Essay Questions

What is the universal theme across all stories in the book 'Orientation: And Other Short Stories'?

Orozco emphasizes the significance of synchronization in the novel, and it emerges as the central theme across all stories. The first illustration of this theme is explained when employees work together to achieve a common goal despite their differences. According to the author, individual differences should never interfere with harmony. In his illustration, the author explains how employees hide Kevin's true character, who is a serial killer, to ensure that tasks are accomplished without disruption. Therefore, the author reminds readers to understand the significance of harmony in a workplace by encouraging them to bury their conflicts and work towards a common goal.

How does a contemporary man's life surface as the central motif in the book Orientation: And Other Stories by Orozco?

Life is a journey that one cannot walk alone, and this is the main message the author passes when saying that characters such as love, cry, and hate walk together through life. No individual is perfect and self-sufficient. Therefore, people need each other to succeed in life. Any person who tries to walk alone in the journey of life will not go far. Thus, joining hands and working together is the only assurance of a successful future.

Explain how the author uses imagery in the book to engage readers.

Orozco has capitalized on the imageries of sight, hearing, and touch in engaging his readers. For instance, the author talks about the urban legends in which readers can see and listen to what Barry Hackers is going through after his wife's death. Every other person in the office sees Hacker's wife on the computer screen, but he does not believe them. Hackers' wife's haunting sounds also disturb him, which depicts the sense of hearing to readers. The story of the supermarket evokes a feeling of anxiety in readers.