Fedex A Global Supply Chain Management Company Commerce Essay

Fedex A Global Supply Chain Management Company Commerce Essay FedEx is a global logistics and supply-chain management company Ng Farhoomand, 2002 that began operations in 1973 as an overnight package delivery company. Annual revenues exceed $20 billion and 24-48 hour delivery is available to well over 200 countries. In 2001, FedEx was named one of the top ten most admired corporations in America (Boyle, 2002). FedEx has been in the industry for quite a time now. It has built its system strong that from being an express delivery company it has been a supply-chain management company. With the help of innovation and introduction of internet by the year 1994, it has been evident that the services provided by FedEx have been better. Though it has tried to integrate the e-commerce system, the Company has been struggling to be more than an express delivery. The competitors for the express delivery industry have been growing but there have been reports that the transportation volume growth of FedEx was slowing down. Due to this instance, the FedEx has decided to make a re-organizing the structure hoping that it will help them through the betterment of their operations. FedEx started in the year 1973, and UPS, one of those that give services like FedEx, started in the year 1907. They did not compete with each other for the reason that they have different markets. The competition and rivalry between the two began in the year 1982. They competed on the market segment, quality of service, and pricing. The only solution they thought of was to cut cost without decreasing the quality of customer service. Because of this, they thought of having an organized logistics operation that will help reduce the ordering process. The three main trends that helped the growth of transportation and logistics industry are: the globalization of the businesses, advances in the information technology (IT) and the application of new technology to generate efficiencies in processing, and the increase in demand for more quality satisfaction of customers or clients. Speed has been one of the basis of customers to say that they have been provided with quality customer service. The advances brought by IT heightened globalization and made the operations fast, decrease costs, and gave quality service. Opportunities Threats The cost of infrastructure of express delivery companies are a barrier of entry to new comers FedEx leadership in global express delivery As long as the nature of our socioeconomic environment exists, there will always be a need for express delivery E-commerce is creating an increased need for express delivery Globalization offers opportunities for expansion Maintaining the infrastructure of an express delivery company is an exit barrier because of high fixed costs Capitol is acquired through the volume of sales, so the high fixed costs can hurt when times are slow Due to the nature of the industry, it is nearly impossible to become the clear industry leader The nature of the industry shows very low returns on invested capitol The E-tailing industry demands lower shipping rates and charges to pull customers from the retailing industries Major competitors: UPS, the airborne DHL Question One: The express transportation and logistics industry Federal Express was founded in 1971 as the big idea of charter airplane pilot Fred Smith. It launched its overnight air express business in 1973, and just 10 years later, it was the first U.S. company to top $1 billion in revenues in its first decade. Today, FedEx (its nickname, FedEx, officially became the company name in 2000) is the worlds largest express transportation company-almost 196,000 employees move more than 3 million items to more than 200 countries each business day, up from 110,000 workers and 2 million packages just five years ago! In 1990, FedEx became the first service company to win the Baldrige Award. Since then, the company has expanded its ground delivery business by purchasing both Parcel Direct (formerly a division of Quad/Graphics, now renamed FedEx SmartPost) and more than 1,100 Kinkos locations (now FedEx Kinkos Office and Print Centers) in 2004. The survival issue is prominent in the minds of quality leaders. FedExs Fred Smith compares the awakening to quality to a near-death experience. A lot of times its brought on by trauma. Leaders often embrace Total Quality Management because they see no alternative: improve or die. Whatever inspires them-the fear of failure, the promise of success, the achievement of other companies, the belief that there must be a better way to manage a company-triggers the leap of faith. Once they are on the quality path, the cultural changes they see all around them frequently breed a missionary zeal about the need for, and the benefits of, the quality improvement process. The first step for any company president, chairman, or CEO is committing himself or herself, as well as the company, to the process. Jamie Houghton took this step in 1983, shortly after he became Cornings chairman. Fred Smith and his top executives founded FedEx on the idea of providing the highest quality of service, then participated in quality training in the first year of the companys existence. At FedEx, Fred Smith has been directly involved in the development of every quality process and system the company has implemented. He founded the company on a belief that customers would value a timedefinite express delivery service, then used on-time delivery as the companys primary measure of performance. In the late 1980s, he helped develop a more comprehensive, proactive, customer-oriented measure of customer satisfaction and service quality: the Service Quality Index (SQI). As Smith said, We believe that service quality must be mathematically measured. The company tracks these 12 indicators daily, individually and in total, across its entire system. Each indicator is weighted: the greater the weight, the greater the impact on customer satisfaction. One of FedExs service goals is to reduce the