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
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.
Some people prefer to buy fast food for the convenience that is already made and cheaper to their pocket. Low prices at fast-food restaurants influence people’s meal choices. The population encounters every day decisions about buying nutritious food for one family member at a greater cost versus unhealthily feeding the whole family for
Schlosser’s sympathetic portrait of the “fast food pioneer” Carl Karcher’s background information is relevant in his argument because in order to make valid arguments against a company, the writer must establishes ethos, his credibility. He provides valid information about Karcher’s life which in return is the information behind the beginning of the Carl’s Junior fast food company before it rapidly grew as a franchise. After its rapid growth the franchises had many problematic factors with its unhealthy food, employees, as well as artificial flavoring in many of its meals. A sympathetic point of view is not counterproductive towards Schlosser’s argument because that background information is much needed and the author did not intend to write
In his book Fast Food Nation, Schlosser explains and clarifies the dark side of Fast Food in America and the world. Schlosser starts off the book by telling the story of Carl Karcher, who bought a hot dog cart while working his own job and with the advances in automobile industry he eventually opened a Drive-In Barbeque restaurant. Schlosser explains how the economy after world war 2 helped get Carl a lot of customers. In addition, Schlosser also mentions the story of the McDonald brothers, opening the first Speedee Serive System restaurant and how other restaurants adopted the idea. Schlosser mentions advertising Fast Food for kids and how that increases customers coming in.
Schlosser argues America’s lives are solely based off of fast food. Throughout his writing he describes how common it is in our society in which fast food is ordered, sold, and consumed. Everywhere you go, every glimpse you take, every corner you pass, fast food is being sold everywhere. Schlosser describes throughout his text the commonality of fast food in restaurants, airports, schools, and large chained stores available nationwide, in which each compress the similarity of fast food. Not only does he include how common fast food is in an American’s life, but he describes how Americans will spend more of their money in their wallet on fast food than they would on other livelihood essentials.
Anthony Bourdain is a world renowned chef and author. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and is also considered to be one of the most influential chefs in the world. Bourdain is not only the author of other novels discussing a wide range of topics but is also the author of the short essay, The Evildoers. In this work one controversial issue has been the fast food industry. On one hand Bourdain argues that operators of the fast food chains know the awful affects their food has on the communities in which they are established.
Eric Schlosser's 2001 book, Fast Food Nation, aims to look at the developments of the fast food industry in America and how it has shaped the structure and ideals of the nation. Existing within that nation is the public-school system, and as an institution that is instrumental in educating the masses on societal ideals, it would seem necessary for Schlosser to address the impact of this new McDonaldized nation on the education system as a whole. While Schlosser may not explicitly comment on the role and function of public schools, his analysis of the fast food nation does address several key effects that the fast food nation has had within schools, such as corporate sponsorship, advertisements, and teenage workforces. These key effects can
The “don't blame the eater” mentality, which Zinczenko represents puts the blame for the obesity epidemic on the fast food industry, who make healthy eating difficult. The fast food industry, Zinczenko argues, overwhelms the marketplace, making accessible healthy options almost non-existent. The confusing or absent nutritional labels paired with the deliberate targeting of children gives Americans little chance of overcoming obesity claims Zinczenko. Warner, on the other hand, challenges that idea, by not blocking the industry, but rather the eater, who, she claimed could eat healthier, but chooses not to. Warner gives the eater full blame, saying American known fast food is damaging their health but ignore the established negatives simply because it makes their psyche feel good.
In David Zinczenko’s article, he explains why children who eat most of their meals at fast food restaurants are not to blame for being obese or unhealthy. This is because places like McDonalds don’t offer healthy options. However, when you bring a child to a fast food place they generally won’t go for a salad, instead they’ll get a burger with some fries and a soda. So even if these places did offer healthier options, which now most do or they at least offer the nutritional information, children generally would not pick those over the less healthy options. These restaurants are not to blame for the growing obesity and diabetes rates in children.
In Margaret Visser’s essay, “The Rituals of Fast Food”, she explains the reason why customers enjoy going to fast food restaurants and how it adapt to customer’s needs. Some examples of the most loyal fast-food customers are people seeking convenience, travelers, and people who are drug addicts. First, most loyal customers are people seeking convenience. The reason why fast food restaurants are convenient because longer hours of being open, the prices are good , etc. As Visser said in her essay, “Convenient, innocent simplicity is what the technology, the ruthless politics, and the elaborate organization serve to the customer” (131).
In the journal article "Convenience, Accessibility, and the Demand for Fast Food", the authors, Mark D. Jekanowski, James K. Binkley and James Eales, tries to persuade people that the increasing demand of fast food industry is because of its convenience and accessibility by using evidences in terms of statistics, examples and expert testimony. For one thing, one of the sub-point of the journal is that fast food industry is very accessible. The authors uses an example of McDonald's to show how accessible the industry is. Jekanowski and the other authors discuss how the strategy "in-your-face" works (Jekanowski, Binkley and Eales 59). This example is effective because McDonald's is the largest fast food company in the world, so it can represent
As these entrepreneurs started making fast food restaurants, the fast food companies began to shape the American consumer. American culture started getting addicted to fast food, and the industry wanted the users to remain addicted. The author has based the book not on how to change the eating habits of Americans, but aspects of this culture. According to the author, the fast food industry became an economic impact in the US after World War II. Many small business owners enjoyed the freedom of having to run a restaurant that they did not come across the negative aspects of the fast food industry.
The changes I will discuss are the introduction of McDonald’s fast food delivery, seasonal and healthier offerings, and the increase in minimum wages. Schlosser talks about how fast food relies on impulse decisions made from seeing the restaurants. When people drive around, and they see the McDonald’s arches, they decide right away to go in. He said, “in order to succeed, fast food restaurants must be seen” (Schlosser, 2012).
“Fast food restaurants have us hooked on to their tasty food. You See a lot of people buying fast food because how good it tastes. Well let me tell you it is not good for your health. Why do fast food places lower their prices because they know people will buy it if it doesn’t cost that much and most people buy it cause that`s how much they can afford”. Fast food places is a way to not cook every week I feel bad for people when I go to McDonald’s and ask them, do you know what you’re eating in they say
