Examining current reverse logistics trends Research Paper - 1

Examining current reverse logistics trends - Research Paper Example Based on these activities, reverse logistics can be divided based on whether the reverse flow encompasses product or packaging. A product could be in the reverse flow due to a number of reasons such as refurbishment, remanufacture or because the client returned it. Packaging is a reverse logistics activity because it flows back because of the regulations restrictions on product disposal. Both product and packaging may be reused or landfilled, but if they are to be utilized again, the two may experience a mixed bag of distinctive methodologies (Rogers, & Tibben†Lembke, 2001). Reverse logistics is of great importance to a company because of a number of reasons. First, it permits a trader to get items back from the buyer or send unsold stock once again to the manufacturer to be disassembled, sorted, reassembled or reused; minimizing general expenses for an association. Second, it enhances consumer loyalty and devotion by considering defective merchandise, and repairs of stock. Reverse logistics can incorporate seeking feedback from consumers to make upgrades and to enhance the comprehension of genuine purposes behind item returns. Thirdly, it may lead to gains in an organization. Expanding rate of production, diminishing expenses (transportation, managerial, repair and maintenance), holding clients by enhancing the quality of products are some of the gains an organization can accrue. The topic of examining the current trends of reverse logistics also incorporates some of the analysis methodologies that organizations apply today. A key methodology is the inventory control analysis that aims at ensuring that the supply chain of the company is optimized. Inventory control ensures that inventory management ensures random discount in pricing, minimum purchase requirements and random return (Alinovi, Bottani, & Montanari, 2012).

Good and Evil (a Wrinkle in Time, and Frankenstein Review) Essay Example for Free

