(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Jacob Riis and Social Reform


            The chapter "The Down Town Back-Alleys" in Jacob Riis' novel "How the Other Half Lives" focuses on the plight of the poor on the lower east side of Manhattan. The novel focuses on what Riis calls the "other half," indicating the division between the poor people he writes about and his audience. The chapter emphasizes the unfortunate living conditions in tenement housing. He details the gruesome day-to-day lives of the poor, and he stresses how dissimilar their lives are compared to his audience. Riis describes social divisions amongst people, and at times uses offensive writing against certain groups in order to further his thesis. His writing could be construed in two very different ways. Was Riis being racist and prejudicial or were his racial comments necessary to create a connection and gain trust from his audience? It is interesting how as an immigrant, Riis made disparaging comments towards others like himself. Riis' use of unethical writing and the overt stereotypes portrayed helped him achieve his real goal, social reform. .
             Riis creates many divisions in his writing. He mostly discusses the major divide between the rich and the poor. On the bottom of page 294, he writes, "Leaving the Elevated Railroad where it dives under the Brooklyn Bridge at Franklin Square, scare a dozen stops will take us where we wish to go. With its rush and roar echoing yet in our ears, we have turned the corner from prosperity to poverty. We stand upon the domain of the tenement." Riis is specifically describing the divide, going down from the "Elevated Railroad," and "Dives under the Brooklyn Bridge." The "Elevated" image symbolizes the rich and upper class, and going down, "from prosperity to poverty." Riis is imparting the idea of descending to the lower class. Going from rich to poor, from light to dark, reminiscent of descending to hell.


Essays Related to Jacob Riis and Social Reform


Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question