The Orphan of Ellis Island

“Dominic stood for a moment, wiggling his free toes within his sock, wondering about his family tree. What would it look like? He imagined a little twig with one tiny leaf hanging from it. On the leaf was his name. That was it.”

In this quote, the paltry family tree is a concrete image of Dominic’s lack of identity. The metaphor of Dominic as a single fragile twig and tenuous leaf indicates his loneliness and vulnerability.

“[T]he most important thing that Dominic owned was a gold key that hung from a chain around his neck. You could see that the key was very old. It had been with his mother’s belongings when she died.”

The key Dominic wears, his only possession from his mother, represents his family legacy and all he doesn’t know about his family; that information is locked away from him. Ironically, he loses the key during the journey that unlocks his ancestry and identity. In its place, he gains a sense of family and belonging that is more useful to him than the key itself.

“Dominic bit down on his lower lip. How he wished he could share his funny thoughts and laugh with someone. But he just didn’t know how.”

Because he has moved schools and families too many times, Dominic is lonely and struggles to make friends. Dominic yearns for friendship and family, but he doesn’t know where to begin.

“He spent a long time in front of the picture, not only imagining himself a part of this family, but imagining that this boy was somehow really his Italian ancestor. He realized this was a one-in-a-million chance. But he couldn’t stop thinking, what if?”

In this quote, Dominic projects his desire for family connections onto the photographs in the Ellis Island Museum. Though he doesn’t know it yet, his dream isn’t unrealistic because his ancestors did pass through Ellis Island. This quote foreshadows that Dominic is one step closer to finding his family.

“For a moment, Dominic forgot about his lost key and stared at Francesco and his brothers. He’d never met other orphans. He’d always been the only one in his class, whichever class he was in.”

Dominic feels less alone in the world when he meets the orphaned brothers. Because the Campianos understand his loneliness and insecurity, the boys form an immediate bond, which provides Dominic with the family connection he craves.

“‘Il malocchio is on him,’ Salvatore whispered dramatically. ‘And that demon he wears on his shirt will put the evil eye on you if you look at it.’”

In this moment of comic relief, Salvatore is confused by Dominic’s clothing and says that the T. rex on his shirt will curse anyone who looks at it. The passage demonstrates not only the cultural and historical chasm between the boys but also the ease with which they share with and learn from each other.

“‘We will take you with us to see Father Tomaso,’ Francesco told Dominic. ‘He is the most beloved priest around here. If there is a way to help you, Father Tomaso will find it.’”

Father Tomaso is known for his generosity and goodness, and the boys trust him. Father Tomaso changes Dominic’s and his ancestors’ lives, so this introduction is important to the novel’s plot development.

“As he followed behind them, Dominic couldn’t take his eyes off of the countryside. Having grown up in the city, Dominic was used to city streets, the noise of traffic, doors slamming, people shouting, and the bus fumes lingering about street corners. Here he found himself surrounded by the gentle curves of the green hills, the sound of birds overhead, and the earthy scents of lemons and herbs in the air.”

Woodruff’s imagery-rich setting juxtaposes the natural beauty of the Italian countryside with the modern urban atmosphere of New York. The countryside is still and filled with the sound of nature, but the city's noise and smells are the result of traffic and industry. Paradoxically, Dominic experiences loneliness in the bustling city and authentic connection in the quiet outdoors of an earlier time.

“We are family. And as a family we share all we have. We may not have much, but if we forget each other, then we have nothing. Do you understand?”

In this quote, Francesco is positioned as the leader of the family. As the eldest, he takes care of everyone and keeps his brothers together. Francesco’s words about the importance of family are central to his identity. This quote also highlights the importance of relying on one’s family for survival.

“He was never so hungry that he had to kill birds for his supper. He never had to steal in order to eat. He never had to trap a rat to get a cookie. And he never had to fill his stomach with cherry pits, because there was nothing else to fill it. Dominic suddenly realized just how desperate these boys were for food. But at the same time, being with the three raggedly dressed brothers, who considered him family, made him feel richer than he had ever felt before.”

In meeting the Candiano brothers, Dominic witnesses a level of poverty that grants him a new perspective on his situation. Even though Dominic is lonely in foster care, he hasn’t been hungry. Traveling back in time helps Dominic learn about his privilege relative to what used to be an even worse life for children who lost their parents. This quote also highlights the importance of family: Even when in dire poverty, the Candianos rely on each other for survival.

“The boys nodded their heads as Antonio recounted, blow-by-blow, the entire episode of how Dominic heroically saved him from the whip. As Antonio spoke, Dominic remembered the words of the old man back at the museum: ‘Open your heart, little one. And all that you need shall be yours.’”

Because Dominic sacrifices himself for Antonio’s well-being, he demonstrates selflessness, which is at the root of family and love. By opening his heart, Dominic finds acceptance by the Candiano brothers.

“Somehow these boys had opened his heart, had made him care. But to care about someone else, someone he could lose, was as terrifying to Dominic as it was exciting.”

