City Limits Summary

In “The Colossus Of New York” by Colson Whitehead, “City limits” is the first chapter in which he talks about his life and memories living in New York City. In the very first paragraph he talks about how one might have ended up living in New York. Then he goes on talking about the landmarks in New York and how you might have encountered them on your stroll in New York. Then he starts talking about his life and his experiences such as the first time he looked out of a subway window as the train came out of a tunnel on its way to 125th Street. He also says that’s not every one New York is the same because of the different neighborhoods we all live in. Because of this we all see different part of New York which we call home. New York is always expanding thus making New York a place you can explore and explore. New York is always changing even if you notice it or not. He talk about for some people when something changes and goes away visually that doesn’t mean it is actually gone. It is there still in the memories of that person. So basically Whitehead wrote about how he sees New York, and what he experienced as he walked on the streets of New York.

Eng. Project #2: Location

In order to find the overlapping New York I found, you first need to exit City Tech from the Namm building. Once you are outside, turn right on Jay Street and start walking. As you walk for about 5 minutes, you will pass a parking-lot, a Halal Cart, a resting area where a lot of people will be sitting and socializing with their family or friends. Then the Jay Street Metro Tech subway. As soon as you pass the subway about half way through the block, look across the street and you will see the overlapping New York. You will see a tall beautiful building called the  Brooklyn Fire Headquartersand and right next to it you will see a small store name Metro Café.

Path

Hokum

Hokum

noun

foolish or untrue words or ideas

(SOURCE- http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hokum)

While reading the ‘City Limits’ the word caught my attention. “History books and public television documentaries are always trying to tell you all sort of ‘facts’ about New York….It’s all hokum.”

By the word the writer meant that all the facts are made up. They are not what represents this city.

City Limits Summary

“City limits” is the first chapter of the book “The Colossus Of New York” by Colson Whitehead. Throughout the chapter, Colson used first person point of views to show how New York City were. Colson make the chapter as he talking to readers, He lives in New York city because he born here. He compare the old New York and now, also mention how people’s live were. From Colson’s view of New York city, he sees many thing differently than what I see. What he thought is never listen to what people tell you about the old New York, because it will change your point of view, and make it not part of your New York. This made me want to see what Colson really see about New York.

Brochure

noun

a small book or magazine containing pictures and information about a product or service.

(SOURCE- Google Translator)

I found this word while reading “City Limits” in second paragraph, “Maybe you saw the brochure.” Now I understand brochure is a book that have images and information that write about some stuff or services.

Brochure
Brochure

City Limits Summary

“City Limits” is the first chapter of the novel “The Colossus of New York” by Colson Whitehead. In the beginning of the novel, the author uses second person point of view to state the reasons people may come to this city. He states that “Or maybe you moved here a couple years ago for a job. Maybe you came here for school. Maybe you saw a brochure.” When people come to this city, they start building their private city.The author also states that “the New York city you live in is not my New York city”. In first person point of view, the author starts building his New York city on the uptwon NO.1 train. His first memory is of looking out a subway window on the way to 125th Street in the early seventies. He remembers that the city is filthy. And he calls it Pan Am Building. It’s been a long time, but he still remember the details. Proving what he says in the third paragraph “You start building your  private New York the first time you lay eyes on it.” According to the author, the reasons that make our private cities different are neighborhoods, our favorite newsstands, restaurants, movie theaters, subway stations, etc. For going those places, different people are different. And that is how our cities are private and unique.

Impediments

Noun

: something that makes it difficult to do or complete something : something that interferes with movement or progress

: a condition that makes it difficult to speak normally

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impediments

I found this word while reading the tenth paragraph on page 9 in “City Limits”. I found it in the sentence, “It saw you steeling yourself for the job interview, slowly walking home after the late date, tripping over nonexistent impediments on the sidewalk.” When I seen the word in the sentence, I remember hearing that word before but never knew what it exactly meant. From this word in the sentence, I’m guessing the author is trying to say is that something is interfering with the person’s movement.

 

 

City Limits Summary

“City Limits” is the first chapter of the novel The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead. The author goes back and forth with first and second person throughout this whole chapter. From Colson Whitehead’s point of view, he talks about his life and memories living in New York City. One of his first memories was on the uptown No. 1 train looking out the window on the way to 125th Street. He also mentions that it is the early seventies, so that must have been the year he had his first memory. Whitehead also remembers that everything was filthy, but because that is how his city is, he is sticking with it. From the second person point of view, Whitehead uses it in the first paragraph guessing why the reader is living in New York. In the sixth paragraph, Whitehead mentions how the New York we live in is different and not the New York he lived in. The New York that we are living in is changing and nothing is really the same anymore. He also mentions that the city knows you better as a person than anyone else. The city remembers and sees all of what you’ve done. For Colson Whitehead, no matter if you were born here or living here, you’ll also be a New Yorker. The feelings of the city won’t become unfamiliar to you and you will be attached to it as you’re staying there.