Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe (Bill Bryson) – Flashcards
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Context
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Bryson is an American travel writer who also lived in England for many years, he is known for his dry humour and observations
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Audience
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Adults (mid 30s+), prospective travelers and fans of his work
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Mode
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Written mode
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"Paris wakes up more abruptly than, more startlingly, than any place I know"
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Personification. Presents Paris as fast paced and lively, it doesn't steadily get busier it happens all at once
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"Paris gleams and London is a toilet"
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Juxtaposition. Presents Paris as clean (cleaner than London) and attractive (shiny), subjective - opinionated author
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"London is a toilet"
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States opinion as fact, author has strong opinions - doesn't use hedging, hyperbolic language
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"cars and buses...hurrying legs"
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List. Presents Paris as very busy, there's so much going on he can only mention each thing briefly
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"world's most pathologically aggressive drivers"
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Superlative ("most), hyperbole. Presents Parisians as dangerous and insane
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"Is that asking for trouble or what?"
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Rhetorical question, sarcastic tone - convention of Bryson's writing
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"circus maximus", "Jack Nicholson in Batman"
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Older pop culture references - older audience, intellectual - ancient Rome reference
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"pedestrian-crossing lights...leaving the foreign visitor confused, humiliated and, if all goes to plan, dead" (triplet)
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Triplet. Presents Paris as difficult to navigate for tourists, emphasized by repetition. Ironic - crossing lights are supposed to help you cross the street
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"pedestrian-crossing lights...leaving the foreign visitor confused, humiliated and, if all goes to plan, dead" (irony)
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Irony. Crossing lights are supposed to make it easier to cross the road
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"her finger plugged casually...into the other's fundament...an activity quiet unknown in Iowa"
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Intensifier ("quite"). Presents Paris as very cultured, the activity is very different to Bryson's small town Iowa upbringing
