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Table of contents

1. Don’t attempt to build demand
Don’t purchase media attribution
2. Don’t worry about influencer marketing or social media to expand your market

Don’t attempt to build demand

A smart man once stated: the market perpetually gains. If the market is moving in the very direction as your company, your possibilities of accomplishment are way higher; if the market isn’t moving your way, you’re way much turned.

Also, the most innovative firms, like Google and Facebook, began in competing circumstances where there was a need for alike products.

You need to be a strong CMO to strive to tutor clients regarding a product or service they don’t identify endures yet. You will more than possibly fail. Perpetually build the market demand prior you join a firm.

There are a plenty of marketing conferences to attend. However, maximum startup CMOs don’t truly require to master about AR, VR, and viewability. You’re way better off proceeding to meetups or startup clubs than wasting two days wandering nearby without any purpose, meeting merchants of technology you'll never apply and learning of how AI is changing the system and working to take your job.

Don’t spend time speaking at conferences either: anticipate till you’re not a startup anymore.

I admire the idea of agencies. But, startups shouldn’t employ agencies for tactics. For starters, it’s pretty costly, however, that isn’t the chief cause not to make this. No agency will actually be capable to assume how to expand your market, regardless of how intelligent they truly are. Agencies are excellent when you require someone to execute your tactics.

Don’t purchase media attribution

Don’t get us wrong, you must have a measurement framework to know what channels are bringing performance. You don’t require a certain whizzy tech to explain to you that your most basic conversion track is someone typing your brand title on Google. Businesses will attempt to market you all sorts of tech, however, maximum of it will be a loss of money for a startup.

Don’t worry about influencer marketing or social media to expand your market

Few firms have employed social media to create their brand naturally and get it popular. Rest of the brands practice social media to associate with their clients to render assistance.

These are exceptions preferably than the law. Maximum marked social media accounts are loaded with unnecessary posts that get limited to no recognition from customers. Except if you are a fascinating fashionista or a master gamer, you’re dubious to receive the kind of attention you require by social media. Paid media is way more efficient at stimulating traffic. Influencer promotion is a distress: maximum bloggers will hold fake fans and limited to no impact.

Table of contents

1. Snorkeling Tour
2. Location
3. Keep Tides In Mind
4. Timing & Weather Is Key
5. Boats

Lombok is an Indonesian Island is known for its surfing spots and beaches, located east of another popular vacationing place, Bali. Though, Lombok is so much more than just a spot for surfers. You can go trekking along the popular Gunung Rinjani, spend a quiet day fishing, or join the party scene in Gili Trawangan. Though all that aside, today we'll be talking about the Gili Islands, specifically snorkeling in Gili Islands. If you're backpacking across Lombok, this particular activity is a must, but if you're still unsure, fear not as we'll be telling you five things to know before you go snorkeling in the Gili Islands. Commonly referred to as the Gilis, the Gili Islands are divided into three islands namely, Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. Known for diving as well as beautiful beaches, motor transportation is prohibited so the way to get around is by horses, bicycle or foot which is perfect for taking in all the sights as you pass, especially if you're backpacking across Lombok. Now, that we've talked a bit about the Gilis, let's move on to the five things to know before snorkeling in Gili Islands.

Snorkeling Tour

Snorkeling is an activity that you can go about alone. People want to travel and discover the underwater world on their own and share the experience with a friend or family member or keep it to themselves. No doubt it is a charming experience and there's a certain satisfaction of spotting things on your own. But going with a tour doesn't fall short either. While the internet can give you hoards of information, a lot of it can be misinformed or not fitting your exact arrangement which can leave you in a sticky situation. Tour guides, on the other hand, can tell you exactly what you need and how to use them. There's no risk of them telling you to do something wrong as they have hands-on experience. The tours in Gili are no different. Though you can find tours for beaches in a lot of places, the beaches in Gili Island have unique sights and are brimming with marine life, if you know where to look for it. Not only will they give you time to experience places on your own; they will guide you on what you will find while snorkeling and where you might find the many fishes and turtles. If you decide to go with a tour, you'll see the best way of snorkeling in Gili.

Location

While many people suggest jumping into the water from wherever you want, it's not the best idea if you want to snorkel to see specific sights. If you go randomly, you'll have to keep going in hopes that you'll spot some turtles or pretty fish. But if you know where to go, how to get there and to spot what, it will be so much more memorable. Especially if you're just visiting or backpacking across Lombok. For example, if you enter the spot called Nemo City, you'll find easy access to the coral and the turtles are said to be spotted here more frequently. Then there's Hans Reef where you can find a wide variety of fish here, each more beautiful than the last. But be careful, it's not all just fishes and water, sea lice litter on the surface of the water and are unavoidable. Though the stings are light at first, soon they make it impossible to swim. It is recommended to swim away from where you feel the stings, rest for a while and head for a different and deeper direction.

Keep Tides In Mind

Much like the location, selecting a random time to go snorkeling in Gili can ruin the experience or at least lower the fun factor. The difference between low and high tides can be a 100 meters which is a very important detail. High tides are best for snorkeling and it can be enjoyed thoroughly though there's nothing saying that you can't go during a low tide either. But, if you do decide to go snorkeling during a low tide you will spot many sea urchins that though are easy to spot, can catch you off guard. But if you're not a very good swimmer or just aren't in a mood for it then you'll enjoy the low tides. So because the tides change from high to low, you'll find a different sight in the morning and in the afternoon. Keep an eye out or observe the tides for a few days before deciding to go for your snorkeling trip.

Timing & Weather Is Key

You might be coming back from trekking or partying it up in the sun after a few days of backpacking in Lombok and decide to give your body a little break by going snorkeling because what's wrong with magical sights underwater, colorful coral and beautiful fish? Coming out of the water in a few hours with a bad case of sunburn, that's what. Many people are under the delusion that the sun can't touch you because you're safe under the water but they're very wrong. This is where the timing/weather comes in. If you decide to go snorkeling in Gili beaches around 11 to 2: 00 PM you're in for a bad day. If you still decide to go in the heat, take your sunscreen with you but remember that many of the fishes don't come out to play because of the sun either. The best time to go is in the early morning when the water is clear as well and the fishes are much livelier, you have more of a chance to spot a turtle that way as well. But if that's too early for you, you can head out around 4 or 5 PM and find the same atmosphere, more or less.

Boats

When you're snorkeling, after a while you begin to think you're seeing much of the same, in this case, it's best to go where you spot boats. Though taking the tour itself is peak Gili Island experience, if you've decided to ditch and go by yourself, you can simply swim closer to where the boats are and snorkel there. As the people are professionals and know by heart where you can find the most life, there's a strong possibility you'll find more variety there. Patience is also key, it's easy to get frustrated when you've been at it a while and you can't spot anything new but you have to stay calm and enjoy every bit of it, though it will take time for you to come across what you're looking for, snorkeling itself is a wonderful experience and should be enjoyed to the fullest.

