Assignment: In Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong, read the chapters assigned below. Write a response, following the Reader Response Instructions (see previous post). React to and comment upon at least 2 of your classmates responses.
Introduction and Chapter 1: Nadeau and Barlow write on page 4: "One of our first breakthroughs in understanding France: it is impossible to disassociate the past from the present." Explain this statement in the context of what you have read.
The main purpose of the introduction was to show the reader what the purpose behind the book was. The authors were even bold enough to state that their original assignment in Paris was not what they ended up with. Chapter 1 was to demonstrate that the French people live in a place that is surrounded by history, but yet there have been modern advancements, which give a healthy mix between the present and past. As being a person that has traveled to Paris for a brief amount of time, I would like to personally comment and say that I completely agree with Chapter 1. My class stayed at a hotel that had actual keys that we would have to leave at the front desk when we left, but yet when we walked outside just shortly down the street there was a McDonald’s. There are many more examples of this modern/ancient mix. During one day excursion, I ventured into a “high-class” comic book store, and then I was able to visit a renaissance building that housed many old sculptures and paintings. The whole experience is awe-inspiring! When my class arrived in Paris, we were a week to early for the grand sales that the book mentions, but the Frenchman who first greeted us told us all about how spectacular it was.
RépondreSupprimerI also learned a few things from this reading: first I did not know that some of the streets in Paris were made from previous hunting grounds, and second I never knew how France celebrated Halloween. I would love to be there when it was celebrated, and the way the children do not beg for candy but instead demand it is perfect. One thing that surprised me is that Notre Dame was almost torn down. It would have been a travesty if that had occurred.
I also found it intriguing that they celebrate Halloween in France! It is funny that the children demand candy rather than begging, but I suppose begging it just too impolite. That's really cool that you said at an old-fashioned hotel and were able to make that connection between the old and modern examples of Paris.
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SupprimerYes I also chuckled at the image of a mob of hungry children marching through the streets demanding candy. If we adopted that in America I would be trick or treating again no doubt, it sounds like serious fun. The high-class comic book store you mentioned sounds pretty interesting, I'd like to see the interior and what makes it high class.
SupprimerWow, that's amazing that you were able to visit France. It's funny that you added the part about the McDonald's located down the street, because I had the same encounter when I visited London, England. It was weird to find a Burger King in a country that I would not expect to find one of those fast food restaurants in.
SupprimerIn “Meet the Aborigines” chapter one, we meet tourists, only looking at France through the eyes of American vacationers. Right away the writer conveys to us that they were impressed by all the beauty that France had to offer and of course, who wouldn’t agree with them. Even people such as myself are impressed by its magnificence. The tourists visited La Roche Guyon, the Renaissance Castle, a Twelfth Century Dungeon and many other places. They started to see that France has a mix between modern and historical juxtapositions. The one quote that really stuck out to me was, “It is impossible to disassociate the past from the present.” This, I felt, was the main focus for Chapter one. I also really like that this is the introduction that we get to French culture in this book. It will most likely become the outline for the entire book. I like that France is constantly reminded of its history since that is not the case here in America. The writer says that they were easily misled about French historical values because the French seemed so preoccupied with present day affairs. An example of modernity in France would be the “Smart Cards” that carry citizens’ personal information in a micro-chip. The French are very advanced in technology and it shows everywhere you go. However, there are glimpses into the past that seem to hang about and that makes France unique. French people are never in a hurry because they pride themselves on doing things the proper way. The writer noticed this from going to a local establishment. Here in America, we have fast food places, but when was the last time your order was correct? Let’s face it, we’re all about a hurried lifestyle. Then what caught my attention was all of these customs coming together to tell us why the French are so old-fashioned- they’re aborigines. This just means that they are the original French, or in other words, many of them could trace their ancestors back to the ice ages. France has a long, interesting history and I am looking forward to reading about other important observations throughout the book.
RépondreSupprimer“It is impossible to disassociate the past from the present.” this quote stuck out to me too. At first it confused me but then I understood. The French have so many things from there past that are still in their present. It is weird to think that people live like this because our country is not completely like France.
SupprimerI completely agree with Americans living a hurried lifestyle! It seems we'll settle for bad service as long as it is quick service, especially with fast-food places.I like how you compared that to the French customs, great way of connecting opposing ideas!
Supprimer"but when was the last time your order was correct?" That's true! Here, fast food is quite literally about going as fast as possible, but in the book, the author mentioned that in a bakery, the woman would individually wrap each pastry, whether there's a long line or not. It sounds like French people live richly with their history and food!
