Information System Essay Example for Free

Information System Essay The introduction of information system has heave effect on arising of ethical, social and political issues. These issues should be dealt with at individual, social and political levels. The computer professional and users have the responsibility of maintaining relationship with each other given that critical decision made poses significant consequences to the involved parties. Ethical issues are those principles of what is right and wrong that can be used by individuals acting morally as they make choices that guide their view towards new information technology. They have to behave ethically by not stealing, being honest, keeping promises and doing ones job right for computer users. Consequently, computer professionals are to follow good professional standards and practices, educate non computer professionals on how the systems affect people (Alter, 1999). They are also to ensure the latest knowledge and technology is attained through high level of professional competence. Thus the five ethical, social and political issues in information system that call for moral steps to be taken in making decisions are; The information rights and obligations Individuals and organizations should have rights and obligation on information so that they are able to protect their information in the system. The ethical issue here are on what condition should privacy be raided or what justifiable self-effacing inspection. Socially, people have to be ascertained privacy when using the information system. But will the expectation of the society be extended to criminal conspirators. Politically, are securities teams monitor or maintain individuals’ data from sites? Property rights and obligations There should be a way of protecting the traditional intellectual property rights in a digital society. This will facilitate tracing and accounting for information ownership by eliminating difficulties associated with property rights. In respect to social issues, the society should be in a position of sharing information so as to eliminate law breakers and politically, the government should protect investment of creators by setting new protection measures needed. Accountability and control The issue of who is to be held accountable or liable for the harm done to individuals or for the collective information and property rights. The ethical issue is on who is responsible morally for the consequences of the use of hardware or software. Socially, the issue brought out is on what the expectation of the society should be in allowing service provision from information system or can people be in a position of trusting the quality of the software, data (Gupta, 2000). In addition, the political issues of on what extent should the government intervene so that it may protect service providers and users. System quality The standards of data and quality of system should be defined that society should demand in order to protect individuals’ rights and the safety in the society. Ethically, the point at which services are to be released for consumption has to be defined. On social issues, whether people are to be convinced that the information systems are infallible and politically whether laws of accountability and responsibility should be set (Alter, 2006). The government has to step in and develop standards on the quality of data, software and hardware. Quality of life Certain values have to be preserved in an information and knowledge-based society against violation. The information should be in a position of supporting the cultural values and practices. Information system has led to reengineering of work, health risks like computer vision syndrome and radiation from display screens. In addition, it weakens traditional boundaries; it is vulnerable to system failures, slow responses to change due to efficient market place and problems associated with centralized policy decisions (Curtis Cobham, 2008). Even though information system poses several issues to business, it must be incorporated in business operations for it is vital in coordination and communication within the business. Additionally, the benefits of information system are much more than the few shortcomings it carries. 2. An information system refers to the combination of information technology and people’s activities while using the technology in order to support operations, management and ease decision making. In essence, it’s the interaction between people, processes, data and technology (Beynon-Davies, 2009). It helps in controlling the performance of business processes. An information system works in a way that human and machines perform tasks to produce products and services for customers. Information system is made up of several components of management, organization and technology. These are; the people, hardware, software, data, network resources, types of information products and the way the components perform i.e. input, processing, output and storage through controlled activities. People resources are made up of end users and information system specialists while hardware consists of machines and media. The soft ware resources comprises of programs and procedures in storage of information and processing while data consists of data and knowledge sources (Mader, 1979). Network resources are made up of communications media and network which facilitate technology in innovation and communication. 3. In an organization, information system is vital given that it helps in decision making by employees and managers. Additionally, it wires an organization strategy for competitive advantage through innovation using information system and facilitating business processes and operations. In a business, information system provides managers with important information about sales, inventories and all other vital data that will help in managing an organization (Edwards, 2001). It facilitates effective communication between the different levels of management through collection, processing, storing and dissemination of data in the organization. I believe that information system is very important in the organization for it enhances communication within the organization. By incorporating modern information technology in management of the business, managers will be able to come up with decision with much ease. Furthermore, it provides essential data for analysis of performance of various levels in the business thus enabling motivation, training, recruitment and promotion. Lastly, it provides data and analysis which are useful in making good decision of how, when and where to employ human resources in order to achieve the goal of the organization. 4. Â   I agree that there is a sustainable competitive advantage in business. Sustainable competitive advantage can only be attained through the use of information system where it facilitates innovation and decision making that will enable a business to remain competitive in the market (O’Brien, 2008). The organization will therefore make use of information technology to reengineer internal processes of the business thus cutting on cost and ensuring quality products making them to remain competitive in the market. In short, a sustainable competitive advantage is possible with implementation of effective information system with proper and focused management.

