From the late 1800s to the mid-1950s, Ellis Island in New York Bay was the gateway to new life for many immigrants. These people left their respective countries for various reasons: from famine and religious persecution, to war and rumors about cities made of solid gold. But what everyone had in common was the desire to start again, the desire to be who they wanted to be in the “Golden Land.” An inspired immigrant spoke the words of Mother America:…she cries With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The miserable detritus of your teeming shore. Send these to me, the homeless, the storms, I raise my lamp beside the golden door! [sic]” (Lazarus 10) For many of these fortunate Americans, the torch of the Statue’s “worldwide welcome” (Lazarus 7) burned brightly. But for countless other people, this lamp was indeed quite dim. Some were sent back to their countries, openly deprived of the right to a better life. Many others faced indescribable challenges in the new environment, struggling against poverty. Although more than 12 million people came to Ellis Island in search of a new life away from oppressive circumstances, not all were able to live the American dream due to deportation, exploitation and discrimination. From countries around the world, immigrants have flocked to America to try to make it their new adopted home. They arrived by steamboats which docked near the Verrazano-Narrows. That would end a journey that could last up to six months. Ferries then arrived at docked steamboats and carried their passengers to Ellis Island. Success, at last, they thought, as their eyes rested on America's greatest symbol: the Statue of Liberty. This icon of life, of freedom, ...... middle of paper ...... without sun; rooms for sleeping, eating, cooking, but without sunlight. Could I survive with just a place to sleep and eat, or would I always need sunshine to be happy? “Where is America?” cries my heart. (Bausum 95) I firmly believe that Ellis Island – although often seen as a gateway to a beautiful and happy life for all who pass through its halls – was actually a horrible experience for many. Countless hearts were broken during their expulsion. Fair jobs were not available to many. Thousands of people gathered in the slums of New York, wishing they had never come to this new country. Not only were the streets not paved with gold, but immigrants often had to pave the roads themselves. Long after the island was closed, workers found an inscription on the wall written by an immigrant. “Why should I fear the fires of Hell?” he read. "I crossed Ellis Island.”