Having a fixed mindset throughout one’s educational career can prove to be detrimental to their learning capabilities. A fixed mindset means that they think learning and intelligence are something that have limitations, and that they might not have the capability to continue growing as a student. A growth mindset on the other hand is where one believes that they can change their levels of intelligence with hard work.

Upon taking the growth vs. fixed mindset test, I have mostly a growth mindset. I feel that this accurately reflects my learning style. I approach most of my learning with the attitude that with hard work will come positive results. There are, however, some cases where I have a fixed mindset. Sometimes when I hit a roadblock I think that my capability of learning stops, similar to a cup full of water that cannot be filled anymore. This usually happens when I feel overwhelmed with something I am learning at the moment. This has happened to me when I was musically inclined in high school. I would practice and practice, but had the mindset that I could no longer grow as a musician because my talents did not reach as far as I personally wanted to grow. This was frustrating because I wanted to get better, but felt both physically and mentally strained from the stress of trying to get better.

I have noticed a pattern in my learning where, if I am in a positive mood, I usually have a growth mindset. At other times, I show signs of a fixed mindset when I fell that I don’t know what I am doing or don’t understand something. The phrases that come to mind are “why can’t I do this?” or “what is wrong with me?” This obviously does not help my state of mind when these things run through my mind. It makes it even more difficult to get back to a growth mindset once engrossed in a fixed mindset.

I have also proven to handle some hard educational situations very well. Usually when I am faced with something big, or something I feel that I cannot handle, I first make a plan. This plan consists of what I want to accomplish in a certain amount of time. This usually helps me stay calm and allows me achieve what I need to do in a timely manner. This is definitely one of my many ways of coping with stress and school anxiety. Other things I haven’t yet tried are things like getting active to relieve stress, or maybe just not procrastinating. Having better time management could help me keep a better growth mindset.

Being able to better manage my time might help the way I handle my mindset. It seems that when I understand something before a lecture, I find that I have more of a growth mindset. On the other hand, when I don’t understand something I find that my mindset is usually fixed, and agitated. If I find ways to better manage my time, I could use that extra time to study or read ahead before class so that I make sure that I know is what is going on. This improved time management could consist of using a planner religiously, and sticking to my plans to doing assignments before they are due.

Twirling and whirling, frolicking and dancing – these are the flambeaux carriers that illuminate the streets with the flames of their torches as they bring liveliness and excitement to the Mardi Gras parades. The tradition of the flambeaux serves an interesting purpose, was introduced at a Mardi Gras event, and originally had specific torch-bearers, but nowadays, many parades have kept the tradition alive, have slightly altered the torch designs, and have even changed parts of the Louisiana tradition itself. Although many people enjoy the flambeaux for their bringing of exhilaration and thrill, they actually used to serve a different purpose.

The flambeaux is an interesting item with a unique purpose, was first used in Louisiana at a specific place, and initially had people of a certain race carry them. Flambeaux are essentially hand-held torches designed for Mardi Gras celebrations. Its initial purpose was to bring light to the streets during night parades; however, they are ornamental and solely used for show in modern parades. Although it is claimed that a mystic society in Mobile Alabama was the first to have the flambeaux, the Mistick Krewe of Comus was the first Mardi Gras parade in Louisiana to introduce the flambeaux, bringing them to the streets of New Orleans on Fat Tuesday in 1857. The flambeaux lighted the way for the floats in the evening Carnival parades, and the carriers of the torches enjoyed parading around with enthusiasm, spinning the flambeaux in the air, and exciting members of the vast crowd. When Comus first presented the flambeaux, the torch-bearers were all slaves or free men of color, and the slaves had to have been allowed by their owners to participate in the festivities. Mostly African-Americans carry the flambeaux during the parades nowadays, but occasionally, one may see people of different ethnic groups carrying the flambeaux. Although the flambeaux are beginning to disappear from many parades, it might be surprising to know that Louisiana still has a lot of parades with the bright, imaginative torches.

In modern times, the tradition of the flambeaux has been kept by many parades, has had many design changes and improvements to the torches, and has been changed in many subtle but fascinating ways. Today, the flambeaux can still be seen at multiple parades, including Hermes, Babylon, Pegasus, Bacchus, Orpheus, Sparta, Endymion, and D’Etat, while only a few flambeaux flicker during the parades in Mobile. According to an article from The Times-Picayune, the Krewe of Grela (in Gretna, Louisiana) and the Krewe of Mona Lisa and Moon Pie (in Olde Town Slidell) also have kept the wonderful tradition alive. Over time, many changes have been made to the design of the flambeaux, and the changes include the addition of metal trays to reflect light, the use of fuel alternatives to pine-tar-coated rags (such as kerosene, butane, oil, and propane), and the switch from wooden posts to tall, metal poles. Even though some changes may seem pointless, the use of natural gas instead of tar or liquid fuels helps prevent the dripping of scorching material on the pole-bearers, and the metal backings make the scene much more eye-catching. Also, it may surprise some people that a few parts of the tradition itself have changed over time. Due to economic changes, it may now become more common to see people tossing dollar bills (rather than 25 and 50 cent pieces) to the flambeaux carriers, and parades, such as Endymion, have focused on leaving now-that’s-something-to-remember expressions on individuals’ faces through the use of colorful flames for the flambeaux. In the end, multiple parades in South Louisiana still have flambeaux, have slightly changed the torch designs, and have even changed the tradition itself, but most alterations seem to help keep the event alive.

Overall, the tradition of the flambeaux was important in the past and has luckily been kept alive throughout the years. The use of the flambeaux started for an interesting reason, began at a Mardi Gras event, and originally required carriers from certain ethnic groups, but in this day and age, many parades have retained the custom, have made new models of the flambeaux, and have somewhat modified the true meaning and purpose of the tradition. The flambeaux is a sliver of Louisiana’s history that is much more enthralling than one might think, and even though the practice dying out, it will hopefully remain alive for future generations.

Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land is heralded as a science fiction classic. The winner of several science fiction awards, Heinlein’s novel explores the spiritual journey of Valentine Michael Smith, a Martian who is brought to Earth and taught the ways of humans. Through his journey, Mike, as he is endearingly called, learns about sex, religion, and politics, among many other social institutions, and notices the flaws in the human way of thinking. He introduces humans to the Martian set of beliefs, a set of beliefs that seem to align the 1960’s counterculture movement. That is a testament to Heinlein’s brilliance, and yet, despite being described as an award-winning masterpiece, there are a lot of flaws to Strange in a Strange Land, most noticeably in its plot structure. While Heinlein’s novel ends up exploring Mike’s spirituality and maturity, it starts off as a novel of political intrigue and conspiracy, and these two plotlines are never joined in a fluid manner. To wit, Strange in a Strange Land is a classic for its masterful embodiment of the 1960’s counterculture, from its glorification of sex and sin to its criticism of politics and traditional religious institutions, yet it is flawed in its disjointed plot, quick solutions to complicated issues in the plot, and its long and meandering dialogue between characters.

