Friday, September 6, 2019

The Emergence of the Novel Essay Example for Free

The Emergence of the Novel Essay According to Julien D. Bonn in A Comprehensive Dictionary of Literature, a novel is a ‘long fictional narrative in prose, which developed from the novella and other early forms of narrative.’ Additionally, E.M. Forster in attempting to the define the term ‘novel’ in Aspects of the Novel cites the definition of a Frenchman named Abel Chevally; ‘a fiction in prose of a certain extent’ and adds that he defines ‘extent’ as over 50,000 words. The novel tends to depict imaginary characters and situations but may include references to real places, people and events. Even though its characters and actions are imaginary, they are in some sense representative of real life. The emergence of the novel in its recognizably modern form, unlike the emergence of drama and poetry, can be traced back to Europe in the 18th century. The various factors that gave rise to the novel in English, which are more or less interrelated, include the rise of literacy, the explosion of the printing culture as well as the rise of individualism. One factor that gave rise to the novel in English was the rise of literacy. The novel emerged as a fully evolved literary form in the mid-eighteenth century in Samuel Richardson’s ‘Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded. A novel is usually organized under a plot of theme with a focus on character development and action. The novel is a young genre, a tiny infant indeed in comparison to poetry and drama, both of which seems to be as old as humanity. The educational system was not influenced significantly by the scientific revolution prior to the Enlightenment. Through the scientific revolution a great deal of traditional views at that time such as superstition and religion were broken down. Scientific facts and reasoning were now held at high esteem and great focus was placed on these two concepts. Philosophers such as John Locke went on to postulate that knowledge is obtained through sensation and reflection. This postulation was the basis of Locke’s theory that everyone has the same capacity of sensation, and education should not be restricted to a certain class or gender. Prior to the 17th and 18th century, literacy was generally restricted to males who belonged to the categories of nobles, mercantile, and professional classes but with the development of the education system, education was now provided to all classes. The literacy rate in Europe from the 17th century to the 18th century grew significantly. With the rise in literacy there was now a public demand for the novel. There were changes in the public cultural institutions, such as libraries and museums. The public libraries were now funded by the state and were accessible to everyone for free. Prior to the Enlightenment, libraries in Europe were restricted mostly to academies, aristocratic and private owners. During the 18th century, the price of books were too high for the average person, especially the most popular works such as an encyclopedias. Therefore, the public libraries offered commoners a chance of reading literates that could only be afforded by the wealthier classes. Thus the average, run of the mill individual who felt that need to put their thoughts to paper did exactly that and could do so effectively because of their educational exposure. Another factor that gave rise to the novel in English was the explosion of the printing culture. The modern novel is said to be the child of the printing press which is strongly connected to the rise in literacy. The number of books being published in the period of Enlightenment increased dramatically due to the increase in literacy rate and the increase in demand for books. Now that more people were literate, more people wished to write. Yet, prior to the inception of the printing press, writers would have to literally write their texts by hand. This proved to be very monotonous and discouraged many writers from penning books. However, the explosion of the print culture in the 18th century was both the result and cause of the increase in literacy. The number of books being published in the period of Enlightenment increased dramatically due to the increase in literacy rate and the increase in demand for books. There was a shift in interest in the categories of books, in the 17th century, religious books had comprised around half of all books published. However, throughout the century, the percentage of traditional genres such as religion has dropped to one-tenth by 1790 and there was an increase in popularity for the almanacs. Yet another factor that gave rise to the novel in English was the rise in individualism. Individualism is one of the cornerstones of the Enlightenment. It is a philosophy stressing the recognition of every person as a valuable individual with inalienable, inborn rights. Individualism highlighted man’s ability to reason, to look past the traditions and conventions that had dominated Europe in the past, and to make decisions for himself. Moreover, these ideas represented the separation and autonomy of man’s intellect from God—a development that opened the door to new discoveries and ideas and threatened the most powerful of Europe’s long-standing institutions. People were now writing about other people who were just like them.

