Reading guide for fast food nation by eric schlosser. Fast food nation is a fine piece of muckraking, alarming without beling alarmist. Jan 17, 2001 fast food nation is a fascinating and very readable book. Eric schlossers fast food nation is an attempt to describe how american eating and foodproduction patterns have changed since world war two. With its strong arguments and factual evidence, the author. Fast food nation makes a great effort to identify many of the cultural, personal, and political issues in play within the fast food industry, though it does little to incite change. The dark side of the allamerican meal is a 2001 book written by investigative journalist eric schlosser that examines the local and global. In this expose, awardwinning journalist eric schlosser explores the effects of the american fast food industry on global health, labor conditions, and the environment. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Dangerous health issues the focus in fast food nation. Fast food nation, like numerous other recent films infused by social and political protest, reflects perplexity and bewilderment in the face of the complex problems posed by the present situation. Jan 17, 2001 fast food nation points the way but, to resurrect an old fast food slogan, the choice is yours. Introduction next to death and taxes, fast food might be the most unavoidable experience for americans.
Moreover, there is a classelement at stake in fastfood consumption. These citations may not conform precisely to your selected citation style. How has the real value of wages at fast food restaurants changed over time. For people who dont have time to prepare meals, for households in which both parents work, theres no question it provides a service. The dark side of the allamerican meal questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students. The book demonstrates how americas fast food system resembles an empire more than a republic.
Where did the term come from and how does it apply to the fast food industry. Schlosser charts this transformation by tracking many different people. Often lowwage workers, relegated to kitchenless hotel rooms have limited food options. During my research for the book, i ate an enormous amount of fast food. The characters exist mainly to illustrate certain key points of the book this is especially true of the mexican immigrants. What began as a twopart article for the magazine turned into a groundbreaking book. Name three problems and discuss the causeeffect relationship between fast food and each problem. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. 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. Almost every facet of american life has now been franchised or chained. But schlosser argues that these statistics are misleading, since only those franchises still in business are. Nobody in the united states is forced to buy fast food, writes schlosser.
Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. 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. Aug 24, 2008 the book is a work of nonfiction with chapters that cover the dangers of the fast food economy, from slaughterhouse conditions to health issues to environmental devastation. For more on the relationship between lowwage workers and the fastfood industry see barbara ehrenreichs nickel and dimed.
This chapter depicts the rise of fast food restaurants through the rags to riches life story of entrepreneur carl n. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in fast food nation, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Whether you see burgers, chicken nuggets, and footlong subs in your future or not, read on to. He visited fast food restaurants, he visited meatpacking plants, and. In 2001, fast food nation was published to critical acclaim and became an international bestseller.
Those key points come across just as clearly in the book that is the source material. Fast food nation chapter 10 study guide thebestnotes. Everyday, thousands of americans intake fast food in high quantities. Based on the text you are reading, answer the following questions in complete sentences in a reading journal. Fast food nation does make some important points about the industry, but it doesnt quite work as cinema. During a relatively brief period of time, the fast food industry has helped to transform not only the american diet, but also our. Fast food is certainly ripe for this perspective because it is a chief american export. The book points out ray krocs idiosyncrasies, some of which were politically incorrect, and many of which would be illegal today. May 01, 2009 ive been juggling several books and have just now finished eric schlossers fast food nation, which i blogged about a while back. The fast food nation lesson plan is downloadable in pdf and word.
Fast food nation offers some bitter truths about america. Free online study guide, notes, and analysis for the full novel. Aug 10, 2001 fast food nation ends with a call for consumers to demand better treatment of workers and more healthful, safer food. Fast food nation points the way but, to resurrect an old fast food slogan, the choice is yours. If the book presented concrete solutions, i do not recall many of them, it works better as a highlight reel of atrocity rather than a meditation on possible. That is one of the main reasons people buy fast food. The dark side of the allamerican meal fast food nation. Apr 16, 2010 fast food nation many feel that the fast food industry is providing a valuable service by catering to consumer needs. Fast food nation topics for discussion 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.
Schlosser attributes the rise of fast food in large part to the. 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, by eric schlosser. His chief objection is not that it tastes badfar from it, he insists, going on to examine, for instance, why mcdonalds fries lauded by the likes of julia. As the subtitle of his book, the dark side of the allamerican meal. Colorados front range, or a group of cities including denver, colorado. The story leads to southern california, where the emerging automobile culture and interstate highway systems helped change the american diet after world war ii.
