There were so many things about Coney Island that attracted people from all over. It was the precursor to entertainment as we know it today. From someone who does not enjoy rides at carnivals, you have to admit that they are pretty cool. Imagine seeing a Ferris Wheel for the first time – right after it was invented. It must have been breath taking. Same with roller coasters. Something so dangerous, but that is where the thrill comes from. I wonder if I would have taken a leap of faith and gone on these rides, out of pure amazement.
However, the negative things of Coney Island might have outweighed the positive things. It promoted gambling, prostitution, and throwing away of the morals on which people were raised. Once again, I wonder if the entertainment was worth the risk. I love the pictures that the author added to this section of the book, comparing how Coney Island changed over the years. They were not posed, editorial pictures like those of Riis’, they were natural, spontaneous, and unexpected. They literally captured a moment of these people’s lives. The changes are so drastic, that it is amazing that it happened in such a short amount of time. Coney Island was truly a great power in this culture, showing the influence of entertainment on the masses. What would our world be like today if Coney Island had never existed? Would we still be living in the Victorian Era, or would something new just take its place?
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