Introduction
The book, The Donut: A Canadian History, narrates how the donut became Canada’s unofficial national food. In connection to this, the author gives a strong affidavit explaining to the reader the reasons why the donut is connected to Canadians’ lives now and its merits and demerits on the citizenry. He enlightens us on how a simple pastry is presently a signal of Canadian identity. By analyzing the history of the proponents of the donut, the consumers, and the effects of the customers’ options in their daily lives, this paper argues that the book is an illustration of how studying a single food can expose larger trends in a complicated world.
Central Thesis of the Book
All throughout the book’s chapters, the author investigates the expansion and the transformations of the donut shop. Penfold’s thesis is clear and interesting: the ordinary donut has emerged as a symbol of Canadian identity, especially for residents of major metropolises, such as Ontario and Quebec. The main concern is that the people and their social interactions with the donut, the pastry industry, and even the technologies used in its production and consumption are so interlinked. This view can be drawn from his arguments where he puts into use the social theory. He speculates how and why the donut became the national food in Canada.
In his work, particularly in chapter four, Penfold says that the donut industry had drastically escalated in the mid-1970s and multiple outlets had been opened up since then (Penfold, 2008). In light of this assertion, if you could drive in major Canadian towns, you could easily find places like Tim Hortons selling donuts on a daily basis. The author further says, “In Ontario, the markets of donuts became very competitive” (Penfold, 2008, p. 72). His sentiments attest to the centrality of this pastry in Canadian culture.
Chapter Summary
Chapter 1 delves into the history of the donut in the Canadian context in the early part of the 20th century. Penfold (2008) asserts that this iconic pastry was a product of industrial development and growing urbanization, coupled with a need for social affiliation. Chapter 2 centers on the co-evolution of coffee and donut shops in Canadian cities. The discussion is based on the context of the increasing adoption of automobiles and convenience culture in towns. Chapter 3 focuses on the franchise business model in the donut industry. The author recognizes the appeal of franchising to migrant workers exploring business opportunities that would support them economically. In chapter 4, the book examines the expansion and growth of the donut industry nationally through the 1980s and 1990s. The emergence of Tim Horton’s outlet to dominate the market is explained as a classic example of the donut business. In chapter 5, the author examines the advertising appeals used by Tim Horton’s and other players in the industry.
Major Themes
A prominent theme in the book is the symbolic nature of the Canadian consumption culture. Penfold relates the history of the donut and coffee shops in Canada. He gives a narration on how the donut rose to fame in the fast-food sector within an intense exploration of the social, cultural, and economic trends, which positively affected the production and consumption of the donut in the country.
Another major theme in the text is the industrialization process. The author makes significant use of the industry and the statistics drawn from the government to depict the growth and development of the industry in Canada from a position of relative inadequacy to where it is today. Through this approach, Tim Horton’s franchise achieved total dominance in the market and cemented the donut as a national icon (Penfold, 2008). Urbanization is another theme that emerges in the reviewed book. Due to the popularity of the donut, the urban landscape was influenced, leading to an increase in mass transportation of immigrants to urban areas to search for fast-paying employment.
A Critique of the Author’s Arguments
Overall, Penfold’s work is well researched because he seems to have profound knowledge about the history of this food. The statistics and evidence he gives are persuasive to the reader. The credibility of his work is extreme because he is more than a statistician or even a marketing technique student. For instance, at some point, he says, “There are now an estimated 6000 donut shops in Canada” (Penfold, 2008, p. 68). He uses different techniques to support his claims. As such, therefore, the labor history of the donut helps us to understand the social and political position of the donut in Canada. To the reader of his book, he has provided them with over fifty pages of references.
Penfold has made an attempt to describe a history that can be defined by the Canadian donut. He has done this in an accessible way and irreverent style. We, therefore, learn that as doughnuts were brought to the Canadian kitchens, the idea of mass production actually originated from the United states- the reason as to why he chooses the spellings of the same in an American version- donuts.
Sometimes one may wonder how many people remember the times when Tim Hortons and other shops that sell donuts did not exist. It is difficult to imagine what Canada looked like before these franchises arose. Therefore, Penfold applies his knowledge and experience and even collects data to deliver his point on how donuts transformed Canada as a whole because he believes that this pastry has a deeper socio-cultural meaning.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Penfold’s greatest strength lies in his analysis of the economies of the sector, specifically, the emergence of franchises such as Tim Hortons in the 1970s. He says, “Franchises were independently minded (quasi-entrepreneurs) who sought their own investments within the confines of a packaged, controlled and micro-managed brand name” (Penfold, 2008, p. 88). The techniques he uses in his analysis depict the inherent tensions that exist within the relationship of economic convenience.
This work tries to make us understand the social and political place of the donut in present Canada. The author says that most staff members at the donut shops are immigrants. A job in a donut shop provides paid employment for the new immigrants to Canada. For the new Canadians, donuts became a new standard of evaluation in their new diets, their economic realities, and their social lives and vocational opportunities.
When we combine the oral history that tells about the donut shop workers, urban accounts that discuss the growth of suburbs, and the social records that communicate how food restaurants ever since the end of World War II became popular, they make the book more than a history of food in itself. In a critical analysis, Penfold’s work does not discuss either the donut ingredients, recipes, or nutritional analysis of this type of food. He, therefore, derives his narrative force from those who work hard to make donuts and those who run donut shops. Many reviews have the perspective that Penfold is not really talking about the history of the donut. Most interestingly, it is based in the 20th century.
Personal Reflection
The Donut: Canadian history is a strong academic book that gives us a story of how the donut became the unofficial food of Canada. However, it leaves many readers unsatisfied as it gives a history of a single food. One would expect the author to give more details about commercial donuts themselves. Instead, he opted not to explain how the donut first came to Canada, where it originated from, how it evolved, and any specific flavors (Hawaiian, maple glassed, and French cruller) used. The book literary does not discuss its title (the donut) nor does it connect the story of the book together with its business history. On the contrary, it focuses largely on the economics of franchising.
Despite these shortcomings in the book, the author is enriched with the previous knowledge of history and the human consumption of this food. Therefore, he thrives to be the best person to address the issue of how the donut is a symbol of Canada. In this work, the author clearly illustrates his beliefs on how the donut has a much greater meaning behind it. Therefore, Penfold (2008) uses his own techniques, experiences, and knowledge to drive the point that the donut brought a transformation in Canada.
Conclusion
Although book leaves us hungry for more, it fills our appetite in other ways. With respect to the wide number of sources used, from commercial and government reports to individual accounts, I can assert that the book comprehensively looks into one of Canada’s most widely known products. It gives an original insight into the consumer culture, the changes in the Canadian past, and the mass consumption of this product. I would therefore recommend this book to other students of history.
Reference
Penfold, S. (2008). The donut: A Canadian history. University of Toronto Press.