The element of Stranger in a Strange Land that most embodies the spirit of the counterculture movement is the glorification of sex, not because all the youth of the 1960’s were promiscuous but because this glorification implies a freedom of expression that mirrored that of youth of the counterculture movement. Heinlein’s novel does not depict sex as something sinful, despite the fact that religion plays heavily into the narrative. Rather, sex is shown as something beautiful that should be explored and used to form greater connections with one another. In Mike’s church, for example, one can have sex with whomever they wished, male or female, single or not, alone with another person or as a big group. Mike best summarizes Heinlein’s views on sex when he says, “Male-femaleness is the greatest gift we have—romantic physical love may be unique to this planet. If it is, the universe is a poorer place than it could be” (419). He then goes on to describe the union formed through sex as “a lovely, perfect thing,” (420). This is a complete contrast to how the society that Heinlein lives in views sex. In the 1960’s, sex was something that was extremely suppressed, meant to only be shared between married couples, so for Heinlein to introduce the idea of shamelessly having sex in order to have a deeper connection with someone, even if you were not necessarily married (or ever going to be married) was revolutionary. It was the kind of forward and progressive thinking that is expected in science fiction novels. Because science fiction novels are so unlike the real world, they can depict such radical ideas without consequence; additionally, this aspect of the genre puts science fiction in the perfect position to be a means by which authors can make social commentary on the real world, a fact that Heinlein takes great advantage of.

A strong emphasis on social commentary and satire that Heinlein adds to Stranger in a Strange Land is the other brilliant aspect of his work. The novel is filled with criticism of social institutions on Earth, including politics. The process of satirizing the society Heinlein lives in is facilitated by the Mike character. For a time, Mike is observing Earth through an objective, almost academic, point of view as he tries to learn everything he can about humans. The lens of an objective outsider provides the perfect channel for Heinlein to poke fun at the flawed institutions that are so widely accepted by humans. Take the institution of politics, for example. The political system has always been extremely flawed, and yet it is such a huge part of day-to-day life. Political agents cannot be taken at face value. This is best depicted in Chapter 9, which is in the point of view of Joseph Douglas and his wife, Agnes. In this chapter, it is revealed that Douglas, the most powerful man in the world, lets his wife make most of the political decisions. For example, it was Agnes who suggested they have a fake Man from Mars to talk to the press, and yet, when Douglas brings up that the failed plan was her idea, she said, “I did not [come up with it]. And don’t contradict me” (73). Douglas, who seems so powerful, is not very powerful at all and is actually very subservient to his wife, even worrying at times about being a disappointment to her. To add more Heinlein’s satirical commentary on the hidden workings of politics is the fact that most of Agnes’s political decisions are made based on one of the least factual approaches possible, astrology. When Mike goes missing, Agnes goes to visit an astrologist who tells her that the “absence of young Smith is a necessity…The important thing is to take no drastic action” (79). Heinlein’s purpose in using the astrology example is to show that even the political leaders who seem so wise and powerful may not actually be acting on the best sources of information. The public believes that they are acting for the common good, but sometimes those figures that people admire are not really making the decisions and sometimes those decisions are made without a lot of evidence that they will actually work. Politicians are often hoping and praying, like the rest of America, that their decisions do not become catastrophic.

Tying this back to the counterculture movement, Heinlein’s use of satire emulates the youth’s attitude toward questioning the status quo. The youth are the first to realize that the traditional way of thinking is flawed, and people should be asking questions of the institutions that are so readily accepted. Heinlein’s brilliance is that he channels that questioning attitude and presents it in a way that makes not just the youth question their society but anyone who reads his novel. There is no arguing that Heinlein has a great mind for so creatively pointing out the flaws in society. As a social commentator and satirist, Heinlein is phenomenal. As a storyteller and novelist, he is not as proficient. Take the plot structure, for example. For much of part one, Stranger in a Strange Land seems like it will be a story of political intrigue. There are elements of politicians trying to trick Mike and there is a kidnapping aspect to it. The level of suspense is high, and it seems like the novel will make a thrilling read at the time. And then, come part two, all of this suspense falls apart and the novel becomes more philosophical with the introduction of Jubal. The true plot of the novel is slowly revealed to be a coming-of-age story for Mike, a journey through his exploration of spirituality. The main conflict of the novel is brought up by Jubal in Chapter 12 when he says, “We have a personality untouched by the psychotic taboos of our tribe—and you [Jill] want to turn him into a copy of every fourth-rate conformist in this frightened land!” (105). Much of this novel focuses on the debate as to whether Mike should be taught human customs or allowed to form his own opinions on the human way of life, and yet, it would have made a much better novel had it centered on the political conspiracy. Another flaw also comes with the introduction of Jubal, for Jubal engages in long philosophical conversations with the other characters that are extremely difficult to follow and make readers lose a lot of interest in the story. Such complicated dialogue was probably not the best choice for a science fiction novel, when part of the genre is primarily geared toward escapism of the horrors of society. Lastly, the final criticism of Heinlein’s work is the quick and easy solution to plotlines the Heinlein uses, namely Mike’s ability to discorporate any challenging plotlines. People come to kidnap him and Jill, and they vanish into thin air. Men with guns come to Jubal’s house and he makes their guns disappear. Whereas some may see this as a show of Mike’s power, this is also an easy remedy for plotlines that would have been intriguing if they had been allowed to play out all the way through.

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Despite all the flaws with his storytelling methods, there is still no denying that Heinlein is a creative genius. Even though Stranger in a Strange Land was not an effective novel in all aspects, Heinlein managed to make commentary on society and clearly express the attitudes of a movement with an amount of detail that many other writers would not be able to do. Had Heinlein decided to use another means through which to satirize society, it probably would have been more effective, enjoyable, and easier to understand, but the concept itself is still genius and is still deserving of the acclaim that Heinlein and his novel received. Stranger in a Strange Land is considered one of the most famous science fiction novels ever written and deservedly so because there has not been and probably will never be a science fiction novel quite like it ever again.

Works Cited

1. Heinlein, R. A. (1961). Stranger in a strange land. G. P. Putnam's Sons.
2. Bacon-Smith, C. (1996). Enterprising women: Television fandom and the creation of popular myth. University of Pennsylvania Press.
3. Stover, L. D. (1995). A Martian Stranded in California: Mythic History in Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, 7(2), 80-91.
4. Clareson, T. D. (1963). Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. The University of Kansas City Review, 30(3), 182-190.
5. Szumskyj, B. (2006). On Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Extrapolation, 47(1), 94-116.
6. Panshin, A. (1968). Heinlein in dimension: A critical analysis. Advent Publishers.
7. Gunn, J. (1968). New myths and old realities: Literary criticism and the new science fiction. Indiana University Press.
8. Latham, R. (2013). Robert A. Heinlein. In The Routledge Companion to Science Fiction (pp. 129-137). Routledge.
9. Sontag, S. (1967). The Pornographic Imagination. The Partisan Review, 34(1), 47-63.
10. Csicsery-Ronay, I. (1991). The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction. Wesleyan University Press.