totals of the SQI every year. Service is one of the companys three overall corporate objectives: People-Service-Profit. Every manager at FedEx, including Fred Smith and the senior executive staff, has annual benchmarks for each of these three corporate objectives. Smith sets his own personal objectives with input from the board of directors, and the process cascades through the organization from there. Managers are evaluated on how well they achieve their objectives. To develop and implement such broad measures and objectives, Smith and his staff had to understand the companys quality objectives, its customers needs, and the potential effectiveness of SQI as a measure and motivator. Many other service companies are still trying to figure out what to measure. Smith led the development of a measure that tells all FedEx employees, every day, exactly how they are doing on customer satisfaction and service quality. Active participation in the quality improvement process doesnt get any better than that. Good leaders know that having a customer focus is critical. At FedEx, each officer is assigned responsibility for the major customers in a sales district. Smith and his staff talk to customers continuously at the executive level to make sure their needs are being met. FedEx has three corporate goals: People-Service-Profit. As Smith summarizes, when people are placed first, they will provide the highest possible service, and profits will follow. The three corporate goals are translated into measurable objectives throughout the corporation. Progress on the people goal is determined by the Leadership Index, a statistical measurement of subordinates opinions of managements performance. Service is based on the Service Quality Indicators described earlier. The profit goal is a percentage of pretax margin, determined by the previous years financial results. Success in meeting the objectives for each area determines the annual bonuses for management and professionals. (The bonuses can account for up to 40 percent of these employees total compensation.) FedEx Corporation in the United States administers variety of advanced factors of production. These are managerial sophistication, logistics know-how, and physical infrastructure. Logistics is one of the main advanced factors which FedEx developed for managing its complex hubs. Physical infrastructure that FedEx uses is not only airports but also roads and ports. Additional distinctive competencies that FedEx have, also arise from firm-specific tangible and intangible resources, namely, FedExs hubs and package handling systems; its package tracking and customer support function and its logistics support. Again, the main barrier to imitate these firm-specific resources is the high cost associated with acquiring them. FedExs package tracking ad customer support functions as well as their logistic support are examples of the firms distinctive competencies as well. The barriers to imitate FedExs package tracking and customer support functions are based on the fact that FedEx was the initiator in establishing the first tracking applications website and providing each customer with a unique barcode to individualize each shipment. That allowed FedEx to gain proficiency at these systems and knowledge about the functional operations. FedExs strengths in logistics, operations, and technological innovation allow them to pursue a differentiation business level strategy. FedEx works to stand apart from its competitors by creating a level of service that is difficult for competitors to match. FedEx has clearly been identified as an innovator, but what they need to get across to their customers is that they provide a high level of quality service. FedEx charges higher prices for its services than many of its competitors in the industry. This is considered a premium that a customer pays for the quality of service FedEx provides. By differentiating their standard of quality from their competitors, FedEx lets their customers know that if they are willing to pay more, it will be worth it. FedEx is able to meet the needs of all these segments. They have spent an extraordinary amount of capitol developing their infrastructure, just so they can make the best promises to their customers. FedEx transports more than 3 million items to over 200 countries each day. Within each business unit are specific functional units that perform particular functions. The main functional units are logistics and operations for its transportation system. These units assure the coordination and smooth flow of FedExs deliveries. The end result is a high level of quality service. Their service includes customer responsiveness and innovations such as; its aircraft fleet, its hubs and package handling systems, package tracking, customer support functions, and logistics support. Not only does this help FedEx follow through with their promises, but in some ways that are superior to that of the competition. FedEx has transformed itself into an e-business by integrating physical and virtual infrastructures across information systems, business processes, and organizational bounds. FedExs experience in building an e-business shows how a company can successfully apply its information technology expertise in order to pioneer customercentric innovations with sweeping structural and strategic impacts. It also shows the role of outsourcing, which frees companies to concentrate on their core business. The value chain for FedEx Express can be seen as starting with the pick-up of the packages. FedEx employees gather the packages from various locations such as drop boxes, businesses and residences. Value is created for the customers by making package pick-ups possible just about anywhere or anytime. FedEx has a money back guarantee for those people whose packages do not arrive on time, therefore creating value by assuring timely delivery of the packages. After the packages are initially picked up, they must then be transported to a hub. The hub is a central location where packages are sorted according to their