Understanding Chic

Question 1

Genre

Answer 1

Extract from Fraser-Cavassoni’s autobiographical memoir that captures her years spent in Paris - first as a 13-year-old visitor, then living there in her 20s. It is worth noting that she was residing in Paris as she wrote the memoir. It also bears similarities to a Bildungsroman; although non-fiction, it tells the story of her coming-of-age through the city.

Question 2

Register

Answer 2

Semi-formal - she blends a flowing prose style with lighthearted humour and conversational, idiomatic expression.

Question 3

Audience

Answer 3

Those intrigued by the Parisian fashion industry in particular - aspiring editors, journalists and designers - or those who work in the field. Fraser-Cavassoni’s title ‘understanding chic’ underpins her aim to explore that enigmatic adjective so frequently ascribed to Parisian fashion.

Question 4

Mode

Answer 4

Written mode - although it occasionally uses direct speech to interweave other voices into the author’s memories.

Question 5

Purpose

Answer 5

Intends to nostalgically recall her time in Paris, Fraser-Cavassoni could also be argued to be embarking on a quest for meaning - trying to define and clarify exactly what represents ‘chic’ based on her experiences in the city.

Question 6

Subject

Answer 6

The text focuses on the experiences of the ingenuous foreigner in Paris - both the naive 13-year-old who is fascinated by citron presse and the ‘penniless’ 20-year-old trying to break into the fashion industry with only a few lessons in French and some letters of introduction to couture houses.