Comparing Two Companies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparing Two Companies - Research Paper Example Having been the fourth time for American Express to receive this recognition shows that there is uniqueness in the corporate ethics of the company. The company has a post known as the Chief Ethics & Compliance Office. The officer in this position is responsible for ensuring that there is a commitment by the company to ethics. This commitment is also ensured from the top administration to every level up to the bottom. The Johnson & Johnson Company has a values-based ethical culture. The company is mainly guided by the credo which is a training and guidance manual. This manual was created by the Josephson Institute of Ethics. The principles that guide the company’s ethics are on a stone at the company’s headquarters in New Brunswick. The values inscribed in the credo lay down the company’s base of operations. This has the implication that staff compliance to the same determines the success of the company. While many companies have a corporate compliance office head ed by the chief compliance officer or the Ethics Officer as exemplified by the American Express, this is not the case at Johnson & Johnson. The reasoning behind the exemption of such an office is that every staff member should value themselves at the sole guardians of the ethical principles as stipulated in the credo. In every meeting or conferencing of the company, time is set aside to discuss the credo. The American Express is guided by an integrity strategy with regard to corporate ethics. This is seen through its promotion of high standards that guide business behavior. It has a sound ethical environment that results in profitability. As observed, there is no ethics compliance office which makes every employee accountable for their code of ethics in all business operations. Profits have been recorded every year due to the fact that every staff member does their level best in a non-conditioned behavior to follow the ethics of the company. It is an integrity strategy because each employee must conduct themselves with integrity under no supervision when it comes to adherence to the code of ethics. The assumption is that when such ethics are leveled regardless of the level of employees, all feel that they have the same responsible in a bid to better the company. The company expects all employees including the executives to adhere to the set out codes of ethics with the same zeal. At Johnson & Johnson, it is more of a compliance strategy. The principles are laid out in the credo which is supposed to be followed religiously. This puts pressure on employees to do everything possible to not only hit the numbers, but to also keep their jobs. This is the reason that Johnson & Johnson has been recording losses and more so, having numerous lawsuits. The lawsuits are a result of products gone back and therefore not effective to customers. Perhaps employees are busy trying to follow the credo and the management pressure to deliver profitability. While the balance betwee n patients and profits is tricky, a compliance-based kind of statement of principles may not work effectively. The observation is that compliance standards do not work well in the pharmaceutical business. The American Express company has a better Corporate Ethics Program compared to Johnson & Johnson. Firstly, it is self-motivating in that employees are their own guardians. Staff members therefore feel a sense of self-responsibility towards bettering the company. The result is that profits are

Struggles for Freedom and Equality Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Struggles for Freedom and Equality - Assignment Example Martin Luther King took more of a collaborative approach. In essence, he felt that this battle was for whole America, not just the African Americans themselves. King felt that it was the duty of the humanity to act on the behalf of equality, and that a non-violent approach would go long ways to ensure that equality will be achieved for African Americans. Malcolm X was a Muslim, and believed in Muslim principles. His most famous line was â€Å"By any Means Necessary†. Malcolm X understood that to simple play â€Å"fire with fire.† This was a complete different approach to his colleague - Martin Luther King. Malcolm X understood that freedom must be achieved by any means. However later in his life, he changed his views and become more susceptible to nonviolence. Even during the famous March to Washing, Malcolm X felt that this would destroy the focal point of black freedom. In essence, he was a segregationist and was confined to the equality of African Americans within

The Labor Movement in the 1920s Essay Example for Free

The Labor Movement in the 1920s Essay As a correction to the wartime effort, inflation and unemployment increased because there was not a need to mass-produce products for war, and America had to return to normalcy. The amount of labor unrest increased during this time period, which is very obvious by the increase of labor strikes. There was a strike by the United States Steel Corporation workers in 1919. They were annoyed with their seven 12 hour workdays a week. The leader of the American Federation of Labor joined the International Workers of the World (which was a communist group dedicated to freeing the bonds of workers) after the strike. A committee published a report that illustrated the horrible working conditions, which eventually caused steel companies to reduce to an eight-hour day. The United Mine Workers went on strike in hope of receiving better wages and a shorter workday. Attorney General Palmer got a court order that told the strikers to return to work. Lewis formally declared the strike over, but it continued for another month until Wilson appointed an arbitrator to decide the remaining issues. The Mine Workers received a 27 percent pay increase, but the same hours. The police in Boston wanted pay raises and sent a group to commissioner Coolidge, to hear their demands. Coolidge fired the group and the rest of the force went on strike. The National Guard restored the peace and Coolidge hired a new police force and granted the demands of the strikers. During this time period a group of stores called chain stores were becoming popular, they spread throughout the country, were owned by one person, and charged lower prices for products. The 122 million U.S. citizens began losing their jobs because of the throng of migrating immigrants who worked for low wages, modern technology becoming useful in the make of products. Working men had a hard time adjusting to women that were also fighting against inequality for the right to work. Because of prosperity, labor unions lost membership from 5 million in the early 20s to 3.5 million by  the late 20s. Corporate and Government attack on labor strikes became extremely intense. People who participated in strikes were beaten and sometimes killed. And last a small fact, the average annual income for the typical American worker was only $1,574.

