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Marian gave up half-listening to several conversations at once and let the sound of voices filling the room wash across her ears in a blur of meaningless syllables.
Margaret Atwood, The Edible Woman, McClelland & Stewart Ltd., Toronto, Montreal, 1969, p.165.
TIME: 1960's
PLACE: Toronto
CIRCUMSTANCE: a party
She stopped to listen to the distant sounds of the city, which seemed to be moving in a circle around her; she felt quite safe ... But she wanted to stand for only one more minute with the snow sifting down here in this island, this calm, open eye of silence....
Margaret Atwood, The Edible Woman, McClelland & Stewart Ltd., Toronto, Montreal, 1969, p.170.
TIME: 1960's
PLACE: Toronto
CIRCUMSTANCE: a city park in the winter
The music swung into a tinkly waltz; she proceeded down the aisle, trying to concentrate on her list. She resented the music because she knew why it was there: it was supposed to lull you into a euphoric trance, lower your sales resistance to the point at which all things are desirable. Every time she walked into the supermarket and heard the lilting sounds coming from the concealed loudspeakers she remembered an article she had read about cows who gave more milk when sweet music was played to them. But just because she knew what they were up to didn't mean she was immune. These days, if she wasn't careful, she found herself pushing the cart like a somnambulist, eyes fixed, swaying slightly, her hands twitching with the impulse to reach out and grab anything with a bright label.
.....In the products, the things themselves, there was no real difference. How did you choose them? You could only abandon yourself to the soothing music and make a random snatch.
Margaret Atwood, The Edible Woman, McClelland & Stewart Ltd., Toronto, Montreal, 1969, p.172/173.
TIME: 1960's
PLACE: Toronto
CIRCUMSTANCE: a supermarket
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