On the threshold of a new world
1014 mots
5 pages
On the Threshold of a new worldCommentary
Introduction
Extract from a book by Mark Helprin called Ellis Island and other stories.
The passage deals with the arrival of an immigrant in the Usa at Ellis Island.
1st person narrative : “I”
The passage can be divided into 3 parts: * Lines 1 to 15 : Physical tests * Lines 16 to 31 : Intellectual tests * Line 32 to the end : The American dream
First I’m going to talk about the narrator’s situation, then I’ll show why immigrants such as the narrator decide to knock at the door of the new world.
Part 1 : The narrator’s situation * Who? An immigrant
* Where? Ellis Island, New York. Before they could be accepted into the new world, immigrants were parked at Ellis Island, an island situated off New York city.
* Why? It was a way to control newcomers. They had to undergo a series of tests. “I was taken from room to room” (l.1)
to check diseases or any physical problems. “after lifting……..no trachoma” (l.2-3) “someone else made me cough and breathe” (l.3) “I had to take off my clothes and turn several times” (l.3-4)
to check intellectual abilities “a pretty woman………..if I know how to read and write” (l.16) “and asked me what I did for a living” (l.20)
Only people who were healthy were accepted into the new world, so that they wouldn’t be a burden on the American society (medical expenses, Unemployment allowances ….)
Moreover only people doing a job that was valuable for the American economy were accepted. New brains were of course welcome in America.
* Attitude of the people in charge towards the narrator: immigrants were treated like animals / cattle “looked over rather carelessly” (l.1-2)
they were humiliated with an unfriendly attitude “now do it or I’ll send you back to Serbia” (l.10-11) They could be sent back at any time, for any reason. “she made a letter on my back with a piece of chalk”