Purchase Intention of Consumers: Instant Noodles

Purchase Intention of Consumers: Instant Noodles Chapter 1 Generalities of the study Introduction of study During the economic recession, consumers have to spend more economically and change their consumption behavior. Food which people around the world initially thinks of and enables people to save more is instant noodles which are very cheap and have diversified brands and flavors. Therefore, the instant noodle market can make a lot of money when compared with other consumption goods because consumers like to buy and store the instant noodles during the economic recession period. Almost every family in Thailand always store and eats the instant noodles as a meal or emergency food. When people are hungry at night and they want to save money, the instant noodles are their first choice. The study of Nano Search Co., Ltd showed that, at present, consumers buy and eat the instant noodles with which they have been familiar or a long time. Thai people in all ages know the instant noodles in diversified brands and original and new flavors which meet consumers need. Most students at Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT) have domiciles in various provinces while some students houses are from the university. Therefore, they have to live in the dormitories outside and inside the university. As most students have no incomes, they have to save their expenditure on consumption. Therefore, the instant noodles are their first choice because there are several brands and original and new flavors of the instant noodles which meet consumers need. Therefore, the idea to learn about what events or factors affecting the consumption of instant noodles students. Instant noodle is very famous in Thailand. It has variety of brand and target to many age ranges. Many children love to eat instant noodle especially not when they are not boiled. They eat it as snacks. Instant noodles sold in ready-to-prepare packages area popular industrially processed food in Thailand. Six million packages are produced each day, 80% of which are made by only three companies. Most are consumed domestically, although they are also exported. In 1993instant noodle consumption in Thailand was 30 packs per capita [Anonymous. Reaching the masses. Asia Pacific Food Industry 1996;8:38-45.]. Over 90% of these instant noodles are of the deep-fried type, which are sometimes classified by academics as junk food due to their high salt, fat, and carbohydrate content and low-quality protein. Therefore, the label on the package suggests adding meat or egg and vegetables, which is the traditional mode of eating noodles in Thailand. However, because of inconvenience, this suggestion is seldom practiced by consumers. Both males and females aged 15 to 49 years from all socio-economic strata in Thailand consume instant noodles. The consumption of the products according to the countrys regions and zones is shown in table 1. Forty-one percent of the products are consumed in Bangkok, at the same percentages as in up-country rural areas. TABLE 1. Regional and zonal percent distributions of instant noodles Location Percentage Regions Bangkok 41 Central 17 North 18 North-East 18 South 7 Zones Bangkok 41 Rest of country Urban 18 Rural 41 Source: Thai President Foods Public Company Limited, Bangkok,Thailand, 1996. There are many brands present i.e. MAMA, WAI WAI, YUM YUM, and etc. The instant noodle war is very competitive. As the data on 21st June, 2010, the leader brand is MAMA of Thai President Food. It has market share 53 percent or around 5,000 Million Baht. Meanwhile WAI WAI- the market follower of Thai Preserved Food Factory takes only 25 percent [www.banmuang.co.th]. For MAMA cup, it has been grown by 50% when compare with the sales at the same period last year. That is the highest sales volume during last 20 years. The growth in market value leaped in significant level in last 6 years, as seen in below table. Table 2: Market value of instant noodle Year Market Value (Million Baht) Percentage 2005 9,500 2006 10,000 5.26% 2007 11,500 15.00% 2008 12,000 4.35% 2009 10,000 -16.67% 2010 10,300 3.00% 2. Statement of the research Instant noodle is widely eaten all around Thailand. As we can see in news during recession period, we will see in the news keep telling about Mama Index. The index is the total consumption of instant noodle. The report is interested in purchasing behavior of the students at Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi. The research would like to study the relationship of purchasing. The research is conducted within RMUTT and data collection will be gathered from RMUTT student. 3. Research Objectives Objective of this research are listed as below; 1. To study the reason for the purchase of instant noodles students. 2. To study the advertising is to attract the consumption of instant noodles students. 3. To study the satisfaction of the students in the appropriate price and quality. 