Performance and goals of RHB Bank Berhad Malaysia

Performance and goals of RHB Bank Berhad Malaysia As the Department of IT (2011) states RHB Bank Berhad is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It covers variety of financial aspects of people and organizations such as commercial banking, corporate and investment banking. The merger of Kwong Yik Bank and DCB Bank on 1997 resulted to RHB bank, RHB Bank is a part of RHB Capital Berhad financial. The Department of (2011) explins that Today, the bank is the control of the EPF (Employee Provident Fund) after a recent successful bidding. RHB offers different services such as Commercial Banking, Corporate and International Banking services, and currently has more than 200 branch network across the country. To centralize its based hub, a multi-million complex along Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur is now becomes the main headquarter. As the Department of IT (2011) believes RHB Bank specialises in consumer banking and other entities like Islamic Bank, Delta finance to its name. Main focus of RHB bank is on industrial and commercial lending in Singapore, despite it being a fully qualified bank. RHB Group is currently the fourth largest integrated financial service group in Malaysia. Its core businesses can be divided into seven Strategic Business Groups: Retail Banking Business Banking Group Transaction Banking Corporate Investment Banking Islamic Banking Global Financing Banking Group Treasury These businesses are offered through the main subsidiaries, RHB Bank Bhd and RHB Investment Bank Bhd, which are fully owned by RHB Capital and RHB Insurance Bhd which is 79.5% owned by RHB Capital. RHB Islamic Banking Unit, RHB ISLAMIC Bank Bhd, is wholly owned by RHB Bank, while our asset management and unit trust businesses are held under RHB Investment Management Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of RHB Investment Bank. Swot analysis: Strengths: RHB bank is 4th largest bank in Malaysia. It has more than 200 branches and thousands of employees make this bank one of the largest and most successful financial institutes in Malaysia. This shows that there is slight growth in bank. Offer a comprehensive range of financial product and services RHB bank provides variety of services for individuals and organizations. So, it can attract more customer and also Strong cash flow Cash flow of 507,078,000 USD at December 2009. Strong financial performance. There are proven records for the last 7 years which shows great performance of this organization. Ranked in top 30 Malaysia brands 2008. Ranked 17 among 30 best companies in Malaysia worth: 187 million USD Weaknesses: Lack of advertisement and promotions. Comparing to other major banks such as HSBC and May bank it has less activities in these areas. Weak online banking image. RHB not performing strongly in the online banking field specially in user friendliness of their applications. Moderate rank in banking industry value. Opportunities: Growing demand for Islamic banking Islamic banking has seen huge demand in last few years which is a great chance for RHB group to develop in this sector and as Malaysia is considered as a leader in Islamic banking therefore they can expand their services in other Islamic countries as well. Increase usage of online banking Moderate users and people tend to do more of their transactions and banking activities online where as several services can be provided for companies and organizations via online system. With respect to that there is a good market for developing online applications where should be attracting, secure and user friendly. Expansion in ASEAN region. By opportunities which have been provided between ASEAN countries and the amount of export and import among these countries RHB can play a big role in facilitating financial transactions for these transports. Advancement of technology There are new technologies come to the market every day. RHB bank has this chance to acquire new technologies and provide better services which will result to gain more customers Threats: Online banking security. The security of online banking transaction should be considered very seriously as one tiny problem may destroy banks reputation and also treats of computer hackers is a very serious issue. Competition among Malaysia major banks. The strategies and policies taken by other competitors should be monitored and studied closely and carefully and fast and effective actions should be considered. Economic crises in the world This crisis has affected every financial institute all over the world and RHB is not an exception, therefore appropriate acts should be taken to minimize the lost in every way. Porter five forces analysis: More than two decades ago, Michael Porter suggested some driving forces which could analyse the attractiveness of any industry as well as its competitive positioning. Porter invented this model and this was published in his book in 1980. Whether the business is service oriented or physical goods, there are always competitive forces in any perfect competitive business environment. Threats of new entry: Figure 2: minimum amount of capital As above table shows the capital need that Malaysian central bank requires for new banks and with respect to the facts that confirm how complicated this business is, it is not very likely to see new entries every day. The point was entering foreign banks to Malaysia which concerns local banks to rebuild their strategies. Commercial Bank 7 Fully Qualified Foreign Banks Affin Bank Berhad Alliance Bank Berhad AmBankBerhad CIMB BankBerhad EON BankBerhad Hong Leong BankBerhad Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) Public Bank Berhad RHB BankBerhad Muamalat BankBerhad Citibank HSBC Bank Malaysia Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation(OCBC Bank) The Standard CharteredBank (StanChart) The Bank of Nova Scotia(Scotiabank) The Royal Bank of Scotland(RBS)-Former ABN Amro United Overseas Bank(UOB) Bangkok Bank Berhad Bank of China Malaysia Berhad Bank of America Malaysia Berhad Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Berhad Threats of substitutes: With respect to advancement of technology and foreign banks which are operating in Malaysia the degree of competiveness will definitely be raised every day as each bank tries to come with new products and services to gain more customers so these threats will consider high. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The core business of the banking industry is service which mainly focuses on safety of wealth. The suppliers do provide some tangibles like chequebooks, furniture and etc. The impact of this in business is not significant since they are not really like the raw material. Therefore this is a favourable force in this industry. Bargaining power of customers: RHB considers as one of biggest and busiest banks in Malaysia and more or less provides all the services which its competitors also do. So as the degree of differentiation in its product is also high and in some cases the obligations for services are lower that other banks the bargaining power of customers considered low. Competitive rivalry: In the traditional economic model, competition among rival banks drives profits to zero. However, competition has never been perfect and firms are sophisticated passive price takers. Banks strive for a competitive advantage over their rivals. The degree of rivalry among firms varies across industries, and strategic analysts are interested in these fluctuations. These differences give some firms a competitive advantage while to others a disadvantage. When a rival acts in a manner that elicits a counter-response by other firms, rivalry will change. The intensity of rivalry is referred to as being intense, moderate, or weak, based on the firms degree of aggressiveness in attempting to gain an advantage. In pursuing an advantage over its rivals, a firm (in this case a bank) can choose from several competitive moves: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Changing in price: change prices to gain a temporary advantage. