“I ran home, but I didn’t tell Mamma. She would have cried. I didn’t cry then and I battled away tears now. Boys didn’t cry.”

When Dom encounters a dead body in the passageways beneath the convent, he holds back tears, just like the time a shooter in his neighborhood insulted him for being Jewish. The boy attempts to be strong in terrifying moments, fueling the gender stereotype that boys can neither cry nor show emotion, especially fear.

“America. I reached up and put my hand on hers. That was why she had said those crazy words about survival; she was afraid of the journey. But it was worth it; we’d find our fortune in America, like Tonino. We’d send money home, enough for everyone to come and join us.”

Approaching the ship, Dom is comforted by the idea that they will seek a better life in America. However, this is dramatic irony, for he is oblivious to the signs that his mother is sending him alone. Furthermore, his comfort and excitement highlight the concept of the American Dream: That life will be significantly better, especially financially, in the United States.

“New York is America, boy. Don’t you know anything? New York is paradise. The opposite of your little hovel in Napoli. The opposite of where your mamma is.”

When the sick stowaway on the ship tells Dom their destination, he reinforces the idea of the American Dream, as well as the boy’s innocence. By calling New York a “paradise,” the man fuels the assumption that life is better in America. Furthermore, even the stranger understands that Dom’s mother is not on the ship, a fact Dom still does not see.

“He was dead when they threw him over. He was dead, he was dead, he was dead. They would never throw over a living person. They would never throw over Mamma or me.”

Although Dom is smart and recognizes why the man was thrown overboard, he shows his fear when he repeats that the man “was dead.” He then adds that he and his mother are safe because they are alive. These thoughts are his way of comforting himself; they also further demonstrate his naiveté, for his mother is not on the ship.

“I untied the string around the tiny bundle Mamma had tucked in my right shoe and unfolded the cloth. Inside were four tassels, each made of eight strands of yarn, seven white and one blue, tied into many knots. The first time I opened the bundle, I recognized them instantly. They were holy tassels—tzitzit—from my grandfather’s prayer shawl. I held them and let memories wash me clean.”

Dom discovers the tassels from his grandfather’s prayer shawl, and each day he takes them out in a ritual. The bundle comforts him, for when he holds the tassels, the memories cleanse him, suggesting they take away his fear and uncertainty. Immediately after this, Dom notes that the tassels will become part of his own prayer shawl on his Bar Mitzvah. As a result, they are a reminder of an identity he takes pride in but must hide, reflecting The Impact of Immigration on Identity.

“I sank into a sea of people. Most were quiet, putting their energy into the struggle to breathe in this heat. Some grumbled that they weren’t allowed up on deck. The only people left on the ship now were third-class passengers. A man said there were five hundred and twenty of them, all in a stench of vomit and feces.”

When Dom arrives on Ellis Island, because of his ripped pants, authorities presume he is a third-class passenger, so they return him to a different ship. This passage emphasizes the horrid conditions for immigrants who were deemed “third-class,” for they cannot immediately disembark and are forced to endure extreme heat and unsanitary conditions.

“In less than half an hour we were ferried across to Ellis Island, and our shipload of passengers merged with shiploads from all over the world. No one understood anyone else […] On the bottom floor was a baggage area. Everyone was told to place their belongings there, but no one wanted to. The official kept saying that they could fetch them after they’d passed through the registration room upstairs. Still, no one put anything down.”

This scene from Ellis Island highlights the chaos and confusion immigrants face when they first arrive in New York City. The sheer number of people coupled with a plethora of languages make the situation overwhelming. Although the people are reassured that they can return for their belongings, they fear the worst and are reluctant to let go of their only possessions.

“All right, then, kid. It’s your life. You’ll go it alone. If you act smart, you’ve got a chance. Others your age have done it.”

One of the translators filling out Dom’s identification papers makes this remark when Dom insists on the last name Napoli. The man’s words foreshadow Dom’s experiences in that he is alone but will make it due to his quick thinking and cleverness, reflecting Survival and Resilience in an Unfamiliar Place. Dom’s desire to maintain a last name that reflects his Jewish identity also speaks to his determination to hold fast to what matters to him.

“You’ll look older with a little brother tagging along.”

