Eng. 658 – Week 9 Blog 1

Last week I stopped by my local library and picked up a copy of Benjamin’s “The Arcades Project.” Fascinated and inspired were the immediate thoughts that surged through my head. The “Arcades” Benjamin writes about are the ancestors of our modern-day strip malls, except these malls were enclosed in glass and had an ambience that absolutely smelled of Paris—and that image only comes to me through Benjamin’s photos of the shops (one can imagine the quaint feel of actually spending a day strolling the charming malls). The bourgeoisie of Paris inhabited these places; thus, they attracted a finery that was not seen out on the streets, away from the enclosed cocoon, almost controlled atmosphere in the arcades. Moreover, the flavor and taste with which Benjamin reflects upon the burgeoning industrial commerce of Paris places one amongst the splendor of the malls: the coffee roasting, baking bread, musty cigar shops, and of course fine dress shops and men’s boutiques. Benjamin interlaces his observations of the arcades with quotations from some of the brilliant artists and thinker of his day, such as Baudelaire and Gautier, and the quotes emit a feeling of being in the right place at just the right time. All in all, the work impresses and inspires, it reminds one that simple life surrounds us with myriad joys and interests—things at our fingertips when we stop to smell the fragrant roses at out side.