“Here is New York” by E.B. White
Many of author E.B. White’s observations in his essay “Here is New York” still resonate today. Perhaps one of his most profound observations is the idea that is bestows “the gift of loneliness and the gift of privacy” (White 659). This seems paradoxical, given that New York is a very crowded city. But the proximity of other people enables city-dwellers to live in a state of anonymity, not needing to talk to one another at all. Of course, living alone and living in isolation from a community of people who are like yourself (given New York’s fabled diversity) can also make New Yorkers very lonely.
The fact that New York is made up of strangers, of people who have “pulled up stakes” to make their home in the town is also why it is a mecca of entertainment, art, commerce, and sports (White 696). This is true today as it is in White’s time, even though various components of these industries have moved elsewhere. White lists a catalogue of different historic events in all of these fields, all of which took place in New York. A New Yorker can casually...
New Yorkers are always in the presence of history, whether they are in awe of this fact or not. The fact that the presence of history is so palpable may also be one reason why New Yorkers are relatively cynical and difficult to excite.
In fact, many New Yorkers do not bother to participate in the various tourist events and attractions that are around them because they have become simply part of the scenery—which is also similar to today. This is particularly true of long-time residents. Like New Yorkers today, White draws a clear distinction between commuters and those who are born and bred New Yorkers.
White notes that it is very possible to live only streets away from a murder or falling cornice and not to feel the effects at all or to know anyone involved. He suspects that the apparent coldness to these events may be due to the fact that so many New Yorkers have fled their place of birth to escape, not to seek out new connections. Again, this is also similar to today, where it is not unusual to see real New…