destinations. The packages will likely pass through many hands before reaching their final destination. The packages stay at the hub until they are picked up and shipped either by truck or plane. FedEx Supply Chain Services which synchronize the movement of goods for enhanced customer satisfaction. With all of this evident it can be said that FedEx segments its markets according to the needs of the customers and not by demographic regions. While FedEx is a very large company that occupies a large portion of market share in the express delivery sector as well as the ground sector we have concluded that FedEx does not so much possess distinctive competencies, as it has strong existing competencies that allow it to compete competitively with industry leader UPS. These competencies include a very timely customer response time, cutting-edge technology and innovation. With the fact that FedEx does not have a competitive advantage, or distinctive competencies, yet is still the largest express package delivery service there are many directives that could be followed to attain both. This is obviously a long-term goal, however it can be seen that the undertakings have already begun. Its most recent endeavor, characterized as a diversification from its usual product offering of actual shipment of goods, is the newer service offering of consultation. Labeled FedEx Trade Networks, this newest division of the FedEx offerings showcas es the companys vast competence of international shipping knowledge to an array of customers. These customers are provided value creation with the knowledge that can greatly increase efficiencys through the supply chain. FedEx Trade Networks offers a full range of international support services, including customs clearance, freight forwarding, Trade Customs Advisory Services (TCAS) and trade technology solutions. Question Two: Branding and business structure up until 19 January 2000 Another note is the horizontal integration that has recently been carried out by FedEx. Horizontal integration is a way of trying to increase the profitability of a company by reducing costs, increasing the value of a product offering, managing industry rivalrys, or increasing the bargaining power of a company. These economic benefits are usually the rewards of company mergers and acquisitions in an industry. Horizontal integration is predominately characterized by similar companies merging together or acquisitions sought by the industry leaders. The account of mergers and acquisitions for North American-based logistics companies appears dissimilar. North American logistics services sources seem to look for acquisitions that increase their position in existing markets, for instance, increasing domestic service routes and toting up critical mass to grasp the benefits of economies of scale. Nonetheless, the comparative strength of European automotive, chemical or other industries including global production and supply chains in opposition to their US counterparts make the necessity to create client interaction in Europe a must-have for US logistics suppliers. Given the competitive strong suit of the local European logistics assistance providers, one of the little options to increase market entry or share of market in this global scenery is to vigorously design and track acquisition tactics. This can be done in integration with a concentration on particular niche actions, where scale economies are not as critical. It can also be achieved by means of services where special resources are desired, for instance, oversized equipment or hazardous merchandise transportation. Project logistics companies, for instance, highlight an exclusive business model with core competencies in global freight transportation-a specific engineering knowledge and can get into a largely blue-chip client base-that make them essential service providers for their customers. By 1994 less than 20% of FedExs revenues came from documents, formerly the primary driver of revenues. The air express industry was in a period of constant flux as firms tried to understand where the next big push was going to originate. Fortunately for Smith, he had already gambled on logistics, a move that would begin to pay off during the next and last cycle of the study. From 1993 to 1996 sales grew from $7.8 billion to $10.3 billion. Decision-making was decentralized due to the disperse nature of domestic and international operations. Structure was divisional, but changes were being planned to reconfigure the organization during the next cycle. The most important strategic moves during this cycle were in the area of information processing, particularly customer information and tracking. Just as operations were centralized in 1978 to facilitate growth, the move toward a web-based business began in earnest in 1996 as FedEx became the first company to allow firms to process shipments on the Internet. Also by this time, FedEx was considered a global transportation company, not an airline. In 1998 Caliber Systems, Inc. was acquired by FedEx, which included the trucking operation, RPS. Roberts Express and Viking Express helped round out the full offering of services by FedEx in its attempt to become a one-stop shopping experience for supply chain needs. The company now offered complete interstate trucking service, long and short-haul air express service, and integrated logistics and warehouse solutions. Sales grew from $13.25 billion in 1997 to $19.629 billion in 2001. High fuel costs hurt profits during 1999, but the growth in Internet Business to Business (B to B) was exploding. Sales were also negatively impacted by the lack of identity between divisions with their own name, such as RPS and Viking, and operating units of FedEx. A major reorganization announced in January of 2000 by Fred Smith was designed to correct this problem. The FedEx Corporation would re-name each of its subsidiary companies, with the exception of the less-than-truckload firm operating in the Western U. S. known as Viking, beginning with the brand identity of FedEx. The following changes were