Note: Your seminar grade will be determined by the quantity of your responses (how many questions you answer and how many other students you respond to) and the quality (how well you demonstrate an understanding of the ideas you're responding to, how detailed your responses are, how coherent and in-depth they are, etc.)
Directions:
1. Read Fast Food Nation, pages 1-108
2. Choose one question from the list below and respond with 3-5 paragraphs. Include quotes and/or specific references to the text to back up your responses.
Note:
No matter what questions you choose, make sure you discuss whether you agree with Schlosser’s assessments and claims, and why.
A Nation's Diet: Schlosser writes “A nation’s diet can be more revealing than its art or literature.” What does he mean by this? What does a nation’s diet reveal? What do you think Schlosser would say our diet of fast food reveals about us? Name at least three or four insights that he shares about our culture that can be gleaned from looking at our diet.
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| The Best and Worst: Schlosser argues that “in many respects, the fast food industry embodies the best and the worst of American capitalism at the start of the twenty-first century.” What does this industry embody, and why does Schlosser call it “the best and worst of American capitalism”? |
| What We've Lost: Summarize the factors that Schlosser claims allowed for the rise of the fast food industry in chapter 1, “The Founding Fathers.” What does Schlosser feel we have lost as a nation as a result of the fast food industry? |
| Marketing Madness: In Chapter 2, “Your Trusted Friends”, Schlosser recounts the many ways that fast food is marketed. Name a few of the marketing strategies, and explain why Schlosser has a problem with them. |
| The Counter Workers: Schlosser discusses the treatment of the workers who prepare and sell fast food in Chapter 3, “Behind the Counter”. Name a few of the ways he feels these workers are exploited and./or endangered. |
| The Rise of the Franchise: Chapter 4, “Success” explores the history and current policies for franchising. Explain how franchising works, and summarize the problems that Schlosser sees with franchises. |
3. Submit your response to the Assignment Chamber by midnight on Monday 3/19.
4. Post your responses to the appropriate forum by midnight on Monday 3/19.
5. Read all the other students' posts throughout the seminar period.
6. Respond to at least two other student's post (more is better). You will have until midnight, Monday, 3/26, to read and respond to the other students' ideas in the website. |