# San Francisco explained — Travel Essays > Chapter companion for Travel Essays by Robert Louis Stevenson. ## What happens Stevenson describes San Francisco as a city of rapid growth and precarious foundation, built on a sandy peninsula prone to earthquakes and fires. He marvels at its multicultural population—Mexicans, Chinese, French, Germans, Italians, and others—each maintaining their own customs, making the city a foreign place for all. He contrasts the opulent mansions of Nob Hill with the decaying, forgotten houses on Telegraph and Rincon Hills, and celebrates the majestic fleet of deep-sea ships in the bay. ## Themes in this chapter ### Travel and Discovery Stevenson explores San Francisco as a destination for adventurers from around the world, emphasizing the city's foreign character and the experience of discovery for newcomers. ### Social Class and Inequality The chapter contrasts the opulent mansions of Nob Hill millionaires with the decaying houses of Telegraph and Rincon Hills, and describes the Stock Exchange as a pump siphoning savings from lower quarters to the wealthy. ### National Identity and Patriotism Stevenson highlights the diverse nationalities in San Francisco, each celebrating their own holidays and maintaining their customs, creating a patchwork of identities rather than a unified American one. ### Nature and the Sublime The description of the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate, Tamalpais, and the geological instability of the peninsula evokes the sublime power of nature. ## Character check-ins ### Indians Mentioned in the context of Indian tales about the peninsula rising and sinking from the sea. ### The Chinese Described as a distinct community with their own quarter, shops, and joss-house. ### The Mexicans Noted as unmistakable among the diverse passersby in the city. ### The Americans Referenced as one of the many nationalities present, though the city is described as essentially not American. ### The English Mentioned as finding themselves in a strange country alongside the Yankee. ### The Arethusa Not directly mentioned; not included. ### Tom Bowling Not directly mentioned; not included. ## Key lines > The sandy peninsula of San Francisco, mirroring itself on one side in the bay, beaten on the other by the surge of the Pacific, and shaken to the heart by frequent earthquakes, seems in itself no very durable foundation. San Francisco's sandy peninsula, reflecting in the bay on one side and battered by Pacific waves on the other, is frequently shaken by earthquakes, making it seem unstable. _Stevenson emphasizes the precarious natural setting of the city._ > The town is essentially not Anglo-Saxon; still more essentially not American. The city is fundamentally not Anglo-Saxon, and even less American. _Stevenson underscores the foreign character of San Francisco._ > For every man, for every race and nation, that city is a foreign city; humming with foreign tongues and customs; and yet each and all have made themselves at home. For every person, regardless of race or nationality, San Francisco is a foreign city filled with diverse languages and customs, yet everyone has managed to feel at home. _Stevenson highlights the paradox of universal foreignness and belonging._ > The great net of straight thoroughfares lying at right angles, east and west and north and south, over the shoulders of Nob Hill, the hill of palaces, must certainly be counted the best part of San Francisco. The grid of straight streets crossing at right angles over Nob Hill, the hill of mansions, is the finest part of San Francisco. _Stevenson describes the layout of the wealthy district._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/travel_essays_se/chapters/san-francisco - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/travel_essays_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/travel_essays_se/chapters