New York’s high-strung disposition, its poetical deportment, its dedication to the arts, and its incomparable achievements. Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness; natives give it solidity and continuity; but the settlers give it passion. “. Yes, I am aware that it is a long sentence, but it was the most relatable and impactful as a reader. To me New York has similar characteristics as Kolkata, India, where i’m from. From the smog in the dirty polluted air to the dirty streets with homeless people everywhere.
To me the above sentence reads as a thesis almost to the point that our author E.B. White was trying to get across. The exchange of ideas is no where greater than New York City. No other place in the world could you find each ethnicity represented as well as in New York. Along with Race, Opportunity is endless, any field or industry that an individual may be interested in is available in New York. More than anything, New York has the ability of manifestation, not some magical voodoo that gets you everything you want, but more as in working towards something will get you there. There is no easy way and New York is a representation of that.
The author tries to convey to us what the experience is for different kinds of people in New York, and how these people come together. As New York City is the cultural hub of the world. People of all different economic backgrounds travel to and from work everyday alongside each other paying the same fare. New York makes anyone who wishes to feel like a rockstar actually be one. This place is also quite ego-dissolving, no one is treated as they are special or any different than anyone else.
Enjoyed reading your thoughts, and that you mentioned your own background too. A nice mix.
New York has always been portrayed as a magnificent place, straight out of a romantic movie, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. The article “Here is New York” by E.B White presents a contrasting image of New York. He starts by describing a lonely city and ends up revealing its beauty.
First of all, White points out the lack of companionship between New Yorkers. He feels alienated in this overcrowded place. With an ironic tone, he calls it “the gift of privacy”. Indeed, the presence of millions around you won’t be able to fill the void in your heart. When I first came in New York, I felt like a fish out of water, like I didn’t belong here. I had no one to share this new beginning with. However, I realized that I had to make an effort to meet new people by going out more so I could build long-lasting relationships. New York isn’t a lonely place, you simply have to step out of your comfort zone.
Furthermore, White gives us a clear warning that “no one is should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky”. New York is overflowing with opportunities that could drastically change your life, but you have to be there at the right place at the right moment, indeed it’s all about luck. Yet, he fails to mention that if you’re willing to be lucky then you’re also willing to be unlucky. You can’t climb the ladder by wishing upon a star and cross your fingers, you need to be hardworking and goal oriented to survive this wild jungle. To rely solely on your luck would be foolish.
In addition, White describes New York as a melting pot. You can find many ethnic enclaves such as Little Italy or China Town. It’s an eclectic mixture of all the cultures from around the world in one place. This diversity makes New York unforgettable. That’s why even though, White is sitting in an unpleasant room he still thinks about the beauty of New York. In fact, he isn’t the only one. As I am finishing my long and tedious homework, I can’t help but to relive all my happiest memories exploring New York.
Finally, the sentence “…strangers who have pulled up skates somewhere and come to town, seeking sanctuary or fulfillment…” deeply resonates within me. In the City of Dreams, we all come here in hope to win this race called life. New York has become a place where everyone hopes to have an ending like Cinderella.
In conclusion, every New Yorker can relate to the informations White pointed out, but at the same time people who wish to come settle in New York can have an insight on a daily life here.
I was thinking about what you said, about how I might not agree with what you were saying. But I liked reading what you were thinking. I guess I think White probably isn’t being sarcastic, and that is “willing to be lucky” line is about the sense of possibility in the city. But I swear I’m not just putting these reading responses together so you can agree with one particular view…I do want to hear what you think and then see you back it up in the text.
New York City is a fascinating place. Not too many places are universally considered to be the Capital of The World without being an actual capital of anything, not even its own state. The city attracts millions of people every year who come here to visit or to start a new life. One of many reasons people do come here is to get lost in the sea of millions of people. This is what E.B. White presented as the “gift of privacy” in his work “Here is New York”. No matter who you were in your past life and past experiences, here in the city you are just a fresh face in the pulsating rhythm of the city. No one cares, for the most part, about you as long as you are minding your own business. This would be impossible to achieve in some rural town somewhere in Ohio where everyone is willingly or unwillingly know everything about you, your friends and your family. But here in the New York City, if you choose, you can live your whole life without knowing who your neighbors are.
Another reason people flock here from all over the world is the never-ending supply of many opportunities and chances to make a name for yourself. I think that the extremely high chance of becoming a successful New Yorker is what E.B. White meant when he said that “No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky.” With so many people and ideas and businesses, you might find yourself caught in the whirlwind of a carrier that propels you to the top of the food chain. This might happen very fast and very unexpected. And you better be “willing to be lucky” as E.B. White put it, or otherwise suffer from not wanting to go through everything bad that comes from a rapid rise to the top, especially if you are unprepared.
