“New York Architecture: Manifesting The Destiny of the Nation”
Bildiriler > Özet Bildiri · 2010
Yazarlar: Olena BOYLU
34th International American Studies Conference: The Art of Language: Cultural Expressions in American Studies, Türkiye, Antalya, Uluslararası, Sözlü Sunum, Özet Bildiri, 2010-2010, ss 15-15
Özet
<p>From the beginning of its history the United States of America was different from any other country because of the “second chance” opportunity for the humankind to start from the beginning and build a better government and community than they left back in Europe. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were the main dynamos for the people to survive on the New Land but the most distinguished character of the nation was its continuous stimuli to move further (to West) and explore the new horizons. This physical movement, which established the base of the American identity, was finalized in 1893 when Frederick Jackson Turner in his speech “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” officially declared the closure of the frontier. However, this national dynamism remained and became the essential element of every sphere of American life. One of these spheres that expressed and reflected the culture and character of the nation no doubt, was (and still is) New York’s extraordinarily ambitious architecture. At the beginning of the 20th century the economic opportunities and such industrial giants like Andrew Carnegie with his “steel empire” let the country to continue its movement, this time vertically. In a short period of time New York became a huge metropolitan enhanced with the skyscrapers and bridges. Even nowadays “The Big Apple” continues to charm people with its architecture which represents not only the culture and national spirit but also the power of the country. For example, Empire State Building signifies the “capitalistic” America whereas Chrysler Building celebrated the “modern” America; many others like the iconic Brooklyn Bridge - the first longest suspension bridge in the world, the triangle shaped skyscraper Flatiron Building standing as a symbol of innovation stirred the imagination of generations of American writers and poets. In this paper the basic cultural and national significations of the New York City will be discussed in relation to its architectural masterpieces; and also the works of several poets and writers such as James Fennimore Cooper, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Edith Wharton, F. Scott Fitzgerald, E.L. Doctorow, Marianne Moore, Paul Auster who had already appreciated the architectural language of the city as a cultural expression, will be examined.</p>