Analysis of 'Girth of a Nation' by Morgan Spurlock

The extract, from the book "Don't Eat this Book: Fast Food and the supersizing of America", which this essay deals with, is written by Morgan Spurlock. The extract is about how big a problem obesity is in America and it's consequences. According to Morgan Spurlock factors, such as economic, social and environmental, are decisive for the development of obesity. Furthermore, America has, by exporting American values and eating habits, spread obesity to the rest of the world. This essay contains an analysis of the extract "Girth of a Nation" with focus on how Morgan Spurlock argues his case. In addition this essay also contains a discussion of America's health problems. The text is an extract and similarly a chapter from a book. The sender, Morgan Spurlock, is with the exception of his name unknown. The text does not say anything about his education or occupation. In this case the receiver is probably Americans in general. Moreover the book might apply to Americans who are obese, to teach them about the extent, seriousness and the consequences of obesity. The composition in the text is kind of badly organized and confusing. There are no small headlines in the text, only passages. First, there is an introduction to the extent of obesity. From there the text focuses on whom the obesity hits, why and the consequences you, in the end, might experience as a result of obesity. To argue for his case Morgan Spurlock uses different kinds of argumentations. First of all, he uses other sources to support his claim about obesity being a big problem. He uses for instance the Associated Press, The Journal of the American Medical Association, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer etc. With the use of so many sources it shows how much focus the media is starting to have on obesity. This is a logical argument because it is logical to the reader that many newspapers writing about the same must mean that it is a big problem. Second of all, he writes that obesity is starting to be so common that there is being created a market for an industry which produces items to obese Americans with particular reference for making the everyday life as easy for the overweight people as possible. That a whole industry can arise from obesity must make most people realize that obesity is a big problem. 1 af 3