The dark side of the allamerican meal from the worlds largest community of readers. The dark side of the allamerican meal is a 2001 book written by investigative journalist eric schlosser that examines the local and global influence of the united states fast food industry first serialized by rolling stone in 1999, the book has drawn comparisons to upton sinclairs 1906 muckraking novel the jungle. He attempts to write a book charting how the rise in the fast food industry in the united read full character analysis. Section one, titled the american way, traces the history of fast food from its early ancestors in southern california through its growth and expansion throughout the united states, its consolidation into uniformity of delivery, its spawning of agribusiness megacorporations, and its global. Great supplemental information for school essays and projects. Fast food began in the early 1950s in southern california. Fast food nation is a 2006 comedydrama film directed by richard linklater and written by linklater and eric schlosser.
The book was adapted into a 2006 film of the same name. Fast food nation is an informational book that lets readers in on the actual food process. Fast food nation is a fascinating and very readable book. A discussion of important themes running throughout fast food nation. Every day in the united states, 200, 000 people are sickened by a food borne disease.
They have turned one of the nation s best manufacturing jobs into one of the lowest paying, created by a migrant industrial workforce of poor immigrants, tolerated high injury rates, and spawned rural ghettos in the american. Eric schlossers book on the economy and strategies of the fastfood business should be read by anyone who likes to take their children to fastfood restaurants. At the end of fast food nation, there is a chapter written 10 years after the book was first published. In the chapter the most dangerous job, one of the workers, who despised his job, gave schlosser an opportunity to walk through a slaughterhouse. Fast food nation is the kind of book that you hope young people read because it demonstrates far better than any social studies class the need for government regulation, the unchecked power of multinational corporations and the importance of our everyday decisions. Eric schlosser, author of fast food nation, on the. Schlosser goes into great detail about the research he had done to prove his point. Americans can no longer ignore the multiple health hazards of a fast food diet. New york times bestseller schlosser has a flair for dazzling scenesetting and an arsenal of startling facts. Like disney, another company based in southern california. Schlosser is a serious and diligent reporter, and fast food nation isnt an airy deconstruction but an avalanche of facts and observations as he examines the fastfood process from meat to marketing. Eric schlossers fast food nation is, above all, an expose of the conditions in the fastfood industry. Now, because meat is distributed all over the nation, an outbreak of food poisoning in one town may indicate nation wide epidemic. He has received a national magazine award and a sidney hillman foundation award for reporting.
The fast food nation lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles. Diet, nutrition, and food safety eric schlossers fast food nation is, above all, an expose of the conditions in the fastfood industry. Nov 17, 2006 if you go to see fast food nation with a group of friends, there is a good chance that someone the smartalecky contrarian. Eric schlossers fast food nation is an investigative nonfiction book that many students will find informative of the impact the fast food industry has had on american life. Reveals lowwage america in all its tenacity, anxiety, and surprising generositya land of big boxes, fast food, and a thousand desperate. When an independent research in the meat patties produced in cody.
From discussing american dining culture to criticizing fast foods effects on human health, schlosser presents a multitude of hardhitting facts that will provide an. Schlosser shares what he believes has changed since he wrote this book. Fast food nation describes how the fast food industry has reduced the overall food quality worldwide, created poor. Fast food nation themes and style flashcards quizlet. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of fast food nation by eric schlosser. Eric schlosser begins his account of the american fast food industry by focusing on one region of the united states in particular. Today fast food is part of the american way of life. Nobody in the united states is forced to buy fast food, writes schlosser. There use to be a company called ibp, and it was americas biggest beef packing plant. Fast food nation pdf by eric schlosser bookspdf4free.
While fast food companies actively market their product to impressionable minds, parents are the ultimate decisionmakers for their children. The fast food nation community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Throughout the book, schlosser talks about the natural beauty of the north american continent, especially the west, and of the people who used to work the land, raising cattle and farming potatoes, starting small businesses, and helping to feed their communities. The dark side of the allamerican meal is a 2001 book written by investigative journalist eric schlosser that examines the local and global influence of the united states fast food industry. In california, the vp of marketing of the mickeys fast food don anderson is responsible for the hamburger big one, the number one in selling in mickeys chain of fast food restaurants. Schlosser has a flair for dazzling scenesetting and an arsenal of startling facts. Table of contents list of characters short summary synopsis eric schlosser biography historical information genre chapter summaries with notes analysis. Free study guide for fast food nation by eric schlosser. 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. This book is not a novel or literary work so much as a contemporary investigative. Secondary plots deal with the exploitation of illegal immigrants from mexico, the expectations of fast food restaurant employees and how they are treated, and the efforts of a small group of young anticorporate activists to save the cattle from horrendous conditions. The idea underlying fast food nation is intriguing. Disney, mcdonald s, and countless similar corporations participated in a postwar economic boom, coupled with the explosion of the automobile. The dark side of the allamerican meal is a 2001 book written by investigative journalist eric schlosser that examines the local and global.
