The quotation from Angelo Pellegrini develops the topic by providing a firsthand account from an immigrant who felt "terrible anxiety that one of us might be rejected." The passage describes the rigorous physical examination that the immigrant family had to undergo, particularly focusing on the examination of the eyes.
This detail adds to the overall sense of fear and anxiety that immigrants experienced upon arrival at Ellis Island. The specific mention of the sister being momentarily rejected due to bloodshot eyes intensifies the emotional impact of the experience. The passage emphasizes the challenges and uncertainties faced by immigrants during the inspection process, contributing to the overall narrative of fear and apprehension surrounding their arrival in America.
The quotation from Angelo Pellegrini in the passage provides a personal and firsthand account of the anxiety and challenges that immigrants faced upon arriving at Ellis Island. Pellegrini recalls the rigorous physical examination that his family had to undergo, with a particular focus on the examination of their eyes. The mention of the sister being momentarily rejected due to bloodshot eyes highlights the severity of the scrutiny immigrants faced.
This firsthand account develops the topic of immigrants arriving with fear by providing a specific example of the anxiety-inducing experiences at Ellis Island. The passage emphasizes the emotional toll on families as they awaited the results of the examinations, with the possibility of being detained or even sent back to Europe. The narrative conveys the vulnerability and uncertainty that characterized the arrival of immigrants, contributing to a deeper understanding of the emotional and psychological challenges they endured during this process.
The complete passage could be
Read the passage from Immigrant Kids by Russell Freedman. Those who could not pass all the exams would be detained; some would be sent back to Europe. And so their arrival in America was filled with great anxiety. . . . The writer Angelo Pellegrini has recalled his own family’s detention at Ellis Island: We lived there for three days – Mother and we five children, the youngest of whom was three years old. Because of the rigorous physical examination that we had to submit to, particularly of the eyes, there was this terrible anxiety that one of us might be rejected. And if one of us was, what would the rest of the family do? My sister was indeed momentarily rejected; she had been so ill and had cried so much that her eyes were absolutely bloodshot, and Mother was told, “Well, we can’t let her in.” But fortunately, Mother was an indomitable spirit and finally made them understand that if her child had a few hours’ rest and a little bit to eat she would be all right. In the end we did get through. According the passage, immigrants often arrived at Ellis Island filled with fear. How does the quotation from Angelo Pellegrini develop this topic? It provides a firsthand account from an immigrant who had “a few hours’ rest and a little bit to eat.” It provides a firsthand account from an immigrant who eventually “did get through.” It provides a firsthand account from an immigrant who went through the “rigorous physical examination.” It provides a firsthand account from an immigrant who felt “terrible anxiety that one of us might be rejected.”