Dom says this to the boy in the bathroom at Ellis Island. Both want to escape, and Dom’s words highlight his cleverness and quick thinking. Recognizing that the boy understands more than him, Dom knows it would be beneficial to team up. Instead of asking for help, he offers a reason why working together would be smart. Although his plan never comes to fruition, it demonstrates Dom’s ability to think fast, highlighting the theme of Survival and Resilience in an Unfamiliar Place.

“I checked to make sure the documents were safe in my pocket. Then I recited every one of Nonna’s charms I could remember—charms to keep evil at bay.”

On Dom’s first night in New York City, he cleans out a barrel to sleep in and once inside, this is what he does, demonstrating the convergence of traditions and new challenges. Finding comfort in his grandmother’s charms to expel evil, he also knows that the documents are crucial for his survival. Combining the familiar ritual of reciting charms with his protection of these new papers, Dom shows that he is adaptable to his new life yet retains ties to his past and family.

“I thought of how Nonna had made me bring the bowl of meatballs to the Rossi family next door the night before I left home. ‘You get, you give.’”

When Dom shares a tomato with Gaetano, a boy he hardly knows, he remembers lessons from his Nonna. This highlights not only Dom’s characterization as a kind and generous person, but it also demonstrates how he internalizes and applies lessons he has learned. As a result, Dom’s story is a bildungsroman, a narrative charting a young person’s growth. His willingness to share what he has also speaks to Community Rooted in Shared Hardship.

“I looked at my hands and tried to close my ears to what was going on outside my head. It was my body in this church, not my heart and soul.”

When Gaetano urges Dom to go to church, Dom distraught. He rationalizes his presence by saying he is there physically, but not emotionally. This admission highlights his internal struggle between what is needed to survive in New York City and staying true to his Jewish identity. He goes to church only because it makes things easier if he appears to be Catholic and because there will be free food afterward, reflecting The Impact of Immigration on Identity.

“I wanted to throw the orange at his head. He couldn’t make me feel sorry for what I’d said just because he’d told the truth. And because he knew where I slept and he hadn’t stolen my shoes. He was the one who had done something rotten, not me. And I was the one who was stuck here.”

After learning that Gaetano stole and sold his documents, Dom is furious that the other boy is making him feel guilty. This passage highlights the characterization of both Dom and Gaetano as complex, round characters. Although Gaetano committed a horrible act, he also demonstrates that he is not completely selfish, for he has never stolen Dom’s shoes even though he could have. Dom’s emotions prove that he is not perfect either, for he does not want to forgive Gaetano.

“It did. It worked. Gaetano saw things right. I grinned at Tin Pan Alley, too.”

After selling their first sandwich, Dom is elated at their success. His excitement highlights his ingenuity and Survival and Resilience in an Unfamiliar Place. By acknowledging his friends and sharing his excitement with them, Dom also realizes that he is not alone in America. The relationships he has forged allow him not only a better chance of survival, but also provide happiness and security.

“I’d had two quarters in my pocket and now I had nothing. In the morning I’d have to face Tin Pan Alley and Gaetano. I was pretty sure Tin Pan Alley would forgive me, But Gaetano…even if Gaetano didn’t punch me, he’d be disappointed. They’d both be disappointed in me. Sick of me. I was sick of me. Me and my big plans. I’d never get home if I kept doing things wrong.

This was too hard. Everything was too hard.”

After his money is stolen, Dom is distraught because it hurts not only him, but both Tin Pan Alley and Gaetano. Even though Dom is resilient and clever, his survival is not without obstacles and hardship, including his own self-doubt. His acknowledgement of how hard it is to live in this place, let alone find a way home, is a reminder that he is only nine years old.

“‘So’ cadute l’anielle, ma so’ restante ‘e ddete—The rings have fallen away, but our fingers remain—and we’ve still got the quarter in my pocket. Let’s get to work.’

That was Uncle Aurelio’s kind of optimism—bad things happen, but you don’t miss a step. Gaetano could make a decent Jew. I didn’t tell him that though.”

