Category Archives: Here Is New York

Here Is New York

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1. What is your impression of the opening line of White’s book: “New York bestows gifts of loneliness and the gifts of privacy.” Do you agree or disagree with White? If so, why? If not, why not? How effective is the opening? What does it accomplish, if anything?

The opening line of E.B White’s book is a bold statement which introduces the reader to what New York is through his perspective. I personally agree with White’s statement since as a native New Yorker, I believe that living in this city has made me appreciative of both the gift of enjoying alone time, as well as the gift of being able to keep certain things to myself. I believe it is an effective way to start this book because it immediately grabs your attention as a reader. Usually, privacy and loneliness can have negative connotations towards them, but in making these things a “gift,” White causes the reader to think outside of the box. Instead of talking about something typical like Madison Square Garden or with the phrase “the city never sleeps,” White chooses to open his book with an unexpected play on words that immerses the reader into the story and leaves them wanting to know more about New York.

2. How and why does the writer use lists in this book?

White uses lists in many instances throughout the book in order to group different categories into a collective statement. For example, when he begins to describe exactly where he is standing, White groups events such as city fights, specific street names, neighborhood businesses, etc… to group all these distinct things and places together. It’s also makes the writing seem more personable, more of a conservation than a formal writing. The lists inform you and keep the writing more casual.

Here is New York

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1. What is your impression of the opening line of White’s book: “New York bestows gifts of loneliness and the gifts of privacy.” Do you agree or disagree with White? If so, why? If not, why not? How effective is the opening? What does it accomplish, if anything?

The opening line of the book is a bold statement by White that establishes the theme for the rest of the book. I agree that New York bestows the gift of loneliness and the gifts of privacy, whether it implies a positive or negative connotation, because in a place clustered with people, everyone is eager to succeed for themselves for a number of reasons and they tend to tune out what does not pertain to them. There are too many people in the city to be able to understand everybody, therefore people do things they want on their leisure time and do not focus on what everybody else is doing, which would be more likely in a smaller city with less people. No matter what time period it is, whether its E.B. White’s New York, or the New York that we live in today, there are so many things going on around the city as White mentions, that may be fascinating in theory, but no one will take the time to go to because there simply is not enough time to be involved in everything. He revisits the concept of loneliness and privacy throughout the text as he continues to list the different things in New York, whether the city is too crowded and tense for people to be integrated with one another or “blending the gift of privacy with participation” so that too many events serves as a blockade to be part of all events. I think the opening is effective because it establishes what the writer will speak about and it is not an abandoned thought, rather something that resonates throughout the entire text. It serves as a direction for the author and allows him to play with the words in different ways to illustrate how hectic New York City is, no matter the time period.

2. How and why does the writer use lists in this book?

The writer uses lists in the book after making a declarative statement in the text. They serve as justifications and visualizations for the reader’s apprehension to sync with the mind of the author. The reader is thrown a piece of knowledge, and then put into the reality of that piece of knowledge, giving the text the same busyness and excess of what is going in New York to better understand the given circumstances. They empower the metaphors that are used throughout the story.

E.B. White: Here is New York

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It is unexpected to declare New York, a populous city which has an overabundance of people and cultured events, as a city that “will bestow the gift of loneliness and the gift of privacy.” That of which is a singular perspective of E.B. White’s account of New York City as a visitor. A visitor in any vast city, such as New York, will most likely experience a great deal of loneliness and privacy. Since a visitor may not have a small group of companions because he or she has little acquaintance with the city and its inhabitants; therefore he or she would find a great deal of privacy. The more a visitor becomes acquainted with the city and its inhabitants, he or she will develop a semblance of inclusion and companionship that is possibly intimate. Then over time a visitor acclimates as a New York resident. Since White is not a New York resident and wrote this composition as a young writer and an “inveterate non traveler,” his misconception of loneliness and privacy is something that would be associated with small, dull towns and uncultured cities. Or his misconception of loneliness and privacy is used to emphasize the greater exploration of New York. In the exploration, White expounds on his observation and constant interaction with people and with the city itself. The only moments you feel a semblance of loneliness and privacy is when he describes his “moments in a stifling hotel room” and “in an office on a summer Saturday.” But this is only my perspective based on an obscure opening that reflects an abstract view.