Benjamin Franklin’s Life and Study Essay Example for Free

Benjamin Franklin’s Life and Study Essay The following discussion is based on an article, â€Å"Franklin, Modernity, and Themes of Dissent in the Early Modern Era† by â€Å"Carla Mulford† from â€Å"Modern Language Studies, Vol. 28, No. 2. (Spring 1998), pp. 13-27. This has been taken from â€Å"JSTOR† Archives. JSTOR Archive is a trusted digital repository for academic journals and scholarly literature around the world. It is supported by Libraries and Scholar Societies. The article discusses about Franklin’s views on Religion, Metaphysics and Deism. One can see how dissent was meant in Franklin’s days and how it’s perceived now. Creation of American Dream, learning about socio metaphysical ways of leading a life and several facets of Franklin’s views on religion can be seen here. Franklin was a precursor among â€Å"natural scientists† and his work on natural philosophy is also discussed here. Also his association with his friend’s daughter as a tutor and assisting her to pursue her study on natural philosophy and his views on historical production can be examined. He was more a deist than an atheist but people see him more as an atheist in his days and some of his family members too were of the same view. His similarities with George Whitman and other personalities are discussed. His spoofs on religion, advice to people to indulge in philosophy and to be useful to fellow beings, his facts about Bible and Christianity during her grand fathers’ days can be examined here. Franklin was a pioneer in more than one field and he was also a successful businessman and a diplomat. In author’s view, history production involves some assumptions about the past and some relevance to national myth making and silencing the past. Since the stories of the past are forever expandable, the accumulation of multiple stories blocks a nation’s ability to accommodate stories of other sort which might disrupt the conventional and accepted wisdom about their founding fathers. She quotes Trouillot suggestion that if the producers of the stories in the past lived inequalities then the stories yield unequal historical power (Carla Mulford, P 13). In the same context she says, US citizens who knows much about Benjamin Franklin doesn’t know about his son and who bore him and the records which exist are silent on this issue. Also when people speak about confederation and constitution, they tend to speak about Anglo-American debates and the Civil war instead of the native people representing the six nations. Also she quoted Benedict Anderson’s words; US community alienates themselves from conventional ideas of â€Å"dynastic empires, absolutisms, serfdoms, ghettoes† and is more inclined to â€Å"republican institutions, nation-states† (Carla Mulford, P 15). Benjamin Franklin was a Scholar, Deist, Philanthropist, Writer, Diplomat, Journalist, Civil Leader and a Scientist. There is more to his astounding brilliance in every respective field. Franklin and Religion: His was a puritan family and it had much influence on him. His religious views were simple and straightforward. According to him, religion should make people do more good and help our fellow beings. Deists don’t believe in orthodoxy and age old superstitious customs. Although he was a deist, he was more outspoken and sometimes confesses that this doctrine though true is less useful in making people virtuous. He always believes that service to mankind is service to God. He had Unitarian views and sometimes visits Unitarian Churches along with his friends. However he cannot be included among the Unitarians as he never openly stated about his inclination towards Unitarianism. He used to go to Unitarian Churches with his friends. According to Wikipedia, â€Å"Deism is a religious philosophy and movement that derives the existence and nature of god from reason and personal experience in contrast to theism†. He rejects orthodox Christian views. In a way he dissents the principles of Church. In his days, dissents were those who speak against church. Religion used to be associated with almost everything and hence to speak against something orthodox was treated as dissentious. Explaining about the dissenting nature of his family he says how his Great Great Grandfather conceals the English Bible from the officers of the spiritual court. He admires the Evangelist Preacher, George Whitefield. He says religion should be the best way in explaining morals to the people. In Geoffrey Sills lines of similarity between Franklin and Whitman Their strong interest in science and technology and America was a radical experiment in democracy and their similar views on religious dissent†. Thus Franklin’s view of religion as a moral freedom brings closer outlook on the religion disciplines which people follow. He had friends among Unitarians, Deists and other religions. He treats all religions the same. When he supported his friend to setup a Unitarian Church he stated that whoever leader comes irrespective of religion should be allowed to preach. On his