On the threshold of a new world 

I – The intimidating medical examination :

What is striking is that the narrator is treated as an object indeed he is examined and
manipulated by several people. First, a young man with the military bearing (l.4), then
someone else (l.5) and lastly, a big fat man (l.8).
During the exam, he is reduced to a puppet passed on from to hand to hand hence
the passive form : “was taken” (l.1), “(was) looked over” (l.2) , “was passed” (l.21) which
reveal that the narrator no longer acts freely.
Likewise (similarly) the narrator’s helplessness (powerless), he is also stressed
(emphazed) by the phrase : “made me cough” (l.5), “I had to take off my clothes” (l.6) and
“now do it” (l.16) at the imperative form.
Apparently, medical examiners who were expected to check immigrants in order to
disclose (reveal) signs of disease or illness or deformities did not hesitate to show that there
almighty (omnipotent, all-powerful).
Thus, (ainsi), the fat man threatens (menace) to send him back to Serbia (l.16-17)
although he doesn’t come from Serbia. His blackmail and bossy attitude are also underlined
(l.19) : “If I want to…”. Therefore, the narrator as to obey (comply) with the fat man. In fact,
the repetition of the verbs “bend over” (l.8-13-16-31) equates this dehumanizing exam with
a master-and-slave-relationship (i.e.: enslavement).

II – The humiliating aptitude test :

We must bear in mind that the examiners (officials) had to work quickly and
efficiently. Actually (in fact), official procedures resulted from the widespread (largement
rependu) fear that immigrants would be a resulted on American economy and that they
would import disease, corruption, illiteracy (analphabétisme), atheism or radical ideas into
the U.S… So the Americans feared for their national security. Hence the suspicious attitude
of inspectors.
The aptitude test to which the narrator is subjected in the second part aims to make
sure that the immigrants will be able to work and be good Americans citizens. Here the test
consists in a list of questions and answers which is like a police interrogation. The narrator is
asked questions by a woman who obviously distrust him. Her attitude is totally (utterly)
devoid of warmth and she is rather rude (impolite). This is stressed by many terms : “cold
eyes” (l.22), “suspicious” (l.27), “disgust” (l.36), “commanded” (l.38), “shouted” (l.39),
“pushed me” (l.41). So she clearly scorns (despises, looks down on) the narrator, her attitude
is full of content (scorn), as line (“a madman”) indicates.
Eventually, she chalks a letter on his back which shows that immigrants were treated
like cattle. Moreover, she doesn’t bother to answer the narrator’s question (l.40). In fact,
people who were thought to have a health problem were detained for further examination
and different letters were written on there backs such as a L for lungs, E for eyes, H for heart
or X for mental disorder.
III – Dreams of a new life : myth versus reality :
In spite of (despite, for all) the humiliating exams that he has just undergone, the
narrator can’t help dreaming of a new life in America. He certainly hopes for a higher
standard of living and more freedom.
Obviously, there is a huge gape between his welcome at Ellis Island and is romantic
(utopian) vision of “the New World”. The last lines of the text and the suspension points (the
dots) at the end are ironical : the words “elated”, “palace”, “forests of Manhattan”,
“magnificent island of fjords” and the conditional “would” show that the narrator is
dreaming of a land of milk and honey (pays de cocagne) a wonderland which is very different
from the reality of immigration control : Quota Laws and exclusions. His dreams also stress
the beauty of nature, which contrasts with the hard-urban environment of many Americans
cities.
Therefore we can ask (wonder) if the narrator’s new life will live up (be equal to = à la
hauteur) his expectations. We can assume (suppose) that he may be disappointed very soon.

Conclusion :
To conclude, there is an obvious paradox between the dehumanizing exam at the
island of Ellis and the myth of the Open Door. Actually, the experience of these exams was
so confusing and frightening that Ellis Island was nicknamed : “the Isle of Tears”. Indeed, if
you were ill, too weak, too old or unable to read, you were sent back to Europe.