1a. To what era are shopping malls "monuments"? What attitude did many Americans in the postwar period have toward the automobile and the development of rural areas?
2a. What does shopping center theory dictate about parking lots? What is "anchoring the mall"? What aspects of shopping center theory remain "impenetrable" to Didion?
3a. How does Didion describe the items she purchases at Ala Moana in Hawaii? Does she need these items?
4a. What two things does Didion say are fused, or combined, in shopping malls? Outline how shopping malls can be said to exemplify these things. How do malls represent the consumerist attitudes of postwar America? How do malls fit in with the new frontier of suburbia?
5a. How do you feel about the fact that mall developers design their buildings in order to influence you to buy more? Do you find this to be manipulative or just good business sense?
1b. How does the automobile account for suburbia? How does suburbia account for the shopping center?
2b. In what sense can the mall developers be called "frontiersmen" or "pioneers"? What was their "frontier"? What is the ultimate purpose of the shopping mall techniques mentioned in this selection?
3b. What does the Detroit woman's remark about the novel Wonderland reveal about her priorities or about the priorities of many Americans? What is the purpose of making all malls alike? Why does Didion make these purchases?
4b. How did Didion feel about malls when she was younger? What does she not understand about malls, and what does she criticize now that she is older? How does she show that she, too, is sometimes enchanted by malls?
5b. Didion says that if she were to build a mall, she would have "monkeys, and Chinese restaurants, and Mylar kites and bands of small girls playing tambourine." What does this tell you about Didion's character? If you were planning your own mall, what would you include?
Irony. What is ironic about the names of some of the malls Didion mentions? What is ironic about the purchases Didion makes at Ala Moana?
Expository Writing and Exposition. Is "On the Mall" an example of expository writing?
Complete the chart below. On the left, list the methods used. On the right, refer to the part of the essay in which each method was used. One example has been done for you.
classification
A, B, and C types of malls
1. Write a short story about a person who enters a mall and surrenders his or her "ego" to the mall. What does he or she end up doing or buying?
2. Invent your own classification system for the malls or stores in your community. You can use any criteria you wish. For example, you could classify some stores under the heading "Teen Girl Trend Spot."
3. Imagine you own a mall. Write a radio spot advertising your mall. Appeal to human psychology in an effort to persuade people to come to the mall and buy as much as possible.
Researching the 1960s.Research an important figure, event, or movement of the 1960s. See page 922 of your text for details.