funeral, people who thronged to see him were a mix of all religions. There were views in those times that people who believe in science doubt religion. Franklin doesn’t agree to this. Instead he sometimes confesses the virtues of religion. Franklin, a Scientist: Franklin was arguably the first American Scientist. He crossed the Gulf Stream and he used to take weather forecasts on his horse ridings. He studied storms and discovered Electricity. He was also the founding father of Civic Science in America. One can see Franklin flying a kite in their school text books. Being a Civic Scientist, he did public service and organized sermons. He formed the JUNTO, a discussion group for his friends, leaders and business people. He promoted Libraries, Civic Societies and Education, Hospitals and Schools. He developed Mail Delivery System and Dead Letter Office. With one of his French friends, he once queried, â€Å"What signifies Philosophy that doesn’t apply to some use? † He regards insects worthy of an enquiry and research because, as per him, even appropriate use of insects can benefit humans. He says one should never neglect one’s essential duties in keeping line with the study. He wrote in â€Å"Poor Richard† for October, 1750, â€Å"Hide not your Talents, they for use were made, / what’s a Sun-Dial in a Shade! † He invented Franklin stove and bi focal lens. He also studied sea water luminescence and ocean temperatures. He explained about the dangers of Lead Poisoning and hypothesized about Wave Theory of Light. Franklin, a Diplomat: He encourages Education. He wasn’t sent to school due to his father’s poverty. He was mostly self educated. He worked in a printer shop initially and then later shifted to work in a press. He was one of the founding fathers of America. His role in American Revolution is still remembered. Franklin was courageous and bold and had very good rapport with French and resolved most of the issues during the war. Franklin with all his diplomacy skills worked in forming a peace treaty during the war with French. He helped in the establishment of Pennsylvania’s first State University. A town was named after him due to his services. He was also famous for his anecdotes. Conclusion: This article covers almost all aspects of Benjamin Franklin, his personality and his achievements. I can clearly examine his views on religion and how he was a dissent among his people. Till date whenever I hear of Franklin, I can only imagine a bald guy flying a kite and running as this should be the case with most of the people. Our schools teach Franklin’s discovering Electricity in thunder storms. It’s only after reading the essay that I found the innumerable qualities and facets of his life. I came to know now that he was not only a scientist but a diplomat. You would see him in almost every walk of life. There is no surprise to find his name under every subject. Apart from Electricity I usually hear his name linked with American Revolution, his diplomacy in having a peace treaty with France. Now I can imagine how great a personality like him would be. His life spanned over eighty years ranging from a writer to a scientist and to a Legislative member. He was the founding father of the concept of Great American Dream. I’ve also found out from this essay about his works on Natural Philosophy. I’ve also learned about his role as an educationist and in promoting Women Education. Also I came to know about his friends among several religious groups and about his mutual interest in both deism and Unitarianism. He is famous for his wit and humor. There was a story that during Constitution Writing which Franklin resolved a hard stop by asking the Ministers in the Council to pray for a few minutes. Most of them didn’t agree and he resolved the issue without a prayer. America would remember Franklin as long as they remember Martin Luther King. Work Cites World Wide Web: 1) â€Å"Ben Franklin Scientist and Philanthropist†. http://www. nps. gov/archive/inde/Franklin_Court/Pages/franklinscientist. html 2) â€Å"Franklins Contributions to the American Revolution as a Diplomat in France†. http://www. ushistory. org/valleyforge/history/franklin. html 3) Lane, Neal. â€Å"Benjamin Franklin, Civic Scientist†. October 2003, page 41. http://www. physicstoday. org/vol-56/iss-10/p41. html 4) Rev. Clear, Bruce. THE RELIGION OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Sunday. May 1. 2005. All Souls Unitarian Church. Indianapolis. http://allsoulsuuindy. org/ser20050501. htm.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Impact of World War 1 on Modernism