Fleas a tiny, wingless, blood sucking insects whose legs are adapted for jumping. They measure about one-sixth inch in length and are reddish brown in color. They live as parasites in warm blooded animals and are naturally ectoparasites, meaning they live outside the body and feed on blood from the host animal. While fleas prefer pets’ like dogs and cats as hosts, they are known to attack humans. The bites are distinctive unlike characteristics exhibited by attacks from other blood sucking parasites like mosquitos. If attacked by fleas, the bites appear small and will exhibit the following symptoms:

• bites look just like red small dots
• bites appearing around ankles or and legs
• bites appearing in small groups and in lines
• Bites that appear small and in red bumps.

Fleas on human usually come from pets like cats and dogs, Flea bites on humans usually come from dogs and cat fleas or human fleas. The bites are often seen in large groups or in clusters. Some people are very sensitive to these bites, and they may get some hives, that look like a large number of red bumps or bubbles on the affected area. They are very itchy, and the skin around each bite may become sore or painful. Insect bites are annoying and potential threats to both humans and animals, fleas from pets usually bite below the knee, usually on the ankles. You can also get flea bites on the forearms, if you have stroked or held your pet. In fact it is only the human flea that comes in groups of two to three, or even more at a time. Bites from dog fleas or cat fleas are usually spotted as areas of red dots.

Flea Bites Treatment

There are handful of flea bite remedies that can be used at domestic or even industrial levels. They include:

• Aloe Vera oil
• Hot and cold therapies
• Peppermint
• Lavender oil
• Flea repealing plants

Both an antiseptic and an anti-inflammatory, lavender oil works to ease swelling and irritation while keeping itching to a minimum. Another simple way to treat a flea bite is to use hot and cold therapies. Both help soothe itching and encourage the body to heal. Aloe has soothing properties, which is why it’s commonly used to treat sunburns. But these soothing properties also make this plant ideal for treating flea bites. The final treatment is peppermint, with its soothing, cooling properties, peppermint is a great treatment for flea bites. It helps keep the itching at bay while promoting healing.

Additional Risks and Concerns About Fleas

Flea species prefers specific hosts, although if there is someone nearby, they can easily live on other animals or humans. Pets, like dogs, are very sensitive to certain substances in flea saliva. Much more than humans are. They may develop allergic reactions after just one bite. Other risk concerns of flea infestation include:

Flea Allergic Dermatitis; Itching due to fleas is the result of a localized allergic reaction. Some animals are more sensitive than others, so flea bites can lead to severe itching, irritation, major skin infections in some pets.

Anemia: If enough fleas infest the host, it is possible for the host animal to lose enough blood to become anemic. Small puppies and weak or sickly dogs are especially at risk. If not caught soon enough, a dog can easily die or suffer other medical complications as a result of anemia.

There’s a plethora of adjectives one could apply to the survivors of Hitler’s nightmarish concentration camps during the later years of the second world war; lucky, miraculous, strong-willed, and many more. However, what one must begin to consider as they ponder what the futures for these survivors was like after liberation from the camps. Many, if not all of these poor souls were left scarred for the rest of their lives, having to live every day with the images of crematoriums, skeleton-esque human beings, and the countless other atrocities that have been burned into their minds. To have emerged from the camps alive by the war’s end surely resulted on numerous factors, some of which aren’t even in one’s control. The story of Primo Levi and his tale of having survived one of the most terrifying eras for Jewish people in perhaps all of history reveals just what some of these factors were. From holding on to any sliver of dignity/humanity they had left in the camps to using cunning and wit to increase chances of survival, Primo prevailed against all odds. Having known that “man is bound to pursue his own ends by all possible means, while he who errs but once pays dearly” (1.3), the persistence and desire to make it out alive fueled the determination of a man trapped in a land of fleeting trusts and moldy crusts.

Perhaps the most important contributor to the explanation how Primo survived when so many others around him did not entails holding on to the very thing the Nazi’s sought to destroy within the barbed wire fences of the camps: humanity. If there’s anything Hitler’s concentration camps did better than extinguishing the lives of all those unfortunate enough to be imprisoned in one, it was robbing the prisoners of their humanity. Primo became keen to the inner workings and motives of these camps fairly early on in his journey, realizing that “if we want to keep [our names], we will have to find in ourselves the strength to do so, to manage somehow so that behind the name something of us, of us as we were, still remains” (2.21). Before it was too late, Primo began clinging on to every shred of his past life that he could, utilizing skills and actions done before his imprisonment that reminded him of his humanity. The prisoners began trading and bargaining with their portions of bread, something that somewhat resembled the structure of a makeshift economy in the camps. Bread became the coin of the land in place of the paper/coin currency obviously absent in that environment. One individual in particular, an ex-sergeant of the Austro-Hungarian army in World War I, served to be one of the earliest assets contributing to Primo clinging on to his humanity. Steinlauf spoke words of supreme wisdom to Primo that he’d remember so well that they’d go on to be included in his book years later. Steinlauf desperately wanted Primo to acknowledge that “[they] must polish [their] shoes, not because the regulation states it, but for dignity and propriety” (3.41). The importance of maintaining routine order aside from the one enforced by the Nazi guards was key to keeping a level head in that hellish world. If one could clean themselves, dry off in their jackets, and even find the time to polish their shoes, then the declination of sanity would slow down drastically. While Primo is skeptical of this advice in the beginning, wondering whether or not it’d be better to simply recognize the futility of having personal rules, it’s without a doubt one of the sole reasons he escaped the war with any bit of his humanity left intact. Another fateful action Primo chose to perform was analyzing and befriending select prisoners during his time in the camp. From having reunited with his childhood friend, Alberto, to holding down his territory in the Ka-Be medical center with Charles and Arthur in the final days leading to their freedom, Primo almost certainly would’ve perished long ago if it weren’t for the interactions he had with all the people he met along the way. He deemed anyone who became completely deprived from everyone he loved as being “a hollow man, reduced to suffering and needs, forgetful of dignity and restraint” (2.26), therefore taking it upon himself to make sure he wouldn’t become stranded there without anyone to care for. Despite having lost Alberto to the Nazi death marches as the Russians grew closer to the Auschwitz, Primo came to think so fondly of Charles and Arthur that he even went as far to say that he exchanged letters with Charles after their liberation, “[hoping] to see him again one day” (17.22). Through the combination of tactics and friendly connection Primo developed as he adapted to life in the concentration camp, the Jewish chemist was able to keep what little humanity he had left from being viciously stripped away from him by the dehumanizing Nazi regime.

