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In the two pieces of literature the short story “Note 29” by Sherwood Anderson and, an excerpt from the poem “Walking Distance” by Debra Allbery both share and explore the nature of work. The first piece of literature “Note 29” portrays how people can be enjoyable. It also displays how work can make people feel needed, and give them a sense of satisfaction. In the second piece of literature, “Walking Distance”, we see how working gives you a sense of responsibility, and prepares you for the real world. The controlling idea of both passages is that work motivates us, and gives us a feeling of responsibility and purpose. Through the use of the elements of characterization, resolution, conflict and the technique of imagery I will prove the controlling idea to be true.

 

In the short story “Note 29”, the narrator is recalling a tale of an old man about clipper ships. He spoke of being lonely. One day he went to the museum, and there he met a man from the state university. The man from the university wanted clipper ship models and to his surprise they were extinct because curio dealers collected them all. The old man told the man from the university that he would carve clipper ships for him. Every night the old man worked on the clipper ships until they met his standards. After the whole ordeal the old man said that carving was the one real thing that gave him real satisfaction.

 

In “Note 29 “ the old man carved clipper ships to help out the man from the university. His great act of kindness also benefitted him. The tasks of carving ships made the old man feel needed unlike in the beginning when he was lonely. Working had given him great satisfaction. Through that example of characterization we can see how work can be fulfilling. The old man said that the whole ordeal cost him nearly two hundred dollars; by this statement we can see how the task kept him indulged and motivated. Through that example of resolution we can see how at the end of the day the old man found something he enjoyed doing.

 

In the excerpt from the poem “Walking Distance” the girl gets a summer job working with her father at the Ford plant. She was the only female working there. Her co-workers would tell her to lift heavy things while they took a backseat. Although she was transferred to the Air Conditioners, a less hands-on unit but she still made time to go to lunch with her father.

 

In the excerpt from the poem “Walking Distance” the girl sees how working hard gives you a sense of responsibility. The young girl also sees how hard working her dad is and how he acts in his working environment. The trouble her co-workers gave her during the job is an example of conflict and we can see how work can prepare one for the real world. She saw her father wearing safety glasses, strands of grey in his hair, and he was standing among the machines that resembled the size of small buildings. From this example, we can see how hard working and dedicated her father is to his job. Through that example of imagery, we can see how work gives us a sense of purpose.

 

Furthermore we can see how work motivates us, and gives us a feeling of responsibility and purpose in these two passages. The main characters; the old man from passage one and the girl from the poem both experience the nature of work. Through the use of the literary elements of characterization, resolution, conflict and the technique of imagery, the controlling idea is clearly proven. These two pieces of literature are interesting to read because they show us how work can give one experience, satisfaction, and prepare one for the real world.