The Company Man
-Ellen Goodman
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About Writer and an Essay
An essay written by a journalist - Ellen Goodman (1941)
She writes on public and private subjects in direct and personal style.
❖ In 'The Company Man' – she describes a man who – "Worked himself to death"
Summarize the essay in your own words.
In the essay, Ellen Goodman satirizes the mechanical and hectic life of developed countries. Phil is an employee who is a workaholic (hardworking man). While working, he died. He was 51 years old. As he died of heart problem, at that time he was working in office on holiday (Sunday) at 3 am. He worked six days a week and five of them, he worked 8 or 9 at night. He thinks that he is an important person of the office. He did not have time to eat food at home. So, he would eat salad sandwiches at his office. He was so busy. So, he could not give time for his family members so that he was like unknown person at home.
His wife Helen was 48 years old. She was also job holder before marriage. On her husband's death day, Phil's company friend sympathized saying that she had missed him a lot. In response, she says that she had already missed him for many years. His eldest son also did not know how his father was. So, he goes to ask around the neighborhood about his father. His second child is daughter who is 24 and newly married. She also did not speak much with her father as she was with his father's car. It means that there was communication gap between them. His youngest son was very near to him. He also says that his father and he only boarded. On this funeral, 65-year-old company president says that company will miss him much and hard to get another man like Phil. Helen does not want to hear such ideas from him. She needs financial support from the company.
In this way, the essay shows that company in industrial age, only counts for staffs' hardworking. It only seeks benefit and welfare of the company.
"He always ate egg salad sandwiches at his desk" (4). What is the implication of this sentence? (“उनले सधैँ आफ्नो डेस्कमा अन्डा सलाद स्यान्डविच खान्थे। यो वाक्यको तात्पर्य के हो ?)
Ans: The implication of this sentence shows predication of developed country people. They work like a machine day in and day out. So, they do not have enough time to have meal at home. In the story, a workaholic, vice president of office eats egg salad sandwiches as a meal
What attitude does Phil's wife have toward him? (fret ettतिनीप्रति कस्तो धारणा राख्छिन् ?)
Phil's wife thinks that he only led his life for office. He did not give time to her. So, as he was alive, she had missed him for many years.
What point does the writer make about the general situation of which Phil is only a part 2 (फिल मात्र एक अंश हो भन्ने सामान्य अवको बारेमा लेखकले के
Ans: The writer makes the point that he is a main pillar of the office. Phil himself thought that he was an important person for office but it was just his illusion. Office does not take him as an important but it only counts his labor and work. If he becomes weak and old, he will be fired from his job
The writer has repeated the time of Phil's death at three places. Give examples of other repetitions in the essay. What is the function of the repetitions? (लेखकले फिलको मृत्युको समयलाई तीन ठाउँमा दोहोर्याएकी छिन् । निबन्धमा भएका अन्य पुनरावृत्तिहरूको उदाहरण दिनुहोस्। धारणको कार्य के हो?)
Ans: She repeats, he died "at 3 am" in three places to say that in developed country, people work like a machine in their entire life. Generally, people sleep till 6 am but Phil works at 3 am.
What tone is established by the short sentences in the essay? Is it ironic acerbic, sarcastic, or neutral? Why? (fraid वाक्यले कुन स्वर स्थापित भएको छ ? के यो तितो विडंबनापूर्ण, व्यंग्यात्मक वा तटस्थ छ? किन?)
Ans: The tone of the is essay sarcastic because it shows the predicament of modern man who works like a machine and forgets family bond and ties.
Most of the sentences are of the SVO type. What is the effect of such hear use of repeated sentence forms? (अधिकांश वाक्यहरू SVO प्रकारका छन्। दोहोर्याइएका वाक्यहरूका ढाँचाको यस्तो सुन्ने प्रयोगको असर के हुन्छ ?)
Ans: SVO types of sentences is repeated in order to make parallel with repetitive and routinized work of modern man.
7. Write an essay explaining what it means to be a company man or company woman. (कम्पनी पुरुष वा कम्पनी महिला हुनुको अर्थ के हो भनेर व्याख्या गर्ने निबन्ध लेख्नुहोस् ।)
Ans: To be a company man or company woman means to work like a machine. Boss only values his/her effort and work. He/her will be fired if he/her became old, sick, and physically disable to contribute the office. Being a company man or woman means to be unknown at home. He/she does not have enough time to spend with his/her family members. Even in a holiday, boss can invite meeting and call them to attend.