Fast food nation summary - Essay Example

Fast Food Nation The article is about the history of fast food industries and its pioneers in America. The first chapter talks about Carl Karcher, who was one of the industry’s founders. In the initial pages of the chapter the author diverts from the topic of the article. He talks about the history of Carl. For instance, the author talks about the birth of Carl in Upper Sandusky in Ohio in his father’s agricultural farm (Schlosser 13). The article also talks about Carl’s journey to California and Anaheim where he married Margaret Heinz.

Throughout his visits to the town, the audience realizes that people relied on Agriculture as their source of food. There were many orange farms. Local farmers also kept animals such as cattle and chicken. Later in the chapter, people started relying on fast foods instead of foods obtained directly from agricultural farms. It seems that the author wants the audience to see how fast foods started being part of American culture. According to article, people started relying on fast foods especially in Los Angeles because of automobiles.

By the year 1940 Los Angeles had about 1 million vehicles (Schlosser 14). Many people wanted to own cars because they believed it was cheaper to use personal vehicles compared to public transport. The cars made people lazy. As a result, the new types of eating places such as the derive-in restaurants were introduced. The first drive in-restaurant was owned by Jesse Kirby. He later sold his restaurants to Carl. In order to attract more people in the drive-ins, the buildings were painted in bright colors and waitresses dressed in short skirts.

They became very popular places in towns. Some popular fast food places like McDonald were founded during this time. In this chapter, the author blames automobiles for negatively affecting the culture of America (Schlosser 6). The initial part of the second chapter talks about people’s loyalty to McDonalds. The title of the second chapter seems ironical. Many people have trusted the fast food companies. However, they fail to notice the negative impacts of the fast food restaurants and their culture in the modern society.

Many people take a two week course just to learn the culture of McDonald. The author criticizes the growing number of restaurants for making children the world’s most targeted consumers by larger corporations. For instance, most McDonald’s commercials target children. The company also sponsored my children TV Programs in order to attract more children. Disney started targeting children with its animated films. Many companies such as automobile and phone companies target children. Other people such as Ray Kroc, adopted the culture of McDonald and spread in nationwide.

Many parents who spent less time with their children because of their busy working schedule started to spend more money to buy their children the advertised goods because of guilt. The popular companies are now taking advantage of children’s ignorance to increase their profitability. A study showed that a third of cigarettes sold to minors such as Camel had brand names that were familiar to children (Schlosser 39). Children are also used as surrogate salespersons because they convince their parents to buy their popular products.

This leads to demonstrative nagging in public places which embarrasses most parents. It also leads to threat nagging that destroys the relationship between children and their parents (Schlosser 42).Works CitedTop of FormSchlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. Print. Bottom of Form