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ More product differentiation: more features, innovations in the manufacturing process and in the product itself. The banks can reposition themselves from the old way the customers have been known them. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Distribution creativity: by vertical integration and using a distribution channel that is novel to the industry. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Exploiting relationships with suppliers. It is clear that market stability and changes in supply and demand affect rivalry. Cyclical demand tends to create cutthroat competition. Current analysis of RHB bank: RHB bank is a Malaysia based investment company which principally offers commercial and corporate banking services. Its range of services includes banking, leasing, insurance and etc. As of December 31, 2009, RHB network has expanded to network of around 241 branches in Malaysia; 7 branches in Singapore; a branch in Brunei and Thailand and the headquartered is at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. So with respect of the above explanation and the pervious analysis RHB performing successfully but more work and effort should be putted on online banking in future. Area of improvement and possible approaches: While it is obvious that the core legacy environment needed to be replaced to meet current IT requirements, RHB also wanted to build the best possible infrastructure for its future business needs. There are no simple replacement strategies therefore the current environment can be a bit complex. Approach Assessed current issues with the core platform, investment and operating aspects, and organizational implications Determined future requirements for the next 10 years for example and arrange them into a set of capabilities that the system should provide to ensure success. Undertook evaluation against key strategic capabilities and technical architectural considerations IT department: Information technology Department manages the scientific plans and mechanism as well as all that is related to information systems in the Bank which includes following-up the maintenance, upgrading of the systems. In addition to that, this department is responsible to supervising the upgrading of all the systems for the administrative and financial works as well as communication networks. Applications Development: This section will prepare development plans for the information systems and studying other requirements of the Bank. It also develops databases and systems. The Section is also responsible for conducting technical studies and finding the criteria for the systems which the Bank interested to utilize. Network Security: Network and  Security Section of the IT department supervises the communication lines network and internet services and arranges their follows up the repair of faults in the network and set up a security system to protect the networks. Operations Technical Support: The Section undertakes the responsibility of supervising the backup process of data from the various databases. It also follows-up the maintenance contracts technical-wise (and coordinates with the Banks authorities. SWOT analysis of IT department: Opportunities: Advancement of technology provides new opportunities for IT department in order to come out with new application and services. By increasing the security and other counter measures they can attract more customers to their online applications. Threats: Time is very important in competition specially when it comes to IT field and products. Online thieves and hackers can be considered another threat for IT department. Strength: Having one of the most qualifying IT personnel in their team. Updating their online system and improve it constantly. Weaknesses: Its online banking that is not user friendly neither as popular among Malaysian people as its competitors. Having less branches comparing to other local banks such as CIMB and May bank. According to these result and other information gathered, it seems that although RHB has put so much man power and budget on their IT and online applications, still they didnt completely look at it from the customer perspective. Therefore its strongly advisable to them to reconsider and redesign their online banking in the manner which attract more users and therefore more customers as the best way of marketing is word of mouth. According to other research may bank and cimb are the significant samples for online banking which RHB currently competing with. Area of improvement: As far as I understand they dont need much consideration on security issues as according to their CIO they are already very advanced in the subject. The point they have to consider is attractive design for their website and other online applications as well as it should be easy to use as much as possible. It is very important for any online application and specifically in Malaysia it will attract people. Risk: 1. Human error: This risk has existed and we will face this error in future. There are some ways to reduce the rate such as trainings, but it will always be there. 2. System failure: The happening rate of this error has been reduced thanks to many facts such as technology advancement but precautions should still be made. 3. Cyber attacks: These attacks will be faced by any financial institute during time. Rising security measures, using new methods a consistent monitoring will result to reduce the possibility of this problem to occur. In addition to these issues the IT department has a very sophisticated plan for their crises management in order to keep data safe and consistent. These problems hopefully are not likely to happen, but they have to take measures as they dealing with lots of people and huge amount of data which no one can think what to do if this data some hoe lost. Conclusion: Rhb vision is to be among the top three financial institutions in ASEAN by the year 2020. In order t o achieve this goal they have a long way to go. One of their most vital assets in this road would be Information technology and IT related services which they could provide for their customers. The point here to remember is that IT applications can be very complex and miss leading due the security aspects; therefore simplification is vital for these applications to success. Beside that there are other points that should be improved along the way such as CUSTOMER FOCUS, TEAMWORK, RESPECT, INNOVATION, and QUALITY SERVICE.

