Renewal by Pizza
There are circumstances in everyday life that can make people long for the peace renewal can bring. The same everyday life, filled with social rules and norms, can make renewal difficult to achieve. Elizabeth Gilberts “The Best Pizza in the World” uses imagery, compare/contrast, and pathos to show how she transcended her old self-perception and achieved renewal during a trip to Naples, Italy.
Gilbert’s use of imagery emphasizes the wild, vibrant, energetic nature of the city of Naples. It becomes clear that, In Gilbert’s eyes, Naples is a city unlike any other. The author writes, “An anthill inside a rabbit warren, with all the exoctism of a Middle Eastern bazaar and a tough of New Orleans voodoo” (Gilbert 175). This shows us how Gilbert sees Naples better than if she had chosen to describe the city detail by painstaking detail. Gilbert combines aspects of places in other countries in a way that gives the reader a clear image of Naples overall atmosphere. Gilbert writes, “The city is all decorated with the laundry that hangs from every window and
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dangles across every street; everybody’s fresh-washed undershirts and brassiers flapping in the wind like Tibetan prayer flags” (175). This description also makes Gilbert’s description all the more brilliant. Everybody’s laundry hangs free; no one pays it any mind. This only adds to Gilberts impression of the city; free-spirited and unconcerned with the opinions of outsiders. The people of Naples are a big part of Naples imagery. Their quirky and eccentric ways are part of what make Naples so unique in Gilbert’s eyes and Gilbert’s first experience with the people of Naples is what really brings this point home. Gilbert writes, “…That punk little grammar school girl on the back of her older cousin's motorbike, who flipped me the finger and a charm' ing smile as she drove by, just to make me understand, ‘Hey, no hard feelings, lady. But I'm only seven, and I can already tell you're a complete moron, but that's cool-I think you're halfway OK despite yourself and I kinda like your dumb-ass face. We both know you would love to be me, but sorry-you can't. Anyhow, here's my middle finger, enjoy your stay in Naples, and ciao!’” (Gilbert 175). This Neapolitan girl makes a gesture that in any other context would be considered offensive but Gilbert understands and embraces the girl’s gesture; she understands it perfectly well and she is welcoming of the curt openness of the Neapolitans. The Pizzeria da Michele’s image is just as important, if not more so, then the image of Naples itself.
The author writes “Pizzeria da Michele is a small place with only two rooms and one non-stop oven.” (Gilbert 176). That small section of text gives an almost complete picture of the place; it’s the rough equivalent of an American Ma and Pa family restaurant. It’s not a fancy place, and for the purpose it serves, it does not have to be a spectacular place cosmetically. The atmosphere of the pizzeria is what makes this place so special. Gilbert writes, “By 1:00 PM, the streets outside the pizzeria have become jammed with Neapolitans trying to get into the place, shoving for access like they're trying to get space on a lifeboat.” (Gilbert 176). This pizzeria gets busy early on in the day. Once can infer, based on that textual example alone, that the pizza this pizzeria serves is simply
divine. The imagery of the pizza is by far the most important thing that Gilbert describes to her readers. The author writes, “Thin, doughy, strong, gummy, yummy, chewy, salty pizza paradise” (Gilbert 177). This description gives the reader a clear image of what the pizza was like and why the author liked than it better than if she had described the pizza she tried as simply ‘pizza’.Gilbert writes, “On top, there is a sweet tomato sauce that foams up all bubbly and creamy when it melts the fresh buffalo mozzarella, and the one sprig of basil in the middle of the whole deal somehow infuses the entire pizza with herbal radiance” (Gilbert 177) Gilbert uses pathos to show the emotional appeal of the pizza she tried and how this pizza played a part in changing her self-perception. Gilbert writes, “I love my pizza so much, in fact, that I have come to believe in my delirium that my pizza might actually love me, in return” (Gilbert 176). This gives the reader something they can relate to emotionally, everyone has had or longs for an experience like that, which makes it easy for the reader to step into the authors shoes. The author writes, “Sofie is practically in tears over hers, she’s having a metaphysical crisis about it, she’s begging me, ‘why do