Writing Notes - Some Lessons from the Assembly Line

1. The article I chose to read for the long-term critical analysis was “Some Lessons from the Assembly Line” by Andrew Braaksma. 2. Looking at the author’s work, I believe that the purpose of the article was to send a message to the readers about the importance of working hard and chasing what you want to achieve in life. I think he intends to say that, regardless of how difficult a task may be, in the end the hardships will be well worth it. The author writes, “ The things that factory work has taught me--how lucky I am to get an education, how to work hard, how easy it is to lose that work once you have it--are by no means earth-shattering. Everyone has to come to grips with them at some point. How and when I learned these lessons, however, has inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.” This quote says that the lessons he learned, despite how much the work put him through, were just as valuable as his hard work and education. Everyone will come to terms with this at some point in their lives, and it will help them see the importance of hard work. 3. The key points I’d like to point out that support the author’s purpose are found first in the sixth paragraph. The author states, “Factory life has shown me what my future might have been like had I never gone to college in the first place.” This statement is the author addressing the fact that his appreciation for his education and hard work comes from seeing how he could be spending his days if he hadn’t gone to school. His work in school and at the factory is paying off and is worthwhile in the end. The second point is seen in the next paragraph; “After working 12-hour shifts in a factory, the other options have become brutally clear. When I'm back at the university, skipping classes and turning in lazy re-writes seems like a cop-out after seeing what I would be doing without school.” The author then states how all those claims about your education being valuable are seeming to be true. This statement supports the author’s purpose, as he is emphasizing the importance of hard work, even if that work is in school. The idea of skipping classes and turning in re-written work would be tossing all his hard work away and putting him in a position where he would be essentially stuck in a position like the factory. The third and final point is seen in the last paragraph of the reading where the author says, “How and when I learned these lessons, however, has inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.” Having experiences that differed like day and night helped the author see the value of an education and hard work. They also allowed him to see the importance of chasing what he wanted to achieve, and not letting the opportunity slip by or be achieved through lazy work. 4. When looking at the author’s potential audience, the target could have easily been young readers that are going through not just college or university, but also high school. It could be aimed towards any student that is balancing an education and a job at the same time. The author explained the good side of holding a job along with school, such as being able to see the importance of your education or the ability to save money by staying at home to work. However, he also listed the bad, explaining how his checks seemed to disappear, or his vacations never truly felt like a time to relax. He let the readers see both sides of his work and school life, relating to anyone in a similar situation. This piece could have also been written for an average audience, being meant for anyone. The article highlighted the importance of hard work and education, something anyone can relate to or agree with.