Since the dangerous and thrilling aspects of Little Italy no longer present themselves to the public, people differentiate between inside Little Italy and outside Little Italy by the presence of “Italian” restaurants and the various decorations that surround them. In class I remember thinking that the Italian decorations were comparable to Christmas lights during the holiday season. When the leaves fall off the trees and the snow starts to fall, everyone is aware that the holidays are arriving. The Christmas lights don’t control when the holidays come. Rather, they strengthen the atmosphere by serving as constant reminders for holiday celebrations. They are nice, but they are not crucial to have during the holiday season.

I used this logic pattern and arrived at the conclusion that the decorations in Little Italy serve a similar purpose. If you are walking through Little Italy, you will know exactly where you are because of the restaurants, the romantic tables outside, and the people around. The Italian flags and other decorations do not determine the boundaries for this area. Instead, they are there to enhance to mood and the atmosphere. Thus, I concluded that the decorations, like the holiday lights during December, are not essential to have in Little Italy, but are there only to reinforce certain feelings and ideas.

<!--StartFragment-->

As I walked along the streets in NYC in February, I was surprised to see a row of trees, each wrapped in bright holiday lights. Although the holiday season is over, I was reminded of holidays and the joy they bring. I realized that the lights held a significant meaning for the people who see them. They trigger certain feelings that you get during the holiday season, and remind you of those times. I thought back to the class discussion and to my comparison of the Italian decorations and the Christmas lights.

The decorations in Little Italy are red, green, and white – the colors of the Italian flag. These “flags” represent Italy, but are miles and miles away from her. Just like the holiday lights in February reminded me of the joy that comes with holidays, so too the Italian flags in Little Italy remind people of the romance and danger associated with Italy. These decorations are not expendable, like I first thought they were. The decorations do not only enhance the atmosphere. They stimulate certain ideas and attitudes about Italy, and they are essential to have in Little Italy.