TITLE In George Saunders’ short story, Exhortation the reality of being working class means that worth inside the company is associated with production numbers, which is not only suggested throughout the text, but also metaphorically touched on, through the narrator’s Todd’s, consistent use of the simile, ‘the shelf’. In the short story, being working class also means that workers are subjected to all sorts of emotional turmoil as a result of their morally challenging job. This emotional turmoil is over and over again dismissed and brushed off by Todd and other’s in high positions, by suggesting that the emotions that Room 6 causes wouldn’t have such a large effect on the workers if they had a positive outlook on the work. Although Todd and other authoritarian figures …show more content…
]” (87) Todd’s chosen words heavily demonstrate the lack of empathy portrayed by the figures in charge, where instead of being understanding and helpful towards Andy in a difficult time, Todd attempts to make it clear that Andy’s mood and discontent is a waste of production and personal time. Todd refers to Andy’s current emotional state as the employee simply ‘boo-hooing’, seemingly suggesting that Andy had put himself in a state of such discontent. Todd’s philosophy for the entirety of the message that was sent out to the staff has been that a positive mindset will aid in making the actions done in Room 6 more bearable. At the same time, Todd manipulates that idea, turning Andy, and the way the employee fell into depression into an example, despite the clear rough emotional patch that Andy is going through. In Todd’s mind, the way to avoid the pathetic burn-out that employees that came before experienced, is to upkeep the positive mindset referred to in the memorandum. Todd emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive outlook, even in times of