made: Â · FedEx Express formerly Federal Express; Â · FedEx Ground formerly RPS; Â · FedEx Custom Critical formerly Roberts Express; Â · FedEx Logistics formerly Caliber Logistics; Â · FedEx Trade Networks (Ng Farhoomand, 2002). Each subsidiary adopted a different color for its logo, but several strategic moves were made to ensure integration of operations and cooperation between companies. Consolidation was achieved in the sales force so that each division was being represented to each customer, accounting invoices were consolidated to reflect one invoice and one customer account number, and all customer service claims information was consolidated. Once again, Fred Smith centralized some aspects of his vast company to facilitate growth and to take advantage of new opportunities. Again the analyzer strategy was implemented, as it had been for most of FedExs history, to stimulate constant service improvement and growth. By 2001 FedEx had close to 200,000 employees scattered across the globe. A new corporate complex was nearing completion in southeast Memphis in the community of Southwind, home to the St. Jude/FedEx Classic golf tournament. And, the top ten ranking in Fortunes Most Admired Corporations in America confirms the entrepreneurial and strategic management ability of Fred Smith. From 1984 to 1989 the company maintained a divisional structure, but it was augmented by the use of matrix personnel in the areas of finance, human resources, and maintenance. Decisions involving strategy, technology, advertising, and budgeting were centralized, yet authority for operations was decentralized. This was imperative for customer service given the extensive international orientation of the company by the late 1980s. Also, in 1989 FedEx hired its first general manager in history, Robert May, to head a new operation known as Business Logistics Services (BLS). From 1984 to 1989 the company maintained a divisional structure, but it was augmented by the use of matrix personnel in the areas of finance, human resources, and maintenance. Decisions involving strategy, technology, advertising, and budgeting were centralized, yet authority for operations was decentralized. This was imperative for customer service given the extensive international orientation of the company by the la te 1980s. Also, in 1989 FedEx hired its first general manager in history, Robert May, to head a new operation known as Business Logistics Services (BLS). From 1984 to 1989 the company maintained a divisional structure, but it was augmented by the use of matrix personnel in the areas of finance, human resources, and maintenance. Decisions involving strategy, technology, advertising, and budgeting were centralized, yet authority for operations was decentralized. This was imperative for customer service given the extensive international orientation of the company by the late 1980s. Also, in 1989 FedEx hired its first general manager in history, Robert May, to head a new operation known as Business Logistics Services (BLS). Question Three: Events leading up to the January 2000 reorganisation By the year ending 1999, 31st of May, Fedex had out-performed analyst expections and increased earnings by 28% compared to the previous year. But the company had a downturn during August 31, 1999. Due to increase in fuel prices, FedExs financial status was severely affected. Because of this, FedEx had forecasted that they full fiscal year may decrease below analyst expectations. BY the end of November 1999, the operating income dropped down by 10% of the previous year and the net income by 6%. As the increase in fuel price increase, operating income continue to decline. Because of the forecasted loss in income, the company re-think of their business strategy. As internet was introduced to the company, they utilized it to help them with the operations. First, it opened opportunities in re-engineering the supply chain. Second, the express transportation made businesses, such as FedEx, attain opportunities. In January 2000, FedEx had three major strategies. First, extending the FedEx brand to four subsidiary companies. Second, major re-organizations making it one point of access to sales, customer services, billing, and automation systems. Third, introducing to the market the low-cost home delivery. After the re-organization, the FedEx was helped through, first, single branding system which helped them establish their unique competitive advantage. Second, single and expanded sales force which helped them expand their market reaching the small and medium-sized businesses. Third, a single invoice and single account number from FedEx. Forth, streamlined customer automation systems to handle electronic transaction. Fifth, lone customer service which can help the consumers for their inquiries. With the re-organizations that happened, I think that it will help the company build a name that stands for quality, reliable, and fast service. It will help FedEx be more competitive now that the competition is growing. The number marketing is word of mouth, if FedEx can establish their three competencies, then word of mouth will be easily spread throughout others. It can help increase their market share and income. FedEx has been considered a top performer and a leader in its field almost from its inception. It regularly is included in Fortunes 100 Best Companies To Work For (Levering Moskowitz, 1998), Americas Most Admired Companies (Boyle, 2002), and Fortune 500. Yet, what is most impressive about Fred Smiths leadership and vision for FedEx is even though the company invented the air express industry, it has not clung too tightly to that coattail. As new opportunities have arisen, Smith has not hesitated to position his company to take advantage of those opportunities. Examples include pushing for larger weight limits from Congress, expanding operations internationally, leading the way in information processing, tracking and Internet applications, making key acquisitions, and reconfiguring his business to fit a new systems model for supply chain management.