While he definitely gained a lot of the knowledge leading to his triumphant survival within the walls of his enclosure, it’d be ignorant to overlook Primo’s naturally admirable intelligence he had before arriving at Auschwitz. Aside from being a formally recognized chemist in the life he lived before the war, Primo was able to analytically observe his surroundings and those around him, which resulted in the discovery of ways he could go about his day while expending the least amount of energy possible. In one particular instance, Primo recruited the aid of a man named Resnyk to help him with a task requiring the heavy lifting of wooden beams weighing nearly 175 lbs each. Shortly after meeting the fellow prisoner, Primo wasted no time taking mental notes of the advantages to associating himself with him, labeling him as a “good worker [whose] being taller would support the greater part of the weight” (6.10). Levi’s natural ability to seek out the talents and usefulness that would come in handy should he need their assistance surely played an important role in his survival in Auschwitz. Touching back on his specialty in the field of chemistry as well, Primo’s choice to take the Chemical Examination put forward by German officers seeking out a Chemical Kommando for the camp gave him unparalleled legs-up over the other prisoners. Although it took awhile for the advantages of this action to finally become apparent, Primo found himself receiving better clothing at a more frequent rate, a warm workspace, and even the privilege of having a weekly shave once having secured the position (which was only earned by two other men). Using the strong mind gifted to him at birth to find ways to make his situation even just slightly more bearable undoubtedly gave Primo Levi the resources he needed to last until the Russians’ inevitable arrival at Auschwitz.

One can’t help but sit back and truly think to themselves for a minute just how incredible it is that any concentration camp prisoner made it out of Hitler’s mortifying Europe with their lives. There were a few viable reasons that could help better explain why Primo Levi survived when countless others perished mere feet away from him on a daily basis, but the most influential ones included having humanity, intelligence and even luck on his side. There’s no way Primo would’ve made it out of Auschwitz if it weren’t for a few extremely fateful events, like his meeting of a local, kind-hearted citizen named Lorenzo, who would often provide extra portions of food in secrecy to him during the periods of air raid bombings (as the prisoners were forced to wait outside the bomb shelters during the attacks). He credits Lorenzo and his generosity for being “one of the main reasons for [his] survival” (12.9) by the time he and the rest of the remaining prisoners were liberated in 1945. Nevertheless, no matter what the reasoning may be for Primo having survived one of the scariest examples of unrelenting anti-semitism in modern history, it goes without saying that this man deserved none of the horrible atrocities inflicted upon him during World War II. None of the victims of Hitler’s reign of terror did, and we can only hope that their spirits have found some degree of peace in the unknown world beyond the one riddled with hate, war and conflict that humanity continues to live in today.

In William Godwin’s novel Fleetwood, readers are introduced to a character who is predominantly solitary and is socially inadequate when he is within society. This is due to the fact that he grew up as the only child of a father who was withdrawn from the social world when his mother passed away. Being raised in Merionethshire, he grew up with very little social interaction and instead was raised in nature and, arguably, by the wilderness itself. This plays a significant role in the subsequent events in the novel, as his solitude growing up makes him socially inept, especially in his relationships with women. As this novel is also titled Man of Feeling, readers are able to see how Fleetwood’s journey allows him to discover conventional men of feeling and how his character challenges this idea. Since he grew up in solitude, his journey is drastically different as his character is not aware of how to act in society. It is clear that Fleetwood’s lack of friends while growing up impedes him from having proper social relations, having decent morals and ideal traits to become a proper ‘man of feeling'; his status feeds into his egoism in the sense that he does not realize other individuals have feelings that cannot be read from outer appearance alone.

In this paper, the focus will be on chapter 11 of volume 2 from pages 229-234. In this chapter, Fleetwood feels incredibly lonely and distant from the world he is discovering. Since the death of his father, his travels have left him feeling empty and lonelier than ever. He even states, “My education and travels had left me a confirmed misanthropist. I have seen nothing of the world but its most unfavourable specimens” (215). After meeting some people from a literary club, he decides to go across the continent to search for a cure for his ennui. Ennui, defined as a “feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of excitement” (Dictionary.com), is a feeling that he claims is taking over him, and a feeling that he longs to get rid of. It seems that the experiences he has thus far has made him feel emotionally drained; his encounters with the Countess and Marchioness have left him feeling devoid of happiness. His encounters with society have left him feeling out of place because he simply is not used to being in a social environment, especially when growing up with nature was all he ever really knew. Moreover, his negative experiences in university caused him to distance himself from society even more; he witnessed the bullying of a boy passionate about classical literature who eventually committed suicide and the other students who lacked kindness and sincerity. Even while in university, he did not know how to act as he was new to being in the social world. He grew up in solitude with nature and his father rarely had guests over, thus making him unable to interact with others in a meaningful way. Because he was unaware of how to act in society, he was unable to make the friends that he wishes to make. On page 229, he states, “But what sort of a friend is it whose kindness shall produce a conviction in my mind that I do not stand alone in the world?” He has witnessed a lot of good men – his father, his father’s friend Ruffigny – yet he claims that in his entirety of living he has not met a friend that has made him feel less lonely.

Fleetwood describes his ideal friend as one that could feel what he is feeling – in his moments of grievances and moments of happiness. He seeks someone to aid in his loneliness, and someone that would feel something if he were to die. However, the issue with Fleetwood is that he lacks the ability to integrate with society. This is the sole reason he does not find the friend he is looking for – he simply cannot have a healthy relationship with individuals. Because of his lack of companionship and friends while growing up, he does not realize that certain things arise when being in a relationship with other people. For example, when he gets into a relationship with Mary further in the novel, he does not realize the importance of communication – he feels as if he can ‘read’ Mary through her outer appearances rather than simply communicating with her. When he finds a love letter written from Kendrick placed on Mary’s desk, he believes that she is cheating on him rather than confronting her outright. Because of this lack of communication, and because he does not realize that feelings and thoughts are not always clear as they seem, their relationship falls apart for the duration of this novel. This brings the readers to realize that due to his lack of friends while growing up, he lacks the ability to have relationships with other people and integrate in society. Although he travels around the world, he still cannot find a person to call a friend – this is for obvious reasons.

Another aspect of how a lack of friends affects Fleetwood's life is that his egoism most certainly gets in the way. For example, on pages 229-231, he discusses what he wants in a friend, but all the qualities he seeks are not found in himself. He wants a friend that will care about him if he were to die, and constantly mentions that. He wants a friend that will have of all of these qualities and do all these things for him, and care for him in such a way that if he were to pass away it would greatly affect the life of that individual, yet he does not say anything about what he would do for his friend. All he talks about is himself, and what he wants: “I require that my friend should be poignantly affected by my death, as I require that he should be affected if I am calumniated, shipwrecked, imprisoned, robbed of my competence or my peace. He may be considerate and kind; watch by my bedside” (231). He idolizes his potential close friend, but when he meets someone like this later in the novel (his wife Mary), he does not treat her with the sort of care she needs and requires as all he thinks about is himself. All he mentions throughout this passage is his self interests and what he wants. He also states that there is a man who claims that there are a hundred men who would die for him, and it seems that Fleetwood admires that since he states, “No wonder that such a man should be buoyed up with high spirits!” (233). In other words, it seems that what he is looking for is not necessarily a ‘friend,’ but someone who will look up to him and die for him.

