Critical Analysis
The essay, “Some Lessons from the Assembly Line” is a key testament to the difficulties of a life without a college education. Braaksma intends to inform his audience of the complications of a life without a college education. To achieve this, he indicates the challenges that his coworkers face while he gets to resume studies. This fact appears in the statement that “Many people pass their lives where I briefly work, spending 30 years where I spend only 2 months” (Braaksma 1). After the complex challenges he shows, such a life is difficult to imagine.
The author’s indication of the vulnerability of work without a college degree strongly explains his assertions. This appears when Braaksma notes that “My lessons about education are learned at the expense of those who weren’t fortunate enough to receive one. “This job pays well but its hell on the body” (Braaksma 1). This statement portrays the inconsequential nature of the job. While it pays little according to the author, those who have worked there long accept it but belabor about its impact on the body.
The author intends to reach out to his fellow students through the juxtaposition of his life and work. In the statement that “My friends who take easier, part-time jobs never seem to understand why I’m so relieved to be back at school in the fall or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation” (Braaksma 1). This fact, connected to the fact that “After working 12-hour shifts in a factory, the other options have become brutally clear” (Braaksma 1) affirm the author’s juxtaposition and targeted audience.
The author’s claim is efficient through his exemplification of duties and comparative assessment of his situation. By indicating the amount of work he has to do, and the meager pay received, the author succeeds in confirming the claim of how hard work without a college education can be for anyone. The grim image of those who spend their years there and the difficulty and vulnerability of the job furthers this claim.
In conclusion, Braaksma details the challenges faced by people without a college education in the workforce. Through the juxtaposition of the challenges versus the bliss of college life, the author succeeds in painting the image of the grim life that awaits those who opt out of college.
Work Cited
Braaksma, Andrew. “Some Lessons From The Assembly Line.” Newsweek, vol. 146, no. 11, Sept. 2005, p. 17. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mth&AN=18139488&site=ehost-live.