The Gilded Age. A point in history where 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 in this time were not being treated as they should have. In theory as years go by things will change. Eric Schlosser disproves that theory with his book titled Fast Food Nation (2001). About a hundred years after the mistreatment in the Gilded Age occured Fast Food Nation describes the same if not worse conditions of industries in America. In chapter 8, Schlosser uses rhetorical strategies to unveil the dark side of meat-packing factories.
Schlosser begins by explaining what happens to the animals
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The reason Schlosser chose to go into the meat-packing plant himself was so the reader trusted him; and therefore could believe what he described. Next, Schlosser uses similes to describe his experience within the plant. Schlosser describes how the deeper he went into the plant the worse and more horrific it got. At first he says it just looks like the “back of your local supermarket”, but then he explains how it gets violent, and more slaughterhouse-like (169). The simile is meant to highlight the darkness of the plant on the inside rather than what it is expected to be. It is implied that most people don’t know what truly happens inside a meat-packing plant (170). This shows.......... Schlosser also uses imagery to further this shock in the reader. He says he sees men reach inside cattle with “bare hands” to pull out livers (170). As Schlosser explains this sight the readers shock is heightened and starts to establish pathos. The reader is supposed to feel sickened and sad about these events. Next, Schlosser uses a variety of diction to convey more pathos. He uses certain words to emphasize the things he sees and hears in the slaughterhouse. He says he hears the “pop” of live animals being stunned, and sees the steel rack of tongues
The Gilded Age, named by Mark Twain, lasted from the 1870’s to about 1900. It was a time of rapid economic growth and is also known as the “Progressive Era”. Many industries skyrocketed at this time such as the railroad, coal, steel, oil, meat, sugar, farm machinery, electricity, and petroleum industries. Products were now being mass produced, therefore, the price of living decreased. People developed an appreciation for art, theatre, and many other forms of expression and entertainment.
A changing culture from the late 1870’s through 1900 became known as the Gilded Age. The Gilded Age was first used by Mark Twain in his book known as “The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today”. The Gilded Age is known as a time where corruption and bad living conditions occurred on the inside of the area, but on the outside everything seemed strong and powerful, especially to other immigrants. A lot of people migrated from other countries to become part of what they thought was a perfect society, but when they arrived they realized how terrible everyone was treated and how bad the government ran.
The Gilded Age was an age of rapid economic growth. Railroads, factories, and mines were slowly popping up across the country, creating a variety of new opportunities for entrepreneurs and laborers alike. These new inventions and opportunities created “...an unprecedented accumulation of wealth” (GML, 601). But the transition of America from a small farming based nation to a powerful industrial one created a huge rift between social classes. Most people were either filthy rich or dirt poor, with workers being the latter.
The end of the reconstruction era gave rise to the gilded age. The gilded age was a time of economic growth. It was the second industrial revolution, urbanization, immigration and political/economic corruption. The congress and the big business were more influential than the presidency. The term ‘Gilded Age’ was termed by Mark Twain who described the wealthy who were covered in a ‘layer of gold’, a superficial layer can be peeled and reveals unpleasant things.
In “The Jungle”, Upton Sinclair depends upon the use of pathos through imagery to portray the theme of the dehumanizing evils of meat industry. To Appeal to the unaware American consumers about the process of meat process and the harsh way the workers are treated, the author includes in his excerpt, “There would be meat that had tumbled out on the floor, in the dirt and sawdust, where the workers had tramped and spit uncounted billions of consumption germs.” Sinclair doesn’t want people to pass through his message unnoticed, through his carefully picked imagery, he wants them to imagine the life visually to make a change. Through his quote, “tumbled out on the floor in the dirt and sawdust” he is expressing how the workers who are working
Background The Economy of United States grown significantly in terms of the number, size and influence in the world trade market. This was the period when the American society went through many changes and new social and economic processes have changed the organization of American society. Mark Twain an observer of Eighteen century have given a name Gilded Age as period in which wealthiest Americans were benefited by the government reforms and policies.
