Week Four GL 350

“Your appearance shouldn't define who you are, and that's what I like, the contrast between people looking like the opposite of what they truly are deep inside.” - Matthias Schoenaerts

In America, we want the biggest and best resolution flat screen television, the greenest and most precisely cut lawn, the most comfortable plush leather couch, the fanciest granite kitchen counter tops, and the finest china set and silverware to display in the cupboard. (The ones that really only come out of the cabinet when there are guests over for dinner and we have prepared a beautiful meal for them). We clean the house from top to bottom when someone is coming over and reorganize the rooms so that our house looks like a sophisticated and welcoming home for our guest. (Even if that means just hiding all of the clutter in the closet or under the bed!) This is the American way. We like to show our status through the way we furnish our house and impress those who are guests in our home. This kind of “appearance” however, is not a universal rule or expectation. In fact, Italians homes are generally small, and rather than inviting guest over to their home, they meet in the piazza, the public square. As Barzini writes, “In Rome everything is public.” Therefore, Italians do not spend their money on decadently furnishing their homes but rather furnishing their wardrobes in order to show their status, their desire for order and pattern, and attention to detail.

Stepping foot into an Italian piazza is like stepping into an American home, both can give the ultimate insight into culture and way of life because they are both places where people are in, if you will, their “natural habitat.” First, an Italian piazza offers knowledge about how Italians like to express themselves. As Barzini writes, “Streets, piazze, avenues, public parks, corsi, have been planned in rigid symmetry.” Take for example, the Piazza del Popolo: this public square is the epitome of Italian’s desires for symmetry. It’s perfect oval shape, symmetrical fountains on each side, and equally proportioned gate, practically scream balance! And if that wasn’t enough, architect Rainaldi was commissioned in the 17^th century to design two “twin” churches which give the piazza even more unification. Looking at the physical structure of the piazza itself gives us an idea of what it is like to live as an Italian and have a great appreciation for patterns, detail, and symmetry.

Something else that is gained through the cultural lens of an Italian piazza is how Italians communicate. As Barzini discusses earlier in Chapter 4, Italians have tendency to put on a spectacle. In regards to the way they communicate he writes, “Reading facial expressions is an art in Italy,” but also mentions how “Italian gestures are justly famous” as well. Being immersed in their public area, one definitely gains insight as to how Italians communicate together. Not only can you witness the hand motions and practice your own facial expressions, but also you experience the sense of deception that exists in Italy. Barzini talks about these “transparent deceptions” when he says, “Nobody in Italy ever confesses to being ‘an average man’; everybody persuades himself he is, sometimes for intricate and improbable reasons, one of the gods’ favoured sons.” He continues to support his theory with the story of buying theater tickets and that any Italian who is “somebody” never pays full price for his ticket. I would also argue however, that in order to be “somebody” one must present himself as proper and well-dressed individual in the piazza.

An Italian piazza is not just a public area for Italians to come to relax. As a foreigner, it is interesting to watch the way Italians interact in the piazza. On the surface, we see well-dressed Italians in the public square, but below the façade of elegance and politeness within the piazza, we are also able to gain insight into the deeper meaning of it all: the difference between who Italians are and the image that they portray themselves to be. Barzini writes, “To be powerful and rich, of course, is, for an individual and a nation, more desirable and satisfactory than to be weak and poor… and they staged an almost perfect imitation of the real thing.” Life here in Italy is not all dolce vite, but based on what one sees within the piazza, it is sure easy to believe it is.