Anne Norton's Signs of Shopping

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Anne Norton’s “Signs of Shopping” conveys her feminist and conservative view on a growing culture of consumption and describes the identity that forms as a result. She shows how malls catalogues and home shopping sell to the consumer, telling them who they should be. Malls specifically are architects of self-identity through social interaction, advertisements, and class distinctions. Norton’s thesis is essentially a feminist slanted article implying that what society shops for, is what society becomes. Norton explains how the mall serves as a meeting place for people of all kinds, especially women, shaping their opinions and desires. But the stores in the mall are the real focus for the consumers. Customers walk from window to window, observing the products as well as each other, obsessed with displaying a higher standard of living. Interestingly, Norton also claims that a woman’s role while shopping is to provide the necessities for her family. Since the husband supplies money, Norton believes women view shopping as not another responsibility, but as an opportunity for subversion. Retail therapy is a housewife’s favorite pastime. Among other women they socialize freely. Whilet hey also spend time and money striving to duplicate the allusions associated with American culture. The housewife passes these tendencies on to her daughter and the tradition continues. Different brands create allusions connected to gender age class distinction and ethnicity. Norton adds that on some occasions the consumer seems to have power. The consumer can call to vote for something or to order a product from a televised program, giving consumers the opportunity to discuss their purchase or express their opinion. Targeting specific trendy images help brands decide what advertisements would best lure in their target group. Stereotypes associated with stores vary based on the

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