Impact of World War 1 on Modernism How would you describe the impact of the First World War on Modernist visual practices? The aesthetic phenomenon of Modernism, wide-reaching as that term is, can be historically defined as a period that began around 1860, with Manet generally accepted as the first Modernist painter, and came to an end around 1940 – although the murky cross-over between modernism and post-modernism, and the ubiquitous nature of both terms, means that some historians see Modernism stretching to the 1970s. The term applies retrospectively to a wide range of movements, including Futurism, Dada and Cubism, which broadly sought to distance themselves from the values and stylistics of Classicism. In a general aesthetic sense, modern art is often concerned with essential properties of the potential of colour and flatness, and over time a fading interest in subject matter can be witnessed. In fact, in a more specific sense, Modernism can be seen to refer not just to a style or styles of art, but to the philosophy of art as well. From a historical viewpoint, Modernism can be seen as the reaction of art – at least of the progressive artist – to the post-industrial world, a world in which the machine came to be as prominent and ubiquitous as man, and indeed it was in the largest European metropolises, where the tensions of social modernity were most prominent, that the earliest incarnations of Modernism in art appeared. However Modernism is a wide and watered down term, associated with a myriad of differing, and often opposing movements. What draws them together is that they respond to the same situations of the modern world, of the industrialisation of society and the cataclysmic watershed of the First World War. Christopher Witcombe talks of the period of enlightenment in the 18th century, which preceded the advent of Modernism: â€Å"Progressive 18th-century thinkers believed that the lot of humankind would be greatly improved through the process enlightenment, from being shown the truth. With reason and truth in hand, the individual would no longer be at the mercy of religious and secular authorities which had constructed their own truths and manipulated them to their own self-serving ends. At the root of this thinking is the belief in the perfectibility of humankind.†[1] According to Witcombe, the roots of modernism lie in the ideals of the Enlightenment, and this is where we can see the new roles of the artist begin to take shape. Essentially, the overarching goal of Modernism, of modern art, has been â€Å"the creation of a better society†[2]. But as we shall see, the moralistic idealism of the Enlightenment was not the preferred form for the Modernist movement, which was dragged through the mill of the industrial revolution, and, following hot on its heels, the First World War. There was a sense from the conservative modernists that the way forward was to be guided by existing institutions. The progressives, on the other hand were â€Å"critical of institutions as restrictive of individual liberty†[3]. In the 20th century, progressive modernism was thrust into the spotlight, leaving conservative modernism in its wake, with many people sceptical of its artistic merits. The conservative painters of the 19th century attempted to reflect and exemplify a kind of moral Christian virtue, and believed this to be a vital contribution from art to society – the representation of a model of social values to which everyone could aim. Conservative modernism, however, was looked down upon by progressives as an unambitious celebration of the values of the ruling class. Art, progressives argued, should be forward thinking, challenging, as well as socially responsible, whilst conservatives offered little more than a rosy re-hashing of the sepia past. So whilst the conservatives wished to continue existing institutions and favoured a gradual development, progressives criticised ruling institutions and searched for radical upheaval. In the first 10 years of the 20th century, a rapidly escalating political tension and a distrust of and anger toward the social order began to permeate much of European society. The socio-political evidence of this lies in the Russian Revolution and the prominence all over Europe of aggressive radicals. In the art community, this growing unease can be seen in the trend toward a radical simplification of previous stylistics, and in some cases, complete rejection of previous practice. Young painters such as Matisse and Picasso began to cause shockwaves with their embracing of non-traditional perspectives, a re-hauling of the rules of representation as an aesthetic theme, taking risks that even the Impressionists had not dared. At the heart of this new movement was an affection for disruption, and a progression away from Realism, and this began to give a new dimension to the term Modernism. Progressive Modernism was thrust into the spotlight, leaving conservative modernism in its wake, with many people sceptical of its artistic merits. The conservative painters of the 19th century attempted to reflect and exemplify a kind of moral Christian virtue, and believed this to be a vital contribution from art to society – the representation of a model of social values to which everyone could aim. Conservative modernism, however, was looked down upon by progressives as an unambitious celebration of the values of the ruling class. Art, progressives argued, should be forward thinking, challenging, as well as socially responsible, whilst conservatives offered