VINCENT CHANG
Modern day New York retains a highly distinctive culture, though parts of the state have blurred borders, overrun with “bland interstate highways and big-box superstores”. Known as the “melting pot”, New York City is the home to the widest mix of ethnic races in the country, joining less than ten other cities worldwide in its diversity, where roughly 800 languages are spoken. It is the largest city in the United States. New York’s distinctiveness is rather well known – a New Yorker is sometimes thought of as having a fast-paced lifestyle and an assertive, bullying manner. This well-known stereotype presents a complication for Jonathan Franzen, as a character in his own play – he captures New York in an original, captivating manner that showcases the unique traits of the Empire State.