SupprimerWithin the introduction and first chapter of the novel “Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong”, the authors are providing a brief insight on their first interactions with France and the French. Initially, they find everything confusing and different from what they would consider comfortable in America as their quote on page 4 states. To them, everything seemed old and strange. However, most of France is modern, even though their cities are teeming with old- fashioned buildings and roads. I can relate to their situation since I was a tourist in London, England. Much like their experiences, I too was very confused that most of the people that live in London go about their daily lives in a city that seems like the set of a King Arthur play or movie. However, just as France has modern enhancements for older buildings, so does London. In fact, they are both as modern if not more modern than America. After reading the introduction and first chapter of this novel, I learned a two things. I learned that France has an easier way of carrying personal information than America does, and that the French are better at preserving history. Instead of carrying social security, a driver’s license, and other forms of ID separately, the French have devised a system that stores all of your personal information conveniently on the micro chip of a “Smart Card”. Even though we as Americans preserve as much of our history as we can, France has beaten us by a longshot. Almost, if not all, of their buildings are still in the place where they were originally built and still have the latest technology inside the building. I would highly recommend this passage to anyone who is looking forward to traveling to France, because it gives a great description of what to expect from France upon arrival!
RépondreSupprimerThats so cool that you went to London an were able to compare that to this story. I have never been out of the country but I think it would be really interesting to do something like the authors of this book did. To go to a foreign place and stay there for a months and just study how they live and go about their life.
SupprimerIt's great that you are able to relate the authors experience with your own experience of visiting London. I also agree with your statement that our neighbors across the Atlantic seem to be much more technologically advanced than we are, which is odd seeings as we like to think of ourselves as being the best at everything.
SupprimerAs Americans we do attempt to preserve our history, but unless you visit a site like New Salem, where Abraham Lincoln spent his young adult years, you do not get the sense that you are in a different place in time when walking among our streets. The book briefly skimmed this point, but we are at a disadvantage to our European neighbors because our civilization is much newer, and we never had to build magnificent castles during the Renaissance Era. The first settlers here, which would technically be Native Americans, lived hand in hand in nature. To that point, we have taken the initiative to mark certain forests as national treasures that cannot be disturbed.
SupprimerSometimes being modern can be a strange thing. I don't know about you, but after giving it some thought, i would hate to have a "Smart Card" since it has everything personal on it. if someone gets a hold of that card you're pretty much doomed. I guess our social security cards are no different.
Supprimer“There is no museum in Sarlat: Sarlat is the museum… Sarlat is also a regular town, where regular people lead regular lives in spite of the historical splendor.” I believe this quote from Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong perfectly illustrates how it is impossible to disassociate the past and present in France. The country has evolved into what it is over twenty-two thousand years; it is not a creation of a new world, as is North America. Buildings in France portray its continuous evolution; some seem to have grown out of the ground while others are like the shiny, new Monoprix drugstore the book describes on page six. With all this history, the French have evolved customs and ways of thinking unique to their experience. France is a modern country that has adopted new technology to old ways of thinking, and in that sense, the old ways have continued to reign dominant. This is evident in the way the French speak, such as when they refer to regalian (the king’s) powers. Word choice portrays the thoughts of our mind; therefore by referring to the ministries as regalian it shows that the French have an old way of thinking. They live in the present, yet have the mindset of ages past. I believe the author has a valid point in each of his examples of how the French are both modern and archaic, and provides a plethora of each supporting example. Before reading this I had only had an idea of France being riddled with historic aspects, yet still being very similar to the rest of the Western World. However, after reading this section, I do not hold that belief at all, in fact I was surprised to learn about Les Soldes, how the police enforce it and that it dates back to Guilds. I would recommend this passage to all people wishing to travel to France, because is emphasizes the cultural aspects of the French.
RépondreSupprimerI like how you brought up the town of Sarlat to explain your point. It's pretty crazy to think that they were living without running water or electricity in the 1960's considering it's something we view to be so commonplace today. Sarlat in this age is a great example of how the French blend old and new with such beauty and efficiency. We could learn a thing or two about historical appreciation from the French
SupprimerIn the first chapter Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoit Nadeau recount their first impressions and early excursions of their two year study in France. It is clear that they were most struck by France’s beautiful blend of past and present. This sentiment is easily identifiable in their claim that it is “impossible to disassociate the past from the present”. Based on their stories this claim seems to be a reality. They could not go 50 feet without witnessing something from another era. Whether it be a 12th century dungeon or barn nestled on top of a Cro-Magnon grave, the past is relentlessly abundant in France. At the same time, French Civilization is substantially modernized; they have supermarkets, microchip identification cards, and countless other new age technologies. The French culture and way of life sounds spectacular, I’d certainly be satisfied living in Paris for the rest of my life drinking coffee and talking philosophy. I like that they are more relaxed and slow in France, I think in the U.S people have such a frantic and rushed mentality we fail to see some of the beauty life has to offer. I especially liked the authors’ claim that America destroys their history when they want to build something new whereas France just builds off the old. The fact that France has had no real definitive starting date or break from the past is absolutely insane considering the drastic difference in the formation of the U.S.A.. The French Civilizations evolution is much cooler. History is awesome, architecture and art of the past should be embraced and celebrated, not eradicated.
