39 pages • 1 hour read
Elvira WoodruffThe Orphan of Ellis Island
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1997A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Identity and Self-Discovery
In The Orphan of Ellis Island, Woodruff emphasizes the importance of understanding who you are and where you came from. This sense of identity gives people self-awareness, a connection to other people, and a foundation for relationships. At the beginning of the novel, Dominic’s lack of a family narrative means that he is missing a piece of his identity. Not knowing where he came from unsettles him; he feels disconnected from others and ashamed of not having parents who love him. Before his time travel, Dominic sees himself only as an orphan. By the end of the novel, he discovers the joy and pain of connection to others and can imagine himself as a brother and a friend. The theme of identity is integral to Dominic’s character development.
Dominic projects his isolation and loneliness onto the photographs of immigrant families at Ellis Island: “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” (21). Being a part of the family in the picture, or any family, would mean that Dominic isn’t alone in the world. He resonates with the photographs because the sense of belonging among the family members is palpable.
Dominic is particularly drawn to the Candiano brothers because their brotherhood is a key component of their identity. They know their last name and share an origin story as a family unit. This shared family history helps them to know who they are and gives the brothers confidence that Dominic lacks. Their identity as Italian peasants is not central to who they are; Dominic sees himself exclusively through the lens of his orphanhood, but the Candiano brothers belong to each other. When Dominic figures out that he is related to the brothers, elements of his identity come together. Dominic notices that he and Francesco are similar: “He could see the resemblance now. Francesco’s eyes were the same color and shape as his own. They both loved animals and they had the same laugh. Why hadn’t he recognized it before?” (155). Seeing himself reflected in Francesco gives Dominic a tangible connection, a sense of belonging, and security.
Dominic’s identity shifts when he discovers the story of his ancestry. By the novel's end, Dominic has learned how to be confident in himself because his identity is tied to a legacy of fortitude and love. He learns the valuable lesson that his challenges have made him stronger. Because he’s stronger, he can be open and vulnerable to new family relationships.
The Importance of Family
In The Orphan of Ellis Island, Woodruff highlights the importance of family. Family provides stability, identity, and comfort even in challenging times. Dominic’s central conflict is that he doesn’t have a family and knows nothing about his family’s background. He craves a sense of belonging and feels adrift and alone without it. He’s also embarrassed that others will find out he doesn’t have a family to love him.
When Dominic travels through time, he learns what family is all about. Francesco models how to lead and support a family unit. He reminds his brothers: “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?” (57). Families stick together, share, and experience good and bad times together. Francesco prioritizes keeping his family together so they can continue to rely on and support one another and enjoy their brotherly bonds. Despite the Candiano brothers’ poverty, Dominic discovers that “being with the three raggedly dressed brothers, who considered him family, made him feel richer than he had ever felt before” (57). Having people to laugh with and share the journey with is a type of wealth he hadn’t imagined before. Even though the novel ends with Dominic starting over with another foster family, he better understands who he is and will be better equipped to connect with that family.
Family means putting other people first. A turning point in Dominic’s character development is when he saves Antonio from being whipped. His sacrifice demonstrates his loyalty, kindness, and unconditional love. Being a part of a family means being aware of one another’s needs; responding to those needs creates trust and community. This kind of love is a double-edged sword for Dominic: “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” (67). Dominic is accustomed to being alone in the world and must accept that being part of a family means risking pain and loss. Ultimately, Dominic learns that this trade-off is worth it: The belonging and joy that come from caring for and receiving care from others balance the pain of eventual loss.
The Immigrant Experience
The Orphan of Ellis Island is a children’s book that explores the immigrant experience. Woodruff celebrates contemporary America by revisiting its extensive history with immigration.
The first setting, in which Dominic is on a field trip at the Ellis Island Museum, is important to the theme of the immigrant experience. Ellis Island symbolizes fortitude and hope, both when it was operational as an immigration registration center and in contemporary terms as a monument to the past. It is an important setting in which Dominic can discover that he is not truly alone; America has been built by people who have experienced separation and loss, just as Dominic has. Francesco Candiano’s voice reaches out to Dominic and shows him how the immigrant experience is like Dominic’s own. He reassures Dominic:
Many, many people have walked through these halls feeling frightened and alone. Coming to a new country is like being adopted into a new family. As I made my way through this building I can remember thinking much like you. But somehow I found the courage to keep going. You have more courage than you know, my young friend (27).
Francesco teaches Dominic the value of grit by comparing his immigrant experience with Dominic’s orphanhood. Francesco’s immigration experience was marked both by fear of the unknown and by hope. Francesco doesn’t take his life, identity, or future for granted. By going through the immigration process, Francesco models courage and perseverance for Dominic.
Dominic’s time travel turns him into a different type of immigrant. Dominic, a foreigner in Italy, doesn’t fit in. Even so, the Candiano brothers take him in and make them one of their family members. Woodruff encourages her readers to extend that same empathy and generosity to newcomers in their own societies. Had someone not helped Dominic navigate Italy in the early 20th century, he would have suffered greatly. This is a life lesson Dominic brings with him when he returns to his own time and place; by the end of the novel, he knows a lot about what his ancestors went through to ensure that their future, which includes Dominic, would be a good one.
An important plot thread in this novel is the journey to America. Dominic has taken his status as an American for granted and now learns to be grateful for it. On board with hundreds of people hoping to become Americans, Dominic puts his own life into perspective: “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” (145). The Statue of Liberty welcomes both the immigrants and Dominic to their new lives. Dominic figures out that his ancestors’ desire for the American dream, their sacrifice in leaving Italy, and their journey to America through Ellis Island are all part of his story.
