Research Paper on:
Au Bonheur des Dames by Emile Zola

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
was an example of progress and also became an important contemporary form of socialization. Using his pen as a microscope, Emile Zola closely examined the effects of capitalism on  middle-class life in his epic, multi-volume series, Les Rougon-Macquart. His text, Au Bonheur des Dames (The Ladies Happiness or Paradise), which was added to the series in 1883, chronicled  the transformation of the small, family-owned retail store into an orderly and well-oiled byproduct of Industrial Revolution mechanization. Not only did the text consider whether or not the ladies  specialty store (which was named "Au Bonheur des Dames") was beneficial to society and its members but also explored how this department store affected the delicate gender balance that had  been firmly in place throughout French history. The ambitious Octave Mouret inherited a family operated Parisian drapery shop and decided to transform the business into a huge department store, which  soon dwarfs its considerably smaller specialty boutique competition. Zola emphasizes how womens increased participation in the consumer sphere has significantly changed buying and spending habits. Mouret, it seems,  is not only an astute businessman but also possesses great insights into what motivates his female clientele, a savvy which will serve him well. He understands that for women,  gazing at and purchasing beautiful items is a sensuous experience. After the initial novelty of his massive store began to wear off, Mouret would strategically launch a large summer  sale in early spring and change the stores layout so that it would be unfamiliar and female customers would have to look at everything in each aisle. By forcing  women "to go through departments where [they]d never have set foot, temptations present themselves as [they] pass, and succumb" (237). They would find themselves enticed into buying items they