RépondreSupprimerI also caught that point of where the French build off of old history, rather than rebuild. Although, it was mentioned in the book that when Louis XIV was around, Gothic architecture wasn't admirable and was torn down whenever people could afford to replace it. Thank goodness for Victor Hugo! I'm glad that France preserves their old buildings and history. Not only can we see real-life examples of history, but it's everywhere, too. I would very much like to visit France one day and see the mix of old and new!
SupprimerI completely agree with you when you mention how America lives in such a frantic rush that they do not stop to witness the beauty that life has to offer us. As of France, they do precisely just that admiring everything it is being offered. Their architecture and art is amazing and breathtaking as it shows their rich history through both of them. I would totally join you on drinking a coffee in Paris.
SupprimerThe introduction and chapter one basically say that the people of France are not resisting globalization and are incredibly tied to their history. The author tells about the old, gothic architecture in France that is not only preserved, but actually used by people to live in. The thesis is that the past cannot be disassociated from the present, which, at different levels, could be true of any country. With France, however, the past is visible and looming overhead with castles or into the dungeons. According to the author’s descriptions, the thesis seems to fit that history is a large part of French culture. Despite the old, there are amazing technological advancements, as well, such as “Smart Cards,” that contain personal information wherever someone goes. When I think of France, I certainly do think of cobblestone pathways and gorgeous buildings, but also their trains (TVG trains), which are available in various parts of Europe. While I have never been to France, I would think that there are American businesses there, as well, such as McDonald’s and Starbucks. With both the ancient/historical and the modernized images in my mind, it’s difficult to paint a picture of how France might look. With my knowledge of art history, I can imagine cities in France, such as Paris, as being fantastic places for artists to collaborate or to show their work in the (presumably) many art museums, since France has a rich history of painters and other types of artists. I think it’s quite interesting that France holds onto their past, for better or for worse, but I was surprised about “Smart Cards,” and why us Americans don’t have such a thing! I would be interested in learning more about their technological advancements and what parts of their past are still integrated into the lives of French people to this day.
RépondreSupprimerI must agree with you on the aspect that France is a place where artists can collaborate. I want to be a photographer and I see France as a place where I can capture their rich history in a picture. I too admire France for their history as well as their culture. Also I too imagine France as a place that has cobblestones and castle buildings but I did not imagine it being as modernized as it is. That actually came to a surprise to me. I do not mean I imagined it being an ancient place but I did see modernized to some extent and not how it actually is.
SupprimerFrance certainly does have McDonald's and Starbucks and I know this from first hand knowledge! The McDonald's in Paris was much nicer than many of the ones here. They even had a personal security guard in the restaurant that prevented a fellow classmate of mine from taking a picture of the menu. It was an entirely different experience, but one I happy to have and share.
RépondreSupprimerThe main point of the introduction was to point out what the authors were going to talk about in this book. Their main goal was to go to Paris and write about the French resisting globalization but once they began living there their main topic changed to the exploration of France and French thinking. This is a much more fitting topic because you must understand their thinking including all their traditions to fully comprehend the decisions they make. In chapter one, Meet the Aborigines, they mention "it is impossible to disassociate the past from the present" (4). I must say I agree with this. You can't possibly erase the past and just start from scratch.There must be a foundation to where you can build up. The past is a place where you learned from mistakes committed and the present is where you don't make them again. You learn from the past making a better future to live in. France does this precise thing. They live on a modern world but "adapt to old mentalities" as written by the authors. Like it is said in the passage, Americans have no past while the Europeans have plenty to look back at. It is harder for them to let go of prejudice or other behaviors because they've been living with that for long that it is not as easy to drop every belief they have known since they started. It is easy to judge another country for the traditions or their own beliefs without living the way have but once you do, you fully comprehend the decisions they have made and perhaps will make and that's what these two authors come to understand. France is a wonderful place filled with mysteries of their own. I must say, I recommend this passage to other readers so they too can understand a little more on how the French think and why they think the way they do.
