E.B. White writes about New York as a person who is visiting New York, but is not a tourist. The way White describes New York as a traveler is intriguing, as he is able to vividly compare and paint New York’s key aspects that make it the city of diversity and adventure. White captures the daily activities that make New York the city it is; for instance, the three types of New Yorks, such as the commuter, and the durability of its existence. Also, his comparison to New York and a poem made me realize how New York is not just a city, but is like an art. White enlightened me about the city I grew up and lived in my whole life.
When White mentions the three types of New Yorkers, I especially agree with him on “the New York of the commuter.” After commuting to and from Baruch College, I saw a lot of “the commuter.” Growing up I rarely took the trains and did not realize how many people come from New Jersey or upstate New York, but after entering college and becoming a commuter I am amazed that there are so many people who wake up extremely early to work in Manhattan. White hits the mark with his description of commuters: “tidal restlessness.” My first time in Penn station was during rush hour at night; there were swarms of people waiting for their train constantly looking at their watch or time schedule, or people rushing about to catch their train. Thinking back, as I loitered in the station, it really did feel like the commuter of New York was “spat out each night,” especially since people waiting for the trains, looking rather impatient, did not bother to walk around the station and take a look at their surroundings. Even though White is a visiting traveler, I completely agree with his portrayal of commuters.
Learning about the important events in history, some which took place in New York, I never really thought much about how strong New York is until White mentions that “by rights New York should have destroyed itself long ago.” (32) He mentions all the dangers that could have brought New York down, such as plagues and starvation, yet here we are today standing tall and bustling about the streets. Although I did not see for myself the moments where New York could have fallen and break, the moments in my life where I witnessed New York’s potential destruction made me realize now that the city and its people are strong. We were able to withstand 9/11 by moving forward, as well as restart our lives after hurricane Sandy. Being part of the city that overcame so many hazards, I can understand the “sense of belonging to something unique” as White describes.
Growing up and living in New York, I knew that there were many different race and kinds of people. When I read White’s comparison of New York to a poem, his words really struck me: “the poem whose magic is comprehensible to millions of permanent residents but whose full meaning will always remain elusive.” (29) If I were asked to describe New York, my response would probably be ‘a city full of diversity.’ White’s description delves deeper. He not only describes the diversity, but the lives of the people in New York. He summarizes the perspectives of the people living in New York, which is that even though we know why people come to this city as tourists, we as New Yorkers do not know everything about other New Yorkers. White mentions different places, which leads me to believe that he is implying New Yorkers could be living in a neighborhood for many years and not know much about a place three blocks down from where they live. Thus, I was able to soak in his ingenious simile.
After reading E.B. White’s “Here Is New York,” I feel enlightened about the place I thought I knew and understood. His style of writing makes it feel like I was being told a tale of the city I grew up in. The commuter that makes New York the busy city it is. The strength to overcome that made the city survive so long and iconic. The poem it is that holds many definitions. His illustrations of New York made me feel guilty when I realized White did not live in New York and could describe the city better than myself.
