Better Nate Than Ever is a middle-grade novel that details the journey of a young boy, who travels to New York for the first time to attempt to join a Broadway show. The titular character and protagonist, Nate, travels through Times Square and Broadway and experiences many aspects of life in New York City that inspires him to continue his acting career, despite being turned down for the role he intended to play.
The city that Nate saw in this novel is a vibrant world that could have been drawn straight out of his imagination. On the first impressions, city-dwellers are a bunch of wildly-dressed and stubborn individuals, who strive to go about their day without much focus on the one tourist trapped amongst them all. However, once he begins to meet individual New Yorkers, Nate learns that they are more accepting, more understanding, and more willing to understand the underlying differences between people than those who lived in Nate’s little town. He learns that, in New York, no one minds the idea that an individual might be gay, might dress strangely, or might not be the trophy-wielding jock that his brother is. He learns that he can be himself in the City, and especially in Times Square.
Nate’s vision of New York City is very similar to the New York City that any tourist can experience on first glance. It might seem very crowded, uncaring, and busy, yet it can also be a place where anyone might find their calling. The city- and especially Times Square- is a melting pot of diverse people and ideals. Anyone can find their place, here. Whether it be a confused and lonely young boy like Nate, or a lost and unhappy woman like Nate’s mother, New York can represent a new beginning for anyone. As Nate learns in the story, Times Square is for everyone. While it might be overwhelming to come people, Times Square can also be a place for like-minded people to meet and enjoy a Broadway production, to bond over the NFL experience, or to simply see a movie. Better Nate Than Ever‘s portrayal of Times Square perfectly represents everything that this city is meant to be, and is.
