In a sweltering hotel room, located in the heart of New York City, E.B. White penned his ode to the city that would take readers on a journey throughout its’ most wondrous and miraculous parts.
Here Is New York was published in 1949, but it reads as if it were written only yesterday. Although White bestows the responsibility of dating his writing to the reader, I personally find that the feverish pace of New York City has not missed a beat in the sixty-five years since White’s take on the city.
Presently, the three different New Yorks from White’s day still thrive. I exist as both a man who was born here and as the commuter. I am guilty of taking the beauty of the city for granted and not utilizing it for its’ bountiful resources. Originating from the Bronx, I often find myself jumping between neighboring boroughs and train routes. My commute does not begin and end in parts of Westchester or New Jersey, so I rarely get to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. In doing so, I take notice of the third type of New Yorker that exists, the man, woman, child, or family that appreciates the city and all of its’ offerings. In White’s words, “The settlers give it passion.”
Eerily, White foretold of New York’s growing vulnerability as it would experience change throughout the years. “The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible.”White’s fear of rapid change would painfully become a reality in the wake of terrorist attacks on the city on September 11, 2001. This heinous act left New Yorkers devastated, but White’s essay could not have predicted our ability to come together and overcome during times of trouble.
New York City, as White described it, is a, “City of opportunity.” The true beauty of New York lies in its diversity. The city is a smelting pot that contains different walks from all across the world. Since White’s essay was published, the number of inhabitants has only increased since then. It is our duty to help New York remain the capital of the world.
Eddie,
I can really relate to your third paragraph. As someone who has been living in NYC for the past 17 years, I also do find that I take the many beauties of the city for granted. I also live in the Bronx and most times find myself caught up in the crazy and busy city life, while not making any time to experience all that this city has to offer.
Hey, Sophia…
I consider it to be like a gift and a curse. We are exposed to so many different kinds of resources, but I feel as if we lose ourselves in the crazy and hectic city life. It is good to take it easy once in a while and appreciate just what there is around us.
White’s essay did not predict our ability to come together. What forces made that happen?
White’s fears of advanced industrialization in New York City were realized far beyond his time once the city was attacked on 9/11. What White could not foresee was how the people of New York would join together during this time. Before that time, New Yorkers were often characterized as self-involved and rude. We lived in the best city in the world and nothing came close. Needless to say, the fall from grace was both devastating and surreal.
Forces of Nature also influenced our ability to come together as one (i.e. Hurricane Sandy). New Yorkers saw their homes and neighborhoods destroyed by the force of the Hurricane. An endless amount of people offered to help those most in need.
I find it interesting that you say New York is the ‘capital of the world’. Although our city is bountiful and beautiful, do you really believe that it is, in fact, THE best? What makes it that way? I’m asking this because I think that this kind of mentality is also what comes along with living here. And, why do you think people here have that mentality?