Russell Baker

Russell Baker, "Work in Corporate America"

Russell Baker (1925- ) was born in Loudoun County, Virginia and earned a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University in 1947. He's worked as a newspaper writer and wrote the witty and widely syndicated "Observer" column for the New York Times from 1962 to 1998. Baker has also served as the host of the PBS program Masterpiece Theater. His books include Our Next President: The Incredible Story of What Happened in the 1968 Elections (1968), The Rescue of Miss Yaskell and Other Pipe Dreams (1983), and The Good Times (1989), and Looking Back (2002). He also contributes to periodicals such as the Atlanta Constitution, The National Interest, and The New York Review of Books. Among his many awards and honors, Baker has won the Pulitzer Prize twice, in 1979 (for the "Observer") and 1983 (for his 1982 memoir Growing Up). "Work in Corporate America," a look at the move away from making goods and toward a service economy, was first published in 1971 in the New York Times.

CONTENT

1. According to Baker, what has made modern children "dispirited" about the notion of work?
2. How has the way things are made changed over time?
3. What does the author have to say about the "typical" modern office building?
4. Within these buildings what is the most important object?
5. What different types of "junk" does the author mention?
6. How different is the job Baker was famous for compared to the ones that he describes through most of his essay?

STRATEGY AND STYLE

1. Several times Baker asks the reader to view his subject through a child's eyes. Find and examine these requests. Argue for the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of this device from the point of view of audience and perspective.
2. Examine this piece as a comparison/contrast essay. What two things are being compared and contrasted? How does the author support his main points?
3. The paragraphs in this piece are noticeably shorter than those in most of the others in your text. Discuss how this article's origin as a newspaper column affected this decision. How would the piece change if the media context changed? Pick one specific mass medium and explain.
4. Review the nature of the examples in paragraphs ten through sixteen. What do you make of the repetition found here? How might this literary device underline what the author is saying about the nature of "Work in Corporate America"?

1. Have you ever worked in an office? If you haven't, do you find it puzzling as to what actually goes on during the workday in offices? Do you find it puzzling even if you have? How can you tie in your experience with your reading?
2. Describe your dream job. How similar or different is it to the kind of work Baker describes here?

SUGGESTIONS FOR SUSTAINED WRITING

1. Baker suggests that a difficulty in conceptualizing work leads to workplace dissatisfaction. Read or re-read Studs Terkel's piece about the steel worker Mike Lefevre. Does Lefevre have trouble conceptualizing his work? Is there any indication that his children do? Is Lefevre happy with his work? How can you reconcile these observations with Baker's main points?
2. Given advances in communications and technology, what major changes have occurred in the workplace over the last quarter century or so? Have these made Baker's observations about paper obsolete? Do these changes represent a revolution, or have they evolved from earlier forms of technology?

FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

Baker describes the shift in the U.S. away from industry and manufacturing towards a corporate climate. He wrote this article in 1971. Do some research to find out about the broad trends in American commerce and industry since that time. In what sector have most of the new jobs been created in the last three decades? Has America made any sort of comeback from making "junk"?

WEB CONNECTION

This is the homepage of the PBS program Baker hosts, Masterpiece Theater. Here, you'll find a wealth of information, including links to an excellent literary timeline, FAQ, and a forum.

LINKS

Biographical

When Baker gave the John S. Knight Fellowship Lecture, the Department of Communication at Stanford University put together this biography. You'll also find a link to the lecture itself on this page.

This article from the Seattle Times about Baker's last column for the New York Times contains a good deal of biographical information. How does it differ from the information presented above?

Baker grew up in Loudoun County, Virginia. This page from the Loudoun County Public Schools gives you a picture of what the area looks like today.

Bibliographical

Ready to read more of Baker's work? Here are some reviews he wrote for The New York Review of Books. What major differences do you see between them and the readings in your text?

Click here to read Baker's introduction to the PBS show Masterpiece Theatre's adaptation of Othello. Do you ever watch that program? What television shows do you watch?

Baker wrote this portrait of the cultural changes taking place in the United States in 1964. Did any of the references give you trouble? How can you go about finding out more about them? (Free registration required.)

Cultural

Search here to find out how many Pulitzer Prizes Baker has won. What names do you recognize on the citation page(s)? How can you go about finding out more about them?

You're probably wondering what Baker thinks about french fries. A sure way to find out is to read this quote.

Read this review by Ward Just of Baker's The Good Times. What did you learn about the book from the review? What points made in the review would you have to consult the book directly to find out? (Free registration required.)