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Three views of Paris, as seen through the eyes of writers Sinclair Lewis, George Orwell and Radhika Jha, each offering a look at the city's people, food and culture.
The allure of Paris has provided centuries of inspiration to painters, poets, and of course writers. As Paris changes yet manages to keep its distinct charm, it continues to enchant or provoke authors, each adding their latest contribution to the volumes of time. Here are three views of Paris, in chronological order: DodsworthSinclair Lewis’ 1929 Dodsworth involves an American couple taking a European tour. Sam and Fran Dodsworth enjoy a socially prominent life in the mythical metropolis of Zenith, but Sam has worked hard to build his automobile empire and suggests a long vacation. Fran agrees and soon after the Dodsworths sail across the Atlantic. Europe brings new experiences and sights for Sam—some pleasant, some unhappily life-changing. In the novel, Sinclair Lewis expertly shows a middle-aged man of power dealing with the chaos of travel and the unraveling of his marriage. Like most Americans abroad then, Sam does not speak another language and has preconceptions of what Europeans are like. In his initial impressions of Paris, however, we see how while Sam might be somewhat close-minded, he’s receptive to the city’s many aspects: Silver gray everywhere, instead of London’s golden-brown… Artichokes. Apples. Etchings… The fake artists’ Paris, very literary and drunk and full of theories. The real artists’ Paris, hidden and busy and silent. Down and OutIn 1928, British author George Orwell headed to Paris with the usual literary aspirations of a young writer. He did not meet with much success, unfortunately, and soon after had to join the world of the working class just to survive. This isn’t the celebrated city of cafés or romance. This is the other side of all that, the waiters and dishwashers, the men who drink not because they’re artistically tormented or on a binge with friends, but simply to forget who they are until the next day. Rooms are full of bedbugs, murders committed casually on the street. And while Orwell was able to take his darkly funny, poignant experiences and publish Down and Out In Paris and London in 1933, the book has the underlying message that for many others, being down and out is a way of life, with little hope for change. Scents of Past and PresentFrance today finds itself dealing with a sense of conflict, as immigrants clash and meld with the country’s existing culture. Radhika Jha’s novel Smell tells the story of Leela, a young Indian woman emotionally lost in Paris. Leela has a heightened sense of smell, and through this hypersensitivity perceives herself as out of place and unwanted. Her lack of official work papers makes her dependent on others, and though she’s considered beautiful and exotic by many, she still cannot get past the issue of her own “odor”, which she feels is “dark, feral…too strong to be civilized.” It’s through food that Leela discovers a common ground, fusing her native spices with classic French tastes. The first sentence of Smell, with its food metaphor, illustrates the differences between traditional Paris and the Paris of the future: When the wind blew hard, as it did very often that spring, the smell of fresh baguette would fight its way into the Epicerie Madras to do battle with the prickly smell of pickles and masalas. In the long run, no one who has described or will describe this famous city can ever completely explain it, and perhaps the thoughts of Sam Dodsworth sum things up best: …he perceived another Paris, stately, aloof, gray with history…”Gee, Fran, this town has been here a long time, I guess,” he meditated. “This town knows a lot….” __________________________________________________________ Dodsworth – Sinclair Lewis (Signet Classics, 1995) Down and Out In Paris and London – George Orwell (Harvest Books) Smell -- Radhika Jha (Soho Press, 2002)
The copyright of the article Novels Written About Paris in Modern American Fiction is owned by Meg Nola. Permission to republish Novels Written About Paris in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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