Man vs. Machine
This letter is part of Nina's epistolary blog 'Nina's Diary', where she shares letters with her inner circle of close girlfriends. They overthink films, books, and heritage sites to make sense of life.
This is a carbon copy of a letter written by Nina to Billie
Paris, February 22, 1958
Dear Billie,
I’m glad I haven’t sealed the envelope yet, because I bought something today I hope you’ll like. While Lilly and I were browsing a flea market stall in a wonderful neighborhood called Montmartre, I came across two photographs that immediately made me think of you. The first was taken in 1936 and shows a Citroën Rosalie* - or so I was told by the vendor. The second is likely a 1935 Traction Avant*, and if you look closely, you can actually spot the Arc de Triomphe reflected in the headlight’s chrome cap. How cool is that? I thought perhaps they might have belonged in your father's collection; you mentioned once how passionate he was about older European cars.
Montmartre’s central square turns into a bustling stage for landscape painters, caricaturists, and portraitists working under the watchful eyes of passersby. I could have stood there all afternoon if Lilly hadn't dragged me away to buy bed linens. To get to the shop, we took a shortcut that felt like punishment: a steep, uphill street with a flight of steps that nearly broke my back. It’s called la Rue du Calvaire, and it certainly lives up to its name.
On our way back, just two streets from the Latin Quarter, Lilly and I got caught up in a march of factory workers. Men and women were out protesting the rapid push for automation in the car plants. Citroën, mostly, judging by all the hand-painted signs. It seems the new assembly lines run at such a frantic pace that the workers barely have any control over the rhythm of their own work. The signs spoke of exhaustion, unfair wages, and ever-higher production targets... all in pursuit of greater profits.
When I look at the photographs, I can't help but wonder how something so beautifully made can belong to an industry causing so much turmoil. Industrial progress has revolutionized our lives. I wouldn't be sitting in Paris right now if it weren't for a transatlantic flight from New York. But does it have to be like this? Why does progress always seem to come at someone else’s expense?
I should stop writing now. I’m heading to bed. It’s my first night in the apartment, sharing a room with Lilly. I doubt I’ll sleep a wink tonight. You know how I am, I always need a few days before I can settle in a new place.
With love,
Nina
💌 Read Millie's Letter to Nina: A Streetcar Named Desire - Blanche vs Stanley
* These two photographs of Citroën cars are part of Nina's Vintage Paris Collection:12 historical snapshots printed on real Instax Square film.
