Talk:Billy Bathgate

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Themes[edit]

American Dream

In E.L Doctorow’s Billy Bathgate we see how life is growing up in a run down neighborhood in the Bronx New York. Doctorow explores the American dream through the eyes of Billy Bathgate a poor kid of the streets who is born into a world of uncertainties and where he must tread very lightly as to not evoke the rage of his mobster boss Dutch Schultz. Billy grew up in a home without a Father and where his Mother was far from stable he always had to look after himself. This independence helps Billy take his destiny into his own hands. Billy quickly transforms his situation in life from being a poor no-name to being wealthy and in company with the most notorious gangster of his time.

“I was fifteen years old and I had a hundred dollars in my pockets. I knew without question that in that precise moment of the daily life of subsistence I was the richest person on Bathgate Avenue.”(p.88)

Billy is trying to rationalize his new position in society. He is moving up the scale and accomplishing the American dream he was bettering himself even though he came from poverty.

“I opened a door and lo! There was a bathroom with an enormous tub and several thin white towels hanging on the bar and full-length mirror on the inside of the door. The bathroom was as big as our kitchen at home.”(p.116)

When faced with absolute wealth Billy is awestruck, he cannot comprehend the immense amount of money that his new surroundings yield.

other[edit]

I made a seperate page for the film and cleaned up this page to focus on the novel. I'm unable to find any info at all regarding a short story about Billy's son. If you're the person who added the info or if you know where info can be found, please provide it. Thanks. MrBlondNYC 08:52, 2 May 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Plot summary[edit]

The plot summary section was a blow-by-blow account, and at more than 4,000 words, about 90% of the article, had long been marked as too long. I've replaced it with a much briefer summary from an older revision [1]. --Tony Sidaway 02:06, 24 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

External links modified[edit]

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