E.E. Cummings :: essays papers

E.E. Cummings is characteristically American. He is a famous, well known American author. I found that his writing style is of a stereotypical American. What is it to be stereotypically American? Well I found that one of the main things is that you can say or write whatever you want and not feel threatened about if what your saying is the right thing or not. Also a lot of Americans will use sarcasm. Also you don’t have to come right out and say whatever you mean. Some will talk about something completely different then what they are really trying to say. Cummings used a good amount of sarcasm in his writing. He sort of made fun of things in his poems without coming out and saying it. He also doesn’t just come right out and say what he means. I haven’t been able to figure out many of his poems at all. The things he says just makes no sense at all. Even after analyzing his work I haven’t been able to understand what he means. I think that is one thing that most Americans do in one way or another. Cummings also wrote a large amount of poems that probably would have offended people in one way or another. But freedom of speech is one thing that all Americans have. We can say whatever we want and not have to answer to anyone about it. If we were in another country that freedom of speech isn’t allowed he possibly could have been thrown in jail for some of his writings. He was known for his lack of correct punctuation and capitalization in his writings. Very often he would write his name as "e.e. cummings", not even capitalizing his own name. He basically had his own style of writing things even though they were not written correctly. He never followed any of the rules which might have been one of the reasons he was so remembered. He was born in Cambridge Massachusetts. He grew up there and worked at a mail-order publishing company for a short time. He decided to volunteer for the Norton-Harjes Ambulance group in France. He was imprisoned for three months in a French Detention camp. While being there

Skill in Presenting Information Both Orally and in Writing :: essays research papers

