Student Extraordinaire
Ms. White
CP English 12
September 8, 2010
Statement of Purpose
In Huxley’s novel, Brave New World, he portrays a Utopian society in which community, identity, and stability are maintained by keeping the people happy so they will not realize that their freedoms have been challenged. One area that particularly interests me is that of economic control. In the novel, the citizens are encouraged to waste. Not only will this give everyone a job to do, thus keeping the economy going, but it also gave a foundation for the social order. In this paper, I plan to take Huxley’s idea of excess consumerism and apply it to the meat packing industry. I plan to show how the industry plays an important role in keeping our country fed and people working, but my main focus will be on the negative side which deals with animal abuse, unsanitary working conditions, and chemical additives meant to keep the industry going. (Question 4)
Most people are aware of the industry and share the common knowledge that many problems have come to the public eye about this industry. The media recently reported cases of contaminated eggs, and people have become very ill by eating in fast food restaurants that are a primary target of this industry. The abuse of animals has come to light, and most of us realize that chemicals are added to our food to keep it safe and give it eye-appeal. These are assumptions that will perhaps capture the attention of my audience and also may be areas of disagreement. I will have to balance my argument so that both sides are given a voice. (3 &2)
I will need evidence to show both the pros and cons of this industry. First, I will show how the chain of production is an aid to our society, and how, in theory, this is a good plan. The farmers produce the grain to feed these animals, thus giving them a market. I will research how many people are gainfully employed and how this helps our economy. I also will research how mass production helps keep prices down. My major focus, though, will be how this industry hurts so many aspects of our country. The environment is damaged by the wastes that must be disposed of. I will research what chemicals are given to cattle to prevent diseases or improve the taste of the meat products. I will also look at the nature of the jobs and how the working conditions may be substandard.