My favorite sentence from excerpt is “It carries on its lapel the inexpungable odor of the long past, so that no matter where you sit in New York you feel the vibrations of great times and tall deeds, of queer people and events and undertakings.” It perfectly summarizes the atmosphere of New York City which is based on a very rich history of this city and people that lived here before us. E.B. White tells us where he sits partly because he feels the energy of the past and vibrations of the city’s present energy, even in the hot 90-degree hotel room in Midtown. You can’t escape the history or the energy of this city.
I do think what you call the “supply of many opportunities” does get to part of what White is writing about.
We missed you on Thursday and looking forward to having you back tomorrow.
The Big Apple, the City that never sleeps,the Financial and Cultural Capital of the World, these are some of the names that we all link with New York. Furthermore, it is a city of opportunity but as the author E.B. White writes,“No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky”, luck, plays a significant role in the life of people here. As one sees the diverse cultures and the vast population here,they will also notice that a lot of New Yorkers work really hard but does not succeed only because of their luck where else they will see some people capitalize on their good luck and are living the best lives.
New Yorkers won’t bother one for any means and that allows a person their personal space where they can do whatever they wish. But it comes at a cost. The same person can feel lonely as the interactions between people are limited due to the busy life in this city. This is what E.B.White talks about in his excerpt when he states, “…New York will bestow the gift of loneliness and the gift of privacy”. As the excerpt continues E.B.White emphasizes on the culture and the different kind of people that New York withholds and the history that the city bears within. He ends the first excerpt by taking us to Manhattan through his words as he sits in a hotel room and gives us a view of what summer is like in the heart of this great city.
In the second excerpt, E.B.White writes about the three kinds of people living in New York. The native New Yorkers,the commuters and the settlers each contribute to the city and makes it lively. As more and more people enter the city, possibility of adventures and sheer excitement works within them.I can totally relate to it since I had the same feeling when I settled in this great city two years back. I highly appreciate how the writer tells about the contribution of the various group of people in this city just within a sentence where he states, “Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness;natives give it solidity and continuity;but the settlers give it passion”. So, this stands out as my favorite sentence in this piece. All these things make New York different from other places and just like its high skyline,New York sets the standards high for the rest of the world.
I like how you focus mostly on the text, but then give me enough of a taste of your own experience that I can see where your views come from.
New York is truly a place like no other. There are thousands of people flooding the streets, subways, and sidewalks of New York. However, it is easy to feel alone amongst the crowd. New Yorkers don’t tend to worry about the person next to them, so you will have the “gift of privacy” as no one will worry about you because they’re busy with their own lives. On the other hand, this may also be seen as a gift of loneliness because one may feel alone amongst the crowd as they just simply brush pass you.
E.B. White states “No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky”, which means there is a risk with coming to New York. Your initial situation can either worsen or improve. One can either lose themselves in this tough environment, or find themselves and become the best they can be. It is like gambling with one’s future, and if you can make it here you can make it anywhere.
Lastly, White mentions his location with the use of some imagery. These descriptive details help the reader imagine what a summer day in New York may feel like. The heat, vibrations and noises all going on just outside the door. In addition, it helps the reader relate to White as one could almost feel like suffocating heat.
My favorite sentence in this piece is, “Third, there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something”. This sentence speaks towards those who came to America with the “American Dream”. This is my favorite sentence because my family came with a goal in mind to better their situation. And it was because of this drive and determination that they are able to succeed.
I really love White’s writing, and when you talk about the “in quest of something sentence,” I’m reminded that he’s not just outlining his thinking in a clear way, but he’s making really effective word choices.
E.B White talks about how solitary one feels despite being in such a bustling city as New York. To understand what the author means by the “gift of piracy”, one has to realize that everyone in this city has ulterior motives and life goals that they’re working towards. Everybody always has something to do, somewhere to get to, or someone to meet, and they plan on doing those things come hell or high water, since most have sacrificed a lot for this opportunity to realize their dreams. When you’re that focused, you don’t really have the time nor the ability to interact with people to the extent you might do so were you in a slow mid-western town.
Everybody comes here chasing after their version of the holy grail, but not all of them understand the risks involved with undertaking this challenge. People often say that this city can either make or break you, and doing your “best” simply isn’t enough to avoid the latter of the two. Life in New York is cold and unforgiving, and unless you have some degree of luck that helps you persevere in spite of the obstacles the city might throw in your path, you’re in for a hard time.