Because Fleetwood grew up as the only child, he most likely got all the attention and did not realize that everything does not revolve around him. He realizes that society does not revolve around him, and he seems to dislike that fact very much. Later on in the novel, he depends on his mind to read the emotions of other people. In the case of Mary, he assumes she is cheating simply because of small aspects like how she talks to Kendrick. It seems that he is selfish as he disregards the feelings of Mary in favor for his own feelings; he believes that what he thinks is right simply because he relies and depends on himself for information on other people’s emotions. He does not want to be humiliated which is probably why he does not bring up the issue to Mary. Furthermore, his experiences with the boy bullied in his university most likely made him more afraid to be vulnerable and embarrassed like he was – this, too, added to him being a misanthropist. Because of his egoism, he is emotionally limited to find a friend or form a proper relationship – he feels that he should be the centre of attention at all times and, due to his selfishness, his egoism ruins his relationships in the later part of the novel. Another section of this passage shows that egoism gets in his way of making friends. He states, “I met with men, to whom I could willingly have sworn an eternal partnership of the soul; but they thought of me with no corresponding sentiment; they had not the leisure to distinguish and to love me” (230-231). He seeks someone to love him and give him undivided attention, rather than taking the time to slowly form a real relationship with somebody. Consequently, his quest for someone to love him and show him respect while being a misanthropist due to his past experiences lead him to being friendless. Lastly, Fleetwood’s improper upbringing leads him to try to become like the ‘men of feeling’ he meets, but his lack of friends does not allow him to become that way.

After discovering about Ambrose Fleetwood, his grandfather who helped Ruffigny in many ways, and meeting Ruffigny who tries to return the favor to Fleetwood, Fleetwood realizes that there are certain traits that a ‘man of feeling’ should have. A typical man of feeling is one that helps his community, is well integrated in society, and has friends in whom he helps and trusts. Surely, Fleetwood recognizes that these are good men, and surrounds himself with good men, yet cannot achieve their sort of character. This is clearly seen later in the novel when the only ‘friend’ he claims to have, Gifford, is one lacking all of those traits. Later in the novel, Fleetwood states, “Gifford is to me a father, brother, wife, and children, all in one!” (396). Fleetwood lacks the ability to decipher a good friend from another because of his inability to read people and how they truly are. Fleetwood states, “I know not how other men are constituted; but something of this sort seemed essential to my happiness” (231). While the typical man of feeling strives to be a helpful part of the community, Fleetwood seeks a friend simply to aid in his happiness. He does not seek out aiding others to feel good about himself, but rather, he seeks out a friend to make him feel better for himself. In other words, he attempts to seek a friend for his own selfish reasons. He continues by saying, “To the happiness of every human creature, at least in a civilized state, it is perhaps necessary that he should esteem himself, that he should regard himself as an object of complacency and honor. However worthy and valuable he may endeavour to consider himself, his persuasion will be attended with little confidence and solidity, if it does not find support in the judgements of other men” (232). In this section, one notices the lack of ideal character traits shown in Fleetwood. If this is the ‘new man of feeling,’ then Godwin is most certainly challenging the ideas as Fleetwood comes off as rather selfish and does not seem to want to integrate into society in the way the original man of feeling should. While his grandfather and Ruffigny sought out to help others and communicate with the community, Fleetwood seeks out a friend that will respect him in various ways and will find him honorable as he seems to find himself. With this in mind, him seeking out friends is not him seeking out ideal character traits to become a man of feeling, but is to fulfill his own self interest and heal his intense feelings of loneliness.

Ultimately, the passages from pages from 229-234 show how drastically Fleetwood’s upbringing affected his ability to make friends. Due to his lack of friends, he is unable to have proper social relationships, suffers from psychological egoism and distress from its consequences, and lacks the traits and characteristics to become a conventional man of feeling. All in all, his quiet and rather unsocial upbringing causes him to lack what is needed to properly integrate in society and make the friends that he desperately seeks out. He claims that “it is a disease that afflicted me at first but in a moderate degree, [then] grew upon me perpetually from year to year” (233). This can be attributed to the lack of social environment while being raised by a solitary father and nature itself.

Bibliography

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Godwin, William, and Pamela Clemit. Fleetwood. London: W. Pickering, 1992. Print.

Disastrous floods cause tragic mortality and economic losses on a large scale. Being a natural disaster, it is quite implausible to reduce the flood losses to zero, but appropriate measures can reduce the likelihood and limit the impact of floods. In addition to social and economic damage, floods can have a severe impact on the environment, for example when installations holding large quantities of toxic chemicals are neutralized or wetland areas are destroyed. Europe has identified the looming flood risk in European region and to support the transition from traditional flood defense strategies to a flood risk management approach to a basin scale, it has adopted a new Directive in 2007 (2007/60/EC). One of the major tasks of these directives is where the member states involved in carrying out flood risk management plans. To comply with the directives, mapping of flood hazards and risk in each territory is necessary which forms the basis of flood risk management plans. This paper gives an overview of detailed functions off stages of a flood risk directive with respective illustrations and the measures taken to accomplish the EU wide regulation for flood risk in Europe.

Through the ages, the problem of flooding has acquired a particularly notorious reputation for itself. With global warming and increased rate of urbanization the severity of the problem has grown exponentially. Nevertheless, the social, legal and scientific studies on the trans-boundary flood risk management are sparse, fragmented and restricted in scope. At the same time, the collaborative measures and strategies for trans-boundary floods i.e., floods that originate in one country and then propagate downstream to another are poorly understood. In general terms, a flood event is generally where water overflows outside its normal confines and temporarily covers land bodies. Similar to any event, a flood event also breaks down into two high level components: (1) Probability of an event occurring (2) Impacts associated with the event. This paper aims to explain the EU directive step by step plan, process and the measures undertaken to mitigate the prospective flood risks which Europe could face in the future.

Flooding is normally caused by natural events such as prolonged excessive rainfall and thunderstorms over a short period of time, high tide combined with storm conditions, ice jams and poor insufficient drainage networks and inadequate maintenance of watercourses. The reason behind these causes can be explained under three categories as follows:

a) Overflow due to heavy rains:

After heavy rain, the river bursts its banks and the water engulfs the entire valley far from its precipitation zone. The other tributaries add to the flow of water causing a flood event.

b) Water accumulation in basins:

In normal weather conditions, water is absorbed into grounds and merges with the water table. When the ground is saturated, the water builds up in low line areas. Runoff quickly fills the valley in heavy rain condition resulting in a flood.

c) Urbanization in flood-prone areas:

Excess water passing through drainage system accumulates in low line zones. It is now in bad shape due to excessive land use, coverage of land due to buildings and impermeable surface like concrete.

