Literary Analysis Essay on The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit by Sloan Wilson

Introduction

The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit presents the life of a former army serviceman who had just gotten into formal employment. The man had to change from his army uniform during the time of World War 2 to suits, as is the case in formal workplaces. He struggles to sustain his family with his limited salary and escape war memories that took a dreadful toll on him. During his time in the American forces, he had killed many people some of whom were disguised as his friends, he had loved an Italian girl despite his marital status and was escaping all the memories of his former life in his renewed self. The story presents the roles of women, mass media and social paradigms in the 1950s that shaped identity and inspired the hitherto American Dream.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

To be able to serve in the corporate work environment, Tom Rath, the protagonist in the novel had to make sacrifices. His identity was largely shaped by his time in World War 2, and as a veteran, he lived a life of anxiety. He had the attribute of "not caring" as evident during his interview at the United Broadcasting Corporation. Unlike other aspiring employees, Tom acted like an automaton and walked into the interview without an autobiography as requested (Sloan 84). He did not care what the expectations were and maintained a wry personality all along the interview. His "not caring" aspect of his identity was rooted in his service life when he had to jump from planes using parachutes. He always inspired himself by saying "it doesn't matter" anytime he was uncertain of his fate after a jump or before slaying an enemy militant.

Most war veterans in the 1950s America were battling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)( Hierholzer et al. 816). The disorder occurs when a person experiences a significant ordeal with terrifying consequences that involve physical harm in most cases. Tom had caused bodily harm to many enemy combatants and faced near-death experiences virtually every day of his service life. PTSD manifested itself in his work life and relationships with other people. In one instance, he saw a young man at the train station and had the flashback of his time when he slayed a German soldier of the same age as the young man. Tom had difficulties in his family due to the PTSD syndrome. His wife, Betsy was afraid of Tom and claimed that she never understood Tom ever again after the war. The war changed her husband, as was the case with most veterans of the time who faced an identity crisis in integrating with society and leading normal lives away from the atrocities of World War 2.

Wilson's book presents genuine conspiracies about war veterans' integration into society. A study by Hierholzer et al. (817) found out that PTSD was evident in veterans of the Vietnam War and Second World War. The veterans showed chronic anxiety, depression, periods of amnesia, complaints, and dependence on drugs. The symptoms of PTSD are synonymous with the life of Tom in Wilson's novel. Tom faced difficulties with sleeping, anxiety and periods of amnesia. His retirement sent him to an entirely different corporate life that he had no experience about. The book thus presents conspiracies that were present in the 1950s as evidenced by clinical tests on war veterans.

Success in the 1950s' corporate environment came at a price of many sacrifices (Sandeen 24). Mr. Hopkins, the president of the corporation where Tom worked, was a successful businessman. However, he did not enjoy his wealthy lifestyle as it had come at the sacrifice of his family. He had eroded relationships with his daughter and wife. While conversing with Tom, he revealed that he his daughter, Susan, viewed money as immoral. She hated his father for neglecting his family in a bid to conform to the corporate culture and lead his organization to success. Mr. Hopkins was a conformist and thus the success in business at the expense of human relationships and family love.

Mr. Hopkins's life was an embodiment of the phrase "lonely at the top." If only he were to turn back time, he would give up his wealth to gain back his family. According to David Riesman, the Second World War ended the great depression in America (Riesman 44). He authored a book entitled "The Lonely Crowd" which explored the lives of top corporates such as CEOs and managers in 1950s America. When the war ended, America was lagging in matters of technology implementation and modernization of life. Most people were involved in corporate workplaces as industries and companies were growing tremendously. As a result, most people were caught up with the corporate entity to the extent of neglecting their families. There was a common paradigm of conforming to a new class defined by corporate life. Individualism was neglected and leisure time was used to amass wealth and devise more strategies for business. The top class in society could afford anything but were never happy. Mr. Hopkins has regrets that prove the validity of the 1950's saying that it is indeed lonely at the top.

Betsy presents the role of women in the 1950's America. She was the voice of reason to Tom and guided his corporate life. From Tom's first job, Betsy led him to discussions about their family, how they needed to prepare for the college education of their 3 children, how they needed to plan for a bigger house as their children grew and most of all how they needed to uphold family compassion despite the pursuits in the corporate career. Betsy was the contrast of Mr. Hopkins and her loyalty to family was unshakeable. She presents 1950's women as drivers of policy and inspires their husbands to achieve corporate success in line with the mission to achieve the American Dream. However, that was not the case in major institutions. At the United Broadcasting Corporation, females were only secretaries, and none of them made it to top managerial positions. According to Hill (67), male chauvinism was common in corporate American 1950's. Although the society was not entirely sexist, women were hired based on their physical appearances since most held reception and front office jobs. On the off chance that sexism was not employed in the corporate world, the women hired had to be far more efficient than their male counterparts.

Due to advances in technology, mass media was deeply ingrained in the social fabric. For instance, the television was a sign of wealth and status in society and a perfect way to raise kids according to Tom (Sloan 102). UBC was the ideal place for Tom's career because it allowed him his free will in line with his personality as a war veteran. His identity was founded on patriotism and protection of the American dream. To do that, he understood that he had to present the situation on the ground directly as it is to Hopkins to enable him succeeds in his campaign. Fellow employees such as his supervisor had no ethics and reported what would appease their managers instead of what the real situations were. Tom and other executives should not be afraid to report actual findings to their bosses since corporate ethics are a vital factor in organizational success.

Tom's family American Dream was a risk. His first job only allowed his basic needs and maintained his family without any long-term investment. His second job was well paying, and despite the many moral dilemmas, he managed to remain ethical and balance between work and family. Hopkins once requested Tom to accompany him to California. Tom uncaringly declined the offer risking his job. However, Hopkins understood him and respected his decision (Sloan 175). The World War 2 service is essential because it nurtured loyalty and ethics in Tom. The high-rise office, televisions and luxurious mansions are symbols of the wealthy class that all lose meaning once the "top-class" alienate themselves from society.

Conclusion

The novel presented key conspiracies in the 1950's that continue to shape the American Dream. The characters developed all themes satisfactorily creating an accurate representation of life in historical America. War veterans such as Tom faced an identity crisis, which threatened their success in the corporate world. The media, ethics, and roles of women are subjects of contemporary debates just as they were in the 1950's. However, modern organizational practices have watered-down the "lonely at the top" meaning and led to harmonious coexistence between corporates, their families and society.

Works Cited

Hierholzer, Robert, et al. Clinical presentation of PTSD in World War II combat veterans. Psychiatric Services 43.8 (1992): 816-820.

Hill, Rebecca. Fosterites and Feminists, Or 1950s Ultra-Leftists and the Invention of America. New Left Review 228 (1998): 67.

Riesman, David. The lonely crowd: A study of the changing American character. Vol. 16. Doubleday, 1953.Sandeen, Eric J. Picturing an exhibition: The family of man and 1950s America. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1995.

Sloan, Wilson. The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit. Cambridge, Mass.: Bentley (1955).