Get Fruity: In Search of the Lost Mangosteen

3.) Topic: Mangosteens

4.) Purpose: I feel that the author's purpose fits into two of the main objectives when

writing. I think that the author took a "descriptive narrative" approach. He describes

everything he is experiencing, especially the mangosteens, in such great detail that the

reader can easily visualize what is happening in the narration. For example: "...a

handcart piled high with round stones the size of tennis balls and coloured the deep

purple of a bruise" (p. 101, para. 3).

I also feel it is narrative because the author narrates or speaks of the particulars of his

travels and about the course of events that he experiences in his search for

mangosteens.

For example: "On the first day in New Zealand, there was a silky black cod" (p. 100, para.

1).

The author uses these approaches to describe the events and increase our

understanding of mangosteens. Not to mention, the sexual annotations in his writing

are most certainly entertaining, sometimes even shocking.

5.) The main idea is implicit as it is not clearly stated, only suggested and hinted at throughout the story. The main idea emerges as the reader nears the end. I feel that the main idea is that mangosteens are a unique and rare delicacy that one can only truly experience if they go to the mangosteens homeland of Malaysia.

6.) The tone of the essay is informal, light and casual; however one can sense the author's excitement when he talks about certain things (mangosteens). It is personal and subjective as it is written from the author's experiences. At some points it gets a little uncomfortable and intense like when he uses sexual innuendo to get the lure of the mangosteen across. The tone is effective as it made for an easy read. It wasn't too light or too heavy; however it had its moments of increased intensity which kept me interested in the story. His tone allows for a certain amount of suspense. The sexual innuendo stops the reader from getting to comfortable and seems to suggest that the mangosteens are like a guilty little pleasure for him.

Example of light/casual tone: "I've heard the flavour of the mangosteen described as a cross between grape and strawberry, which is like saying that pineapple tastes