These chapters in How the Other Half Lives details the lives of different ethnic groups living in the tenements. It covers the Chinese, Jewish, Bohemians, and Blacks. They created their own areas where they could continue living their own culture. Was this by choice, or was their no other way? Was it possible to break the racial barrier, or did they have no choice?
There are both pros and cons of living divided by ethnicity. They could maintain their own cultural traditions. There was no one to force them to westernize or Americanize, because they were surrounded by their own kind. This did not make it easy for them though. Where they lived did not help them gain respect of the “white society.” This certainly raised awareness that there were more than just poor white people living in the tenements. Why did Riis choose to dedicate separate chapters to this? And why the groups that he chose? What did he plan to accomplish from this?
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