Analyse af Siri Hustvedts essay 'Living With Strangers'

Moving from a small country-side town to a big, busy city there are always some intimidating factors within the move. Both practical things such as the high competition towards jobs and success that comes along with high population in a city, but also emotional things. It can be very intimidating to be physically close to strangers if it is not something you are used to, and there is also a mention worthy difference in the way people behave towards each other, depending on the culture and environment. An example of this cultural difference and the eye-openers that come along with moving from a small to a big city, is the essay from The New York Times called “Living With Strangers” by Siri Hustvedt, written in 2002.

In the essay “Living With Strangers”, Hustvedt describes her experience with moving from a small town in Minnesota to “the city that never sleeps”, New York City, and the differences she has to face due to the move in 1978. They essay was published in 2002 in The New York Times, which other than being a newsmagazine, also is known for containing inspiring articles and relatable pieces of literature. The New York Times’ main target of audience is young people under 30, with a high income. Usually the paper is worldwide, but this particular essay is mostly targeted towards people from New York or people with some kind of knowledge or relation to New York. Furthermore, you can conclude that Husvedts primary audience is people in the same socioeconomic status as herself.