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Orientation - Daniel Orozco Reading Questions

Prompt

  1. What is the source of humor in "Orientation"? Write a claim that identifies Orozco's use of humor in the text. Find specific passages to support your claim.
  2. Who is the narrator? How would you describe the narrator's tone?
  3. To whom is the narrator speaking?
  4. How does Orozco characterize the office workers?

Response

  1. In "Orientation" by Daniel Orozco, the humor primarily stems from the exaggerated and absurd depictions of office life and its inhabitants, highlighting the ridiculousness of bureaucratic procedures and employee behaviors.

    • "John LaFountaine who sits over there uses the women's room occasionally. He says it is accidental. We know better but we let it pass. John LeFountaine is harmless, his forays into the forbidden territory of the women's room simply a benign thrill, a faint blip on the dull flat line of his life."
    • "Russell Nash has put on forty pounds and grows fatter with each passing month, nibbling on chips and cookies while peeking glumly over the partitions at Amanda Pierce, and gorging himself at home on cold pizza and ice cream while watching adult videos on TV."

  2. The narrator is an unnamed office supervisor or senior employee, guiding a new hire through the intricacies of office life and protocols. Their tone is strikingly deadpan and matter-of-fact, presenting bizarre and eccentric office details with an air of normalcy that adds to the story's dark humor.

  3. The narrator is speaking to a new employee who is being oriented to the office.
  4. Orozco characterizes the office workers as individuals engulfed in their peculiarities and personal dramas, vividly illustrating their quirks and obsessions. This portrayal highlights a sense of isolation and eccentricity within the mundane office setting, where each character's unique traits and behaviors stand out starkly against the backdrop of routine office life.