Self Reliance Rhetorical Analysis

â€Å"Self-Reliance† is a series of loosely related thoughts and extracts from lectures and journals that Ralph Wald Emerson has written in the past. Through the use of the classical argument, imagery, and many other rhetorical devices, Emerson makes such a convincing case that a person from almost any background would find it difficult to disagree with him. Emerson wrote this essay is to teach a lesson. He argues to the reader to trust themselves and to not conform to the standards of others. Emerson tells his audience, â€Å"Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world.This means that you must first have approval and support of yourself, and then you will gain approval of the world. The purpose of this essay, pertaining to any audience, is to show that a person needs to find his own truth, and have confidence or â€Å"self-reliance† in themselves. The author adds pathos to his essay by evoking the personal prejudices and biases of the audienc e. Pathos stands out most in his essay, as it contains a lot of emotional conflicts that we all face at some point or other in our lives. â€Å"Self- Reliance† is sprinkled with memorable sayings known as aphorisms.These are brief statements that express a general principle or truth about life. â€Å"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of the little minds† is a very popular aphorism Emerson uses in his essay. He adds logos, or reason, to his essay by giving examples of arguments that people face with themselves and others, and rationally explaining how we should deal with these struggles. Emerson adds ethos to his essay by referencing to well known people in history. He states that Luther, Socrates, Galileo, Newton, Pythagoras, Copernicus, andJesus were all great minds that were misunderstood. By referencing to these people, he established credibility, as his audience is most likely familiar with the struggles and triumphs of a few or more of these people in history . Emerson uses a unique style of diction in this essay. He uses words such as â€Å"thyself†, â€Å"bestowed†, and â€Å"arduous†. To us his word choice seems to be very formal. We may even call it archaic, or out dated. But we must keep in mind that he was a 1 9th century writer, and this choice of words was probably ore common at the time he wrote this essay.Emerson uses a multitude of tropes in his essay. For example, he uses the metaphors â€Å"envy is ignorance† and â€Å"imitation is suicide† to explain what every man feels at some point in his life. As stated earlier, Emerson uses multiple aphorisms in this essay. His aphorisms proclaim his radical ideas in clear, concise sentences. His idea about consistency, for example, is distilled into one easy-to-remember aphorism, and is thereby amortized. In his essay, the author also says that, For nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure. This is personification. What Emerson is tryin g to say is that there is common belief that if you are a nonconformist, meaning you do not follow generally accepted beliefs, then everyone in the world will think badly of you. Emerson does not believe this to be so. Emerson uses symbols and imagery of nature to support his claim of individuality. The â€Å"over soul† is one key element that Emerson illustrates in his essay, meaning that a person should look deep inside his heart and find his own truth.

