In the essay “The Company Man” the author Ellen Goodman describes a man who “worked himself to death” at fifty-one. Goodman works by implication and presents facts about the man’s life and work, allowing the readers to draw their conclusion.
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Summary of the essay The Company Man by Ellen Goodman
In the essay
‘The Company Man’, Ellen Goodman satirizes the mechanical and hectic life of developed countries.
Phil was an
employee who was 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 an
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 thought that he was an important person in 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 to his
family members so he was like an unknown person at home.
His wife
Helen was 48 years old. She was also a 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.
Phil’s
eldest son also did not know how his father was. So, he went to ask around the
neighborhood about his father. His second child was a daughter who was 24 and
newly married. She also did not speak much with her father as she was in his
father's car. It means that there was a communication gap between them.
His youngest
son was very near to him. He also said that his father and he only boarded. At
this funeral, 65 - year - old company president said that the company would miss
him much and hard to get another man like Phil. Helen didn’t not want to hear
such ideas from him. She needed financial support from the company.
In this way,
the essay shows that a company in the industrial age only counts on staff
hardworking. It only seeks the benefit and welfare of the company.
Frequently asked questions from the essay The Company Man by Ellen Goodman
1. "He always ate
egg salad sandwiches at his desk". What is the implication of this
sentence?
Ans: The implication of this sentence shows the
prediction of developed country people. They work like a machine day in and day
out. So, they do not have enough time to have a meal at home. In the story, a
workaholic, the vice president of office eats egg salad sandwiches as a meal.
2. What attitude does
Phil's wife have toward him?
Ans: 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.
3. What point does the
writer make about the general situation of which Phil is only a part?
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 the
office but it was just his illusion. The office does not take him as important
but it only counts his labor and work. If he becomes weak and old, he will be
fired from his job
4. The writer has
repeated the time of Phil's death in three places. Give examples of other
repetitions in the essay. What is the function of the repetitions?
Ans: She repeats, he died "at 3 am in three places
to say that in a developed country, people work like a machine in their entire
life. Generally, people sleep till 6 am but Phil works at 3 am.
5. What tone is
established by the short sentences in the essay? Is it ironic acerbic,
sarcastic, or neutral? Why?
Ans: The tone of the essay is sarcastic because it shows
the predicament of the modern man who works like a machine and forgets family
bonds and ties.
6. Most of the
sentences are of the SVO type. What is the effect of such hear the use of
repeated sentence forms?
Ans: SVO types of sentences are repeated 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.
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 disabled to contribute to 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 on a holiday, a boss can
invite meeting and call them to attend.