Colorados front range, or a group of cities including denver, colorado. Sep 19, 2016 fast food nation summary september 19, 2016 may 15, 2020 niklas goeke self improvement 1sentencesummary. The film is horribly sourced, and doesnt provide 110th the background or factual data, and is far to speculative. The film, an international coproduction of the united states and the united kingdom, is loosely based on the schlossers bestselling 2001 nonfiction book fast food nation. Reading guide for fast food nation by eric schlosser. But the good news is that this isnt a frivolous book at all. Jan 17, 2001 fast food nation is a fascinating and very readable book. Oct 24, 2017 this study guide and infographic for eric schlossers fast food nation offer summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. Melissa sweeney introduction taking place in the many different fast food franchises, chicken and cattle farms, and factories around the united states, fast food nation, by eric schlosser, teaches the world the untold story of fast foods. Fast food nation describes how the fast food industry has reduced the overall food quality worldwide, created poor working conditions for millions of people and ruined public health. In 1998 schlosser wrote an investigative piece on the fast food industry for rolling stone. First of all, he says junk food advertising and obesity are worse than ever.
Moreover, there is a classelement at stake in fast food consumption. Prior to the rise of large meatpacking plants, people would become ill from bad food in small, localized arenas. Fast food nation characters from litcharts the creators. 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. Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened th. In an age when ronald mcdonald is the second most identifiable fictional character to young children after santa claus, fast food embodies a number of modern american characteristics. It thoroughly explains what happens at the slaughterhouses all over the country. Huge corporations put pressure on small ranchers, family farmers, and the environment. First serialized by rolling stone in 1999, the book has drawn comparisons to upton sinclairs 1906 muckraking novel the jungle. Introduction next to death and taxes, fast food might be the most unavoidable experience for americans. The ending initially feels abrupt, and the fates of the characters unresolved. One of the recurring discussions in this book is the relationship between fast food and obesity.
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 is a book by eric schlosser, which uncovers the fast food industrys greed, unsanitary conditions, and almost. Fast food nation by eric schlosser monkeynotes summary. 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. Corporate profits being put ahead of public health. Unfair labor practices are exposed throughout the book. Eric investigates on the different locations where food is prcessed and learns how everything started in the business or in the world. Now, because meat is distributed all over the nation, an outbreak of food poisoning in one town may indicate nationwide epidemic. Fast food nation book summary, by eric schlosser allen cheng. Large, sugary drinks and deep fried food have a high calorie content and a low nutritional content. Often lowwage workers, relegated to kitchenless hotel rooms have limited food options. Moreover, there is a classelement at stake in fastfood consumption. In a new afterword for this edition, schlosser discusses the growing interest in local and organic food, the continued exploitation of poor workers by the food industry, and the need to ensure that every american has access to good, healthy, affordable food. Schlosser wrote the novel fast food nation in attempt to show america the dark side of the fast food industry.
Find summaries for every chapter, including a fast food nation chapter summary chart to help you understand the book. Fast food nation is divided into two large sections. How do the five themes of geography apply to fast food nation. Work and the good life theme in fast food nation litcharts. Discussion of themes and motifs in eric schlossers fast food nation. Like this is our monkeynotes downloadable and printable book summary study guide booknotes synopsis analysis for fast food nation by. Sep 19, 2010 the movie fast food nation and the book of the same title are very different. The human body, having burned the calories it needs to sustain itself, stores excess calories as fat.
How do the five themes of geography apply to fast food. Where director richard linklater runs into trouble is in the execution stage. Schlosser begins the book by tracing the genesis of fastfood companies, especially mcdonald s. Aug 10, 2001 fast food nation ends with a call for consumers to demand better treatment of workers and more healthful, safer food. 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. They spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded musiccombined.
This book is an extraordinary eyeopener for american families, who need to carry on with a sound way of life. Like disney, another company based in southern california, mcdonalds was invested in a producthamburgers, rather than cartoonsthat could be marketed effectively to children, and created in bulk. Fast food nation is as relevant today as it was a decade ago. Throughout the text, he emphasizes the point that fast food is a corrupting force that impacts nearly every aspect in america whether its in relation to health, politics, economy, society, etc. In some ways it reminds me of upton sinclairs the jungle. For more on the relationship between lowwage workers and the fastfood industry see barbara ehrenreichs nickel and dimed. Fast food nation points the way but, to resurrect an old fast food slogan, the choice is yours. Fast food nation study guide with images infographic. The author of the book fast food nation, schlosser is a journalist based in new york city. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in fast food nation, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. I think where it throws off some viewers is that, as in reallife, theres no apparent payoff.
Summary by eric schlosser analysis booknotes download. Fast food nation goodreads meet your next favorite book. Below are some of the key themes and topics from fast food nation. In that regards, its essentially a sliceoflife kind of. Monkeynotes study guides download storedownloadable study guides book summary, book notes,notes,chapter summarysynopsis. The narrative he has fashioned is not only unfocused and rambling, but presents thinly developed characters that have little life or screen. What began as a twopart article for the magazine turned into a groundbreaking book. The dark side of the allamerican meal in the book fast food nation, eric schlosser talks about the working conditions of fast food meat slaughterhouses. Inside youll find 30 daily lessons, 20 fun activities, 180 multiple choice questions, 60 short essay questions, 20 essay questions, quizzeshomework assignments, tests, and more. Every day in the united states, 200, 000 people are sickened by a. Americans now spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, computer software, or new cars. The creator dives deep into the american fast food nation. Fast food nation has brilliant acting and great themes strung around a loose narrative that mimics reallife.
May 19, 2012 a short video summary of the book fast food nation by eric schlosser. As present in many of our other readings, one of the main themes in this book is how the coldhearted, unsentimental, and greedprofitdriven. The book is very well sourced, well researched and has stood up to scrutiny. Responding to the demands of the fast food and supermarket chains the meatpacking giants have cut costs by cutting wages. Schlosser begins the book by tracing the genesis of fastfood companies, especially mcdonalds.
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