Woman Hollering Creed

Morgan Sneed ENGL2006 Sandra Cisneros is an American writer best known for her first novel The House on Mango Street and her subsequent short story collection Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories. Her work experiments with literary forms and investigates emerging subject positions, which Cisneros herself attributes to growing up in a context of cultural hybridity and economic inequality that endowed her with unique stories to tell.Cisneros's early life provided many experiences she would later draw on as a writer: â€Å"born in Chicago, the child of a Mexican father and a Mexican American mother, Cisneros spent parts of her childhood in Texas and Mexico (1130). † Cisneros's work deals with the formation of Chicana identity, exploring the challenges of finding herself caught between Mexican and American cultures, facing the misogynist attitudes present in both these cultures, and experiencing poverty. For her insightful social critique and powerful prose style, Cisneros has achieved recognition far beyond Chicano and Latino communities.Using her position as an educator and writer, she began â€Å"to champion Chicana feminism, especially as this movement combines cultural issues with women’s concerns (1131)†. In Woman Hollering Creek, Cisneros â€Å"cultivates a sense of warmth and naive humor for her protagonists, qualities that are evident in introductory parts (1130). † This short story collection deals with the issues that young women faced. â€Å"What remains constant is the author’s view that by romanticizing sexual relations women cooperate with a male view that can be oppressive, even physically destructive†¦Ciseneros is ‘caught between here and there’.Yet ‘here’ and ‘there’ are not as dichotomous as young versus old, female versus male, or Mexico versus the United States (1130). † Woman Hollering Creek is a tale of tragedy and triumph. The story, told from the third person, begins by showing us the foreknowledge our protagonist Cleofilas’s father held concerning her fate. â€Å"†¦ Already did he divine the morning his daughter would raise her hand over her eyes, look south, and dream of returning to the chores that never ended, six good-for-nothing brothers, and one old man’s complaints (1131). Cleofilas is preparing to marry a Texas man, Juan Pedro Martinez Sanchez. If a critic were to take into account, external historical and social considerations when interpreting Sandra Cisneros's â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek†, his initial natural prejudice might be to view the modern Untied States more likely to provide women liberation from oppressive masculinity than Mexico. However, a closer reading of â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek† reveals the opposite true in this case. The U. S. own, which Cleofilas moves with her new husband, casts a distorted mirror image of the town from whence she came. This juxtaposition in the se tting, as well as the characters, symbols, and point of view, all combine to amass their weight toward one conclusion: life in the United States is less liberating for the Mexican woman than life in Mexico. The United States town, steeped in masculinity, is evidenced by the symbolism of the setting as well as by the characters. The primary character that takes an active part in Cleofilas's life, her husband, is masculine.Across the street is Maximiliano, so macho that he â€Å"was said to have killed his wife in an ice-house brawl† (1136). There is no feminine identity for Cleofilas to relate to in her neighbors; Dolores is no longer a mother and Soledad is no longer a wife. Dolores's garden, rather than being tranquil and feminine, serves to reinforce masculine dominance by showing the â€Å"red cockscombs, fringed and bleeding a thick menstrual color† (1133) foreshadow the abuse that would soon leave Cleofilas's lip split open so that it â€Å"bled an orchid of bloo d† (1134).The town has a city hall, an image of masculine rule, outside of which rests a large bronze pecan. In effect, it is a brass nut, an obviously masculine symbol for which the town possesses a â€Å"silly pride† (1135). Each of these components of setting and character has their feminine mirror in the Mexican town, which is therefore more hospitable to women. The primary character who takes a part in Cleofilas's life there is her father who seems to have taken over the mothering role of Cleofilas's deceased mother, making a promise, â€Å"I am your father I will never abandon you† (1131).All of her neighbors are women, and all have a sense of identity. â€Å"In the town where she grew up, there isn’t much to do except accompany the aunts and godmothers to the house of one or the other to play cards (1131). † Instead of a city hall, the town has a town center, which implies not masculine competition and rule but feminine cooperation. Instead o f a bronze pecan outside of the city hall, there is a â€Å"leafy zocalo in the center of town† (1135), suggesting fertility and femininity.In addition to providing a contrast between the feminine and the masculine, the relative setting of the towns also create a contrast between independence and dependence, â€Å"because the towns in the U. S. are built so that you have to depend on husbands†(1135). In the church in Mexico she could meet with other women and engage in â€Å"huddled whispering† (1135), but in the United States â€Å"the whispering begins at sunset at the icehouse instead† and she must sit â€Å"mute beside their