Drowning in Chaos | Teen Ink

Drowning in Chaos

April 27, 2023
By conormcandrews BRONZE, Des Plaines, Illinois
conormcandrews BRONZE, Des Plaines, Illinois
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

I’m standing along a jam-packed New York street, feeling like a minnow in a gigantic ocean. The structures tower over me and my friends like waves crashing on the shore, their windows mirroring the daylight like bubbles in the sea. People around me are like a school of fish, darting past one another, swimming along a stream with intent.

The smell of exhaust fumes and franks resembles the briny smell of ocean water, while the car horns and people yelling mimic the sound of waves crashing on rocks. Traffic vibrations are like the movement of water, a steady stream that can't be ignored.

"I can't believe how crowded it is," my buddy Danny said, shaking his head.

"I know, right?" I reply with a snicker however I was as shocked as he was.

As we stroll down the road, I turn my attention to the people around us. A businessman in a sharp suit runs off like those sharp-nosed fish with a coffee in his grasp. A group of travelers with cameras stop to take selfies, like a group of colorful angelfish gathering for a photo at the aquarium. A homeless man sits against a wall with a cup in hand.

"Excuse me, do you have any change to spare?” The man asks as we walk by.

"I’m sorry, I don't," I answer.

"God bless you anyway," he said with a thankful grin.

I take a full breath and shut my eyes briefly, zeroing in on the internal sensations of my body. My heart is racing, my palms are sweaty, and my stomach is in tangles. I take another deep breath, attempting to calm myself down.

Unexpectedly, a gathering of demonstrators rampaged chanting and waving signs.

"No justice, no peace!" they shout.

They resemble a pod of dolphins that move with precision. I can feel the energy in the air shift as individuals stop to watch and participate like the current of the ocean, pulling in everything in its way. The sound of chanting becomes stronger, overwhelming the commotion of traffic. I can feel the passion and intensity of the protestors as they march past.

The structures around us resemble coral reefs, loaded with life and variety. The colors and patterns of the billboards and advertisements are like the displays of the coral deep in the ocean, a visual explosion for the eyes.

Like the ocean, this city is as lovely as it seems to be hazardous. The flows can drag a person down if you don't watch out, however assuming that one swims with reason and determination, they can ride the waves to achievement. The chaos of the city resembles the mayhem of the sea, unpredictable and unforgiving, yet loaded with amazement and possibility.

"I feel like I'm in the middle of a vulture’s feast," I say to my friend Sam, watching as a crowd of people swarm around a hot dog vendor.

"Ha, no doubt, it's natural selection out here," he answers with a chuckle. "But on the other hand that’s what makes this city so amazing."

I take another full breath and remind myself that I am so fortunate to swim in this ocean of humanity, to encounter this very second in the entirety of its chaotic beauty. The sounds, scents, and sensations of the city around me are overpowering, however, they are also reviving. Like the sea, there is something else to investigate and more to find and learn.

Then again, I can comprehend the reason someone might not see the association between New York and the sea. They might consider the sea to be a natural environment, while New York is a man-made city. They may likewise see the sea as a bright, peaceful spot yet partner New York with clouds and commotion, yet I genuinely believe they share numerous similarities.

Like the sea, New York City is immense and brimming with life. It is where individuals from everywhere in the world accumulate, similarly as ocean currents can bring fish from various areas of the planet together. Very much like in the sea, there are hunters and prey, where people battle for position and attempt to get by in a swarmed and competitive climate.

The mayhem of the city is like the vulnerability of the sea, where a storm can break out without warning and upset everything. In both cases, one must be sure to be ready to change and steer on the troubles that come toward them.

Moreover, how people move and speak with each other in the city is suggestive of how fish move in schools. Individuals are continually dashing all through one another's ways, coursing through the roads and avenues.

New York's enormous high rises resemble coral reefs in the sea, giving natural surroundings to a wide range of life. Similarly, as the reefs abound with colorful fish and different animals, the structures of New York are home to endless organizations, cafés, and different spots of interest.

While I understand that someone may not see New York City as an analogy to the ocean, I believe that the similarities are there.  Both are massive, have plentiful life, and are brimming with unpredictable energy. It's an examination that probably won't be promptly self-evident, however, the more one may consider it, the more they'll see that the two offer numerous likenesses.


The author's comments:

Narritive+Analogy 


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