alienation as defined by:
2. the state of being an outsider or the feeling of being isolated, as from society
Film : Paris Je T'aime
“Paris Je T’aime” presents a number of stories in set in the city of Paris. One of the shorts revolves around a single, middle aged American woman named Carol who goes on holiday alone to Paris. The woman tells story of her trip in French, with a very strong American accent. From the beginning, it is obvious that she is a outsider in Paris, and not very similar to an average Parisian. She is characterized with very American traits; she eats a hamburger in her hotel room and explains how she delivers mail in Denver. She does not have any of the qualities which are associated with Parisian women; she is not stylish or graceful. She begins her story by saying that she had dreamt about coming to Paris for her whole life and that Paris is known as a city where you can find love, but that she wouldn’t expect to find it at her age. She spends time reflecting on her life, the family that she’s lost to death, and her mortality. Watching her, we get the sense that she is quite lonely, and that she wishes she had someone with whom to share this special experience. It seems that Carol, through a number of unexplained circumstances, has come to a point in her life where she no longer has any close or intimate relationships. Her situation is exaggerated by the fact that she is on holiday alone in Paris, which is well known for being the city of love. Carol is an outsider in this situation, she sits alone to eat her meals and stands alone to take in the views of the city. This feeling of alienation and isolation remains consistent until the end of her story, when she describes a feeling that comes over her while she is sitting alone in the park. Carol finally losses her sense of alienation through isolation, because she is overcome with a feeling of being alive. She immediately falls in love with Paris itself, and feels loved by it as well. She realizes that she has become a part of the city that she’s admired from a distance, and in her visit she is no longer a stranger, but becomes a part of Paris herself.