conversation† (1135).TV and cinema are both readily available to Cleofilas in Mexico, but in Seguin, she has no TV, and can only glimpse a â€Å"few episodes† of her telenovela at Soledad's house. Even her one solid contact with a world outside her own, her book, is thrown by her husband â€Å"from across the roomâ €  (1136). Not only does the Mexican town provide more opportunities for independent action than the U. S. town, but it also provides alternatives for dependency. In Mexico, Cleofilas can depend on her father, brothers, aunts, and godmothers.In the United States, however, she has no such option, as the doctor says, â€Å"her family's all in Mexico† (1138). These contrasts between the dependence on the masculine necessitated by the U. S. town and the independence, or at least the variety of dependencies, afforded by the Mexican town become clearer as the story progresses. Initially, the narrator's point of view expresses a feeling of limitation in the Mexican town: In the town where she grew up, there is not very much to do except accompany the aunts and godmothers to the house of one or the other to play cards.Or walk to the cinema to see this week's film again, speckled and with one hair quivering annoyingly on the screen. Or to the center of town to order a milk shake th at will appear in a day and a half as a pimple on her backside. Or to the girlfriend's house to watch the latest telenovela episode and try to copy the way the women comb their hair, wear there makeup (1131). The language of this passage makes the town appear dull and limiting until compared with the language of a similar passage describing the northern town. â€Å"There is no place to go.Unless one counts the neighbor ladies. Soledad on one side, Dolores on the other. Or the creek† (1136). By contrasting these passages, we can see the narrator's point of view. The Mexican town is not limited compared to the United States town. There are variety of options. The narrator's point of view becomes abundantly clear as Cleofilas crosses Woman Hollering Creek on her way home to Mexico. Initially, the point of view is negative. When moving to her new home with her husband, Cleofilas wants to know whether â€Å"the woman has hollered from anger or pain† (1133).Crossing that riv er to her new home is like crossing into a world of both anger and pain. However, leaving that world, and crossing the river returning to her father endows Cleofilas with a fresh perspective. Her companion hollers when they cross the river, but not in either anger or pain. She hollers â€Å"like Tarzan† (1138). Cleofilas had expected â€Å"pain or rage, perhaps, but not a hoot like the one Felice had just let go† (1139). Therefore, â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek†, becomes a triumphant return to a home of peace and love and an escape from what her father had known all along.

Essay about the Stranger and the Absurd - 1296 Words

The Stranger is heavily rooted in philosopher Albert Camus’ theory of the absurd: the notion that human life has no definable purpose, and while the pursuit of an intrinsic meaning to life and the universe holds value, it will inevitably prove futile. Meursault, Camus’ protagonist, lives his life according to these tenets, however unwittingly, and for the majority of the novel reacts only to concrete, sensory things, showing neither understanding nor interest in more abstract societal constructs. Grief, guilt, passion and morality are foreign concepts to Meursault, but it is only through the prospect of impending death that he realizes that he lives in a separate world from the rest of society, where his perceptions and beliefs about the†¦show more content†¦This is only the first in a long line of reactions to emotional stimuli by Meursault. Friendships, proposals, sentences and hatred are not reacted to icily or harshly; they’re just not reacted to at all. This follows Meursault’s tendency throughout the majority of the novel to focus on the physical, tangible world rather than the nonphysical, intangible one. In Meursault’s mind, and in the mind of absurdist philosophers, the only real things in the universe are those that we can experience in the physical sense. When asked by the perverted and violent Raymond to write a letter to his mistress to manipulate her back into his arms so that he could abuse her yet again, Meursault acquiesces, showing his very distinct lack of a stringent moral compass by saying that â€Å"I tried my best to please Raymond because I didn’t have any reason not to please him† (pg 32). He doesn’t mind helping Raymond or becoming his â€Å"pal,† because while it may seem repugnant to the reader to befriend someone like Raymond, Meursault is incapable of making value judgments like these, and couldn’t care more or less either way. Meursault’s dependence of the physical senses for decision-making and perception is a main reason why he, a heretofore nonviolent, passive man, shoots the Arab at the climax of Part 1. Meursault kills the Arab because of his response to the glaring sun, in a scene that is as disorienting to the reader as itShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Absurd in Albert Camus’ The Stranger1036 Words   |  5 PagesEmpathy makes us human yet not all humans are emphatic, In Albert Camus’ The Stranger a suspiciously apathetic man named Meursault comes to light as a criminal. However Meursault perpetrated a crime of passion, is that not absurd for a negligent man? In a simple view of Meursault life