4. To study the satisfaction and popularity of the student with flavor of instant noodles. 4. Scope of the Research We will study about instant noodles consumption behavior of Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi Students by making selected representative sample of 100 people resided in dormitories of internal and external university to take Questionnaires on various topics related to the purchase of instant noodles such as the reason for the purchase, advertising of instant noodle, appropriate price and quality and flavor of student satisfaction. We will collect data to analyze the behavior of students instant noodle consumption. 5. Limitations of the Research Problem of data errors may have findings that do not match reality because the university has students many which representative samples are less than 10% of all students. Researcher still has limitations in terms of research and duration of storage could not increase the number of representative samples. 6. Significance of the Study Significance of the study about instant noodles consumption behavior of Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi Students. To know what the factors affecting consumption of students and students have any opinion about the instant noodles today. To manufacturers and distributors preliminary results of this study can be used as guidelines for improvement of instant noodles better and for this research will enable students consume Instant noodles even more desirable. Provided the problem and make suggestions, manufacturer and distributor of lead analysis and action. 7. Definition of Terms 1. Instant noodles means: Product line which consisting of noodles or cooked and partially cooked. Garniture different flavor. Oil and seasoning in the appropriate ratio. Packed in small envelopes. Total containers and packaging in the same Cook without eating more than five minutes. 2. Economic recession means: Lower economic growth sluggish start trading conditions. Sellers are less Operators to reduce production losses due. Consequences are the termination of employment. 3. Changing consumer behavior means: That the expression of individuals directly related to the use of products and economic waiter. Process, including decisions affecting expression. Chapter 2 Literature review and previous studies 2.1Definition and Features of the Independent Variables For the literatures reviews and related studies part, there are 3 major sections as the following: Health Awareness Health becomes a hot issue for todays talk. There are many reports and news that related to health care. People are concern to health more than past. As we can see from the product which has sold in the market, they are presented as organic product, non-chemical products and many things those were labeled as chemical-free. There are some supermarkets that has organic corner. Moreover a corner in the supermarket, there are supermarkets those sell only organic food- Whole Food grocery shop. Whole food has dedicate all the store are to organic because there are many customer that want to use organic product as we can see from the sales revenue. The revenue of Whole food has climbed up every year. It has increased by 70% in past 4 year (Fiscal Year 2005 2009, source www.wholefood.com). It means there are many people interested in health more and more. Furthermore this trend is still increasing. Price The study found that instant noodles are a low cost of production is sold on the cheap, but in terms of food quality noodles are semi-successful low nutritional value, if too many consumers will negatively impact the body. Student RMUTT take into account the price and quality rather than quantity of food. Convenience Convenience is easy to buy and easy to eat. Instant noodle has convenience as its point of sales. Convenience also means easy to buy. Income Income is money which is paid to the student. It means money that has paid by their parents, by employer of their part time jobs and other ways. 2.2 Theories Related to the Independent Variable(s) 2.2.1 Health awareness Food safety is an important issue that has shown a thoughtful effect on the consumers behavior in the food industry. Also the growing awareness about health wellness play an important role in influencing the consumers demand for healthy food products. People are concern to health more and more every day. Junk food is suggested not to take too much especially taking balance dietary. Also many organizations promote health awareness to the public. Regular breakfast eating, physical activity and regular sleep patterns were associated with good Quality of life among early adolescents [Chen, 2005]. Unhealthy sleep habits are increasing and related to several other behavioral and emotional problems among children [Lui et al, 2002]. In addition, although protein-energy malnutrition in Thailand has lessened in severity over the past 10 years, deficiencies of certain micronutrients, such as iodine, irons, and vitamin A, are still significant. Among the many control and prevention strategies t hat have been implemented, fortification of industrially processed foods is now emerging as potentially important, since a growing reliance on such foods by the Thai people has arisen due to the countrys rapidly expanding industrialized and cash-based market economy. One such food is the instant noodle, which is acceptable, available, and affordable in Thailand. Woman with high age, high education has positive effect on consumer likelihood to concern on health [Wied, 2006]. 