TOW #16 - IRB

Four Seasons in Rome is one of the most powerful examples of a memoir, a year in the life of Anthony Doerr, an incredibly gifted artist who spends the entire year trying to understand, and failing, the intense complexities of Rome. Anthony Doerr uses vivid imagery and meaningful anecdotes in order to effectively explain his emotions and life when living in Rome. When trying to convey the wonder the city imparts on people, he shows an example of people from Northern Italy who cannot begin to understand the complexities of the city, see: "Far below us is the dark saucer of the Pantheon, the blue tourist balloon at the Villa Borghese, the Vittoriano, the clusters of rooftops: the city... "Ecco Roma!" Here is Rome" (Doerr 195). Again, the power of words are utilized by Doerr. He shows the wonder that the city instills, the beauty of the whole thing, and how in love it makes people feel. Examples like this show how the city imparts itself on it's visitors, how insanely in love it makes them feel. To describe the experiences he feels every day, Doerr says: "At noon Shauna and I sit in the garden eating mozzarella, tomato, and vinegar sandwiches. The breeze is mild. The boys stagger beneath the trees nearby and pick up fallen apricots and occasionally bite into one" (Doerr 191). This little yet beautiful glimpse into the life of Doerr grants the reader an understanding of what he feels, what he does, what he loves. It makes them feel like they are with Doerr, enjoying Rome with him. I would find myself lost in the sea of his description, daydreaming about the beauty aforementioned. Then I knew Doerr was successful, as he truly conveyed how lovely and life altering the experience was to his reader.