Synthesis Essay on consumerism and Commodification

AP English Language and Composition

Synthesis Essay on Consumerism and Commodification

Consumerism is a term used to describe a social and economic system that encourages the ever-increasing consumption of goods and services. Commodification (or commoditization) is a related term used to describe the process of turning ideas, values, and other entities not normally regarded as a commodities into a commodity ( economic products). 

Imagine that a school district looking to make its curriculum more relevant to life in the 21^st century has asked you to evaluate the role of consumerism and commodification in contemporary American culture. Carefully review the sources I've provided in this unit. Then synthesize information from at least five (5) of the sources and incorporate that information into a coherent, well-developed essay that identifies the key issues associated with consumerism and commodification and that examines their implications for life in the 21^st century.

Make sure that your argument is central; use the sources to illustrate and support your reasoning. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Cite the sources using the information provided below in parentheses.

Source A (The Ad and the Ego)                      Documentary film

Source B (Daisey)                                            “Mr. Daisy and the Apple Factory” (radio nonfiction story)

Source C ("Psychographic Groups")

Source D (Waterson)                                       The comic in the packet

Source E (Kruger)                                            The art collage in the packet

Source F (Frank)                                              “Dissent Commodified” (commentary)

Source G (Vanderbilt)                                      “The Gaudy and the Damned” (essay)

Source H (McLuhan)                                        excerpt from The Medium is the Massage

Source I (Fortune)                                            excerpt from Working edited by Studs Terkel (oral history)

Source J (Chaddha)                                          “How many Che T-shirts…” (commentary)

Source K (Seel and Wilensky)                          “The World According to Abercrombie & Fitch” (commentary)

Source L (Johnson)                                          “When Teens Talk, Companies Listen” (newspaper feature article)

Due March 2, 2012. Think three to five pages (1000-1500 words) or so.

Here is a link  to an AP English Language and Composition Question 1 (Synthesis Question)

and here is a link to model essays that respond to that the question.