Although flood itself is a unique phenomenon, it is further classified into different types based on their causes, namely:

a) Coastal flood or surge flood:

Coastal floods occur in areas which lie in the coast of the sea, ocean or other large bodies of open water. Extreme weather conditions lead to unstable tidal conditions when a hurricane and other storms push water onto the shore. This is often the greatest threat associated with a tropical storm. Various factors like strength, size, speed and the direction of the storm help determine the extremity of the resulting coastal flood. The coastal flood models consider this information along with the data from historical storms of the affected area to estimate the likelihood and the effectiveness of a storm.

b) Fluvial flood or river flood:

Excessive rainfall over an extended period causes a river to overflow, leading to fluvial flood. This is also caused due to snow melts and ice jams. The damage from river flood can be widespread as the overflow affects smaller river downstream often causing dames and dikes of rivers to break open and swamp the adjacent areas. The severity of river floods is measured by the amount of precipitation in an area, duration of the precipitation, previous saturation records of soil and the terrain surrounding the river system. The flood water accumulation depends on regions. In hilly areas, floods can occur in minutes after a heavy rain whereas in flat areas flood water rises slowly and often remain for days. To determine the probability of river flooding, it is necessary to consider the past and forecasted precipitation, current river levels, and temperature.

c) Pluvial flood or surface flood

Surface water flood is caused when heavy rainfall creates flood event which is independent of an overflowing waterbody. It is commonly believed that one must be near a waterbody to be at risk. Pluvial flooding debunks the myth, as the urban areas are also prone to flooding. Intense rain saturating urban drainage system and runoff water from rain on hillsides that are unable to absorb water are few examples. Pluvial flooding generally occurs in combination with coastal and fluvial flooding. These floods are capable of significant property damage.

Disastrous floods cause tragic mortality and economic losses on a large scale. In addition to social and economic losses, these floods also have severe impact on the environment, for example when installations storing large quantities of toxic chemicals are submerged. Since 2000, floods in Europe has resulted in at least 700 deaths, displacement of about half a million people and approximately EUR 25 billion in insured economic losses. The following figure shows the flood impact in Europe from 1950-2005.

Figure 1: Major flood disasters in EU, Bulgaria and Romania 1950-2005

Numbers in the map represent each flood event. During this period 3539 floods of all types occurred globally, of which 298 of them took place in the current EU member states. This cost around 5500 lives and resulted in about US$ 106 billion in damage. 01-23 being flush floods, 24-44 being river floods and 45-47 which is storm surge floods. The triangulated features on the map represent very large regional events.

Many floods have consistently ravaged Europe throughout the centuries, making urban planning a serious challenge. The coming decades are likely to see a flood risk in Europe and greater economic damage. Fluvial flooding is the most common type of flood in Europe. The following figure represents the recurrence of a flood in Europe between 1998 and 2005.

Certain areas are more affected than others. Between 1998 and 2005 north-western Romania, northern Italy, central and southern Germany, south-eastern France and eastern England struggled with frequent flooding.

Many measures are undertaken like constructing rive dikes and using sandbags. But these are just measures to avoid and encounter flooding up to an extent. For the estimated probability of prospective flood events, thee measures do not suffice to reduce the impacts associated with floods. Hence EU flood risk directives came into existence in 2007.

Directives 2007/60/EC, assessment and management of flood risk or also called Flood risk directives entered into force on 26 November 2007. Unlike a regulation it does not set rules on how the objective must be achieved, which means the directives does not set any priority. Each member state (MS) can set a goal collaboratively and decide what national measures are needed. This gives the MS lot of room to choose their own approach. The flood risk directives work in coordination with the water framework directive. Flood action program where the Flood risk management plans and the river basin management plans are coordinated through Public participation procedures (ns, 2013 June). These reinforce the rights of the public to access flood risk information and to have a say in the planning process.

The FD requires that wherever a significant flood risk is identified, maps must be drawn to show its potential extent and consequences of flooding. Based on the maps generated, the MS's must establish a Flood risk Management plan with an aim to reduce the risk associated with an acceptable level. Within this plan, a wide range of measures is considered to achieve the goal, which is dependent on the nature and scale of the issues. To aid this process, the FD has a 3-phase approach. The detailed action plan measures are explained in the following phases.

Phase 01: Preliminary flood risk assessment

This is the first stage of FD where a preliminary flood risk assessment must be conducted by MS's for each river basin districts. MS were requested to complete the assessment by 22 December 2011. The assessment conducted was based on readily available information such as records and studies based on long-term developments. According to Art 13.1, the FD has an exception to this obligation (ns, 2013 June). The MS’s may not undertake the flood risk assessment under two cases:

1. If the area has already been identified earlier before 22 December 2010 as a significant flood risk zone.
2. If it has been already decided before 22 December 2010, to prepare flood risk and hazard maps for the specified area.

The risk assessment must be reviewed and to be updated if required by 22 December 2018 and further subjected for reviews every six years thereafter.

Phase 02: Development of flood hazard maps and flood risk maps

Phase 02 involves drafting of flood hazards maps for the regions where there is a potential flood risk. For the first cycle deadline was set as 22 December 2013. The flood hazard maps categorizes the geographical regions into three separate categories - low probability or extreme event scenarios, medium probability (whose return period is likely ?100 years) and high probability where appropriate.

Various external parameters are considered when it comes to mapping flood hazards. Parameters such as flood depth, velocity, flood extent, duration, the rate of rising water and the propagation are considered important depending on the region. Interesting examples of such maps are maps which show the water upsurge rate in Austria and Luxembourg which consequently help in mapping the flow velocity. Similarly, in Hungary and the Netherlands tracking water propagation through the low lying lands help in mapping the propagation pattern. Shown below is an illustration of different parameters for flood mapping:

a) Historical flood map.

b) Flood extent map.

c) Flood depth map.

d) Flood danger map.

e) Qualitative risk map.

f) Quantitative (damage) risk map.

Maps showing other parameters always take a single return period in consideration at a time, as it is practically not possible to depict parameters like velocities of several return period on a single map. De Moel et al. (2009) state that several countries have made commendable initial progress in mapping their national flood hazards, but most of them lack detailed information about aftermath of flooding. Currently available maps are mostly used for emergency and spatial planning, and flood zones in these maps serve primarily as guidelines (ns, 2013 June). Countries like France and Poland, where floodplain development can be legally regulated still struggle as the practical problems nullify the beneficial effects of the legislation in place to a good extent.

Also, mapping flood risk zones is an expensive and a data intensive process. Thus the quality of flood risk maps differs from country to country.

Phase 03: Flood risk management plans

Phase 03 required the plans to be completed and published by 22 December 2015. Also it instructs to have a review plan in place, and if necessary the flood risk management plan must be updated by 22 December 2021, every six years thereafter. MS should have a risk management plan for each river basin district, which should be in sync with the respective flood hazard and risk maps.

