Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Slocum's workplace is a far cry from a Silicon Valley startup with cool hammocks, free lunches, and petting zoos.
In fact, it's quite the opposite.
Closed office doors and small talk are the norm, and fear is pervasive. Everybody is afraid of everyone else, and all keep their heads down and simply do their jobs. Slocum's office is symbolic of corporate America and its powers to sedate and suck the life out of workers, much like the tranquilizers and alcohol Mr. and Mrs. Slocum consume. All this fear also indicates how dog-eat-dog competitive the whole thing is under the surface.
Insanity is common in the corporate office, and Slocum describes how at least one person in the office is going crazy at any given time. The nature of workplace has a lot to do with this trend, though the connection goes unspoken. Workers are hard pressed to see why their colleagues snap, but how can you not be driven crazy by the monotony of office life?
In the office, people don't say what they think, and they only think to themselves what they wish to say. Most of the men in the office are cheaters, and they often hit on the younger girls who work there. We guess they're looking to break the boring routine, but they're also contributing to everyone's misery, since none of them will ever leave their wives for younger girls. As if that would even help, anyway.
A lot goes down at the office, including a lot of wasted time. Slocum only does tasks when they matter most, and he'll often hand off tasks to other people simply because he can. He doesn't seem to do much in his job, and the one thing he wants he can't have, which is to speak at the company convention. His boss Jack Green won't let him do it—a clear representation of the arbitrary power Green has over Slocum.
When Slocum is promoted to Kagle's role, he's permitted to finally speak at the convention, and this makes him feel important in the company. Even worse, though, is the fact that nobody will ever remember his speech. Something so meaningful to Slocum is basically meaningless to everyone else.
Bummer.