Imagine working sixteen hours a day in an unsanitary, dangerous, place for a big business gaining two dollars. This is what laboring-class Americans had to go through during the Gilded age. Politically, the first largest American labor union was formed during the Gilded age and many other organizations formed as well as violent strikes. Socially, different ethnics joined together to share their thoughts and realize the evils of big business and of the federal government. Mentally, most we 're losing their personal life while some were financially stable and glad.
Although it may seem that the meat packing industry is still in turmoil because of their unwillingness to make known what foods have Genetically Modified organisms present, the meat packing industry was much worse during the 1900’s because of the unsafe working conditions, and uncleanliness of the food. Body 1: The meat packing industry’s working conditions were much worse in the 1900’s than they are today. In the novel The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, working conditions were horrible for immigrants who were employed in these factories. People in these factories were worked very hard and used up till they could not work anymore. In the novel Jurgis broke his ankle because of the unsafe
In this moment, if we juxtapose normal animal behavior with this description of the inmate's conduct it can be resembled a lot of similarities, after all this cruelty there is a shift in their behavior towards each other. As this action continues, Wiesel depicts that, “ Soon, pieces of bread were falling into the wagon from all sides. And the spectators observed these emaciated creatures ready to kill for a crust of bread.” (Wiesel 101). In this scene, the situation of the people feeding the inmates for entertainment it’s being compared to the idea of a zoo, in which people watch animals as they give them food, considered a form of amusement.
During the 1900’s working conditions were undeniably horrible. In Packingtown everyday got more difficult as the days went on. In the meat packing business things were supposed to be done quick. Inside the factories packing, chopping, inspecting and people actions didn’t mix. Not only did the people in the factories suffered, the people outside of the factory also suffered.
The period between 1865 to 1900, also known as the Gilded Age, was an era of rapid industrialization, immigration, and capitalization in America. After the civil war, previously used factories remained and flourished as manufacturing started to replace farming; which was possible due to vast immigration from Southern and Eastern part of Europe. With an available cheap labor source, businesses rose to great heights, and competition thrived. While companies thrived, working laborers and citizens suffered. Because industrial statesman expanded wealth and created opportunities, but also exploited workers, disrupted competition, and manipulated factors of production, it is justified to characterize the industrial leaders of the Gilded age as both
There is a difference between being selfish and being greedy. The definition of greed is “Intense desire for something, especially wealth or power”, whereas the definition of selfish is “Lacking consideration for others”. During the Gilded Age, America was characterized as the Land of the Free, which attracted immigrants from all over the world to come live the American Dream. Was it greedy or selfish for these immigrants to come to America and improve their way of living? During the Gilded Age, greed is what motivated industrial innovation and for people to improve their ways of living.
The book provided more distressing news of terrible practices in this industry taught to the workers so that more meat can be distributed for profit. “He wrote that workers would process dead, injured, and diseased animals after regular hours when no meat inspectors were around” (Constitutional Rights Foundation). The industry provides more meat for their customers purely for profit. This causes the industry to be influenced to sell its meat, no matter the condition it is in. The disgusting context of the conditions America’s meat was put through was brought to light, thanks to “The Jungle” and the customers of these businesses were
Rhetorical Analysis “Down on the factory farm” The last thing that comes to our mind when we order a piece of steak at a restaurant is how that animal we are about to eat was being treated while they were alive. According to author Peter Singer’s article "Down on the factory farm” he questions what happened to your dinner when it was still an animal? He argues about the use and abuse of animals raised for our consumption. In Singer’s article he states personal facts and convincing statistics to raise a legitimate argument.
Selzer underlines the knife's significance as a character with innate motivations and intricate dynamics by linking it with such profound symbolism. Selzer explores the knife's unique perspective, he highlights its deep knowledge of the human body and the surgical process itself. He portrays the knife as being an observer, that reveals its insights into the body and how it works on the inside as well as the surgeon's technique. This perspective adds some depth and complexity to the narrative, allowing the reader to see surgery from the point of view of the knife.