Sometimes a Great Notion Literary Elements

Fiction novel

Set in the 1960s in Wakonda town, Oregon, in the context of logging.

Third-person point of view.

Threatening, optimistic sad

Henry Stamper is the protagonist.

The conflict comes when the workers in the logging industry at Wakonda, Oregon, go on strike demanding increased hours of work. The union demands that workers be prioritized, not machines, which leads to reduced working hours. Technology isa threat to the union because employers are embracing cost reduction methods.

The climax comes when loggers at Stamper's small company do not strike like other workers in the union. Stamper's opinion on the strike is political and philosophical.

The introduction of technology in the logging industry in Oregon foreshadowed loss of employment because employers looked forward to reducing labour costs.

'Never Give an Inch' is Stamper's opinion on the strike is understated. The union interpreted it as defiance to deny the employees the voice of opposing the introduction of machines in the logging industry. However, Stamper defended his employees because he could not install machinery at his company. Otherwise, his employees could have gone strike too.

The story alludes to the changing trends in the business sector influenced by the improvement of technology. By the time the novel was written, people had started losing jobs and other's only working for few hours because employers heavily relied on machinery to achieve cost reduction and efficiency.

The images of the Oregon landscape are imagery enhancing sight to readers.

The paradox of technology is evident throughout the text. On one side, technology is good for employers, but on the other side, technology is bad for the employees because it denies them work.

There is parallelism between Stamper’s view on the union strike and the employees engaging on strike.

N/A

Technology is personified as brutal by the union because it disturbs the working environment.