2.2.2 Price First, the noodles manufacturing is facing fierce competition domestically because of rapid development of alternative food. The instant noodle market is reaching maturity status, slowing growth. That is to say, operators have to develop new products to spur buying sentiment. To avoid competition, operators should build a sound brand image and reinforce marketing strategies and brands to increase sales. A large degree of overlap in noodle products should exhort firms to improve their abilities to control costs in order to ensure profits. Moreover, operators should also rely on joint purchases to deal with soaring prices of raw materials. First-tier firms may rely on parent companies resources, while small and medium enterprises on joint-purchases to lower costs. Next the cost of a 55-g package of instant noodles is only 3.50 to 4.00 baht (US$0.14-0.16), whereas one serving of Thai fast food costs at least 10-15 baht (US$ 0.50-0.60). This price increased in October 1996 after remainin g at about 3.00 baht (US$0.12) for almost 16 years. The price was previously fixed because of high market competition. Instant noodles are a low-profit-margin product, but they can be distributed to consumers all over the country. While The attitude distribution survey found that the target customers of instant rice noodle product had attitude types mainly belongs to Reformer and Mainstreamer class. These types of attitude classes had a significant correlation to the product characteristics of sensory quality, added nutrition, convenience and price. Such information could be used for product communication. Moreover in Thailand, the cost of a 55-g package is about 5 baht, whereas one serving of Thai fast food costs at least 20 25 baht. Instant noodles are therefore an affordable dish for people of all socioeconomic levels. And In the United States, the cost of a volumetric feeder varies widely between US$ 5,000 and 7,000, while that of a ribbon or paddle Blender/mixer varies between US$ 9,000 and 15,000. This equipment, however, may be available locally at lower prices. Next to Instant food become more and more necessity in fast pace ages. Instant noodle and rice etc. are featured as the merits of low price and convenience but the demerits of high-calorie and nutrition shortage. In China, the major consumers of instant noodle can be divided into two categories: one is travelers and the other is single youths, such as university students and so on. In China, the price of instant noodle packed with bag is below two Yuan (0.29 USD) and the price of instant noodle packed with bowl is less than four Yuan (0.58 USD). However, the average price of a buffet is more than eight Yuan (1.14 USD) in the big cities in China. In 2008, the sales volumes of Chinese instant noodle, rice and vermicelli were over 5.5 million tons valued at least 6 billion USD, in which instant noodle accounted for about 95% market share of sales volumes and 90% market share of sales revenues. How ever The prices of instant noodles have scale up with the increase in the prices of basic material including the main basic material wheat flour. Now the prices of instant noodle have risen to more than Rp 1,000 per 60-68 gram pack. As the latent demand for instant noodles in India is not actual or historic sale nor is a latent demand future sale. In fact, latent demand can be either lower or higher than actual sales if a market is inefficient (i.e., not representative of relatively competitive levels). Inefficiencies arise from a number of factors, including the lack of international openness, cultural barriers to consumption, regulations, and cartel-like behavior on the part of firms. In general, however, latent demand is typically larger than actual sales in a market. Finally, the domestic players hold the advantages of lower cost of production and distribution, competitive retail prices, local knowledge and network, but they are relatively weak in taste, variety, advertising an d packaging. 