A single international flood risk management plan needs to be drafted for international river basin districts (IRDBs) falling entirely within the territory of the EU. In case where the complete IRDB area cannot be covered, MSs should fabricate a set of plans covering parts of IRDB located within their territory. Any plan drafted as part of this process should be coordinated at the level of the IRDB (Art. 8.2 of the FD) (ns, 2013 June).

OTHER BINDINGS

According to article 10, FD states that “In accordance with applicable Community legislation, Member States shall make available to the public the preliminary flood risk assessment, the flood hazard maps, the flood risk maps and the flood risk management plans”. The other bindings include:

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1. Catchment basin approach: Entire catchment basin should be mapped in terms of flood risk.
2. Safety chain: Before and after flood measure should be in place in order to reduce the likelihood, risks and also to boost the readiness.
3. Risk approach: Plan of action must be based on ‘real’ facts – thorough analysis of the likelihood and the outcome of flood in any region.</li
4. Sustainability: Flood risk management plans must be built considering other EU directives and must look ahead in the future in terms of climate change.
5. Solidarity or non-transference of risk: All the measures should be harmonious and considerate.

There are many flood mappings in the European countries. Most of the illustrations identified in this paper were initiated in the recent decades. Even though a conceptual framework exists, an international standard to create flood hazard and risk maps is still not in place. Approximately 80% of nations use flood extent maps, making it the most frequently used type of flood map. Absence of a common international standard leads to different methodologies among different countries, and this could lead to an extensive range of risk maps which will be difficult to compare. This creates a problem while setting up management plans. However, few countries in Europe must make a step towards hazard maps as most of the other countries comply with EU Flood Directive (2007/60/EC). Climatic changes and increasing urbanization make the 69 trans-boundary catchments in Europe more prone to be flooded in the future. To mitigate the impact level in a short period of time, it is necessary to have directives or its jurisdiction from each country. The way flood management is approached is hence firmly dependent on approaches taken by the member states in Europe. Not being on the same page will severely hamper the Flood risk management in Europe.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Representation of Florence Nightingale by Lytton Strachey: summary
3. Conclusion

Introduction

Strachey, in ‘Eminent Victorians’, reflects on the character of infamous historical heroine Florence Nightingale to cast the past lives of ordinary citizens, primarily women, as unsatisfactory and unfulfilling, and through this negative depiction of Victorian England, the author is able to uphold perceptions of the 20th century, through contrast, as a period of female liberation. Strachey’s presents the female form in Victorian England as one defined by social expectations, perhaps marking it as ‘high art’ for the influence others had in shaping the way in which it was perceived. Whilst the singular female protagonist - Florence Nightingale - may be used by the author to symbolise the upcoming 20th century female revolution of feminism, it could be argued that her desire to reject all social expectations of her characters perhaps acts as a warning of the dangers of radical female individualism.

Representation of Florence Nightingale by Lytton Strachey: summary

Throughout the prose, Strachey presents the identity of the protagonist as utterly defined by both external social influences, and public perceptions of how she should behave. There is a semantic field of spirituality which filters through the verse, portraying religion, for the Victorians, as a guiding force throughout life, and this is made particularly evident through the rhetorical question ‘What was the secret voice in her ear if it was not a call?’: here, the author suggests a complete disruption of female identity, as her ‘secret’ mental thoughts are attributed to divine force rather than her own personality, and the series of exclamttives - ‘Ah! To do her duty in that state of life unto which it had pleased God to call her!’ - further present the path of her life as chosen by forces other than herself, in contrast to the increasing force of feminism post-WW2 which saw many women begin to make more decisions in how they lived. In light of this context, Strachey’s presentation of Nightingale as confined not only by religious force, but by social influences, particularly portrays how ‘human character changed’ during the early 20th century through juxtaposing the later religious and social liberation of women.

Despite the primary topic of the analysis being Nightingale herself, Strachey begins the first two paragraphs in reference to other characters, to mirror the great extent to which public perceptions shaped our own view of Nightingale. The first paragraph opens through stating that ‘EVERY one’ knew the women as ‘saintly, self-sacrificing’, and the sibilance paired with the capitalisation of the first word is used to mirror the passivity of females in Victorian England, with the setting of ‘the horrors of the hospital’ further presenting the character as literally entrapped within the walls of the building, to mirror the limitations placed on Victorian females. Whilst that author continues to claim that ‘the truth was different’, the next paragraph similarly opens in reference to the social surroundings of the figure (‘Her family was extremely well to do’) and then progresses to name catalogue of locations, from the ‘New Forest’ to ‘London’: whilst the form of syndetic list here may work to portray the character as possessing more freedom than first presumed as able to move from location to location, reference to Florence herself within the list is absence, thus suggesting that these were choices made for her rather than decisions made by herself. Indeed, whilst the passage is concerned with the character of Florence Nightingale, the third-person narrative in addition to the date of the novel as years after her deaths further presses limits on the character’s own voice and perspective in how she is perceived, yet, nonetheless, emotive language used throughout the passage suggests a character struggling against social limitations: it is this multi-layered perspective of the female condition that perhaps deemed critics to label the novel a ‘high literary art’ through presenting both the oppression of victorian women and eventual escapism from this situation.

Nonetheless, the author foretells of a future in which females enjoy further liberation through characterising his protagonist as a proto-20th century feminist, and yet this excessive freedom is progressively portrayed in a negative light. Strachey states that ‘the dream of her life had been shattered’ which suggests Florence’s intellectual awareness of her fate as a Victorian women, and desire to not remain submissive to men, which might be seen as a warning to women and indeed all citizens of 20th century Britain to seize opportune and chance, and follow their dreams - a common motto of rising economics of capitalism. Indeed, this is again made evident in the declarative ‘But no! She would think of nothing but how to satis that singular craving of hers to be doing something’, in which the italicised verb paired with the opening exclamative might be read as an encouragement to modern readers to ‘change’ perceptions of the human condition through refusing to act on others terms. Nonetheless, the presentation of Nightingale as utterly adverse to the confinements of domestic life, from the ‘reading to her father; to the ‘china to look after’, may suggest a radical subversion from prior female submission to a complete rejection of household life: the erratic syntax and emotive language used by the author to describe this mindset might be read as a warning to 20th century women not to abandon their duties towards family and the household due to increased reliance of electrical appliances used to ease household chores, labelled by the author as ‘demonic’, perhaps foretelling the chaos of a near future in which ‘Europe would [socially] go up in flames’.

Conclusion

Overall, in this extract of ‘Eminent Victorians’, Strachey explores the effect of social influence on the female identity, whilst also considers various consequences for future female liberation: whilst the prose might be read as a celebration of 20th century female freedom, it is made evident, through characterisation of ‘Florence Nightingale’, that the author is concerned with a future in which the absolute freedom of women is proven to be destructive through underpinning the very fabric of society and ‘changing human character’.