they even bother trying to make pizza in Stockholm? Why do we even bother eating food at all in Stockholm?’” (Gilbert 176) This gives Gilbert’s story even more emotional appeal then if she had just described her own reaction. Sofie and Gilbert have the same reaction to the pizza which gives Gilbert’s story more credibility. Gilberts most profound use of pathos, though, is towards herself. The way she chooses to depict her transformation makes her story emotional and allows the reader to feel the same twinge of triumph she does towards the end of the story. The author writes, “Still, when I look at myself in the mirror of the best pizzeria in Naples, I see a bright-eyed, clear-skinned, happy and healthy face. I haven’t seen a face like that on me for a long time” (Gilbert 177). This is something that everyone can sympathize with. People have rough days, weeks, or even years, and all they want to see at the end of it all is proof that they can be happy again even after the toughest of tragedies. Gilbert writes, “My body is turning a blind eye to all my misdoings and my over indulgences, as if to say, ‘OK, kid, live it up, I recognize this is just temporary. Let me know when your little experiment with pure pleasure is over, and I’ll see what I can do about damage control.’” (Gilbert 177). Gilbert’s story uses juxtaposition to show the reader what her life was like before Naples and contrast that with what it is like now. The author writes, “In my real life I have been known to eat organic goat’s milk yoghurt sprinkled with wheat germ for breakfast” (Gilbert 177). Gilbert clearly cared about her health while she was living in the real world. The way she describes her choice in breakfast makes it clear that this was a dietary, health related choice, not one she made because she liked goat yoghurt. Gilbert writes. “I am doing such rude things to my body here in Italy, taking in such ghastly amounts of cheese and pasta and bread and wine and chocolate and pizza dough” (177). This paints a picture that contrasts sharply with her pre-Naples life. The author has made radical changes to her diet in comparison to what she used to eat. Clearly, something has changed for the author, allowing her not feel guilty about eating anything she wants to.
In this passage “The Street” by Ann Petry, Lutie Johnson’s relationship with her urban setting is expressed using figurative language. Lutie allows us to walk with her and experience one cold November night near the streets of seventh and eighth avenue. The relationship between Lutie Johnson and the urban setting is established using personification, imagery, and characterization.
Baxandall, Michael. “Conditions of Trade.” Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-century Italy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.
The scene that I will be analyzing takes place towards the end of the movie in which all the racial tensions that were boiling over erupted like a volcano and spewed out. This particular scene is about five minutes in length and is composed of about 25 shots. It takes place at the end of the day after Sal’s Famous Pizzeria has closed. We see that the pizzeria is closed and Sal is having a conversation with his sons Vito and Pino about him wanting to change the name of his store to Sal and Son’s Pizzeria. He also tells Mookie, “You are like a son to me.” The suddenly we here banging on the door, it’s the neighborhood kids wanting to get a slice of pizza. Although the pizzeria is closed, Sal tells a reluctant Mookie...
...’s book accomplishes a lot in its timid three hundred pages, it lacks more examples of modern architecture and historical landmarks such as the ones discussed above. Also, the lack of chronological order is a new approach, but it might not appeal to all readers.
... it dispels all doubts about its greatness and converts former disbelievers to the truth” (27a). There are obviously many reasons why Florence is a wonderful city, but according to Pitti and Dati there is nothing about the city as amazing as Bruni makes it out to be. Bruni never truly speaks of the “combination of misfortunes--wars, internal upheavals, pestilence, famine--which seriously damaged the economy” (Brucker 13). Pitti and Dati were not writing for the sole reason of praising Florence, but they also do not go out of their way to mention its many qualities. Unfortunately, Bruni never writes directly about money or business, whereas most of what Pitti and Dati write about are only those subjects. Overall, Bruni offers a much different perspective of Florence in his Panegyric to the City of Florence, than the views Pitti and Dati offer in their diaries.