2.2.3 Convenience There are many reasons that people eating. Hungry is the basic reason but there are many others. For example want to eat, convenience, follow the colleague. However the reason for eating instant noodle may be a bit different. Nano research found that the behavior of consumers of instant noodles is I think eating 22.8 percent followed by hungry and 16.3 percent, to save money and 15.6 percent from the behavior of buying instant noodles with various sizes that the inquiry found. As we know that instant noodle is semi-cooked food. One of its sales points is convenience. It aims to be convenience food- ready to cook and ready to eat. Major cooking methods for instant noodle are as below. Tear the package Put the noodle into a bowl Tear all ingredient which contain in the package Pour hot water into the bowl Close the lid Wait for instant noodle for 3 minutes Enjoy the instant noodle The waiting time is 3 minutes, the waiting time is faster than cooking or buying the food. Convenience also means easy to buy. Instant noodle can be found in every grocery shop. Not only in papa-mama shop to super hyper store. 2.2.4 Income Instant noodle in Thailand has known as low price food. It has indicated the economic in Thailand. The index is very famous. It is called MAMA Index. This index always converted with economy status. When the index has risen, Thai economic is nearly falling down. Low income people who have money shortage will increase buying instant noodle. 2.3 Critical Analysis/Discussion of the Theories Related to the Dependent Variables Kent Wolfe, Marketing Analyst, the University of Georgia stated that purchase decision occurs when the consumer actually makes the purchase. It includes the product, method of payment, package, location of purchase and all other factors that are associated with purchasing the product. 2.4 Discussion of the Dependent Variables This step is directly influenced by marketers. If the marketing campaign was effective, consumers purchase the product. Marketers have an impact on this portion of the process by their interaction with consumers. Advertising directly impacts the purchase decision by stimulating consumers awareness of a need, providing relevant product information and helping them evaluate the product and derive that this is their best purchase option. 2.5 Relationship of the independent variable to the Dependent variable. Research indicate that consumers will step behavior of instant noodles are consumed. When student demand to eat instant noodles Student will demand to buy noodles semi Finished form and the purchasing behavior Student to compare the suitability of the price And some student will consider the nutritional value And these factors will result in Instant noodle consumption Behavior of RMUTT Students 2.6 Previous Studies Nano Search company, study about the behavior of instant noodles were consumed. The sample is 48.0 percent male and 52.0 percent female, age range can be classified into 3 age range is 18-25 years old accounted for 63.0 percent age 26-35 years accounted for 34.5 percent and over 35. in percentage 2.5 respectively of the sample income not exceeding 10,000 baht per cent 36.0 Income 10,001 15,000 baht per cent 28.5 and more than 15,000 percent 35.5 for education degree Most degree 93.0 percent respectively, followed. Education Secondary School. / Secondary and Vocational / associate professionals, respectively, private companies and 64.0 per cent to group students accounted for 17.5 percent. The study of the behavior of consumers of instant noodles that In the reasons for eating instant noodles found a reason to eat it. I think eating 22.8 percent respectively, followed by hungry and 16.3 percent, to save money and 15.6 percent from the behavior of buying instant noodles with various size that the inquiry found. Consumers have to buy popular instant noodle. Pack a small 46.0 percent and buy a big bag. 24.0 percent and buy a pack (envelope) of 24.0 per cent share at the same place to buy instant noodles at a regular place to buy it. Revealed that location was purchased by the majority is convenience store, such as 7-11 as 54.0 percent respectively, followed. Department store retail / wholesale (District Councils Department Store) as Lotus, Big C, , etc. representing 14.5 percent of the retail and online stores. Percentage 13.5, respectively, for the cost of buying instant noodles per month, it was found that the cost to purchase per month, approximately up to 50 per month, per cent 46.0 and more than 100 Baht percent per month. And from 31.0 to inquire about purchasing behavior of consumers of instant noodles that With the behavior. Buy the original brand new taste, but each time a purchase. Percent. 53.0 respectively, followed. The behavior of purchasing brand new But taste is taste the same. Percent. 20.0 and for the need to have instant n oodles at home always on them. Consumers see that Necessary to have instant noodles on the house always 68.0 percent and 32.0 percent, only to see that not only have to have instant noodles in the house on the important factors in decisions to buy instant noodles, it was found that the main factor. The good taste / smell / taste 24.9 percent respectively, followed. The advertising media. 