Unfamiliar Commentary

In the second paragraph of this passage the writer explores a contradicting concept of childhood in Venice using satire. At first the writer states that Venice "is not altogether an easy city for children to live in." Yet in the next sentence the writer informs the reader about the absence of "dangerous traffic" and "unspeakable rascals." This clever use of satire purposely diminishes this assumption that just because there is no "dangerous traffic" or "unspeakable rascals" Venice "is an easy city for children to live in." It begins to question our perspective of a healthy childhood.
In Venice children are raised in an inescapable 'childproof' urban city, there are no gardens in the city creating an image of imprisonment of the Venetian youth, caged by "subtleties and qualifications" which robs them of a childhood. The writer gives a negative response to this lifestyle. Children who "have somewhere green to play" are said to be "lucky" to be able to experience such a luxury. The writer uses diction to continue this link of the children to prisoners who attend school in "tall, dark, overheated buildings, heavily decorated with pot plants." These pot plants become a symbol of the Venetianese children in the city. They are so full of life they are meant to outside with the freedom to experience and learn naturally. However, they have been caged up and placed inside what is mistaken to be better and safer, but by doing so they have sacrificed the children's childhood.