In 2001, fast food nation was published to critical acclaim and became an international bestseller. The dark side of the allamerican meal eric schlosser, new york. This study guide consists of approximately 47 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of fast food nation. Although fastfood companies like white castle, on the east coast, helped to destigmatize hamburger meat after the second world war, problems still arose at fastfood outfits, including the notable jack in the box e. O the occasion is 21st century in the united states of america, when many americans visit fast food restaurants every day. Besides teenagers, the fastfood industry workforce is comprised of elderly, disabled, and immigrant. Eric schlosser reflects on 10 years later ten years after his seminal book fast food nation, eric schlosser reflects on how little has changed in the production, safety, and consumption in americabut why hes still hopeful. Fast food nation fast food nation, by eric schlosser, is a stark and unrelenting look into the fast food industry that has ingrained itself in not only american culture, but in culture around the world.
Its not only a critique of fast food, the chemicals we are ingesting and the health problems we are facing, it is also critical of a system that allows exploitation of young, old and immigrant workers, and of the suburban sprawl. My students cant get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof. Fast food nation is a groundbreaking work of investigation and cultural history that may change the way america thinks about the way it eats. Carl karcher was the biggest starting pioneer of this new industry. Fast food nation by eric schlosser books the guardian. Include any vocabulary terms you needed to look up and define. Fast food nation the fast food industry has been infused into the every nook and corner of american society over the last three decades. Eric schlosser s expose revealed how the fast food industry has altered the landscape of america, widened the gap between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and transformed food production throughout the world. He begins his argument by explaining how the fast food industry came to be and who made it happen.
Behind the counter critical reading questions directions. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of fast food nation by eric schlosser. From outbreaks of minor food poisoning to infections. Fast food nation shows how the fast food industry has massive consequences on many other aspects of our lives, including our education, health and working conditions. Ten years after his seminal book fast food nation, eric schlosser reflects on how little has changed in the production, safety, and consumption in americabut why hes still hopeful. Schlosser clearly demonstrates that this industry alone has been. Today fast food is part of the american way of life. The dark side of the allamerican meal schlosser, eric on. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. A nations diet can be more revealing than its art or literature. The dark side of the american meal, is an effort to connect consumers and the workers who process, produce and prepare fast food.
Fast food nation can be connected to the book the jungle by upton sinclair. Fast food nation the dark side of the american meal. Fast food is a significant part of contemporary culture and economy. Five years ago, eric schlosser changed the way we ate with fast food nation. The dark side of the allamerican meal eric schlosser on. During a relatively brief period of time, the fast food industry has helped to. The dark side of the allamerican meal by eric schlosser is not just a book about food, but also a wideranging critique of american society. Fast food nation quotes by eric schlosser goodreads. Foodrelated illnesses are on the rise in this country. Eric investigates on the different locations where food is prcessed and learns how everything started in the business or in the world. Fast food nation is an informational book that lets readers in on the actual food process.
The book reveals the terrible methods and working conditions caused in great part by the fast food industrys focus on profit that are used to create our food. After his marriage in 1939, he bought his first hot dog cart and. It thoroughly explains what happens at the slaughterhouses all over the country. When an author tries to draw parallels between the specific rise of fast food and the lifelong alienation of american workers, between fast food and high school dropouts, one begins to scratch his head. He visited fast food restaurants, he visited meatpacking plants, and. It is clear that fast foods have become quite cheap in comparison to. Schlosser emphasizes the dark side of the fast food industry. There is almost no place on earth that the golden arches has not entered. Fast food nation is witness to the rigour and seriousness of the best american journalism, readable, reliable and extremely carefully done daily telegraph skilful and persuasive economist if the idea of a threestorey, illuminated ronald mcdonald strikes you as a. New york times bestseller schlosser has a flair for dazzling scenesetting and an arsenal of startling facts. Eric schlossers fast food nation is a good oldfashioned muckraking expose in the tradition of the american way of death thats as disturbing as it is irresistibleexhaustively researched, frighteningly convincingchanneling the spirits of upton sinclair and rachel carsonschlossers research is impressivestatistics, reportage, firstperson accounts and interviews, mixing the. Fast food nation is a fascinating and very readable book.