10.3 per cent and can be purchased easily Available online.6.9 percent and the appropriate subject of inquiry in terms of quality and price to buy instant noodle. Found that most consumers agree on the appropriate price and quality of the noodle-half years at Sam Century Direct sales in general and the reason for that. Affordable quality that consumers price was good / not expensive and 58.1 percent full power good 12.9 percent. 3.2 Conceptual Framework Gender Health Awareness Intent to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT student Price Convenience Income of the student 3.3 Research Hypothesis Ho1- There is no relationship between intentions to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT Students toward gender. Ha1- There is relationship between intentions to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT Students toward gender. Ho2- There is no relationship between intentions to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT Students toward price. Ha2- There is relationship between intentions to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT Students toward price. Ho3- There is no relationship between intentions to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT Students toward convenience. Ha3- There is relationship between intentions to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT Students toward convenience. Ho4- There is no relationship between intentions to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT Students toward income. Ha4- There is relationship between intentions to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT Students toward income. Ho5- There is no relationship between intentions to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT Students toward health awareness. Ha5- There is relationship between intentions to purchase instant noodle of RMUTT Students toward health awareness. 3.4 Operationalization of the Independent and Dependent Variables Dependent variable Nominal Definition Operational Definition Level of Measurement Purchasing Decision Action occurred when the consumer actually makes the purchase. Consumers decide to buy CP ready meal product. Interval Scale Dimensions (X) (Conceptual Definition) (Operation Definition) Level of Measurement Health Awareness Being aware of how your body looks and feels and what is normal for you and to notice any changes. Scoring on consumers health awareness by using questionnaire to be evaluated by Likert Scale Interval Scale Price Price of instant food Price is low Ordinal Scale Convenience Easy to buy and easy eat Product can be found easily Interval Scale Product can be eaten easily Interval Scale Income Money received, especially on a regular basis, for work or through investments Divide into two group 1) Less than 6,000 2) More than 6,000 Ordinal Scale

Canadarm :: essays research papers

Canadarm Although Canada has been involved with the space race since the beginning, nothing has made our national pride glow like watching the space shuttles and seeing the big letters CANADA written across the Canadarm. The Canadarm was fist launched into space on November 13, 1981 as part of Columbia. During that mission, the Canadarm successfully flexed its muscles and secured its position in the future of space travel. It was developed by Spar Aerospace with the National Research Council and modelled after the human arm. Otherwise known as a Remote Manipulator System, it could lift 30 tonnes in space while being monitored and operated from the indoor shuttle flight deck. The Canadarm is about to introduce its new and improved sibling. Back in 1987, when documents were signed between countries to work towards a permanently manned Space Station, Canada agreed to provide a Mobile Servicing System (MSS). The MSS will be an integral part of the Space Station from the beginning, it will be used in the assembly, maintenance and servicing of the Station. In return, Canadians will be able to have full use of the Station and will assist with its management. Canadian Astronaut Julie Payette will be operating the new arm on its first mission and explains how in the following excerpt from a NASA Preflight Interview: "This arm flies like an airplane, it's a six-dimension arm where you can rotate the tip of the arm, so you can translate that tip along the cargo bay of the shuttle and up the stack of the International Space Station. It is an absolute joy to fly. Right after the space walk is complete is when I am timelined in the flight to go on the controls of the Canadarm, as we call it in Canada, or the remote manipulator system. I will use the camera, which is mounted at the end of the tip of the arm, to survey all the targets that are placed on the Space Station, the space vision target. I survey them to see if they're in good shape, any problems with them, if they've been scratched, and if there are bubbles in the material. The reason why the people from the space vision system program require that very thorough survey of every single target on the Space Station is that each target will be used on the next flight to manipulate and dock pieces of equipment together.