The opening line: “On any person who desires such queer prizes, New York will bestow the gift of loneliness and the gift of privacy,” it is hard to agree with this sentence – along with its opening paragraph because it contradicts the entirety of the book – starting from the second paragraph. In the second paragraph, White immediately presents a long list of various aspects engaged in New York, and then continues a connecting list of descriptive words that presents prolific sense of unity and cohesion in New York. White further expounds with another list of eminent events that sets a tone of inclusion, by which indicates his own involvement and intrusiveness of New York and its inhabitants.

 

E.B. White “Here is New York”

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1. What is your impression of the opening line of White’s book: “New York bestows gifts of loneliness and the gifts of privacy.” Do you agree or disagree with White? If so, why? If not, why not? How effective is the opening? What does it accomplish, if anything?

My first impression was that he was describing New York as a bitter sweet place, that living in New York can give you a gift you may like and a gift you may not like. I agree with White, being born and raised in New York I know you definitely get a sense of loneliness and I think people least expect it because New York is the city that never sleeps. However people here live on a constant schedule and it takes them to being in their own world that they forget about their surroundings. If privacy in New York is being compared to privacy in a small town I also agree on that, living in such a big city allows you to keep things private from a large number of people. There is a lot of people you walk by every single day without knowing a thing about them. I think the opening is very effective because he goes right into how he feels about New York, which ultimately makes it an attention grabber.

 

2. How and why does the writer use list in this book?

The writer uses a list grammatically incorrect by writing the word “and” rather then using commas, and I think it was obviously done purposely by the writer. The writer seems to mention something and lay out the list in a way dragging his idea and sarcastically making sure his point gets across to the reader.

Here is New York Blog Post

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1. What is your impression of the opening line of White’s book: “New York bestows gifts of loneliness and the gifts of privacy.” Do you agree or disagree with White? If so, why? If not, why not? How effective is the opening? What does it accomplish, if anything?

In the opening line of White’s book, “New York bestows gifts of loneliness and the gifts of privacy”, I get the impression that he is informing readers what a privilege it is to get these aspects of life in a city most would not expect. The word “gift” lets me know that he is looking at this as a positive. I agree with White about the gift of privacy. As humans this is something we need and something we crave. On the other hand, I personally do not seek or enjoy loneliness. I am very much a social individual whom enjoys the company of others. The opening is very effective in the sense that right off the bat readers can see that he has a new perspective on New York and it might not be what the average would expect. It encourages myself as a reader to keep going and I become thoroughly intrigued. It accomplishes giving the readers an immediate feel about what it means to be in New York without even scanning to the second sentence.

 

 

2. How and why does the writer use lists in this book?

White uses lists in this book rather melodically. Mimicking similar styles of Walt Whitman, White manages to take a sentence that many would read as grammatically incorrect and give it flare and meaning. Each list was hand crafted to prove a point such as how the city has drastic differences yet something to offer to everyone. For example, “..art and commerce and sport and religion and entertainment and finance..” (White 19).

E.B White Here is NY

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1. What is your impression of the opening line of White’s book: “New York bestows gifts of loneliness and the gifts of privacy.” Do you agree or disagree with White? If so, why? If not, why not? How effective is the opening? What does it accomplish, if anything?

I agree with White because, as many New Yorkers can relate, there can be thousand of people surrounding you but at the same time feel so isolated from everyone. I’ve come to realize that everyone is busy with their own life and that’s why everyone is such in a rush. It’s funny and strange that most residents don’t even know they’re own neighbor, even if they lived there for over 10 years. New York can make you feel fulfilled yet alone. I believe the opening was very effective because it basically describes the life of a New Yorker in a nutshell. It accomplishes a sense of emotions and visual effect, in a way, that the reader might have when they first read the sentence.

2. How and why does the writer use lists in this book

The writer uses lists in his book because it actually helps the reader have visual effects of New York. When I was reading the lists and his description of New York, I felt like I was in the life of that individual walking just two blocks away and being in another world. It makes the reader feel involved in the life and surroundings of a New Yorker.