AOW #17: IRB Post #2

In this section of Bella Tuscany, Fances Mayes, continues to describe her life in rural Italy and contrast it with time she spends in the United States. As she portrays the everyday tasks of adjusting to her new Italian home, Mayes also informs her audience of  the new cultural lessons she is experiencing. The style she uses in these explanations indicate that she is appealing to an American audience; for example, when Mayes describes the Italian wine, “vin santo”, to taste “something like sherry” (97). Most Americans are familiar with sherry, which is why this detail also appeals to an American audience. Similarly, when Mayes is describing a guest house she is visiting, she notes that there is “No TV, no technology at all, not even a radio in sight” (97). Not only does this resonate with the stereotypical TV-loving American, but such informal diction (“TV” rather than “television”) indicates that Mayes is appealing to readers of a wide range of reading levels. The short syntax of that example quickens the pace of reading and draws the reader into the story, making them feel more surprised that there is not technology in the guest house. This example of informal, colloquial diction and short, choppy syntax contrasts with other examples of language she uses that appeal to higher reading levels; another sentence in that chapter reads, “Finding the taproots of places far in the country counterweighs the noetic life with a powerful reality” (112). The language and syntax of that sentence differ from the previous example I used in that the vocabulary is more advanced (“neotic”) and the syntax is more balanced. By using these different styles in the same piece, Mayes is able to reach out to a wider audience. Such beautiful imagery used in the latter example portray the entire theme of the book: the beauty of Italy.