The River Warren and the Importance of Rivers In Our Lives :: River Warren Essays

The River Warren and the Importance of Rivers In Our Lives It was tradition. Every Sunday after church my dad, brother, and I would drive through the fields checking crops and whatever else made their homes in my father's fields. Then we'd drive down to the river to check how high or low it was, or to see how much worse the river was cutting into the land. The river flowed right at the end of the road, so my dad would always pretend he was going to drive straight into it. We live about one in a half miles from the Missouri River. We have our own private road that winds down to a small shoot that connects to it. Because of our closeness to the Missouri, I have grown to love and admire it. It is an enormous and amazing machine to me. I find peace and love for it. It's funny how much alike Jeff, Luke, (the two main characters in Kent Meyer's The River Warren) and I are towards our rivers. Their River Warren is my Big Missouri. Luke goes to the river to clear his head, to think about things, and to find himself. He also uses it as a means of control over his father. Two-Speed does not see the river as Luke does. Luke also finds understanding when he's on the river. He knows his father does not feel the same about the river, and that's why he takes him there. His father is afraid of the river, and Luke sees how afraid he really is. Before getting into the boat, Two-Speed "lifted his head like fire in the air. He realized he was alone-with someone who couldn't be conned. The river worked on him. It flowed into the moment. He knew this was my place. I saw that he knew"(223). The reason Luke brought his father out was "so that he could try to make sense of things, to make him stay put for awhile, to get enough control to where he had to talk to me, and to where he had to answer questions"(232). Two-Speed can't find himself. He's been lost all his life, made excuses for his drinking, and pretended he was someone else all his life.

The Voice You Hear Within

Oden 1 Jessica Oden Dr. Willis English Comp II February 20th 2013 â€Å"The Voice You Hear When You Read Silently† There are many works or art and literature that deal with one of the most intriguing and mysterious phenomenons in the world, the human mind. Like death, and the content of the heavens, it is a secret that can not be unlocked, and possibly the most personal and valuable secret. The mystery lies in the uniqueness of the individual brain with specific dreams and ideas that can not be copied or compared. This constant inconsistency makes stunning the mind basically impossible. There could be rooms filled with charts, diagrams, studies, and experiments to due with the human mind, and probably are, but there is no control group and therefore no definite answer can be reached. Even if an answer could be found, what is the question? The human mind is infinitely and simultaneously complex and simple, much like the poems of Thomas Lux (â€Å"Thomas Lux†). In Lux's poem â€Å"The Voice You Hear When You Read silently† he attempts to corner and identify one aspect of the ever mysterious mind. That voice heard only in the mind. The voice that remembers everything, that reflects integrity or lack there of, and finally that explains the world to one person only, forever. The conversation between the mind's voice and mind's eye is an intimate one that can not be overheard. Perception is the transfer of information from the senses to the brain, and that ever present inner voice is narrating the whole process. Everything seen, smelled, tasted, etc†¦ is recorded into the brain, and this information provides the basis for the connotation of everything perceived from that point on, Oden 2 so that the perception of the world changes constantly and in direct relation to how much exposure there is to new and unfamiliar things. Therefore the voice of the mind is constantly growing and expanding and developing a character all of its own. This character of the mind is what Lux is harping on in his poem, by explaining that no voices can be the same. He explains that this internal monologuer has the ability to see situations in jaded way and therefore the person will see them that way also. Chelsea Craig defined this phenomenon in a very accurate and descriptive manner: â€Å"This powerful and moving voice is enriched by my past, declares my present, and may even foretell what is to come. †(Craig 3) She gave this comment after reading Lux's work and ignoring it for some time (Craig 3). When she revisited the poem, she found that it contained an inherent truth about herself and every other human (Craig 3). Where does this voice of the mind reside? It