Unless you are a wealthy Italian, you live a much humbler lifestyle. A lot of Italians homes are meager, and the material goods Americans want and vie for, aren’t as important to them. I realized how fortunate I was for all the belongings I took for granted. Some Italians would view the home I grew up in as a mansion compared to their own. They seemed so much happier and it was humbling to see them content by having a lot
Favro, Diane G.. The urban image of Augustan Rome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. (266)
Marshall, L. (1994). Manipulating the sacred: Image and plague in Renaissance Italy. Renaissance Quarterly, 47(3), 485-532. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
It is dusk, just before dinner-time. The sky is a canvas of purples, blues and oranges; the sun is a deep red. There are little black silhouettes of houses and castles soaking up the red blood like oversaturated bandages, regurgitating the rest onto the streets are syrupy orange light. The air is crisp, soaked thoroughly in the scent of canal water and burning candles. From the handkerchief in Emilia’s hand just the slightest hints of fragrant spices arise. Around them, the doors of shops creak to a close as the day comes to an end. The torch in Iago’s hand chuckles heartily, sputtering incandescent sparks into the
Florence, Italy was a city just like any other during the Renaissance. It was city of 50,000 people, less than there were in Paris and Venice but more than most other European cities. The busiest parts of the city were the Ponte Vecchio, a place lined with markets and houses, the neighborhood of the Orsanmichele and Mercato Vecchio, or the Old Market. Florence was a place of beauty and leisure. A Venetian visitor once said, “There is in my opinion no region more sweeter than that wherein Florence is a placed for Florence is situated in a plain surrounded on all sides by hills and mountains…And the hills are fertile cultivated, pleasant…” (Unger, pg. 1). Florence was a very prosperous city; it made fortunes off of wool and banking trades. A certain Florentine family contributed to the vast wealth as well. The Medici family was no doubt the foundation of prosperity for Florence.
Brown, Patricia Fortini. Art and Life In Renaissance Venice. New York, NY: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1997.
The periods between 14th and 17th century were marked by a return to classical ideas and culture, known as the Renaissance. The Renaissance or some may say “Rinascita” meaning rebirth, represented a break away from conformist society and culture of the previous medieval Europe to the revival of lost knowledge. This cultural movement, where changes occurred in almost every aspect of intellectualism, we know evoked in the in the heart of Florence, Italy. The unique characteristics of this city enabled an atmosphere of learning and artistic expression. An independent city like Florence was quickly capable to grow prosperous through trade and banking creating a class of wealthy businessmen who became patrons to individual artists providing them with fund and other necessities. It were these men too who become the most prominent face of the Renaissance movement. The Renaissance marked an important moment in human history and ending of the dark ages. Having changed the way in which people thought has given us many of the freedoms we have today. This essay will be further exploring the que...
Baxandall, Michael. “Conditions of Trade.” Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-century Italy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.
During the Italian renaissance there were many inventions, creations, and art, but some of the things still affect our lifestyle today. Some of these things are well known by people, where some are just artwork that has lots of exposure in the modern world. There are people who devote their lives to study these works of art. There must be some information on how this outburst of art and other works began, as before the Renaissance Italy was in a depression. This is a complete turnaround from a depression. In this report I am going to review and go over how the Renaissance started and who kept it alive, by studying the life of rich patrons. There is also going to be sections on specific inventions and artwork that shows renaissance lifestyle, using a book of Art History and information about popular inventions.
Renzo stated in an interview, “Architecture is about exploring. Culturally, historically, psychologically, anthropologically, and topographically, every job is different.” Renzo is particularly well known for adapting designs to their location. He later went on to say “(architecture) should make a contribution to the contex. … you must employ a homeopathic process, ... you can easily destroy their (cities) subtle dynamics” (Archinect, 2006).