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Fast Food Nation Rhetorical Analysis

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According to recent polls, approximately 3% of Americans admit to consuming fast-food at least once per day. This number, although it may appear small, it accounts for 9.5 million citizens across the United States who are unashamed of chowing down on a quick meal. Unfortunately, due to this consumerization, obesity and other like-minded illnesses have risen in recent years. The effects are costly and capable of making people pay the ultimate price: their life. So what is causing so many Americans, of all social classes, to consume fast food regularly? And how did the steady monopolization of chain-restaurants over local diners come to be? This is the focus of a book entitled Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal in which the author hones in on foul untold secrets of corporate restaurant chains. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal parallels the distaste for American ignorance and corporate greed as seen in Upton …show more content…

Most of the devices used are intended to highlight the negativity and brutality imposed on both the consumers and workers involved in fast food industries. Schlosser begins the book by building up his credibility through his knowledge of several fast food chain’s humble beginnings in pursuit of the American dream. Schlosser then eases his way into the conniving manner in which fast food industries have infiltrated almost every American household and deceive their consumers. The use of rhetorical devices such as ethos, pathos, logos, repetition and parallel structures in Eric Schlosser’s book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal fulfill his intentions of relaying the demonizing message that fast food chains are unhealthy, stimulate unfit working conditions, and monopolize on the vulnerability of America’s young people and fast-paced

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Eric Schlosser's purpose in writing Fast Food Nation is to inform the American readers that they personally withhold the power to change solve the nation's fast food crisis. Schlosser exerts and Authoritative tone in his passage, "how to do it, which guarantees the reader that demanding the fast food industry to change will yield amazing results. The authoritative tone embodies the reader with a sense of reassurance and safety. Schlosser wants the reader to know that, "Even the anticipation of consumer anger has prompted McDonald's to demand changes from its suppliers" in the past (269). The reader is provided facts that make them believe that they have leverage over the industry.

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On January 17, 2001 Eric Schlosser, a contributing editor at the Atlantic Monthly and author of Reefer Madness, depicts “The Dark side of the All-American Meal” in his novel Fast Food Nation, one of TIME’s 100 best nonfiction books. In the novel, Schlosser employs many different rhetorical strategies throughout the chapters to inform and convince his audience of the scandalous nature of the fast food industry. Schlosser describes the unseen truths of industry in order to dissuade not only the American public, but all supporters of fast food. He writes to all members of society who eat fast food, so that he can alert them of what is happening beneath the surface of one of America’s most profitable and private industry’s. Chapter five is divided

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In Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, the argument being made is contrary to that of the general American population. Since many people view the fast food industry and its effect on the world as positive, the author must gain his audience’s trust through establishment of ethos. Schlosser first establishes understanding and solidarity with the reader through acknowledging the other argument. For example, he describes the experience of purchasing fast food in vast detail, following with reasoning as to how “the whole experience of buying fast food has become so routine,” (Schlosser 3) Here he subtly hints to the reader that he understands the lure of fast food and how it has all become ingrained into the minds of the general public.

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It also involves fast-food chains. The economic system not only provides the unhealthy option for the population, but it also sets an expected amount of money to be spent throughout the year. In the article “The Employer-Friendly Case for Pricier Big Macs” Diane Brady states that “Americans are expected to spend more than $188 billion at the country’s 160,000 fast-food outlets this year, according to the National Restaurant Association” (Brady, 519). It has become a strategy for many fast-food corporations to provide food at a low price to provide for those who can barely afford it, but also for the middle class who seeks receive more for their money. In other words, fast-food outlets have targeted both the lower class and the middle class because they strategize the necessity to receive more on a restricted budget.

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Ever just wonder what makes the food from McDonald’s, Burger King, Jack in the Box, or other successful fast food restaurants so good. Well in this proposal, you will know 3 things that the fast food industry is hiding. The author of the book, Chew On This, is Eric Schlosser. The book was published in 2006. It’s mostly about the things of fast food; what they hide what they do to become successful.

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The life pursued by the average young person in America is fast paced and scheduled to the point of breaking. As time has progressed this time stretched life style has impacted the need for food that isn’t cooked at home or even at restaurants that cook with traditional methods. This coupled with the swelling number of households with either a single parent or two working parents has increased the reliance on the fast food industry and in turn increased the overweight and obesity rates in the country. In his article “Don’t Blame the Eater,” David Zinczenko addresses this topic and places the blame not on those partaking in these delectable dinners, but in the hands of the fast food industry and their lack of understandable labeling. Zinczenko’s argument is valid and strong due to his equal use of ethos, logos and pathos.