This is Gaetano’s response when he hears that thieves stole two quarters from Dom. First, it shows his positive outlook, something necessary to persevere, fueling the theme Survival and Resilience in an Unfamiliar Place. Second, because Dom compares him to his Uncle Aurelio, Gaetano’s words demonstrate that people are not as different as they seem. However, Dom’s reluctance to share this comparison highlights how Dom must hide his identity, even from a friend, which underscores The Impact of Immigration on Identity.

“‘My padrone doesn’t care how old someone is,’ said Tin Pan Alley. ‘He beats anyone.’”

Tin Pan Alley’s honesty exposes the brutal reality of child labor and exploitation by padrones during this time. Even though these bosses oversee children, they abuse them and treat them poorly, reinforcing the various dangers child immigrants face.

“So that night I stretched out in a bed. Back in Napoli I’d slept on two chairs pushed together. Since then I’d slept in all kinds of places: the floor under Eduardo’s bunk on the cargo ship, the top deck of the Citta di Napoli, the barrel, Central Park.”

When Dom sleeps in a bed for the first time at Signora Esposito’s place, he recalls everywhere he has ever slept. Even in Napoli, he did not have a bed, which is reminiscent of Grandinetti saying that even though America is tough, it is better than Italy. Also, Dom’s catalog of all his sleeping spots is indicative of how difficult his journey has been, emphasizing Survival and Resilience in an Unfamiliar Place.

“I had a mother. And she hadn’t put me on the boat alone on purpose. She wouldn’t have. She couldn’t have.”

After recalling the details of his last day in Napoli, Dom is still in denial. In his conversation with Gaetano, he realizes that his mother did intend to put him on the boat alone, but he will not let himself believe it. This thought process signals that although Dom is maturing, he is still young and does not understand the complexities of love, for his unspoken assumption is that his mother could not have sent him alone if she loved him.

“In the next month, business grew so fast, it was like an eruption of Mount Vesuvio. It felt as though Wall Street had been doing nothing but waiting for our sandwiches.”

Napoli uses a simile to compare an eruption of the Italian volcano, Mt. Vesuvius, to how many sandwiches the boys are selling. Since the volcano has a history of explosive eruptions, most notably the destruction of Pompeii, this comparison emphasizes how successful the sandwich business is and how much money the boys are making, further highlighting the themes of Survival and Resilience in an Unfamiliar Place and Community Rooted in Shared Hardship because the boys have accomplished this together against all odds.

“Now I was dazed to think I had far more than enough money saved for a boat ticket. And no matter how much phony documents cost, I probably had plenty for them, too. I could go back to Napoli anytime I chose.

The water lapped around the ship quietly. I stared at moonlight on black water.”

Dom’s realization that he has the money to buy papers and passage to Napoli demonstrates the theme Survival and Resilience in an Unfamiliar Place. However, after admitting this to himself, he only stares at the water. Instead of joy, he is contemplative, suggesting that he loves his new life and the people in it, which foreshadows his decision to stay at the end of the novel.

“So I let my eyes take in the room. Along the wall to my left were iron rings with rope through them. A small boy lay on his side in the corner, one wrist tied to the last ring. His eyes were closed, but I thought I saw his eyelids move. Pietro had lied; the boys weren’t bound to bedposts—there were no beds. They lay on the floor, like animals.”

When Dom is flung into the padrone’s apartment, he is horrified by the sight, which exposes how cruel and exploitative the padrones are. As Dom narrates, the boys are treated more like animals than servants indebted to pay back their passage. His observations highlight why padrones were illegal; however, because many people ignored their “business” methods, the cruelty of child abuse and exploitation continued.

“I remembered Mamma’s words to Franco. I had lied to myself about that. I remembered them exactly, because I’d stood there that morning and wanted to ask her why she kept talking about my going—why she hadn’t talked about our going.

Mamma put me on that ship on purpose. My Mamma did that terrible thing to me. I couldn’t pretend I didn’t know anymore.

And now I belonged here.”

Dom demonstrates maturity when he acknowledges that his mother intentionally put him on the ship alone. Although he later admits that she did it out of love, Dom states here that it was a terrible thing to do. With maturity comes his understanding that her love is complex and can be well-intentioned and horrible at the same time. Furthermore, by saying he belongs in America, Dom decides that he will not sail back to Napoli.