Beautiful Crescent Analysis

New Orleans, a city founded in the middle of nowhere, is a city that has had to work to exist. New Orleans was doomed from its conception to be a place like no other, considering that the person it was named after had a reputation all his own. The Duke of Orleans was a man that lived by his own standards, completely apart from society, so much so that John Law predicted his death by saying that, “he was going to die of pleasure.” American, but not quite American, the city continues to stand out today, as exemplified through the two works Beautiful Crescent and The World That Made New Orleans, from Spanish Silver to Congo Square. Through the comparison of these two works, the readers are able to establish a general history of New Orleans, as well as see the stories of the city—the difference that a change in viewpoint can make. In the novel, Beautiful Crescent, the authors discuss a story of New Orleans that is told in a golden light. This commercialized version of the city is one that presents even the worst of things in the best of …show more content…
If a middle school teacher was trying to find a novel suitable enough for their students to read, there is no doubt the Beautiful Crescent would be on that list. Beautiful Crescent is a very commercialized, watered down version of New Orleans, which will often overlook the undesirable traits that the city has to offer, such as forced prostitution and human trafficking. Choosing more to focus on the aspects that a city tour guide may discuss, such as the history of Native Americans helping them to become more acclimated to the region. This particular work could very well be used when trying to convince people to come to the city, and while that is great, there are things about the city that are near