Skill in presenting information both orally and in writing. During my tenure with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and especially in my current position, a substantial part of my duties has required strong skills in presenting information both orally and in writing. As an example of my oral communication skills, I was selected by the office Director to be a presenter at an NCI symposium on the documentation of cancer research. This symposium was designed to inform cancer researchers about the new methods of cancer documentation within the NCI guidelines. This symposium was attended by 100+ participants consisting of researchers, scientists and support staff. I spoke on the history of the NCI, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on documentation, and the relationship between NCI and the National Institutes of Health. In my former position as Executive Assistant to the Office of the Director (OD), I served as the liaison between the support staff of the OD, the NIH executive support staff, and companies in the private sector. I was responsible for keeping all parties informed about assignments and tasks due to the OD. My ability to communicate this information clearly and succinctly was very important in ensuring that the assigned tasks were fully understood and completed in a timely manner. Effective written communication skills are also critical in my current position. I have taken over a number of writing assignments previously completed by my supervisor. For instance, I draft monthly reports that update Division Directors and Institute Administrators on changes in procedures and regulations and their impact on operations. These written reports are concise yet detailed, and they are routinely approved by my supervisor without corrections.

William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay -- Midsumme

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are so many references to "the eyes" in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that one would expect there to be a solid and consistent reason for their appearance. However, this does not seem to be the case. Indeed, the images associated with the eyes are so varied, and shift so frequently, that it is practically impossible to define what it is they represent. This difficulty reflects the problem of distinguishing between what is real and what is illusion -- a central theme of the play. Confusion and misunderstanding abound throughout "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The lovers' chase through the forest is perhaps the most obvious example. The "mechanicks'" bumbling performance of "Pyramus and Thisbe" is perhaps the most comic. However, as the play commences, it is a misunderstanding between Egeus and Hermia that threatens to throw the court into turmoil. This particular misunderstanding revolves around Hermia's love for Lysander. Although Egeus has arranged for his daughter to wed Demetrius, it is Lysander that Hermia really wants to marry. However, Egeus refuses to ascent to their marriage, threatening to enforce on his daughter the "ancient privilege of Athens" (1.1.41) if she does not condescend to his original choice. Even though this would entail her entering a nunnery (or perhaps even being executed), Egeus' opinion cannot be swayed. His stubbornness leads Hermia to exclaim: "I would my father looked but with mine eyes" (1.1.56). Clearly, Hermia believes that if her father could see Lysander in the same light as her, then he would quickly form a different opinion of him. In this instance, then, the eyes symbolize judgment. Theseus' response to Hermia not only ... ...e, nor his heart to report what my dream was" (4.1.204-207). Here, he confuses the senses in his attempt to get a grip on reality, thus demonstrating the blurred boundary between reality and illusion. Clearly, then, the eye alone cannot be trusted to provide adequate information about the nature of reality. The fluid, endlessly shifting imagery of the eyes serves to represent this problem, adding to the dreamlike quality of the play in the process. Possibly, it is left to the "poet's eye" (5.1.12) to make the distinction between reality and illusion: "The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen/Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing/A local habitation and a name" (5.1.15-17).     Ã‚   Works Cited   Shakespeare, William. "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1997. 814-861.

Holocaust vs Japanese Internment Camps Essay

In comparison between the two events of that of the Holocaust and of the Japanese Internment camps, I believe that the Holocaust was by far the worst of the two circumstances for the following three main reasons: the process and the steps taken, the deaths and how they occurred, and the mental trauma inflicted and forever engraved into the minds of that of the prisoners of the death camps. Throughout the entire tragic and horrendous ordeal of the Holocaust, every single category of the prisoners were belittled and had been inflicted upon by the public and the Nazi soldiers. They were first forced to pin on certain specified ‘badges’ that stated which category of the prisoners they were, for example, homosexuals, Jews, gypsies, Jehovah witnesses’, etc. The main targets of all the prejudice and stereotypes were the Jews, as they were thought to be the reason they underwent a Great Depression of their own and the reason of which they did not succeed in winning in World War I. Soon after they had been placed the specified ‘badges’ that indicated to the Nazis of which of the main groups they belonged to, they were forced onto packed trains, where they would be transported to move into the crowded, packed houses in the Ghettos. The process of moving all the prisoners by force and separating them by physical means from their homes and families was even more terrible than just being taken off guard without being able to react. This process let the prisoners know that they had no choice but to be submissive, it made them realize that there was literally nothing left for them to do but to cooperate and wish for this ordeal to be over and done with. The number of deaths itself would be enough to explain how horrible the camps were, but the way they were handled was far more extreme and horrendous. There were many ways they could die: in the gas chambers, crematoriums, disease, starvation, hangings, dehydration, beatings, electrocution, gun shot,etc.- some of which were suicide attempts, a desperate need of escape and a way to end it all by their own doings. The entire time, you would be able to witness your family, friends, and neighbors being killed, knowing that soon you would be next. There were even some prisoners that were employed as the ones who were in charge of the killing process as a way to confuse prisoners and give them a false sense of security. Many of those employed were forced to kill their own family members and have that guilt with them for the remainder of their lives. The worst part of it all was the mental trauma the entire situation caused onto each and every of its prisoners and of that of the remaining survivors. Imagine witnessing hundreds of deaths each week, standing in line with the other prisoners during selection, receiving the smallest of crumbs and fighting over the scraps. Imagine witnessing your family being separated from you, knowing that you will never see them again, hoping your fate will not be as bad as theirs. Nothing you could ever imagine would ever even come close to how that prisoners felt. Only the survivors of the camps would be haunted by all these nightmares they have lived through and witnessed each and every day they’ve spent at the camp. Only they would be able to tell you of the true nature of the horrors that have occurred behind the barbed-wired fences. Each day, they would have to live, remembering and reliving the traumatic experiences they’ve had first hand forever for the remainder of their live s. Some of these survivors could no longer take the mindset of it all, and despite finally being free after all those years locked away, they have taken their own lives, just to keep away those thoughts that would sneak their way through. In conclusion, I find that, despite the two being both horrible and inhumane treatment, I find that the Holocaust is and always will be by far more worse than the Japanese internment camps ever will be.

