Preview

Who Moved My Cheese? Essay Example

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
736 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Who Moved My Cheese? Essay Example
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson is a story that most everyone can relate to and understand. It takes the complex corporate world, and breaks it down into a simple version that even a child could understand. The story of Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw teaches the lesson that changes is not always a bad thing, and you should always be aware of change so that you can make the most of it. Although each character is very different I think that at various times we are able to relate to each of these characters. First the setting of the story takes place in a maze. Like life itself you must make decisions to maneuver through like moving through a maze. Do you take this job, or that job? Do I hire this person, or not? These choices move you through the maze moving you either closer to the "cheese" or further away.
The cheese in the story represents success, which can mean various things to people. Like cheese there are many types and varieties to choose from, and only you can determine what "cheese" is meaningful and satisfying to you. For some people that may be money, power, status, etc…
The characters Sniff and Scurry are mice in our story. Sniff is always on the look out for change in the maze, and cheese supply—while Scurry is quick to scurry into action if Sniff detects any changes. They are both well aware that the cheese supply may change, diminish, or go away entirely. So they both anticipate it so when it does change it does not come as a shock. They are prepared with their track suits and running shoes around their neck ready to go if needed. Translating that to the corporate world I see them as the workers that are always updating their resume, and networking. They were not going to allow change to destroy nor would they just move around when all was well, but when change did occur they were ready to make a move if needed.
Their fellow co-workers Hem and Haw are little people that are like miniature people, and were not so

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the beginning of The Cheese and the Worms, the readers are introduced to a miller named Domenico Scandella, who the narrator refers to as Menocchio. It was uncertain where Menocchio retained his knowledge, but it is obvious that he picked up learning how to read somewhere. No one knows for sure, but it is assumed that there was a school built near Menocchio’s village. It may have been possible for Menocchio to attend this school and have the opportunity to learn to read books, like the bible. Menocchio was a miller, was married and had eleven children. He also was the mayor of his village.…

    • 735 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The main problem in the story is to find the way out of the labyrinth to the outside world. The main adventure is the story of the investigation was the maze and return memory to the people in the maze.…

    • 307 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Who moved my cheese?

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The author uses two little animals and to little people to represent the complexity of the human decision making process, the two mice do better when are faced with changes because they keep things simple. In the other hand, the two little people`s complex brains and human emotions complicate things. In the story cheese is a metaphor for what we want in life, whether is a job, a relationship, money, a big house, freedom, health, recognition, spiritual peace, or even an activity like jogging or golf. The maze represents the place where you spend time looking for what you want. It could be the organization you work in, the community you live in, or the…

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men contain an affluence of symbols which work together to produce a deeper meaning. Of Mice and Men have various examples of symbolism such as, the mouse in Lennie’s pocket, Lennie’s puppy, George and Lennie’s farm, Candy’s dog, Lennie’s death, and the rabbits Lennie always dream about . Symbolism plays a very important part in this novel, so therefore I will be discussing what each symbol represents.…

    • 1140 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Robert Cormier is a renowned American author who has written many award winning literature novels such as The Chocolate War, After the First Death and The Bumblebee Flies Away. His books are often concerned with the themes of abuse, mental illness, revenge, betrayal and conspiracy. Another well-known novel written by Robert Cormier is called I am the Cheese. The story revolves around a teenage boy who embarks on a bike journey to visit his dad in Rutterbug, Vermont. Narrative conventions such as symbols, novel structure, point of view, setting and tone were used to develop the two main themes in the novel which were an individual against the society and abuse of power by the government. These narrative convections also affect the reader’s response…

    • 763 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Over the years short stories have become popular for readers to be able to read and connect with the story that isn’t drawn out. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” (Oates, 1966) and “Hills Like White Elephants, (Hemingway, 1927)”. Both of these short stories tell about decisions that have to be made through different conflicts and really just making decisions for what is best for oneself.…

    • 894 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Who Moved My Cheese Essay

    • 835 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Throughout time, people have had to go through change. Whether it had been moving to a new city or starting a new job, people all around the world have to deal with it. Every person that has endured change has had their own way to handle it. Some people complain and fail to comply with the fact that change will happen and others strive to be a part of the future to come. Dr. Spencer Johnson took note of this when he wrote “Who Moved My Cheese.” This simple story demonstrated the ways that many people deal with change. Using evidence from the story, I have to come to the conclusion that the best way to deal with change is the same way the Sniff and Scurry did, immediately adapt when change comes.…

    • 835 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    | The narrator, in making a seemingly offhanded comment about Rat’s tendency to lie, reveals another major point of the novel: the truth of a particular story is differing from person to person. Each person, with his or her own perspective, will relate or retell a story in a way they believe is befitting. While some may see this as a lie, others may see it as a necessary exaggeration of the truth in order to achieve the full meaning of the storytelling.…

