Essay - Crane Dear Sir, for the Inclusion of Photos from Jacob...

Crane

***** Sir,

***** the inclusion of photos from Jacob Riis in our new illustrated edition of Crane's Maggie: a Girl of the Streets, I would like to m*****ke a number of suggestions based on my search for suitable material. For the purpose of this letter I am us*****g just one scene and one pho***** that I have decided would go well with ***** particular *****.

The scene I ***** in mind occurs in the beginning of Chapter III, where an old woman begs in the street ***** a small sum of money every day. This is a specific*****lly poignant ex*****ple of ***** dehumanization suffered by the poor that Riis was so concerned about during his life. Many of his photos then also depict t***** theme.

What I have in mind for this ***** is a contrast. I believe that "Saluting the Flag in ***** Mott Street ********** School" ***** provide a particularly effective contrast with the ***** woman ***** the scene, while still allowing a connection with the text.

I have a number of reasons ***** this choice. Firstly I will address the points of contrast that I feel are very *****. The girls in ***** picture are young. They are at school, and filled with hopes and dreams for their future. The American flag ***** they appear to be enthusiastically saluting is symbolic of the hope presented by the United States ***** the outside world. ***** posture ***** the girls as well as the ***** itself appears to speak of *****ful energy.

***** contrasts strongly with the scene at the beginning ***** Chapter III. The old woman has finished her life. Of hopes and ***** she has nothing left. She is old and has no hope of making a success of any future life or c*****er. Fur*****rmore, the ***** States ***** let ***** down. ***** is obliged ***** live from the little ***** can scrape together on the streets every day. This is ano*****r contrast ***** the *****: the girls are indoors, where they will be all day, accumulating knowledge that would help them in their future lives. The old woman is *****, which is also symbolically outside of society and of social acceptance. Being old, she has spent a *****time learning the intricacies of life, providing her with priceless wisdom. All ***** wisdom however has not prevented ***** from *****coming a beggar in her ***** age. The girls ***** the picture are ***** beginning to be admitted into society, whereas ***** ***** finished with the old woman in the story, and thus she sits outside ***** begs where ***** only receives money ***** those not living in the vicinity.

This brings me to the connection points between the photo and the story. One important connection is the fact that the setting of the photo is an industrial *****. Thus ***** setting ***** hardly luxurious. It is therefore easy to connect the ra*****r drab ***** of the industrial school with life in the street. The girls' cloth*****g is