Good and Evil (a Wrinkle in Time, and Frankenstein Review) Essay â€Å"Life is neither good or evil, but only a place for good and evil. † Marcus Aurelius. A Wrinkle in Time is a book about the journey through the war of good versus evil and the ultimate triumph of love. Every character is clearly distinguished with either good or evil: the â€Å"good† characters include Meg, her family, Calvin, the Mrs. W’s, Aunt Beast, and the Happy Medium; the â€Å"evil† characters include IT, The Dark Thing, and the Man with the Red Eyes. Frankenstein, on the other hand, is a story told in a series of letters, as Robert Walton, the captain of a ship bound for the North Pole, recounts to his sister back in England the progress of his dangerous mission. Successful early on, the mission is soon to be disturbed by seas full of impassable ice. Trapped, Walton encounters Victor Frankenstein, who had been travelling by dog-drawn sledge across the ice and is weakened by the cold. Walton take him abroad the ship, helps nurse him back to health, and hears the fantastic tale of the monster the Frankenstein created. This tale that Frankenstein is reciting reveals the two sides that a person, or a living creature can portray: good and evil. Frankenstein was banned in South Africa for being â€Å"obscene† and â€Å"indecent†, while A Wrinkle in Time was banned for having a fantasy-related genre throughout the plot, including witches and demons. Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. â€Å"Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension. Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master; obey! † (Shelley 149). In Frankenstein, the monster represents evil, as it comes to life, and terrorizes its creator. Dangerous knowledge is an ideal theme in Frankenstein. The pursuit of knowledge is right in the middle of Frankenstein, as Victor attempts to go beyond accepted human limits and find out the secret of life. Likewise, Robert Walton attempts to pass the past human explorations by being determined to reach the North Pole. In A Wrinkle In Time, comfort and individuality is a major theme that I saw throughout the plot. The main character, Meg, is caught between the desire for conformity and the expression of her own creative nature. At the beginning of the novel Meg feels embittered towards other students at her school that make fun of her and tease her for being different, as well as those who see her little brother as being weird or odd. She desperately wants to be more like her twin brothers who have little problem fitting in. The theme that the two stories share, and that I have mentioned before, is the theme titled good and evil: â€Å"Suddenly there was a great burst of light through the Darkness. The light spread out and where it touched the Darkness the Darkness disappeared. The light spread until the patch of Dark Thing had vanished, and there was only a gentle shining, and through the shining came the stars, clear and pure. Then, slowly, the shining dwindled until it, too, was gone, and there was nothing but stars and starlight. No shadows. No fear. Only the stars and the clear darkness of space, quite different from the fearful darkness of the Thing† (L’Engle 102). Its interesting that the defeat of the Black Thing doesnt lead to the universe being lit up like a baseball stadium, but rather to an absence of unnatural darkness. Its almost like the battle isnt so much between evil and good as between evil and the normal. Characters are â€Å"Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations† Ray Bradbury. In Frankenstein, the main character or the creator of the monster. Victor becomes obsessed with the idea of creating an artificial human form and eventually attempts to make it. Immediately after creating the monster, he falls into a depression and starts to fear. He leaves the school and returns home to his family, where he finds only tragedy. Not fully aware of the consequences of his creating a new human, he ends up really spending his entire life trying to destroy the same creation he was working to make for so long. In a Wrinkle In Time however, the protagonist is portrayed a bit differently: Meg Murry, The books hero, an awkward, but loving high school student who is sent on an adventure through time and space with her brother Charles Wallace and friend Calvin to rescue her father from the evil force that is attempting to take over the universe. Megs greatest faults are her anger, impatience, and lack of self-confidence, but she changes and overcomes them, and in the end is victorious, as the story ends with a stereotypical kid’s-story ending. A happy ending for the protagonist. The main differences that I saw between the two are the two protagonists: Meg Murry (A Wrinkle In Time), and Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein), are to begin with, set in different times. A Wrinkle In Time could be set anywhere in the recent past. Frankenstein however, is set in the late 18th century. The whole concept of Frankenstein is much darker, and in fact I would say it could be classified as gothic science fiction, as the characters are much darker, and seem more serious and cold-hearted by the way Shelley describes them compared to the other book. A Wrinkle In Time is much lighter, as the characters, their actions, and abilities are all easier, and always give the advantage to the â€Å"good guys†. Also the whole concept of the book, and the idea of it, is more for a child’s imagination to handle and comprehend compared to Frankenstein, and I would classify it as plain science and fantasy fiction. Although these differences shape the stories in totally different directions, there are some similarities: The similarities between the characters and their traits are that they both have solid downsides to them. As I mentioned before, Meg’s (A Wrinkle In Time) faults are her temper, impatience, and lack of confidence in herself, and Victor’s (Frankenstein) faults are that he is in a depression and great fear throughout the plot after the Monster is created and is woken. Another trait I can compare between the two protagonists, are their determination to reach their final goal. Although I cannot see it in either book, but both books were officially banned in one place or another for ridiculous reasons. Frankenstein was banned in South Africa for being â€Å"obscene† and â€Å"indecent† in 1955. Maybe 57 years ago there were different rules and traits a person had to portray to be defined as â€Å"good†, but to make this specific book banned for being â€Å"obscene† (which means that it is offensive or the opposite of accepted manner). A Wrinkle In Time is banned for having witches, crystal balls and demons. Also, because Jesus is listed among the names of great artists, philosophers and teachers, and it is banned in the U. S. â€Å"Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by such slight ligaments are we bound to prosperity or ruin† (Shelley 37). All in all, these books have more differences than similarities in my opinion. Although both are really good, one is dark while the other is light compared. The similarities that I saw in the characters, the themes, and the reason they were censored are mostly because of the relationship between good and evil throughout it. Studying these two books and the reason for them being banned has surprisingly changed my life in a minor way, as I learned how people from different cultures and education they grew up with react to different things, and I learned to compare and contrast, not only the books, but real life situations such as the South Africans who banned Frankenstein versus my