Colson Whitehead's description of Broadway in Colossus of New York is an accurate depiction of New York's true identity. People give NYC its glamour and reputation; the skyline is just the cover of our fairytale. New Yorkers give the city economic prosperity and provide a diverse form of entertainment. However, Broadway's existence can make people believe otherwise. The extravagant shops and environment can lead you to believe that New York City's vigor revolves around places like Broadway or Times Square. But they are just places that house actors, artists, vendors, and city residents with other occupations. After all, as Whitehead states, "the whole city is make-believe. Not famous, merely famous-looking." We should associate New York City with the people who put it on the map.
Speaking of accurate depictions, for my final project I plan to do a video documentary with an evaluative paper on three neighborhoods in New York City. The documentary will focus on the issue of income disparity in Washington Heights, the Upper East Side, and Chinatown as a growing concern of the city's social dilemmas. The questions I will address include: "What type of social mobility is encouraged in these places," and "How is race associated with income disparity?"