English †Book Report: The Green Mile Essay

I originally read this book when it was first published as a complete volume in 1998 and it has been my favourite book ever since. I have never read another book that has evoked such emotion, and I have been known to have trouble seeing a few of the pages through my tears. At first glance it is a long book (453 pages), with a rather imposing picture of ‘Old Sparky’, the electric chair, on the front cover. As you read the blurb on the back it manages to fill you with questions about the characters and a taste for more. Like most of Stephen King’s books, The Green Mile is widely considered to be in the horror genre. But personally I don’t think that quite does the book justice and certainly isn’t what I would consider to be classic horror. There are no monsters or zombies, and although there are serial killers and death it is all in context, Death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary, Southern USA, in the 1930s. The first edition consisted of six thin, low-priced paperbacks, published a month apart in 1996. The story is told form the perspective of Paul Edgecombe, head guard on ‘E Block’ of the penitentiary. Paul is now retired, living in a nursing home, trying to get rid of some of the ghosts from his past by writing a retrospective account of his time working on death row. He has a friend at the nursing home, a fellow resident named Elaine Connelly, who he likes to share his time and thoughts with. Paul comes across as a wise and gentle man who is very sensitive to others feelings. Other than Paul there are five guards that work on E block. Brutus Howell is next in command to Paul, a tall and well built but gentle man, who is not violent unless absolutely necessary. His nickname is, ironically, ‘Brutal’. Then there is Dean Stanton, Harry Terwilliger and Bill Dodge, who are ‘floaters’ and not permanent staff. Lastly is Percy Wetmore. Percy is the nephew of a state warden and the other guards have to be civil to him despite their dislike of him, and Percy knows he is pretty much untouchable and uses it to his advantage. He is young, arrogant and extremely sadistic guard who enjoys goading and tormenting the prisoners when he can – he shouts things like â€Å"Dead man walking† when moving prisoners. The book revolves around John Coffey, a black man of formidable size who is convicted of raping and killing two small white girls. He is very quiet and keeps to himself. He cries an awful lot, and is even afraid of the dark – â€Å"do you leave a light on after bed time† is the first thing he asks when he arrives on E Block. Coffey appears to be of very low intelligence and is the calmest and mildest prisoner the guards have ever seen. Despite this he is imprisoned for allegedly luring the girls away from their home, killing the family guard dog in the process and then committing a very violent and depraved double rape and murder. Other than John Coffey, there are five other prisoners on the cell block over the duration of the book focuses on: Arlen Bitterbuck, nicknamed â€Å"The Chief† because of his Cherokee heritage, convicted of killing a man in a drunken fight; Arthur Flanders, nicknamed â€Å"The Pres†, an insurance executive who killed his father; William Wharton, nicknamed ‘Wild Bill’ by the guards and ‘Billy the Kid’ by himself, an extremely dangerous and unpredictable trouble-maker due to be executed for multiple murders he committed during a robbery; and Eduard Delacroix, a Cajun who is on death row for arson and the murder of seven people. Despite his crimes he is very meek and cowardly which makes him a target for Percy’s abuse. While on death row Delacroix befriends a very intelligent mouse with a penchant for peppermint sweets and names him Mr Jingles. Delacroix teaches the mouse to do tricks and he appears to follow his commands. At first the guards try to kill him, but then everyone becomes rather fond of Mr Jingles. Mr. Jingles shows the loneliness that the men feel on the Mile. They are even willing to take in a mouse. Only Percy still holds a grudge against the mouse, and one day he steps on it. After Percy steps on Mr. Jingles, Coffey uses his powers to save him. After Delacroix is executed, John takes care of the mouse, and a little of his power