lifestyle and way-of-thinking. â€Å"Life is neither good or evil, but only a place for good and evil. † Marcus Aurelius. A Wrinkle in Time is a book about the journey through the war of good versus evil and the ultimate triumph of love. Every character is clearly distinguished with either good or evil: the â€Å"good† characters include Meg, her family, Calvin, the Mrs. W’s, Aunt Beast, and the Happy Medium; the â€Å"evil† characters include IT, The Dark Thing, and the Man with the Red Eyes. Frankenstein, on the other hand, is a story told in a series of letters, as Robert Walton, the captain of a ship bound for the North Pole, recounts to his sister back in England the progress of his dangerous mission. Successful early on, the mission is soon to be disturbed by seas full of impassable ice. Trapped, Walton encounters Victor Frankenstein, who had been travelling by dog-drawn sledge across the ice and is weakened by the cold. Walton take him abroad the ship, helps nurse him back to health, and hears the fantastic tale of the monster the Frankenstein created. This tale that Frankenstein is reciting reveals the two sides that a person, or a living creature can portray: good and evil. Frankenstein was banned in South Africa for being â€Å"obscene† and â€Å"indecent†, while A Wrinkle in Time was banned for having a fantasy-related genre throughout the plot, including witches and demons. Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. â€Å"Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension. Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master; obey! † (Shelley 149). In Frankenstein, the monster represents evil, as it comes to life, and terrorizes its creator. Dangerous knowledge is an ideal theme in Frankenstein. The pursuit of knowledge is right in the middle of Frankenstein, as Victor attempts to go beyond accepted human limits and find out the secret of life. Likewise, Robert Walton attempts to pass the past human explorations by being determined to reach the North Pole. In A Wrinkle In Time, comfort and individuality is a major theme that I saw throughout the plot. The main character, Meg, is caught between the desire for conformity and the expression of her own creative nature. At the beginning of the novel Meg feels embittered towards other students at her school that make fun of her and tease her for being different, as well as those who see her little brother as being weird or odd. She desperately wants to be more like her twin brothers who have little problem fitting in. The theme that the two stories share, and that I have mentioned before, is the theme titled good and evil: â€Å"Suddenly there was a great burst of light through the Darkness. The light spread out and where it touched the Darkness the Darkness disappeared. The light spread until the patch of Dark Thing had vanished, and there was only a gentle shining, and through the shining came the stars, clear and pure. Then, slowly, the shining dwindled until it, too, was gone, and there was nothing but stars and starlight. No shadows. No fear. Only the stars and the clear darkness of space, quite different from the fearful darkness of the Thing† (L’Engle 102). Its interesting that the defeat of the Black Thing doesnt lead to the universe being lit up like a baseball stadium, but rather to an absence of unnatural darkness. Its almost like the battle isnt so much between evil and good as between evil and the normal. Characters are â€Å"Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations† Ray Bradbury. In Frankenstein, the main character or the creator of the monster. Victor becomes obsessed with the idea of creating an artificial human form and eventually attempts to make it. Immediately after creating the monster, he falls into a depression and starts to fear. He leaves the school and returns home to his family, where he finds only tragedy. Not fully aware of the consequences of his creating a new human, he ends up really spending his entire life trying to destroy the same creation he was working to make for so long. In a Wrinkle In Time however, the protagonist is portrayed a bit differently: Meg Murry, The books hero, an awkward, but loving high school student who is sent on an adventure through time and space with her brother Charles Wallace and friend Calvin to rescue her father from the evil force that is attempting to take over the universe. Megs greatest faults are her anger, impatience, and lack of self-confidence, but she changes and overcomes them, and in the end is victorious, as the story ends with a stereotypical kid’s-story ending. A happy ending for the protagonist. The main differences that I saw between the two are the two protagonists: Meg Murry (A Wrinkle In Time), and Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein), are to begin with, set in different times. A Wrinkle In Time could be set anywhere in the recent past. Frankenstein however, is set in the late 18th century. The whole concept of Frankenstein is much darker, and in fact I would say it could be classified as gothic science fiction, as the characters are much darker, and seem more serious and cold-hearted by the way Shelley describes them compared to the other book. A Wrinkle In Time is much lighter, as the characters, their actions, and abilities are all easier, and always give the advantage to the â€Å"good guys†. Also the whole concept of the book, and the idea of it, is more for a child’s imagination to handle and comprehend compared to Frankenstein, and I would classify it as plain science and fantasy fiction. Although these differences shape the stories in totally different directions, there are some similarities: The similarities between the characters and their traits are that they both have solid downsides to them. As I mentioned before, Meg’s (A Wrinkle In Time) faults are her temper, impatience, and lack of confidence in herself, and Victor’s (Frankenstein) faults are that he is in a depression and great fear throughout the plot after the Monster is created and is woken. Another trait I can compare between the two protagonists, are their determination to reach their final goal. Although I cannot see it in either book, but both books were officially banned in one place or another for ridiculous reasons. Frankenstein was banned in South Africa for being â€Å"obscene† and â€Å"indecent† in 1955. Maybe 57 years ago there were different rules and traits a person had to portray to be defined as â€Å"good†, but to make this specific book banned for being â€Å"obscene† (which means that it is offensive or the opposite of accepted manner). A Wrinkle In Time is banned for having witches, crystal balls and demons. Also, because Jesus is listed among the names of great artists, philosophers and teachers, and it is banned in the U. S. â€Å"Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by such slight ligaments are we bound to prosperity or ruin† (Shelley 37). All in all, these books have more differences than similarities in my opinion. Although both are really good, one is dark while the other is light compared. The similarities that I saw in the characters, the themes, and the reason they were censored are mostly because of the relationship between good and evil throughout it. Studying these two books and the reason for them being banned has surprisingly changed my life in a minor way, as I learned how people from different cultures and education they grew up with react to different things, and I learned to compare and contrast, not only the books, but real life situations such as the South Africans who banned Frankenstein versus my lifestyle and way-of-thinking.