Include any vocabulary terms you needed to look up and define. Learn the important quotes in fast food nation and the chapters theyre from, including why theyre important and what they mean in the context of the book. Schlosser wrote the novel fast food nation in attempt to show america the dark side of the fast food industry. I couldnt resist sharing two powerful quotes found toward the end of the book something to keep in mind if you tend to hit the fast food joints on the weekend as an easy out to making something at home. Fast food nation ends with a call for consumers to demand better treatment of workers and more healthful, safer food. Eric investigates on the different locations where food is prcessed and learns how everything started in the business or in the world.
Eric schlosser begins his account of the american fast food industry by focusing on one region of the united states in particular. 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. Eric schlossers expose revealed how the fast food industry has altered the landscape of america, widened the gap between. Fast food nation summary from litcharts the creators of.
This trend is likely to continue as many fast food giants pledge to clean up their act when it comes to the health of their customers and the planet. Behind the counter critical reading questions directions. Fast food has impacted business, mass production, and health of americans. Schlosser clearly demonstrates that this industry alone has been. Fast food nation goodreads meet your next favorite book. In considering the effect fast food has had abroad, schlosser emphasizes the significance of his research. Fattening up a controversial article published in rolling stone in 1999, schlosser considers all the ways in which fast food has lessened the quality of life in america.
According to the wellknown book, fast food nation, a survey discovered that 88 percent of respondents worldwide could identify the golden arches of mcdonalds, while a only 54 percent recognized the christian cross. What are the differences between fast food nation the book. Fast food nation is an informational book that lets readers in on the actual food process. The health risks of unhealthy eating habits in fast food nation, a film by richard linklater. He has received a national magazine award and a sidney hillman foundation award for reporting. The fast food industry has strong influence on the economy and society of american. As american as a small, rectangular, handheld, frozen, and reheated apple pie.
Apr 06, 2001 during my research for the book, i ate an enormous amount of fast food. Take our free fast food nation quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. To a degree both engrossing and alarming, the story of fast food is the story of postwar america. Prior to the rise of large meatpacking plants, people would become ill from bad food in small, localized arenas. A nations diet can be more revealing than its art or literature. The fast food nation lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles. The servers, farmers, ranchers, and factory workers have little power or control. Fast food nation is a fascinating and very readable book. Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity.
As with its cousin, super size me, which focused on the dangerous health issues connected to fast food consumption, you dont need to be a vegetarian to be horrified by fast food nation. Schlosser writes that this is a book about fast food, the values it embodies, and the world it has made. In 1998 schlosser wrote an investigative piece on the fast food industry for rolling stone. Fast food nation by eric schlosser, introductionchapter 4. 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. It thoroughly explains what happens at the slaughterhouses all over the country. Fast food nation by eric schlosser books the guardian. What are the differences between fast food nation the.
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. Every day in the united states, 200, 000 people are sickened by a food borne disease. The dark side of the allamerican meal questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you. Mar 01, 2012 fast food nation points the way but, to resurrect an old fast food slogan, the choice is yours. The dark side of the allamerican meal from the worlds largest community of readers.
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. The movie presents these same issues in the context of a story. Schlosser goes into great detail about the research he had done to prove his point. Now, because meat is distributed all over the nation, an outbreak of food poisoning in one town may indicate nation wide epidemic. Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam. Fast food nation part 1 chapter 1 summary course hero. 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. He vows to trace the impact of fast food companies both backward and forward in the food chainfrom the farmers who raise steer and grow potatoes, to the agribusinesses that process the food, to the restaurants like mcdonalds that sell it, to the consumers who eat it. A vocabulary list featuring fast food nation by eric schlosser, introductionchapter 4.
The book is a work of nonfiction with chapters that cover the dangers of the fast food economy, from slaughterhouse conditions to health issues to environmental devastation. A reaction to fast food nation, a book by eric schlosser. Overall the novel, fast food nation, was well written, but a little too lengthy. Ive been juggling several books and have just now finished eric schlossers fast food nation, which i blogged about a while back. America will spend more money on fast food than higher education. Fast food nation many feel that the fast food industry is providing a valuable service by catering to consumer needs. An eyeopening look at aquaculture that does for seafood what fast food nation did for beef. Thus far in the book, schlosser has focused on specific people in specific locations colorado springs, greeley, etc. Now, because meat is distributed all over the nation, an outbreak of food poisoning in one town may indicate nationwide epidemic. Fast food nations message claims fast food nation analysis. The word file is viewable with any pc or mac and can be further adjusted if you want to mix questions around andor add your own headers for things like name, period, and date. What is the average job turnover rate in the fast food industry. 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.
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