Maya Angelou and M.F.K. Fisher :: essays research papers

When reading two passages, one by M.F.K. Fisher on the French port of Marseilles and the other by Maya Angelou on the small town of Stamps, I noticed that the passages had some similarities but where entirely different in their effect and the handling of language resources. While Angelou and Fisher organized and constructed their passages similarly, the section and rhetoric of the authors are opposite. Angelou and Fishers styles differ greatly, however, they both employ very similar plot structure in which they introduced the common stereotypes of the places they were speech of, and they shot it down with reality. Angelou speaks of harmonious black music drifting like odour through this precious air (Angelou, 3) but later on crushes that fantasise with the true flesh-real and swollen-belly poor (Angelou, 5) of the South. In the like manner, Fisher speaks of Marseilles reputation as world capital for dope, whores and street violence (Fisher 6) but later in the passage her stat es that a trip through old Marseilles/ cannot fail to pall (Fisher 21, 22). Thus, Fisher and Angelou organized their plot structures in order to choose the same effect on the audience. While the authors plot structure may have been similar, their rhetorical structure is far from comparable. Fisher uses more of a straggling structure, in which she is very frank and sarcastic. She casually speaks of undesirables thronging the narrow alleys, and sisters of scarlet sitting in the doorways (Fisher 23) which gives her passage the effect of being an overly sarcastic fabliau which can be found in any editorial page of a newspaper.