The King of Mulberry Street

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes a discussion of religious discrimination, child abuse, and child death.

“Uncle Aurelio said the Jews of Napoli were the world’s best-kept secret. The Spanish had kicked them out centuries before. But no matter how many times they were kicked out, they always snuck back.”

When Dom explains how his synagogue is the only one in Napoli, he shares this history, which highlights the religious persecution the Jewish population faced and introduces The Impact of Immigration on Identity. This information is foreshadowing in two ways, for it reveals the bias Dom will face, and it suggests the resilience he will need when he lands in America.

“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.