Post Cold War Era China and US: Strategic Balancing

Post Cold War Era China and US: Strategic Balancing CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION Modern international political arena is highly wired and dynamic in many dimensions. In the contemporary international system and power politics, a stable hierarchic order no longer exists as interdependence and globalisation increases their roles on decision making processes both in internal and external relations of political actors. The political theater China and United States play and the metamorphosis of China and United States relations in an ever changing world with its political instability and unpredictability is one of the most remarkable and consequential processes in post-Cold War era. Certain significant factors began to affect directly the power politics between China and United States as the cumulative effects of their long-lasting historical interactions. 9/11 attacks and United States’s invasion of Afghanistan its aftermath, United States’ another possible intervention over the region with its global war against terror doctrine as an instrument of its foreign policy, China’s distinctive and significant involvement in power politics and its increasing influence both in the region and global order, bilateral economic relations, domestic political processes and the consequential actions of the key individuals can unquestionably be mentioned within the leading factors that set up the current political structures and contributed to the momentum of the relations between China and United States. The ability to recognize a potential conflict or cooperation among China and United States and to be able to decide and develop an appropriate policy analyze requires an informed understanding of their international political behaviour. In conducting its international relations, modern China acknowledges its enormous potential to be the new, global rivalry for power and influence, to be the new economic competitor against United States and recognizes the importance of globalisation hence, started to play a more significant and distinctive role in the global organizations. China and United States must mutually and carefully consider the consequences of their judgments before taking action as the impact of a possible clash will be immense on international politics. If conflict arises, parts of Eurasia might be divided at the dawn of a possible Cold War, while a deepening China and United States cooperation will bring with it many beneficial outcomes. To name a few, increased chances fo r the peaceful resolution and the successful management of pressuring global and regional disputes as well as rising economic growth and global wealth. Before proceeding further to post-Cold War analysis, it is vital to explain the China and United States historical background during the Cold War to be able to understand the circumstances better that today’s interactions are built on. INSIGHT TO PAST Since 1949 to present, China and United States relations evolved on a line that included tense deadlocks, intensifying diplomacy, increasingly interconnected economies and noticable growing international rivalry. In October 1, 1949, Chinese Communist Party Leader Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People’s Republic of China after Communists defeated the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek, caused Nationalists to fled to Taiwan. United States did not recognize Mao’s regime. These incidents set the stage for several decades of limited China and United States relations due to Mao’s intention on leaning towards the side of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and United States’ support on Chiang Kai-shek’s newly formed Nationalist government in Taipei. Start of the 1950 Korean War brought China into the conflict and triggered the first military clash between the People’s Republic of China and United States, as China supported the Soviet-backed North Korea while United States and the United Nations counter supported South Korea. In August 1954, First Taiwan Strait Crisis occurred. Chiang Kai-shek forces deployed troops and unload military equipment in Quemoy and Matsu, islands in the strait between China and Taiwan. As a respond, China threatened the Nationalist forces off-shore and United States responded by actively intervening on behalf of the Chiang Kai-shek Nationalist Government and threatened China back via nuclear blackmail. In 1955, the United States Government confirmed its commitment to defend Taiwan by enacting the Formosa Resolution. During 1959 Tibetan uprisings, United States along with the United Nations condemned China for human right abuses in Tibet. During 1964 Vietnam War, the large and growing United States presence in Vietnam posed a potential threat to China in which resulted China to send more military and technical assistance to support North Vietnamese. Within same year, China also conducted its first test of an atomic bomb, increasing tensions over the escalating conflict in Vietnam. In 1969, a long-standing dispute contained differences over security, ideology and choice of development between China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics broke into localized armed conflict. While Chinese – Soviet relations worsen, United States took advantage of the conflict and took initiative to improve its relations with China in order to pressure and isolate the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics further. In 1971, the term Ping-Pong Diplomacy was created after the Chinese ping-pong team invites members of the United States’ team, which signaled the initial signs of the warming relations between China and United States. Shortly after, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger made a secret trip to China in order to meet Chinese leaders and pave the way for an incoming visit by President Richard Nixon. Under the influence of these events, by a vote of the United Nations General Assembly, the Chinese seat in the United Nations was transferred from the Nationalist Government in Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China. On February 21, 1972, President Nixon was arrived in Beijing as the first United States President whom ever to set foot on China. Nixon, Kissinger and other United States officials met Chinese leaders and Shanghai Communiquà © was signed to improve relations deeper and further. In the document, Chinese and United States stated their positions on a number of issues including joint opposition to the Soviet Union and United States’ intention to withdraw its military from Taiwan. Process of normalization of formal diplomatic relations and reopening of communication channels began after more than twenty years of non-recognition. It is quite challenging to predict accurate statements regarding the future of China and United States relations in post-Cold War period due to the dynamic flow of interactions. At any given time in the future, the route of affairs may change in a spectrum that extends from a high level of cooperation to a high level of competition and conflict. The future can be marked by either convergence towards a strengthening alliance, stability and peace or deterioration, increased conflict, perhaps even war. To explain further some of the possible pathways that are being offered, I will limit my research of analyzing the longer-term future of China’s foreign policies on the theoretical basis of two main International Relations theories, Realism and Liberalism, in comparison with Confucianism and how their synergy might lead China’s involvement and influence in global order. Incoming chapters will separetely focus on distinctive factors that will help me to develop the structure of this study. I will start the following chapter by explaining the theoretical frameworks of Realism, Liberalism and Confucianism. In each theoretical background, its leading perspectives will be analyzed seperately. Following chapter will explain the post-Cold War social and political development process in China in order to get a better grasp of the current circumstances which China and United States relations are building on. As for my final chapter before my final critic, in accordance with China’s foreign policy decision-making, dependable examples within world politics and international relations will be given to explain each theoretical backgrounds’ influence on Chinese foreign policies in post-Cold War era.

