Anna Norton
Anne Norton's book, The Signs of Shopping, discusses the way in which malls, catalogues, and home shopping networks "sell you what they want by telling you who you are." Malls today are no longer a place where individuals in society go to buy items such as clothes and make-up. In the book, Norton analyzed the many tactics used to make the consumer think the way they do now. Norton believes that malls, catalogues, and home shopping networks have become a construction of self-identity with social interaction and class distinctions. Norton believes malls are one the things that help create identities. Norton notes the mall as a "lexicon of American culture", a dictionary of American culture, due to the many different types of garments that are display on the mannequins. Each type of garments has a meaning of its own. For instance, walking through the mall is like "walking through a dictionary" with each garments connoting a certain image that is label in American culture. The women's role when shopping is supposed to provide the necessaries for their family. Their husband provides the money so they can shop for those necessaries. Norton believes that due to shopping
Shopping at the mall can now be done in the privacy of one's own home. Semiotic messages are being used not only in public but in the privacy of your home. Catalogues sell their goods by setting the scenario. For example, in the J. Peterman catalogue, there is a hat. However, it is not just any hat, it is advertised as the "rugged outdoor interests" wear. This hat is an identity of class distinction and hidden racism. Norton points out "some of us work on the plantation...some of us own the plantation...facts are facts...this hat is for those who own the plantation." When reading a catalogue, there is an image they want to show the reader. Norton gave an example of William-Sonoma, saying that his catalogue not only show things to cook but the catalogue itself is "A Catalog for Cooks." Catalogues are an identification of an image that are being portrayed as. Therefore, if one were to want to be a cook then one needs the proper attire. Some catalogues can be even more overtly political, for example, The Nature Company usage of people's moralities to benefit of the Earth, and also by buying their commodities the agency will profit but the consumer will think by buyin
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Approximate Word count = 796
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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