Chapter Two: Voila Paris! Summary and Analysis

To many visiting Americans, Paris seemed in many ways to be a medieval city. The streets were narrow and filthy, buildings were old and crumbling. People were seen to be living in squalor. The juxtaposition between the splendor of the city with the object poverty was stunning. But just as Europeans learned to look the other way, Americans were soon seduced by the glories of Paris and abandoned concern about the poor and suffering. The Palais Royal, the Louvre, the Palace and Garden of the Tuileries were favorite stops for the Americans.

Although the visitors wrote home and praised the city, many struggled with the language. No one spoke English and the menus and signs were all in French. They were shocked that the French knew so little about America. The male visitors enjoyed shopping...