Essay examples --

Mandatory reporting laws of domestic violence for healthcare providers could be an important step forward as well to protect children witnesses. These laws are still controversial, and those who oppose them usually do so out of concern that it will dissuade women from seeking medical help – not to mention a risk of retaliation – and is too much of an attempt to control the life of an adult (Culross 115). However, these mandatory reporting laws would allow doctors who see signs of domestic abuse to bring in child protective services, which is a first step to protecting children who witnessed domestic violence (Culross 115). Increasingly, many believe that Child Protective Services should intervene on behalf of children who witness domestic violence (Appel 231). Historically, despite the aforementioned overlap, these programs have been very divided with Child Protectice Services only focusing on the children and domestic violence programs only focusing on the abused victims (Findlater 84). Some opponents fear that just like mandatory reporting laws, these could put the children and t...

M&S Case Study Essay

Introduction As stated by Andrew (2001), the Porter’s generic strategies framework assist the business to evaluate a competitive atmosphere. The five Porters force mainly deal with entry threat, power of buyers and suppliers, substitute’s threat, and competitive rivalry. The threat of entry According to Porter (1980), entry freedom into a new market is normally considered an indication of the extent of company’s competitiveness. Porter further states that the larger the barriers to entry, the less the threat of new companies moving into the market. Marks and Spencer individually can keep prices low strategically to minimize possible entrants into the market. This is called entry deterring pricing that establishes a barrier to other competitors. As stated by Anthony (1999), these barriers are unique characteristics of an industry that defines it. The barriers decrease the pace at which new firms enter the industry thus maintaining low profits levels for other companies. The power of buyers For Marks and Spencer to root to its customers, it has to emphasis on grassroots acquisition of customers so as to offer an enlarged bargaining power to them. Consumers can improve their bargaining power suppose the services or products of an organization are not affordable or are of low quality. The consumers an also have strong bargaining power suppose they purchase standard, undifferentiated goods from suppliers. The buyers will be weak if producers can over own retailing if the producers are not standardized and the buyer cannot switch to another product (Johnson and Scholes, 2002). The company has tried to minimize such cases for high competitive advantage. The company has also to find new delivery methods that will improve customer satisfaction. Power of suppliers According to Porters (1980), a supplier can have influence suppose the company works within a limited market and there is a degree of substitutability. As asserted by Grant (2005), there are some factors that determine the power of the company to attain all the needed account to meet the relevant profits. There are credible onwards integration threats by suppliers, supplier’s concentration, cost of switching suppliers, and its powerfulness to boycott low quality products (Anthony, 1999). The company has to maintain a chain of suppliers for its products to beat the competition. Threat of Substitutes Porter (1980) describes the threat of substitution as the identification of substitute products that can perform the same function as the product in question. Marks and Spencer experiences some threats from the products of other companies. To an economist, intimidation of competitors take place supposes the product demand is affected by change in price of the competitors. Marks and Spencer’s products demand have been adversely affected by the strategic change in prices of other companies (Coyne, 1996). The new fashions available and the changing dressing mode are creating high competition between Marks and Spencer and other competitive companies. Rivalry Marks and Spencer faces high competition because various companies have emerged producing high quality products at affordable prices. This high concentration shows that the company has many competitors and majority has an important market share. To counter competition, Marks and Spencer has managed to lower prices so as to gain a temporary advantage. It has also strived to improve their product features and qualities during the manufacture (Grant, 2005). References Andrew, H., 2001. Understanding Potters five force analyses in the industries: view in the global world. Macmillan publishers. pp.22-27. Anthony, W., 1999. Strategic comparison of business to consumers’ relationships. Macmillan publishers. Coyne, K., 1996. Bringing obedience to policy. The McKinsey Quarterly. No.4. Grant, R., 2005. Modern policy investigation. The Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Oxford (U.K.). Johnson & Scholes, 2002. Strategic Management. 6th ed. Exploring Corporate Strategy Text & Cases.

