Although I’ve never lived any where other than New York, I had never analyzed the city before this semester. I didn’t think that I needed to; I thought I knew everything. I was clearly mistaken.
Let me start with Woody Allen’s portrayal of New York. Allen’s New York is the dream of many, yet, the reality of few. It depicts the elite of New York, which may not be the majority, but is still a crucial part of the city. After reading In Arabia We’d All be Kings, it is much easier to appreciate the gentrification of the city rather than scorn those who benefit from their fancy penthouses.
Truth is, before this semester, I did not know the ugly, scary past of New York City. I’d heard of tourists being scared of the city, but I never understood why. New York as I know it is a relatively safe place. I don’t fear the public transportation system, and as long as I have some grasp on my surroundings, I don’t worry too much about getting mugged. Maybe this is my own oblivion, but until seeing the New York depicted in Taxi Driver and Do The Right Thing, I was happily living in my bubble of New York being this amazing place that people would be paranoid to fear. This semester opened my eyes to the history of the very city that I’ve been living in for the past 18 years as well as the struggles of those who live here.
Our section on immigrants in New York was also eye opening for me. To learn about the struggles of Carlo (who technically lived in New Jersey, but we’ll let that slide), and to watch the hardships in Maria Full of Grace gave me a broader sympathy for those hoping to make a better life for themselves here. Yes, I knew coming to America in general was both dangerous and a hassle. But gaining insight to the extremes of both drug smuggling and the journey to obtain visas was very shocking, especially once I was able to put a face on the issue, and establish a connection with those going through these struggles. This segment showed the hope that I had always associated with New York City. However, it also allowed me to appreciate being born here and not having to go through the same hardships that face many immigrants.
That being said, I think it is safe to say that Intringulis was my favorite work/performance this semester. I liked the intimacy between Carlo and the audience, and found his way of enacting his one-man show to be very engaging. But most importantly, Carlo had a clear message and meaning to express to the audience. It is for this reason that I think Carlo’s performance was the most effective and will stick with me for the longest time. I felt that I was able to connect to Carlo and travel with him through his journey as a Sesame Street star to where he is now. It was a very informative performance that kept me wanting to learn more. Plus, I loved his singing!
As strange as this may sound, I feel that Asuncion most accurately depicts New York City. Before I explain my reason for saying this, I must agree with Emily when she said that she does not feel that any of the works depict “my” New York. Maybe it’s because I’ve never been an immigrant or super wealthy, but I felt that Eisenberg’s play did a good job of relating what I view in New York. Immigration, prejudice, drugs, assumptions, and chaos are just some parallels between the play and the city around us. Wherever you have immigration, you are bound to have diversity. Unfortunately, this often comes hand in hand with prejudice and assumptions. This play portrayed (although it was on drastic and sometimes narcotic terms) how easy it is for one to make assumptions about others and the negative effects of that. In a city as diverse as New York we’ve all done it, whether it is through grabbing our bag a little tighter around certain individuals or assuming that certain individuals would be able and willing to help us with our math homework. Similarly, drugs are an underground commonality among New Yorkers that is depicted in this play. This is not to say that everyone living in New York has experimented, but as in anywhere else in the world, it is not an uncommon occurrence. Even in Carlo’s play, drug use is alluded to. Lastly, I feel that Asuncion depicted New York because of its setting. The small, cramped, yet somehow charming apartment of the protagonists is true to many individuals living in the boroughs, unable to afford the luxuries of Manhattanite life. Overall, I feel that Asuncion was true in many respects to New York life.
