Del 19 - Contemporary French and Francophone Cultures

Consumer Chronicles

Cultures of Consumption in Modern French Literature

Inbunden, Engelska, 2011

2 789 kr

Beställningsvara. Skickas inom 7-10 vardagar. Fri frakt för medlemmar vid köp för minst 249 kr.

At a time when the world is contemplating the depletion of non-renewable natural resources, the consumer society is increasingly being called into question. This is nowhere more acutely evident than in France, where since its beginnings in the nineteenth century, the consumer revolution, extending market forces into every area of social and private life, has been perceived as a challenge to core elements in French culture, such as traditional artisan crafts and small businesses serving local communities. Cultural historians and sociologists have charted the increasing commercialisation of everyday life over the twentieth century, but few have paid systematic attention to the crucial testimony provided by the authors of narrative fiction. Consumer Chronicles rectifies this omission by means of close readings of a series of novels, selected for their authentic portrayal of consumer behaviour, and analysed in relation to their social, cultural and historical contexts. Walker's study, offering an imaginative interdisciplinary panorama covering the impact of affluence on French shoppers, shopkeepers and society, provides telling new insights into the history and characteristics of the consumer mentality.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2011-03-31
Mått163 x 239 x undefined mm
FormatInbunden
SpråkEngelska
SerieContemporary French and Francophone Cultures
Antal sidor288
FörlagLiverpool University Press
ISBN9781846314872

Tillhör följande kategorier

Litteraturvetenskap inom Skönlitteratur

AcknowledgementsIntroductionI. WAITING FOR THE CONSUMER SOCIETY1. Earning, Yearning and Making Do: Huysmans, 'Les Soeurs Vatard'2. 'Flaneurs and Shoppers: Huysmans, 'En menage'3. From Shopping to Schopenhauer: Huysmans, ' A vau- l'eau'II. ECONOMIES OF CONSUMPTION (1)4. Transactions and Value: Gide, 'L'Immoraliste'III. SMALL SHOPS5. 'La lente Agonie du petit commerce? Balzac, 'Grandeur et decadence de Cesar Birotteau' and Zola, 'Au bonheur des dames'6. 'Eleve dans le commerce: Celine, 'Mort a credit'7. The Emprium Strikes Back: Dutourd, 'Au Bon Beurre'IV. BIG STORES8. The Big Sell9. The 'grand magasin': Zola, 'Au bonheur des dames (2)'10.'Les Venus des comptoirs' : Feminism and Shopping in the 1920's11. Total Retail: Figures of the Dystopian SuperstoreV. ECONOMIES OF COMSUMPTION (2)12. Speculations on ValueVI. REFLECTIONS ON THE CONSUMER SOCIETY13. Post-wr visions of Paradise: The Dawning of the Consumer Society14. Managing the Consumers (1): Motivational Analysts15. Managing the Consumers (2) Advertisers16. The Consumers Managing 1: Making Do by Instalments17. The Consumers Managing 2: Making Do and ProducingConclusion: A Good Buy?BibliographyIndex