seems to be rooted in the subconscious, which is the area of the brain that processes our perceptions and makes them real ideas that we can call upon and that sometime reveal themselves randomly to us in flashes and dreams. When these ideas cross over from the sub- to the consciene, there is a voice there to explain it all to the perceive. Lux refers to this part of the mind as a ‘dark cathedral† seeming to compare the human subconscious to a holy vessel of information that must be valued and cared for, and so out of this cathedral comes knowledge of a world that is difficult to understand even still. Reading is on of the best ways to stimulate the mind and feed your subconscious with the images and feelings revealed from the book. The feelings invoked my the writer, the images portrayed by the poet, are all decipher by a private, bias critical voice inside the mind. This voice is very selective and controlling. It will take the information provided and run it through many filters before opening it up to the rest of your mind, which is does with bias and judgment and opinion. This may seem unfair, but a person directly controls what their subconscious observes by controlling how much Oden 3 of the world they are willing to be exposed to. The example that Lux gives in his poem to illustrate the differences in the mind from over person to the next. The barn to one person could be a symbol of free time from kids running around an empty field with an abandoned building, that brings feelings of curiosity and intrigue from the children who saw it, to the parents of the children who see the barn as dangerous and ugly. The dreamers and seniors will have yet another idea of what a barn is. The expression Lux uses, â€Å"a sensory constellation is lit† explains how that voice takes in everything that is perceive by all the senses and makes since of them, like the figurative lighting of a light bulb above the head when an epiphany is reached or an idea is conceived (Lux). The sound of the voice of the mind, though a figurative idea, is also important and directly related to the person who owns that voice. In the first part of the poem, Lux repeats the word ‘say' in different forms, emphasizing with repetition that the mind can actually ‘hear' this voice and that the tone of it reflects and illustrates the connotation of the words being ‘said' (Lux). Each inner voice has its very own unique timbre, with its own unique accent derived from the experiences and actions of the person who conceived it. The poet used a noun to explain this idea, but alluded to the effect of ‘stronger' words of a sentence such as the verb or the subject. To take this part of the equations deeper, consider that the subject and verb makes the sentence. So to expand, if just the word ‘barn' can mean so many different things to different people, look at the entire sentence. Such as, for example, â€Å"She was taken into the barn. † This is a very simple sentence with neutral words, but the inner voice can interpret it as the actions of a hero or a villain. On the one hand, a farmer could be carrying a pregnant goat into the barn to be warm while she gives birth, on the other a stranger could be carrying a young girl into the barn with evil intentions. None of this is given to the reader in the sentence and so this inner voice uses Oden 4 what it knows to guess at the meaning of the sentence. The point of this poem is to uncover some of the mystery of the human mind, but seems to only illustrate that fact that it is infinitely mysterious. There is no way to ‘hear' another person's inner voice or understand the conceptions of another entirely. There are phrases such as â€Å"I know how you feel†, or â€Å"I can relate† that seem to imply otherwise, however these phrases are generalizations, and in and of themselves subject to the connotation given them by the inner voice. Does the person really understand or are they being sarcastic? Do they really have a clue what the other person is feeling? No, it is impossible to completely put their thinking cap on and hear the voice that whispers to them, interpreting the world and everything in it, individually for that person. Oden 5 1.Works Cited Lux, Thomas â€Å"the Voice you hear when you read silently†. ed. Vivian Garcia Edgar V. 2.Roberts Lehman cCollege The City University of New York Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, fifth compact edition, Longman 2012 Print. 3.â€Å"Thomas Lux†. Poetry Foundation. Chicago, IL 2012 http://www. poetryfoundation. org/bio/thomas-lux Web. Craig, Chelsea. 4.â€Å"Slow Down to Hear Your Inner Voice† University of Wisconsin. 2012 Http://liberaleducation. uswa. edu/scholarship/2ndAnnual/Chelsea_Craig. pdf Web.