the golden door be the story of a sicilian family journey from the old world ( italy ) to the new world ( america ) . salvatore and a middle age man who hop for a more fruitful life and persuade his family to leave their homeland behind in sicily and take the arduous journey across the raging sea and and inhabit a land whose river supposedly flow with milk . in short and they believe that by risk everything for the new world their dream of prosperity will be fulfil . the imagery of the new world be optimistic and clever and highly imaginative . silver coin rain from heaven upon salvatore a he anticipate how prosperous he will be in the new world while carrot and onion twice the size of human being be show be harvest to suggest wealth and health and and river of milk be swim in and flow through the mind of those who anticipate what the new world will yield . all of this imagery be surrealistically interweave with the character and help nicely compliment the gritty realism that the story unfold to the audience . the contrast between this imagery versus the dark reality of the sicilian people help provide hope while theyre aboard the ship to the new world . the voyage to the new world be shot almost in complete darkness and especially when the seas tempest roar and nearly kill the people within . the dark reality i refer to be the old world and the journey itself to the new world . the old world be depict a somewhat destitute and primitive . this be show a salvatore scramble together to sell what few possession he have leave ( donkey and goat and rabbit ) in order to obtain the appropriate clothing he need to enter the new world . i think it be rather interest that these people believe they have to conform to a certain dress code in order to be accept in the new world while it be almost suggest that people have to fit a particular stereotype or mold in order to be recognize a morally fit . the most powerful image in the film be when the ship be leave their homeland and set sail for the new world . this shot show an overhead view of a crowd of people who slowly seem to separate from one another and depict the separation between the old and new world . this shot also suggest that the people be be tear away from all that be once familiar and want to divorce from their previous dark living condition and be desirous to enter a world that hold more promise . a later contrast to how the new world visually look and the old world seem dark and bleak a compare to the bright yet foggy new world . i think it be particularly interesting that the statue of liberty be never show through the fog at ellis island and but be remain hidden . i think this be an intentional directing choice that seem to negate the purpose of what the statue of liberty stand for represent give me your poor and your tired and your hungry seem like a joke in regard to what these people have to go through when arrive at the new world . once they arrive in the america and they have to go through rather humiliate test ( i. e. delousing and mathematics and puzzle and etc . ) in order to prove themselves a fit for the new world . these test completely change the perspective of the sicilian people . in particular and salvatore mother have the most difficult time subject herself to the rule and law of the new world and feel more violated than treat with respect . where their dream once provide hope and optimism for what the new world would provide and the reality of what the new world require be disparage and rude . salvatore doesn not change much other than his attitude towards what he felt the new world would be like versus what the new world actually be seem disappointing to him . this attitude be share by mostly everyone who voyage with him . their character arc deal more with a cherished dream be greatly upset and a dark reality that have to be accept . the film seem to make a strong commentary on prepare oneself to enter a heavenly and civilized society . cleanliness and marriage and intelligence be prerequisite . adhere to these rule be to prevent disease and immoral behavior and stupidity from dominate . perhaps this be a commentary on how america have learn from the failing of other nation and so be purposefully establish to secure that these plague do not infest and destruct . though the rule seem rigid and they be there to protect and help the people flourish .