RépondreSupprimerThe purpose of the introduction was to illustrate some of the significant (and sometimes contradictory) characteristics that make up French culture and to explain that the French are not actually resisting globalization despite the authors’ previous theory. The authors lived in France for two years in order to understand what makes French culture work. The first chapter addressed the many ways the past and present are intertwined in France. I found the authors’ contrasting between North America and France especially interesting. One except in particular stood out: “For North Americans, the past and the present are two different categories. We of the New World associate modernity with something novel that arrived on a ship and pushed aside every tradition that stood in its way so it could build something new.” In France, you can walk down the street and see the way the country has evolved and adapted over hundreds of years; whereas in North America, because the country is so young and because of our lack of structural/architectural preservation, the story of how the country came to be is less dynamic. In France, old traditions are mixed with new technology. For example, they use “smart cards” but must also keep tiny slips of paper with their bank account information on them in their wallets for the bank tellers. I think the authors are correct in their conclusion. France has an elaborate history and it only makes sense that it would strongly influence its future. I think this is one of the things that coming from a country with such a limited history, Americans especially, find so alluring about France.
RépondreSupprimerChapter 2 was about the French and how attached to the land they are. If you ask them where they were born they would tell you the name of the Pays they were born in. The cuisine in France is also very different depending on what area you are in. French people are very prod of where they came from and are very proud of the food that comes from that place. They are so proud of the food that farmer have destroyed a McDonald’s because they though people should be eating French food like a special blue-cheese on a beget. Food in general seems to be important throughout France. The French are not sensitive to the fact that we kill animals and then eat them. They can look at live cows and just see food. They actually eat a lot of live animals and are not grossed out by it.
RépondreSupprimerIn this chapter the Authors say that the land characterizes the French. I believe that this thesis is true. My Impression is that the French are very proud people and are very connected to their roots. Based on their history the French were divided by cultural differences. Some of these cultural characteristics have stuck with the French via their proud personality. The cultural separation was broken up by Paris.
I thought this chapter was especially interesting because they are so many things that are different from the U.S. For example, the way they think of animals and food. In the U.S. there are vegetarians and people who don’t believe in eating meat. In France I don’t see vegetarians fitting in. People in France find it comforting to see picture of the dead cow being cut that morning. Show that to a vegetarian and they would have a fit. Even the Food they eat is vastly different. In the US most people don’t eat pigeon or snails. I would recommend this second chapter to someone who likes learning about cultural differences.
This chapter was all about how the French live in their past, but also the present. In France there are a lot of historical buildings that are still up and running. Instead of knocking the buildings down and building new ones the French choose to keep using them. The French have many traditions that they have continued through the years, but also have made technological advances. They have things called smart card that have all of your information on it so they don’t have to carry all their credit cards, drivers license, social security number like Americans do.
RépondreSupprimerThe author’s thesis is that the French continue their traditions and bring the past to their present. I agree with this thesis because I believe the French are very proud to be French. They are proud of their differences and want to continue them on to the next generation. The authors say that the French are their own native people and I completely agree. The Authors say this because they have carried out their traditions for so long. The French keep up with the modern world but they have a piece of their past with them. “The French are French because of the culture they share.”
I enjoyed this chapter and I would recommend it to someone who is interested in learning about the French culture. Although I did enjoy the aspect of the French living in the present and the past at the same time I felt that this chapter was longer than it need to be. It kind of just went around in circles saying the same thing over and over again but in different ways. Over all I enjoyed the book and can’t wait to learn more about the French.
The reading assigned, was about France and how they live in their own history. The French live in a modern society but have still kept their history and have worked it in to their modern lives.
RépondreSupprimerThe authors compare this to North America where we have the mentality that we need to get rid of the old to build the new. As tourists, the authors see France as a museum. Many things around them are really old, and yet they see that Frenchmen still occupy the old towns, but in a modernized way. The authors thesis is that there is no precise divide to make the past the past and the present the present. They say that the French have kept some ways of the pass and have integrated the past into the present. I think this argument is valid and there is enough evidence but I think that all other countries are like this too. Every country has ways of doing things and if they are good ways then the get carried on into the next generation. Not every country has as long of a history that France does but that doesn't mean that other countries don't have part of their past in their present day. There would be no progression if they didn't. On the other hand I can’t really make a decision on whether I believe their thesis unless I experience it first hand.
What I know about France is very little. I know that the Eiffel Tower is in France and that it is very old. I know that it was supposed to just be a temporary structure but the ended up liking it so they made it stronger and decided to keep it. This kind of goes along with what the authors are saying in the book: the French incorporate the past into their everyday lives. Another thing I know about France is that Paris is one of the biggest fashion capitols. In the fashion industry, things are constantly changing, getting rid of the old and starting something new. In that sense of France, it does not go along with what the authors are saying.
Although I can find things to disagree with, I really enjoy this book. Learning about the French culture is really interesting for me. I don’t know a lot about France so this will be interesting and fun to read. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about France.