What is a city? In my opinion, the city is the place that contains multiple areas, such as political areas, residential areas, financial centers and etc. New York city is the place like this. To know more about this fantastic city, I take a walk around our campus. At very beginning, I felt like only Manhattan can represent New York City because the first impression he gave me was sleepless, amazing, ambition, but far away. When I close to this city, I realize that New York City not only has a shiny surface, but also has a lovely and busy place called Brooklyn.
As I taking a walk, I was thinking about the juxtaposition. Where can be the best place to represent juxtaposition? This took a long time for me to make a decision because every place has its mission to stand on his way. I’ve walked several place from our campus to the Brooklyn Bridge Park, even further the Brooklyn Bridge. However, on a morning when I passed by the supreme and family court, I found my answer finally.
My positions are located between Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Supreme and Family court. Brooklyn Bridge Park, a place that people would like to share happiness with family and friends where locates under the Brooklyn Bridge. Sitting on the stone beach, I’ve viewed the great scene of Manhattan Island. It was not that big as today. With the development of the society, the park extends with those piers. Back to the park, I had a really relax the afternoon at the park. Everyone enjoyed their coffee or their afternoon-topic. The Sun shines on the river brilliantly. People seat on benches or play near the river. Such a relaxed picture.
Usually, I pass by the Supreme and family court is on my way school or home. Maybe because of the rush hour in the morning, people stand outside of the court always look like seriously. Obviously, court house is a serious place, but compares with Brooklyn Bridge Park where just locates 10 blocks away, the atmosphere is totally different. At the family court people usually worried about support or their children belong to, not share their happiness which is sad. The sun like a fire shines on them with abandonment. They fan their folders, open their mouths with helpless and anxious. They have stories that cannot tell.
However, not everyone from court house hates the city, still have a happy ending for some family. They went out of the lobby with smile and hug, like the people who seat on benches at Brooklyn Bridge Park or enjoy the Sun.
Colson Whitehead, the writer of ‘City Limits’，in the book, he found out New York City is different by feeling it. I cannot oppose his opinion that we could feel the city because we are in it. The city can go on without us, but that city doesn’t belong to us, doesn’t it? At the same time, same place, but different events are happening which are building your own New York City.
