Trip to the Mall

On the trip to Woodland Mall this weekend, I remembered how John Pahl describes malls as "disorienting." The "enclosed indoor setting" is full of signs, colors, and sights to distract you and grab your attention.  Like in The Persuaders movie, I would agree that the mall is cluttered; there is so much surrounding you, you do not even know what to look at. Not only are the storefronts crowded next to each other, but the stands in the middle of the walkway take up every available space, so you are always looking at something new. As if it is a religion, the mall competes for consumers’ loyalty. By portraying joyful or suave picture of people, it promises that you will look better and feel good about yourself if you buy that brand. The mall offers to provide for all your needs: stylish clothes, delicious food, and of course, the essential accessories. Chairs and couches invite you to sit and rest, so you can stay as long as you would like.

I noticed the vegetation like Pahl talked about: there were trees in vases or green bushes on top of dividing walls. Most of the plants were fake though, which only added to the uneasy, surreal feeling of the shopping place. I did not see any water in this particular mall but I definitely saw lights. Neon signs were very prominent, sometimes within the store as well. I even noticed that some shelves/ tables had lights on the surface as a backdrop for the clothes that were on top. Looking at the many stores and signs, I thought about the Persuaders movie and wondered how much thought and careful planning was put into the design and setup in order to capture people’s attention. The only thing I purchased was food, because my friend and I had planned to eat dinner there.