transfers into it. The other characters are: Hal Moores, The Warden at Cold Mountain Penitentiary and his wife Melinda who is dying of a brain tumor; and Jan Edgecombe, Paul’s Wife. The name of book comes from the nickname given by the guards to the corridor with a green linoleum floor that leads from the cells where the prisoners live to the execution room beyond Paul’s office. Paul finds out Percy is prepared to leave Cold Mountain once he has had the chance to ‘be out front’ and play a key role in an execution. Seeing the bigger picture Paul goes against his instinct and agrees he can be in charge of Delacroix’s execution, with horrendous consequences. Delacroix has several run-ins with Percy and in return, Percy deliberately sabotages Delacroix’s execution by not wetting the sponge on the man’s head before the execution begins, and as a result the electric causes the dry sponge and his head to catch fire leading to a very gruesome death. Paul comes to learn of Coffey’s extraordinary healing abilities when one quiet evening he asks him down to his cell. Paul goes against everything he knows and goes into Coffey’s cell. Coffey touches Paul and in the process heals his urine infection, letting out from his mouth what looks like a cloud of gnats. When asked to explain what he had done could only say that he knew he had helped it. After this and the resurrection of Mr Jingles Paul begins to believe Coffey is innocent of his crimes and was in fact trying to save the little girls he has been accused of murdering. Wanting to help the terminally ill wife of his friend Warden Moores, and with the help of the other guards they drug Wild Bill lock Percy into the padded restraint room, before smuggling Coffey out of the prison site and take him to heal Melinda’s deadly brain tumor using his magical powers. As John Coffey is being smuggled out of E Block, Wild Bill grabs his arm and Coffey senses that Wharton is the true killer of the two girls, the crime for which Coffey has been falsely convicted and sent to death row. When they return to E block, Coffey grabs Percy through the bars of his cell and presses their mouths together. Coffey gives Percy the same ‘sickness’ he drew from the warden’s wife. Whilst in a trance like state Percy shoots Wild Bill six times, killing him. After which Percy falls into a comatose state in which he will stay for the rest of his life. Percy ends up as a patient at the very asylum to which he promised Paul he would transfer after Delacroix’s execution. Despite Coffey’s innocence and incredible ability, he is still executed, partly because of the very racist attitudes of 1930s southern USA. The story then returns to the present, where it is revealed that those healed by Coffey gain an unnatural lifespan. Mr Jingles is revealed as being still alive though he dies at the nursing home. Paul is now 108 and dreads to think how long he himself has left to live, especially after the death of his friend Elaine. As he puts it at the very end, â€Å"We each owe a death, there are no exceptions, I know that, but sometimes, oh God, the Green mile is so long†. Throughout the story, Stephen King’s magical use of description brings the story to life and helps to build up a strong rapport with the characters. The flitting from Paul’s time at the penitentiary back to his time in the nursing home adds depth and gives Paul the opportunity to reflect, which I feel is an important part of the story. Although the book deals with some dramatic and very violent ideas, it does so in a very matter-of-fact way. I think this is mostly down to Paul’s matter-of-fact personality, for example when they are doing a ‘practice’ execution for Arlen Bitterbuck using another man Paul comments on how an inmate’s leg is usually shaved to aid the flow of current and mentions â€Å"Indians have very little body hair as a rule, but we would take no chances†. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy books or just fancies a bit of a darker read, from young adult upwards. The book explores the realm of the supernatural and opens the possibility that such forces may exist in our world – it certainly gives the imagination a workout. I always have problems putting it down – but then maybe I am a little biased being a hardened fan already.