The theme threading all these readings together seems to be the concept of previous culture, immigration lifestyle, and the struggle of reconciling firm values with assimilation. Reading about the rigid system of the domus and the youth’s desire to disobey brought to mind a specific era in American culture— the counterculture of the 1960s and the rise of the hippie culture. I think that the desire for change and freedom that led the immigrants to America was passed down to their children, but this energy manifested itself in an entirely different way. Now that doors of opportunity were pushed open for them, they were ready to not only live in a different area, but live a completely different lifestyle. They wanted more rights, the ability to experiment with drugs, and to form novel types of music, for instance.
I agree that it was probably better for the Italians who lived among people they knew as opposed to those who inhabited filthy tenements full of varying cultures. To me, domus seems to be a bond that the Italians gripped onto, in fear of change/the unknown. They wanted to persist in their customs and way of life prior to immigration, because, like William said, doing otherwise could potentially destroy the family bonds.
In a sense, I really think that it is important for immigrants’ cultures to be preserved, despite the distance from their home-country. The attributes that make New York so attractive and welcoming is its blend of cultures and the fact that anyone, from any country, can fit in. If being American meant that we merely followed the laws dictated by society and we abandoned any relation to previous culture, then there would be no difference between Americans except for physical appearance. Our food would be the same, our education the same, our opportunities (practically speaking, basically) the same, etc. The domus represents the perpetuation of values and culture and I like knowing that New York will continue to be a diverse, central location.
