Carl N. Karcher's story is a bit different than those of other fast food pioneers because of his journey from a farm in Sandusky, Ohio to ownership of his own business and headquarters in Anaheim, California. Like Carl, the landscape in Anaheim changed quickly over a short period of time. Schlosser chose to tell Carl's story because of it's uniqueness, and because of Carl's so-called "fulfillment of the American dream" (13). When Carl moved to Anaheim it was surrounded by farms and ranches; oranges, lemons, and tangerines were grown by the thousands in the Anaheim area alone. During this time in California a new lifestyle was emerging due to the affordability and subsequent increase in using cars as a mode of transportation. Along with the new on-the-go lifestyle came a new way of eating. People wanted more than just fast transportation. They wanted fast food. Drive-in restaurants with car-hops became popular and sprang up all along the west coast. Carl, who had experienced success with his four hot dog stands, decided to buy a small restaurant right across from the Heinz farm. "Carl's Drive-In Barbeque" became a success, but a new idea emerged that made Carl question the security of his business. McDonalds, the original fast food joint, had just opened up in San Bernardino, California. The McDonalds brother were selling the same burgers Carl was, but for almost half the price. Carl adopted the production techniques from the McDonalds he saw and opened his own self-service restaurant in Anaheim. Carl's Jr. quickly became a symbol of the fast food industry.
By the end of this chapter, Schosser is describing his own personal visit with Carl at his company's headquarters in Anaheim. Now the town is urban; completely devoid of any citrus groves and filled with stores and businesses doubling as symbols of the 21st century's corporate America; a strip mall, an Exxon station, a Shoe City, and a mattress warehouse. Schlosser isn't criticizing Carl for being a pioneer of the fast food industry, but merely pointing out the irony of the town's brutal transformation in unison with the food industry's. Schlosser's point is that these pioneers really were manifesting the American Dream. They came from nothing and built businesses that not only prospered, but changed the face of history. At the time, they either didn't know or didn't think of the repercussions of their creations.
Carl N. Karcher totally embodies what we think of as a successful businessman, even though he's still very much in debt. He ended up with his business in tact, and with his own office and in his very own shiny headquarters. Schlosser wants us to see how the birth and development of this industry was inevitable, just as it seems that Carl's future was.
1 comment:
That the transformation opf the american landscape was inevitable is an interesting idea, and I'd like to see you go into that a little more. Overall, though, you provide a number of examples from the text -- and I like the useof words like 'brutal.' That's vivid writing.
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