and philosophies the remission of human feelings is evident, and slightly frightening. In the stranger most of the events in the main characters life require an emotional effect, the death of his mother, the engagementRead MoreThe Paper of the Absurd: a Literary Analysis of the Stranger1772 Words   |  8 PagesThe Paper of the Absurd: A Literary Analysis of The Stranger By: Michael Lovett Advanced Placement English Language and Compositions 5th Period 13th of December, 2010 Michael Lovett In Albert Camus’ existential novel The Stranger, the pointlessness of life and existence is exposed and expounded upon in such a manner that the entire foundation of spirituality is shaken. The concept that drives this novel is one coined by Albert Camus himself, the â€Å"absurd†. Under the absurd, life is pointlessRead MoreAbsurd Actions of Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus538 Words   |  2 PagesIn â€Å"The Stranger† by Camus, Meursault’s actions throughout the story can be summed up in one word, absurd. From the start of the story Meursault showed no regard to human life. Life to him was meaningless. His action toward his mother’s death was the 1st encounter into how emotionless, cold, untouched unmoved Meursault was. Although he attended her funeral he was only there in the physical. Natures’ element and the environment around him was more of concern to him than the death of his motherRead More A Comparison of the Heroes Of The Stranger (The Outsider) and The Myth of Sisyphus1076 Words   |  5 Pages The Absurd Heroes Of The Stranger (The Outsider) and The Myth of Sisyphusnbsp;nbsp; In The Myth of Sisyphus, Sisyphus is an absurd hero because he realizes his situation, does not appeal, and yet continues the struggle. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that The Stranger is, in narrative style, also showing us an absurd hero, or the beginning of an absurd hero in Meursault. In The Myth of Sisyphus Camus establishes the epistemology on which he bases all his works. Ant its a veryRead MoreEssay Theory of the Absurd1667 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to critic Mark Esslin, the concept of â€Å"Theatre of the Absurd† relates to the â€Å"playwrights loosely grouped under the label of the absurd attempt to convey their sense of bewilderment, anxiety, and wonder in the face of an inexplicable universe† (â€Å"The Theatre†). Esslin stressed the fact that plays and stories belonging to the â€Å"Theatre of the Absurd† were composed of situations dealing with the way a human reacts to an event, without any form of importance, thus only stressing over insignificantRead MoreAnalysis Of The Absurd 1184 Words   |  5 PagesThe Absurd It is safe to say the idea of absurdism can be linked to meaningless, and other such words that express a destination without the means to there and vice versa. In Camus’ famous fictional novel, he shows how one’s perception of life can be effected when faced with death. The Stranger reflects Camus’ philosophical stance on absurdism. There is no truth, no certainty, or any unwavering, non-relative laws in life. There is no sense in pursuing impossibilities. But if life is in a sense pointlessRead MoreExistentialism And The Absurd By Albert Camus1186 Words   |  5 Pagesmeaning within their work. In his various books, short stories, and plays, the French-Algerian writer Albert Camus relates to his philosophical beliefs: specifically existentialism and the absurd, as well as his connecting idea of rebellion. Camus’ most prominent works – such as the novels The Plague, The Stranger, The Rebel, and others – reflect these beliefs and ideas he held. Though he was and continues to be considered as one, Camus made a point of rejecting the label of an existentialist. ExistentialismRead More The Absurdity of Man Essay621 Words   |  3 PagesCamus’ â€Å"The Stranger† and â€Å"The Myth of Sisyphus.† Camus depicts absurdity bringing about happiness or indifference in each of these literary works. In â€Å"The Myth of Sisyphus,† it is made clear that Sisyphus is aware that his existence is absurd. He is sentenced to an eternity of rolling a boulder up a steep mountain only to let it roll back down when it reaches its peak. His tragedy lies in the fact that he is conscious of the extent of his own misery. What makes his struggle very absurd is that heRead MoreAlbert Camus and Bohemian Rhapsody Comparison1695 Words   |  7 Pages Combining the writings of â€Å"Queen† and Albert Camus Albert Camus was one of the most renowned authors during the early twentieth century. With writings such as The Stranger, and The Plague, Camus has struck the world of literature with amazing works that are analyzed to a great extent. This amazing success was not just handed to Camus on a silver platter however; Albert endured many hard times and was often encumbered with great illness in his short life. These hardships that Camus had to faceRead MoreThe Pathetic Fallacy in Camus’ the Stranger and Yoshimoto’s Kitchen1624 Words   |  7 PagesThe Pathetic Fallacy in Camus’ The Stranger and Yoshimoto’s Kitchen English A1 – Higher Level World Literature Paper 1 Ojiugo Nneoma UCHE Candidate Number: 1415-068 1480 Words May 2010 In Camus’ The Stranger, and Yoshimoto’s Kitchen, both authors use the literary technique of pathetic fallacy – a branch of personification – which gives to the weather and physical world, human attributes. In both texts, this technique enriches the narratives both aesthetically and in terms of meaning – by telling