The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris

Hugo leaves his apartment in Paris. He does not feel any ownership or pride in the expensive apartment, because he did not earn it; his father gave it to him as an “unspoken commitment to Chadwick Holdings” (89), his father’s real estate company. Hugo feels trapped in a future he cannot escape, especially since his older brother Stephane died, leaving the responsibility of heir on Hugo’s shoulders.

Walking through Paris, Hugo stops to photograph old buildings. He derives satisfaction from capturing the beauty of old architecture, a creative urge he got from his mother. He arrives for a business meeting at his father’s offices. His father, Raymond, discusses acquiring buildings along an unspecified street that he intends to turn into a high-end hotel. Hugo interrupts to add that he has made promises to the local council that they will protect the historic facades of the buildings to appease the locals. Raymond dismisses Hugo’s concerns and Hugo leaves.

In the evening, he reaches for his copy of Swann’s Way before recalling that he gave it to Edith. The book is a talisman, a connection to who he is or wants to be. He feels that identity disappearing beneath the weight of his father’s expectations.