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In Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson’s Chew On This, the two authors discuss the upbringing and evolution of the phenomenon that is fast food, which much of American business thrives off of today. With nearly 31,000 McDonald’s spread across 120 countries, the habit of eating fast food has become a routine. Schlosser and Wilson examine everything from the birth of the industry, specifically circling around McDonald’s, to the aspects present today which have largely strayed from its original ideals. McDonald’s did not start off as a fast food joint, however. By 1940 the automobile was flourishing, and drive-in restaurants were created (beginning with Kirby’s Pig Stand); people would pull up next to these establishments and waitresses, or “carhops,”

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Throughout part I of Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser writes about the ins and outs of the fast food industry. From the founding fathers to the dirty little secrets that fast food corporations would never want us to know, he reveals it all. As corporations look for every opportunity to cut costs and increase profits, we start to reexamine what type of behavior governs businesses in America. As the days of traditional ‘sit down restaurants’ dominating the market quickly disappeared, large corporations are making use of new machinery and money saving business strategies. The drawback to these business tactics is that the burden lies on another individual.

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In this chapter, Schlosser shows a different side of the fast-food pioneer. In comparing the rise of McDonald’s with the Walt Disney Company, Schlosser is able to depict Ray Kroc as a shrewd businessman concerned primarily, if not solely, with expanding his empire. This tale serves as a backdrop for Schlosser’s real project--which is to illuminate the machination of the contemporary fast-food nation. Schlosser effectively demonstrates how fast-food companies, which offer little in terms of nutrition, manipulate young minds in an effort sell their products. These companies go so far as to portray themselves as trusted friends and prey on school systems with declining

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It is important for a writer to establish ethos in order for their readers to accept their argument. Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation, establishes his ethos in the introduction so that his audience sees the importance of his investigation of the fast food industry. Throughout the introduction of Fast Food Nation Schlosser presents his audience with dates and facts regarding the fast food industry. By telling the number of operating McDonald’s in 1968 and quoting sociologist, his audience knows that he has done the proper research. Schlosser himself even claims that, “During the two years spent researching this book, I ate an enormous amount of fast food.

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Restaurants have been around in some form for most of human civilization; however, the idea of eating for fun did not take off in Western society until the late 18th century. The original idea of fast food was to offer quick, mass-production service while being profitable- unfortunately, there would be unforeseen consequences. The documentary, Super Size Me, effectively brings to light the addictive and unhealthy ways that restaurant chains, specifically McDonalds, create a profitable but unethical business. By using Aristotle’s appeals: logos, ethos, and pathos, the documentary attains credibility, validity, and sympathy making for a very effective

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“‘If they’ve got a pulse… we’ll take an application’” (Schlosser 162). Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the American Meal by Eric Schlosser and The Jungle by Upton Sinclair convey corporations treating the public inhumanely. The books discuss how the companies will fix their prices, the lengths they will go to avoid unionization within their establishments, highlight how their employees are struggling to survive on their low wages, and provide a look into the risks of working for these corporations.

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In her review of Supersizing Urban America by Chin Jou, titled “'Supersizing Urban America': How U.S. Policies Encouraged Fast Food To Spread”, Tove Danovich discusses the arching topic of national policy and the effect it had with Americans waistbands. Danovich reaches the conclusion the source of the abundance of fast food in underdeveloped communities can be traced back to the 1960s race riots and the formation of the Small Business Association. I, on the other hand, hypothesize it can be trailed back to the end of WWII and the G.I. Bill. In my analysis of her essay, I conclude the government's response to racial inequality lead to the rise of fast food franchises and obesity in low income neighborhoods.

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It has become common today to dismiss how fast food affects health worldwide. In David Zinczenko’s article, “Don’t Blame the Eater,” he emphasizes that fast food chains are contributing to the ongoing concern of obesity in America. In discussion of obesity, one controversial issue in “Don’t Blame the Eater” has been that fast food chains do not combine calorie information with their advertising meals. On the one hand, he asserts his unfortunate encounter with fast food throughout his childhood to further highlight his standing against fast food chain commerce. On the other hand, Zinczenko argues that diabetes in children have had a significant increase in a decade due to fast food.

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Junk food is responsible for the growing rate of obesity. This is outlined by David freedman in his article of “How junk food can end obesity.” David Freedman has credited the “health-food” motion, and followers of it along with Michel Pollan. Freedman claims that if the America desires to stop the obesity epidemic, or at least reduce its effects, they must shift to the fast meals and processed meals enterprise for assist, now not the “health-food” movement.

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