Fast food is now served at restaurants, stadiums, airports, zoos, schools and universities, on cruise ships, trains and aeroplanes, at supermarkets, petrol stations and even in hospital cafeterias. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. The jungle is a book about the lives of immigrant workers in the u. Because the fastfood industry relies on an operating system and machines, it does not require its workers to be skilled. Fast food nation is a fine piece of muckraking, alarming without beling alarmist. Eric schlosser does not like the way americans eat. Foods that may look familiar have in fact been completely reformulated. Based on the text you are reading, answer the following questions in complete sentences in a reading journal. Get the entire fast food nation litchart as a printable pdf. The dark side of the allamerican meal 9780060938451 by schlosser, eric and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at.
On one level it is the history of an industry that transformed the way america eats. These are just a few negative aspects of the fast food industry eric schlosser elucidates in fast food nation. Schlosser effectively demonstrates how fastfood companies, which offer little in terms of nutrition, manipulate young minds in an effort sell their products. He is an awardwinning author and is held to high appreciation for his book fast food nation. Eric schlosser wrote the book fast food nation to prove that the fast food industry is solely responsible for many problems that affect todays society. To a degree both engrossing and alarming, the story of fast food is the story of postwar america. The first section of fast food nation opens with a discussion of carl n.
This tale serves as a backdrop for schlossers real projectwhich is to illuminate the machination of the contemporary fastfood nation. Instant downloads of all 1297 litchart pdfs including fast food nation. Eric schlossers fast food nation is many different stories in one outstanding book. Rob walker, writing for the new york times, remarks that schlosser is a serious and diligent reporter and that fast food nation isnt an airy deconstruction but an avalanche of facts and observations as he examines the fastfood process from meat to marketing.
Given my distaste for fast food and the general knowledge of its detrimental effect on the american diet, i didnt expect to find any revelations in fast food nation. Fast food nation the groundbreaking work of investigation and cultural history that has changed the way america thinks about the way it eats and spent nearly four months on the new york times bestseller list now available on cassette. Like cheyenne mountain, todays fast food conceals remarkable technological. In some ways it reminds me of upton sinclairs the jungle. What we eat has changed more in the last forty years than in the previous forty thousand. On any given day in the united states about onequarter of the adult population visits a fast food restaurant. Eric schlosser in this interview excerpt, eric schlosser, awardwinning journalist and author of the book fast food nation, discusses the state of the american food system. Fast food nation points the way but, to resurrect an old fast food slogan, the choice is yours. Fast food nation is a book by eric schlosser, which uncovers the fast food industrys greed, unsanitary conditions, and almost. Now hes served up a second helping, and faces a fresh onslaught from critics. The industry seen to have originated with a few modest hot dog and hamburger of southern california have been perceived to have extended to every nook and corner of the nation, marketing an. Organization of fast food nation point of viewtone i thought that the author made a good choice in his point of view because it seemed very credible because he has done all the research and then wrote about it. The dark side of the allamerican meal, is a thoughtprovoking, researchbased account of the rise of the fast food industry and the resulting consequences of the drive for lowcost, rapidly prepared meals. A fast food kitchen is merely the final stage in a vast and highly complex system of mass production.
Fast foods also have increased their outlets in the nation, in turn, depicting a success in the business venture. Eric schlosser more than a decade has passed since fast food nation was published, and id. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. Karcher and the mcdonald brothers, examining their roles as. Even in this fast food nation, you can still have it your way. Most important connections appeal fast food nation audience occasion texttotext.
Still a fast food nation eric schlosser reflects on 10. Walker however does raise concerns over the data which schlosser bases his claims from. What makes fast food nation different is that it is not the predictable antimeat, antifat, antiadditives, antinondairy creamer, antihaveanyfun rant against. Most reports about the fast food industry refer to nothing more than the food. Fast food nation obesity has grown into a rampant issue all over the united states, over the past few decades. Uncover the dark secrets behind whats really hidden ii fast food.
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