Explication on a poem by Blanche Farley Essay

The human mind is in a constant state of flux. More so, a woman’s. Blanche Farley’s The Lover not Taken, beautifully captures the vacillating moods of a woman in and out love, and lends a very daring outrageous image of a woman’s mind. ‘The lover not taken’, in the life of the woman in Farley’s poem would be the significant choice made in a woman’s life – one that decides her character, her destiny. In this, it is as significant as ‘The Road not Taken’. The poem is a beautiful play of comparison and contrast of thought and feeling, of idealism versus realism, the heart and the mind. All alone, Farley’s Madame Bovary waits in time, left to herself. The woman, already bound and claimed in marriage, caught in turmoil, stands pondering at the crossroads, on the verge of giving in to the charms of her new-found suave lover’s lovely hair and smile Unhappy in a marriage, a woman’s heart is unchained, still seeking love. Having found it, the temptation to infidelity looms large. Yet the sensitive niche, in which a woman places herself, prevents her from giving herself freely away to her feelings. Her hating to face the sensitive situation, wishing not to displease her husband nor her lover, yet poignantly wanting to have the cake and eat it, – the vagaries of a woman are picturesquely portrayed. Mulling and wanting, weighing the outcomes of each decision, it is not until the last two lines of the poem, that the mood of the protagonist is actually decided. It appears as if she were her own judge, laying before herself the facts and reasons over which of the two men she would choose and why, and how. Structurally, every line of the poem ends in a pause, a change of mood, a dilemma. The end of every line assumes the consequence of its own course. Are the smiles of her charming lover more endearing than solemn promises of her husband, which he wears in his wedding ring? Guilt-ridden, she does admit her husband is indeed true to her. Yet, what of her love? Awaiting a twist of destiny, expecting a ‘way leading on to a way’, she hopes to find happiness in her love. Hoping for her love to receive her some day, well knowing the grave consequences of adultery, she heaves a sigh of lament. The irresolute, hesitant nature of thought is reflected through the juxtaposition of words like ‘mulling’ and ‘wanting’. Her desire is more for, her lover’s ‘smile’ than her husband’s ‘claim’. She imagines if her blonde lover ‘dropped by some day’, she wonders in fear if her husband, having known about her affair, ‘would ever come back’. Her need to stay in a marriage is very strong, when she tries to think ahead in time, several years away, when she would be recounting her tale to someone, and rejoice at how loyal a wife she had remained. It is only the security of a marriage and a home, which can subconsciously provide her such a stable thought. How finally primordial instincts win over moral values is captured as a conclusion to the poem. Unable to give up either her marriage or love, the woman decides to play it safe, both in love and marriage. It is very ironical that the poem begins with the word ‘committed’. Is the woman really committed to the one who has a claim on her? The frail-minded woman torn between her lover and husband becomes ready to turn into an unconscionable adulteress towards the end of the poem! To reach home and call the lover marks the culmination of this complete turnabout. To enjoy both the comfort of home and the heart, is a secret she alone would know and unflinchingly cherish! Throughout the poem, there is a heavy sense of remorse and regret, and perennial guilt. She finds no peace with any of her feelings. Works Cited â€Å"Road Not Taken: Analysis†. 19 May 2010. MegaEssays. com .