New York city is alive, and you can feel its throbbing pulse wherever you ar
Your views cut off there at the end…
I never questioned myself about the importance of privacy before I moved to New York City. Of course, moving to the biggest city in America from one of the biggest cities in Europe might not sound like a big kind of a deal but, surprisingly, I was amazed by how people on the streets act like. No familiar faces, only completely cold strangers rushing to their work. They don’t know you and, therefore, they don’t care about you. City absorbs you and, after a few months, it accepts you as a new stranger and you stop caring about others as well. So what is privacy?
Privacy is undoubtedly important and everyone should be entitled to it to some extent. But what privacy really stand for? I think the definition of this word is unique for every single person. Some, like the girl from Mississippi, defines privacy as simply not being observed by her neighbors. Others enjoy being an “open book” for a public, having no secrets from it and sharing every joy and pain they experience with friends or just random strangers. Some people, who believe in conspiracy theories about the government tracking their every single step, take privacy to an extreme level and become complete ghosts. If you ask me, the type of privacy New York City is offering fits me. I like that people don’t really care about you, seriously. You don’t spend your time small-talking about things you both don’t care about. People wear what they want and no one judges them for doing so. I think there’s some art in not caring about it.
“No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky.” That’s a great sentence, perfectly picturing the entire meaning of the city. The only thing I would like to change about is change “luck” to “hard work”. I personally do not believe that someone’s luckier than another but I do believe that the harder you work the luckier you become. Back to the meaning of this phrase, New York City is undoubtedly the greatest benchmark for success. you either move to another state completely join millions of people moving to another state, who complain about how expensive the city is, or you succeed and get to the top. Rewards are staggering but so are the risks – in some cases, you can lose it all and barely come up with the money for a one-way ticket to home. If that sounds like risk you’re willing to undertake, then the city awaits you. But if you don’t want to test your luck then you definitely should not come here.
America, arguably, is the most progressive nation on this planet. New York City, known for its eccentric culture and vibrant livelihood, is one of the driving forces of that belief. Though there are many stereotypes and preconceived notions of the average “New-Yorker,” the fact is, there is no one “New-Yorker”. The foreign tourists, homeland natives, and newcomers creating the bustling city we see every day ensure that.
The most important quote in White’s excerpt is this description of New York City:
“New York is the concentrate of art and commerce and sport and religion and entertainment and finance, bringing to a single compact arena the gladiator, the evangelist, the promoter, the actor, the trader, and the merchant.”
Encapsulating all of the ranges of the human mind’s intellectuality – art, theory, culture, language – New York City makes for a diverse brewing pot of creativity. What White is trying to say is that New York City encompasses the true diversity of mankind–not just in terms of race, age, gender but in terms of artistry, talents, ideas, passions, creations. For example, a subway train could be carrying an artist or a physician, a musician or a lawyer, a student or a master, a financier or a panhandler. Though they come from different backgrounds, they all came to New York City to chase their dreams. And this leads me to my disagreement with my fellow classmates: it’s not that New Yorkers don’t care about other people, it’s just that they are so focused on their dreams and goals, they end up tuning out their surrounding world. That’s when the unique element of privacy in New York comes along. Since most people are busy in their daily lives, we don’t have time to wave or smile at the passing pedestrian. Fellow New-Yorkers emulate this culture of “not caring.” But, I repeat, this is not that they don’t care but because they have a destination to arrive at. When we see others “not-caring,” and focused on their lives, we are reminded to focus on our goals and dreams as well. I believe this phenomenon of “not-caring” was birthed at the same time New York City became the land for the American dream. Because Americans learned we can only achieve our goals through hard work; seeing other New-Yorkers consumed in their lives, encourages us to do the same. It’s not that New-York is a tough city with heartless people, but more of the fact that it’s a competitive city with determined people. Hence, the boy from Corn belt’s “pain in the heart.”
Though many bad-mouth New York City, most people have always had the deep urge to visit the city. Why wouldn’t they? The city shows the magnificent and endless wonders and creations of humans. When glimpsing at skyscrapers, think of the minds of New York’s architects; when perceiving the many colors, lights, sculptures, think of the artists behind them; when viewing the raging bull in Wall Street, think of the financiers making New York City the financial capital of the world; when reading small excerpts of subway poems, think of the excited New-Yorkers hungry for adventures, translating their sensations into words. But most importantly, think of the people who make New York City, New York City.
See, that wasn’t hard, was it?
I like the sentence you like, because of its scope, but I don’t think it’s true any longer that New York is the concentrate of all those things, because of the changes in the world since White wrote this and also because of digital technology. I mean, you can do day trading anywhere in the world with a computer, right, so doesn’t the very nature of a financial capital change then?
See you tomorrow!