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How materialistic has the world truly become? The industrialization of the U.S. already caused great social tensions during the 1920’s with racial strife, an overall lack of morals, and the controversial combination of science and religion. In “The Company Man,” Ellen Goodman explores the corporate world with a serious, yet ironic tone. Through her use of specific repetition and purposeful sentence structure, Goodman delivers her timeless message with a resounding echo.
Goodman’s rhetorical strategy of repetition emphasizes the strict structural life of the protagonist, Phil, who is the prime example of consequences of the industrial world. Phil “worked himself to death, finally and precisely, at 3:00 A.M. Sunday morning.” This opening line is repeated, almost in verbatim, three times throughout the passage. The simplicity of the sentence combined with it’s pungent delivery, Goodman describes Phil’s death as a suicide. Phil was a “perfect Type A,” “a workaholic,” and “a classic.” A “classic” what? Goodman does not finish her sentence, but the answer is implied. He is a “classic” victim of the corporation. The “company president,” also known as the devil, chooses the next man to die, the next man to be the vice president with this question, “Who’s been working the hardest?” Phil “worked himself to death.” This phrase has been repeated and repeated throughout the entire passage and is etched into the mind of the reader. Thus, Phil’s job killed him. The irony is that after Phil’s funeral, there are still people vying for his old position, people willing in line at the guillotine. Goodman‘s usage of repetition really emphasized the helplessness and ignorance of the people entrapped by the big businesses.
Goodman progresses to the topic of Phil’s “survivors,” his family. Her varying sentence structures symbolize the meaning and tone of irony behind her words. Both his “dearly beloved” first and second children do not know him in anyway. His son must resort to “researching his father” with his neighbors and his daughter “had nothing to say” to him. However, the irony of it all is that his “favorite” was his youngest son. The only socially unsuccessful of the three. This only proves Goodman’s point, that working hard and being the best does not equal to love and happiness. Phil sacrificed everything to be the best at his job—his wife, children, happiness, and overall well-being—but for what? He was “overweight,” “nervous,” and “worked too hard.” He “worked like the Important People.” Phil did not have a purpose in life, only to be the best at his job. The “Important People” had greater meaning, had and eventual goal, but Phil just worked blindly until he finally died. His wife understood that he company, specifically his “sixty-year-old” president, stole Phil’s life, his vivacity. Although her “bitterness” was apparent, she seemed to be the only one who clearly saw the deadly effects of the corporations. Goodman’s short, abrupt sentences structure when describing Phil, compared to the long, complex sentences describing his family represent the essence of Phil’s life. He lacked the livelihood to keep on living.
With Phil’s “suicide,” Goodman conveys an important message to her readers: is is worth is to sacrifice yourself for materialism? Phil did not gain anything by working himself to death, on the other hand, he lost his “most beloved” family. The repetition and various sentence structures through “The Company Men” emphasize Goodman’s somber tone of irony, while delivering an enduring life lesson.
Goodman’s rhetorical strategy of repetition emphasizes the strict structural life of the protagonist, Phil, who is the prime example of consequences of the industrial world. Phil “worked himself to death, finally and precisely, at 3:00 A.M. Sunday morning.” This opening line is repeated, almost in verbatim, three times throughout the passage. The simplicity of the sentence combined with it’s pungent delivery, Goodman describes Phil’s death as a suicide. Phil was a “perfect Type A,” “a workaholic,” and “a classic.” A “classic” what? Goodman does not finish her sentence, but the answer is implied. He is a “classic” victim of the corporation. The “company president,” also known as the devil, chooses the next man to die, the next man to be the vice president with this question, “Who’s been working the hardest?” Phil “worked himself to death.” This phrase has been repeated and repeated throughout the entire passage and is etched into the mind of the reader. Thus, Phil’s job killed him. The irony is that after Phil’s funeral, there are still people vying for his old position, people willing in line at the guillotine. Goodman‘s usage of repetition really emphasized the helplessness and ignorance of the people entrapped by the big businesses.
Goodman progresses to the topic of Phil’s “survivors,” his family. Her varying sentence structures symbolize the meaning and tone of irony behind her words. Both his “dearly beloved” first and second children do not know him in anyway. His son must resort to “researching his father” with his neighbors and his daughter “had nothing to say” to him. However, the irony of it all is that his “favorite” was his youngest son. The only socially unsuccessful of the three. This only proves Goodman’s point, that working hard and being the best does not equal to love and happiness. Phil sacrificed everything to be the best at his job—his wife, children, happiness, and overall well-being—but for what? He was “overweight,” “nervous,” and “worked too hard.” He “worked like the Important People.” Phil did not have a purpose in life, only to be the best at his job. The “Important People” had greater meaning, had and eventual goal, but Phil just worked blindly until he finally died. His wife understood that he company, specifically his “sixty-year-old” president, stole Phil’s life, his vivacity. Although her “bitterness” was apparent, she seemed to be the only one who clearly saw the deadly effects of the corporations. Goodman’s short, abrupt sentences structure when describing Phil, compared to the long, complex sentences describing his family represent the essence of Phil’s life. He lacked the livelihood to keep on living.
With Phil’s “suicide,” Goodman conveys an important message to her readers: is is worth is to sacrifice yourself for materialism? Phil did not gain anything by working himself to death, on the other hand, he lost his “most beloved” family. The repetition and various sentence structures through “The Company Men” emphasize Goodman’s somber tone of irony, while delivering an enduring life lesson.