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    White uses a chronological structure to keep the reader engaged with the text throughout the narration. He establishes his story by introducing his morals and his beliefs that “if I worked hard, was a good person, and always told the truth, the world will be my oyster,” which subsequently is crushed. Nevertheless, being aware of his upbringing contributes to understanding why the event affects his perspective deeply and why he “sat down crying silent tears of disappointment” as throughout this time he was believing in a false statement. Also, the detailed account of the day, from the “usual trip to the bank,” and a “pleasant day” to the becoming of a “real-life Coalhouse Walker” creates suspense and a sense of connection with the text to a point where the reader can visualize the events taking place, and feel the tension and confusion, when the author is bewildered by the actions of the stereotypical society. Furthermore, the first person narrative adds to the connection because the reader can identify the anger and be a part of White’s thoughts.…

    • 755 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    I Am the Cheese Monologue

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages

    I am confused. My name is Adam Farmer and also Paul Delmonte. I witnessed my mother and father murdered which truly makes me the cheese. I’m scared every time I think about them. I don’t want to speak about them but I fear I must to conquer the feelings. I knew my mother didn’t have any friends and my father told me that we had no family. My mother spent most of her time in her room and would have a phone call every Thursday evening and it would last a very long time. I didn’t really know my parents very well. They were mysterious to me. It was as if they were hiding myself from me, if that makes any sense. They used to whisper about me in their bedroom, with the door shut. I heard what they were talking about and I realized that they had been lying to me about my identity. My father almost caught me listening in but luckily he didn’t because I panicked and ran away before he could open the door. (1 minute) I was too scared to confront my parents about what I heard them talking about. I thought about telling Amy, my girlfriend, about how weird my parents are but I was scared of what type of opinion she would make of my family. Amy is someone who doesn’t take life too seriously. I think that she is the opposite of me because she isn’t ever afraid and she doesn’t panic, unlike me. I hate people that try to act like they are really tough, luckily they are usually stupid. There were a group of bullies that tried to take my bike and my package away from me. They weren’t clever enough to figure out that I left my bike with the police and they chased me to the police station where I rested for a while because they wouldn’t dare come near me then. Amy’s mother and my mother are also different as my mum stays home all day and her mum spends most of her time outside her house. I am afraid of a thousand things, a million. Like it is to be claustrophobic and yet fear open spaces too. I panic when I try to call Amy from a telephone booth and every time I come across a dog it…

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When I first started reading this book I was unsure of how well I could relate or even like this story. All I could think of was when my husband always says, “quit hem hawing around”. Although, I was wrong. About the middle of the story I realized that although it sounds childish, it was made to be meek and comprehensible, therefore I could place tons of cheese in numerous areas of my life.…

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Through the Tunnel

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages

    1. The inner journey that the boy takes on his self-imposed physical rite of passage is his transition from childhood and emerging into young manhood. This transition is mostly symbolised in this short story by the Jerry’s experience of preparing to go through the tunnel after watching the other boys swim through the tunnel. Jerry practised holding his breath in order to get over the first barrier in achieving his desired destination, the light at the end of the tunnel which symbolises the beginning of his young manhood. This inner journey of growing up is also represented through the physical aspects of the journey when he went from staying with his mother on the safe beach to the dangerous, risky and rocky bay with the French boys. This maturing is also represented when he wanted to give up on his quest after suffering numerous nosebleeds and his fear of death in the tunnel. However he decides to complete the quest anyway based on impulse and by pushing through, he has found self confidence and maturity which is seen by his wanting to be independent of his mother.…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka showed the value of looking at a story from a different perspective. While I used this idea somewhat in my paper, by writing from the point of view of a chocolate bar, Scieszka wrote The True Story of the Three Little Pigs from a perspective that most people do not consider. By writing from an alternative perspective, the wolf is able to persuade the readers that he is not as bad as most think he is. Although I read this book to plan a lesson for my class, it was instrumental in developing my own…

    • 643 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When Linda buys Willy a new type of cheese, Willy becomes very upset because, and as was stated before, he fears making a huge change in his life, although he ironically at the same time wants nothing but change in his life in order to realize his dreams. It is because Willy never makes a decision between these two extremes that he becomes a tragic figure, without resolution. This quote symbolizes Willy’s fear of change.…

    • 924 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Grilled Cheese Essay

    • 585 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The grilled cheese sandwich is a simple culinary delight, the warm gooey cheese dripping from inside the toasted bread, the aroma and the taste has made it a popular sandwich. It has been around since ancient times, it became popular in the US around the 1920’s during the depression years [ (Wikipedia) ]. Making a grilled cheese sandwich is a simple process and I will take you through it step by step.…

    • 585 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays