The Orphan of Ellis Island

In The Orphan of Ellis Island, Ellis Island is both a setting and a symbol. The setting is crucial because it bridges Dominic’s real life and his unknown past. This bridge parallels Ellis Island’s historical role as a midpoint between America and the rest of the world.

Ellis Island is a repository of American history as experienced by the country’s many 19th- and early-20th-century immigrants. Woodruff emphasizes this message throughout Dominic’s journey as he learns to appreciate symbols like Ellis Island and the history that informs his identity. Dominic doesn’t understand the privilege of living in America until he travels back through time and meets his ancestors as children. While his experience as a foster child has been difficult, the challenges the Candiano brothers face are more extreme. As Dominic learns about the poverty in other countries and the immigrants’ dreams of creating a better life in America, he learns not to be ashamed of his life as a foster child. He learns that, like the Italian immigrants he’s descended from, his hardships give him strength.

The symbol and setting of Ellis Island sets up Dominic’s character development. On a class field trip, Dominic learns that “Ellis Island has been called The Island of Hope because so many people had hoped to make a new start in America. But it was also called The Island of Tears” (8). Dominic experiences this paradox firsthand. He grieves Salvatore’s death and his return to his contemporary time when he lands at Ellis Island. Being processed through Ellis Island and enduring the journey to Ellis Island with his ancestors teaches him to be hopeful about his future.