Dominic hasn’t had to worry about losing someone because he hasn’t experienced emotional connections. To love is to risk the pain of losing those you love. This valuable lesson teaches openness and vulnerability, both of which are critical components of authentic relationships.

“The priest laughed and ruffled Antonio’s blond curls. Dominic could see why the boys loved him so. As big and burly as he was, Father Tomaso was a sweet, gentle man.”

In 1908, Italy had no social support for children or orphans, so the Candianos are vulnerable to anyone who might prey on impoverished, orphaned children. Father Tomaso’s imposing physical presence makes them feel safe, and his gentleness and kindness make them feel cared for in a harsh world.

“‘It is my dream to go to America one day, Father,’ Salvatore spoke up. ‘But not if it means that I must be separated from my brothers.’”

Salvatore is a strong character who cares about the importance of family. Salvatore is willing to put his dreams and happiness aside to keep his family together. Salvatore’s willingness to sacrifice his future demonstrates his love and commitment to his brothers.

“As fearful as he was, he was also overcome with sadness. For the first time in his life Dominic Cantori had found a family he cared about, and who cared about him.”

Dominic is in a difficult situation because he is not part of the Candianos’ world, yet he doesn’t want to sacrifice his new family for the comfort of his modern life. Dominic’s experience of being loved and loving in return is central to his character development.

“Dominic took a deep breath of the tangy pine-scented air and he couldn’t help smiling over Salvatore’s envy.”

Salvatore is envious of Dominic’s coin. Dominic has spent a lifetime being envious of other people’s belongings, so he is unaccustomed to having something others might want or envy. In this unfamiliar time and place, Dominic experiences reversals of what he’s always known, and he learns his past identity doesn’t have to be his future identity.

“There was so much that he didn’t understand. How did he get Salvatore’s key? How did he get here in the first place? Who was the old man on the phone in the museum?”

Dominic’s life to this point has been predictably unstable as he moves from one foster home and school to another. He expects the transition from one place to the next and dreads the awkwardness of being new. His experience in the museum introduces elements of unpredictability and confusion. For the first time, Dominic doesn’t simply react to forces outside himself; he must take action to figure out who he is and how to make his way in a strange place.

“For it is the hardships we meet in life that make us strong. And it is our strength that makes us who we are.”

Dominic is learning that identity is not shaped only by knowing where your family name comes from; it is also shaped by the experiences that challenge us to make decisions and form relationships. This life lesson helps develop theme and character in the novel. It is also a lesson for Woodruff’s young readers. Life’s challenges are important for growth and help us move forward, get stronger, and prosper.

“Dominic thought about how he had opened his heart, and how much he had cared about Salvatore, only to find himself hurting now that he was gone. His worst fears had been realized. If he really cared about someone, he would surely lose him. But now that he had opened his heart, he didn’t know how to close it.”

Losing Salvatore so quickly after getting to know him is formative for Dominic because it teaches him that relationships involve risk. As he’s bounced from school to school and home to home, he hasn’t formed lasting relationships or meaningful connections. Now that he’s experienced a brotherly connection, he can’t unlearn that feeling. This moment is important to Dominic’s growth because it teaches him that relationships with others are worth the risk of loss.

“Dominic smiled at the sound of it. America. He realized for the first time since he had come how much he missed his own country, and he was suddenly overwhelmed by homesickness. As much as he had loved the countryside of Avaletto and the friendship he had found, he longed to see his familiar streets of Brooklyn.”

Because Dominic doesn’t belong in 20th-century Avaletto, this passage foreshadows that he will inevitably return to his real life. Traveling through time and space offers Dominic the opportunity to mature and learn life lessons, and his growth enables him to see the familiar setting of modern New York as home.

“Francesco stared helplessly after her as Dominic grabbed him by the arm, and they made their way up the gangplank. Francesco was frantic to have one last look at Violetta. It was all Dominic could do to hold him back.”

Francesco has difficulty letting go of the pet he loves so that he can leave for New York. The loss of Violetta represents all that Francesco is leaving behind; he is “frantic to have one last look” because he will lose his home and the things he loves as he faces the unknown.

“But as he looked down at the stained shirt now and tried to smooth out the wrinkles with his dirty hands, Dominic felt as if he had never worn anything finer.”

Salvatore’s stained shirt symbolizes the family that Dominic steps into. He honors Salvatore’s memory by continuing the journey with the brothers. Unlike the new, fashionable tennis shoes Dominic values at the beginning of the novel, he now values this dirty, stained shirt because it represents his connection with Salvatore. Physical objects, such as his key and this shirt, are important to him because they remind him of relationships he has lost.

“At the sight of the Statue of Liberty, everyone became silent. With her torch held high, her calm strength standing firm against wind and water, she awed everyone, and moved many to tears.”

The Statue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom, hope, and acceptance, marks the end of the ship voyage and the beginning of a longer journey, that of The Immigrant Experience in America.