The Gilded Age: a point in history when industries took advantage of their workers and lied to the government about it. Men, women, and children alike were extremely undervalued. Whether it was low pay, long hours, or unsafe work environments people at this time were not being treated as they should have. In theory as years went by things would’ve changed. Eric Schlosser disproves that theory with his book titled Fast Food Nation (2001). About a hundred years after the mistreatment in the Gilded Age occurred Fast Food Nation describes the same if not worse conditions in food industries. Meat-packing factories being the worst of all. In chapter 8, Schlosser uses rhetorical strategies to unveil the dark side of meat-packing factories.
Schlosser …show more content…
He uses logos to compare meat-packing industry workers to other workers in America. He says the injury rate in a slaughterhouse is three times higher than the rate in a typical American factory (172). Here Schlosser is using Logos to instill shock in readers. Then, Schlosser notes that injuries in the factory are avoidable. He says dull knives, and a lack of safety equipment are directly correlated with injuries (173). The reason Schlosser notes this is so his audience will become angry about the unnecessary injuries the workers have to deal with. Furthermore, Schlosser notes how many of these injuries go unrecorded (172). The law requires every factory to submit injury records; the more injuries the more the government gets involved. Many managers were said to have forged documents to keep the government out of their way (172). Lying. He says unrecorded injuries are common in the meat-packing industry (172). This provides an incentive in the readers to detest the factories even more. Next, Schlosser says how workers in this industry are unreasonably encouraged to work faster. This encouragement forces workers to result to a drug called “crank” often sold by their managers (174). This makes the reader shocked and angry that these workers are being overworked and are being given drugs to do so. Moreover, Schlosser notes “the worst” job at the factory: the cleaning crews. Schlosser says how cleaning crews get the …show more content…
Kennys story catches the reader's attention and appeals to pathos. The anecdote is meant to tip the scale even further against the meat-packing industry by providing a powerful backstory and a name to go along with it. Kenny’s story allows the reader to visualize the way an average worker is treated in these plants. First, Schlosser talks about all the hardships Kenny had to endure. He got hit by a ninety pound box and went back to work a few days later. He was forced to do a cleaning job, got his lungs burned and went back to work only months later (188). He got hit by a train and still went back to work (189). Kenny Dobbins is a rare case; he wasn't like other workers. He was one of the only workers that refused to be part of a union. Kenny, even after all the injuries he accumulated, stayed loyal to his bosses. Kenny’s story appeals to pathos by focusing on how even he, whom held such great loyalty toward the company, was treated like dirt. Kenny being treated like dirt contrasts the way the reader would expect him to be treated like due to the fact he was a model employee. At the end of the chapter readers find out Kenny was fired and wasn’t even notified (190). Kenny getting fired makes the reader mad and sad all at once. The reader does not expect such a loyal employee to be fired so rudely. Lastly, Kenny is described as a big man “muscular and 6’5” yet the company easily manipulates him (187). This
Schlosser …show more content…
He uses logos to compare meat-packing industry workers to other workers in America. He says the injury rate in a slaughterhouse is three times higher than the rate in a typical American factory (172). Here Schlosser is using Logos to instill shock in readers. Then, Schlosser notes that injuries in the factory are avoidable. He says dull knives, and a lack of safety equipment are directly correlated with injuries (173). The reason Schlosser notes this is so his audience will become angry about the unnecessary injuries the workers have to deal with. Furthermore, Schlosser notes how many of these injuries go unrecorded (172). The law requires every factory to submit injury records; the more injuries the more the government gets involved. Many managers were said to have forged documents to keep the government out of their way (172). Lying. He says unrecorded injuries are common in the meat-packing industry (172). This provides an incentive in the readers to detest the factories even more. Next, Schlosser says how workers in this industry are unreasonably encouraged to work faster. This encouragement forces workers to result to a drug called “crank” often sold by their managers (174). This makes the reader shocked and angry that these workers are being overworked and are being given drugs to do so. Moreover, Schlosser notes “the worst” job at the factory: the cleaning crews. Schlosser says how cleaning crews get the …show more content…
Kennys story catches the reader's attention and appeals to pathos. The anecdote is meant to tip the scale even further against the meat-packing industry by providing a powerful backstory and a name to go along with it. Kenny’s story allows the reader to visualize the way an average worker is treated in these plants. First, Schlosser talks about all the hardships Kenny had to endure. He got hit by a ninety pound box and went back to work a few days later. He was forced to do a cleaning job, got his lungs burned and went back to work only months later (188). He got hit by a train and still went back to work (189). Kenny Dobbins is a rare case; he wasn't like other workers. He was one of the only workers that refused to be part of a union. Kenny, even after all the injuries he accumulated, stayed loyal to his bosses. Kenny’s story appeals to pathos by focusing on how even he, whom held such great loyalty toward the company, was treated like dirt. Kenny being treated like dirt contrasts the way the reader would expect him to be treated like due to the fact he was a model employee. At the end of the chapter readers find out Kenny was fired and wasn’t even notified (190). Kenny getting fired makes the reader mad and sad all at once. The reader does not expect such a loyal employee to be fired so rudely. Lastly, Kenny is described as a big man “muscular and 6’5” yet the company easily manipulates him (187). This