The Mall in America

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THE MALL IN AMERICA Whenever we go out shopping or relaxing at malls, we actually don’t see or recognize any effects of malls as we mostly go there for these two reasons. Malls are an integral part in the lives of America. They are shopping centers that have created a lot of buzz in many writers. This is because we have more malls in America than high schools. Malls have received praises from people like James J. Farrell, Jon Pahl and George Lewis who view malls as not only shopping centers but also as places that provide a reflection of the American culture and serve as centers of pleasure and entertainment. In contrast, William Kowinski and David Gutterson criticize malls for just being an artificial environment that creates disorientation among American shoppers. In my opinion, malls are just magnificent commercial buildings that create a sense of false dreams and imagination. Mall appreciators argue that the malls are centers of entertainment and pleasure for mall visitors. George Lewis in “The mall as Refuge”, asserts that “kids come to look around, meet and make friends, stay away from home and hang out- because there is nowhere else to go” (1990, P. 309). He believes that teenagers go to malls to socialize and to escape from the troubles in their lives and at home. Therefore, malls serve as a second home for kids. Similarly, Lewis says that with the controlled environment of malls, with the security and the central location of malls as a good reason why many retired, and old people visit malls. Here they get to meet up with old friends, exercise, eat out, and share experiences with their old friends. These two groups as Lewis claims are misfits in society because; the world considers them as unproductive. Jon Pahl also ... ... middle of paper ... ...goods. Works Cited Farrell, James J. (2003) Shopping for American Culture. In Behrens Laurence & Rosen Leonard (Eds.), (2009). Writing and reading across the curriculum (pp. 267-272) New York. Guterson, David. (1993). The Mall as Prison. In Behrens Laurence & Rosen Leonard (Eds.), (2009). Writing and reading across the curriculum (pp.286-293) New York. Kowinski, William. (1985). Mallaise: How to Know if You Have It. In Behrens Laurence & Rosen Leonard (Eds.), (2009). Writing and reading across the curriculum (pp.323-327) New York. Lewis, George. (1990). The Mall as Refuge. In Behrens Laurence & Rosen Leonard (Eds.), (2009). Writing and reading across the curriculum (pp.304-315) New York. Pahl, Jon. (2003). The Mall as Sacred Space. In Behrens Laurence & Rosen Leonard (Eds.), (2009). Writing and reading across the curriculum (pp. 294-299) New York.

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