The research focuses on part one of Omnivore’s Dilemma, Industrial Corn. The book is written by Michael Pollan. The review focuses on Chapters 1 (The Plant: Corn’s Conquest to Chapter 3 (The Elevator) of part 1(Industrial Corn) of The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The Industrial Corn comprises Chapters 1 (The Plant: Corn’s Conquest to Chapter 7 (The Meal: Fast Food). Chapters 1 to 7 explores the history and sources of corn, families growing corn, and the economic factors that influence farming and policies of corn production. Pollan’s Chapters 1 to 3 excellently discusses the conflict between how farming should be done and how economic survival orders how farming should be done.
In terms of demand for corn criteria, Michael Pollan discusses people are conscious of their health. Chapter 1 discusses groceries that are stacked with healthy foods (15), including the healthy corn product or maize (24). Chapter 2 discusses how corn is grown on the farm, including the use of tractors (32). In terms of the healthy benefits of corn criteria, the author correctly states Naylor’s grandson planted and sold corn to feed 129 Americans (34). Chapter 3 clearly shows Jefferson farms use grain elevators to increase food production (57). Consequently, farmers ensure that the corn products reach the customers before they expire (59).
In terms of the strengths of chapters 1 to 3 criteria, Pollan’s chapters 1 to 3 have many strengths. Pollan comments that corn is treated with reverence in Aztec and Mexican farms, unlike in Iowa. Iowa should also follow suit by not littering corn kernels along the road from the farms to the stores (58). Pollan clearly shows that farmers buy corn seeds to supply the high demand for corn products because personally grown corn seeds are not enough to fill the high corn demand (31).
Chapter 3 shows that farmers haul their big open wagons to stores with the high expectations that all their corn products will be sold (58) to enthusiastic stores. In terms of appealing to the emotions criteria, Pollan’s first three chapters excellently appeal to the emotions. The author appeals to the readers to make corn a part of their daily eating habits. The author appeals to the stores to sell more corn products.
The author shows that farmers go out of their way to produce much-needed corn products. In 1975, Naylor’s Iowa farm plants corn on 470 acres to fill the community’s corn needs (33). 129 people depend on Naylor for their regular corn needs (34). The Iowa Farmers’ Cooperative uses corn elevators to pour several tons of corn onto market-going trains (57).
In terms of weaknesses criteria, the first three chapters of Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma have some noteworthy weaknesses. Pollan does not encourage replacing the corn regiment with Rice. The author does not include other healthful products to complement the corn product. Other healthy products include potato, papaya, banana, and mango in persons’ diet. The other fruits augment the corn’s health benefits. Sticking to corn’s maize product will prevent the person from getting the benefits of rice and other healthy food products.
Based on the above discussion, the review focuses on chapters 1 to 3 of Part one of Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma. Chapter 1 to 3 clearly shows that Michael Pollan discusses people are conscious of their health. Pollan correctly shows many strong statements in his book. The first three chapters of Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma have some noteworthy weaknesses. Indeed, chapters 1 to 3 of part one of Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma excellently discusses the conflict between how farming should be done and how economic survival orders how farming should be done.
Reference
Pollan, M. (2006) The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York: Penguin Press.