little more than a rosy re-hashing of the sepia past. So whilst the conservatives wished to continue existing institutions and favoured a gradual development, progressives criticised ruling institutions and searched for radical upheaval. Whereas painters like Turner had been respected members of society’s greatest intelligentsia, seen as contributors to the greater good of society, the progressive Modernist saw the deification of traditional values and social structures as stifling, and therefore the artist took on a new persona, that of the righteous revolutionary, and we can see an example of this in the movement known as Futurism, a movement which had its own self-styled manifesto, published in Le Figaro, in an attempt to provoke, incite, and recruit the like-minded. Futurism, like much of 20th century Modernism, was based upon a rejection of the past, and this attitude came to the fore with progressives with the advent of World War One – which represented a cataclysmic failure of the conservative ideals of tradition. For many progressives, the Great War presented an almighty coming together of man and machine in the most morbid possible way, a futile mechanised massacre, which contrasted bitterly with the Modernist treatment of the role of the machine in beauty, and its faith in technology. This was clearly not the way to a healthier society. It has been said that World War One marked the failure of modern art, and a watershed for the emergence of the post-modern. The artistic community took it upon itself to lead the way, as it were, in the post-war society, given the catastrophic failure of many public institutions. After the war, there grew a kind of social vacuum, a sense that there was a lack of people and institutions to believe in. Many artists felt that it was therefore the responsibility of art to orient the collective social aspiration, to shape a new spirit in the wake of such destruction, and the delegitimisation of so many hopes and values. In this way, the Modernist art of the post-war era was at once ultimately moral, hopeful, and rooted in a deep social conscience, but also vividly subversive and challenging in its (many) aesthetic forms – like the best art, the best music, and the best literature, its moral heart lay in its readiness to challenge and confront the spectator. Characterised deeply by the residing antagonism of the industrial revolution, there came about a kind of collective conviction that traditions, institutions, and social frameworks were not perpetual, but rather that they were open to continuing re-evaluation and subjugation, and this attitude can be witnessed in Tristan Tzara’s movement Dada, which gave perhaps the most radical voice to the post-war Modernist. The Dadaists were not content to simply ‘make art’, they wanted to affect all corners of society, to take part in the revolutionary changes which were the inevitable result of the chaos after the War. The aims of the artist became to negate all social and aesthetic traditions, to make every work a new and marginal expression, and better to be bitterly divisive than quietly dormant. Moreover, every artistic manifestation was a form of didactic interaction with social and historical change. So the First World War represented a huge failure of the previous status quo, culminating in the most excruciating and fruitless deaths of millions across the world. A generation of young artists had witnessed men and boys, many at first-hand, perish defending slivers of earth. Machine warfare had become an accepted horror of reality: the dubious honours of war – valour, courage, and heroism, had been sourly debased by the impersonal brutality of the tank and the machine gun. In the face of such fundamentally unthinkable horror, the funds of Realism seemed to be empty, and the view that the human race had been steadily climbing some moral ladder toward enlightenment became utterly banal. As Christopher Witcombe says, â€Å"The First World War, at once, fused the harshly mechanical geometric rationality of technology, with the nightmarish irrationality of myth†[4]. And so in the 1920s and onward, Modernism became one of the defining movements of the era, whereas before it had been mostly a minority taste, its luminaries more heard of than heard. As a result of its new found prominence, the mood shifted towards a replacement of the older status quo with a base of new methods. Modernism began to reach prominence in Europe in such pertinent movements as Dada and Surrealism. The tendency under the umbrella of Modernism became to form separate movements and develop systems separate to each other – aside from Dada there was the International style of Bauhaus and Socialist Realism. By the 1930s, Modernism had entered the Jazz Age, and labels such as modern or hyper-modern† began to proliferate, and the term Modernism began to lose its resonance, like butter scraped across too much toast. After World War Two, consumer culture became the focus of the Modernist artist, as the focus shifted from the graphic, morbid horrors of the two Wars to the more palettable horrors of the popular culture invasion, and the aesthetic outrage of post-war modernism came to be replaced by an aesthetic of sanction. This combination of consumer and modernist cultures led to a total overhaul of the meaning of the term modernism, and can be seen as the beginning of the contemporary form of Postmodernism, replete with its self-referential fixation – as the lines between elite culture and consumer culture had become blurred, and a movement based on the rejection of tradition had become a tradition itself. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Arnason, H. H., History of Modern Art New York: Harry N. Abrams, 4th edition, 1998 Atkins, Robert. ArtSpoke: A Guide to Modern Ideas, Movements, and Buzzwords, 1848-1944. New York: Abbeville Press, 1993 Chipp, Herschel B. Theories of Modern Art Berkeley: University of California Press, 1968 and 1989 Malcolm Bradbury, Modernism 1890-1930, London: Penguin, 1991 Christopher Witcombe, What is Art?, http://witcombe.sbc.edu/modernism/artsake.html, 2000 [1] Christopher Witcombe, What is Art?, http://witcombe.sbc.edu/modernism/artsake.html, 2000 [2] Christopher Witcombe, What Is Art? [3] Christopher Witcombe, What Is Art? [4] Christopher Witcombe, What is Art?

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Essay --

â€Å"If men were angels, no government would be necessary† (Madison, Federalist No. 51), said Madison in Federalist 51 In Federalist No. 51. This quote basically says everything about Madison’s political theory and how he felt the country should have been ran. In federalist No. 10, Madison stood for the republican government that was proposed by the constitution. He states that the only way to control factions within states is to make a representative form of government. Madison states â€Å"Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention†¦ as short in their lives as they have been violent in the deaths† (Madison, Federalist No. 10). Madison believes that with democracies come factions, these â€Å"special interest groups† as we call them now and with these groups comes unequal balances that they would make in society. Although in Federalist No. 10, Madison mainly argues against having a full democratic government, I believe as we see later that Madison believes in our now present form of government, a two-party system. I believe his true core values were to have the government keep a fair and balanced setting with the whole spectrum of society. In Federalist No. 51, Madison talks about the works of checks and balances and how important it is to the government. I believe Madison’s core values were the fairness and safety of the over all government as a whole. When upholding these standards, he wanted to make sure that the power of the government in future actions was safe and that it was a base to start building upon. Madison touches on the importance of ‘checks and balances’ and why they play such a huge role in distributing power among the branches. Checks and balances are meant to check the levels of government and to ens... ...uthors’ ideas about Logic of American Politics in that government now, you have to come to a common agreement. In Madison’s beliefs, he believed that equality and liberty were two of the most important things. In the textbook, they explain that congress most come to common ground before agreeing on anything so many things are hard to accomplish. In Madison’s ideas, I believe this is what he was truly encompassing; he didn’t want one side of an argument win and have those majorities rule. He wanted everyone to be heard not just those of the ruling party. As for Collective Action, the textbook relates to Madison by ways of coordination. Madison believed that it would be better to work as one huge group than a ton of tiny factions. He believed that all beliefs and ideas should be represented as a group rather than individually to minimize as much problems as possible.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Characterization Of The Physician :: essays research papers

Direct Characterization:Doctor of physicsHe was very into astronomy.He kept his patient from being depressed by horoscope and magic.He could sense the fortune that'll arrive in his sick patients dwelling. He was a very good physician.He knew the cause of every sickness. His patient pays him in gold. He read a lot of medical books written by the famous physicians such as Esculapius, Deiscorides, Hippocrates and Hali' etc. He was careful about his diet; never ate a bite more than he should yet he ate healthily.He read buy little in the Bible.He dressed in blue and scarlet. He is careful with his money.He kept the gold he gained and loved it more than anything else.Indirect Characterization:He is well respected in the society since he is a doctor.He might be a descendant of one of the well-known physicians.He studied a lot about medicine and its causes. It said that he knew the cause of very malady, were it of hot or cold'.He probably isn't a Christian, at least not a devoted one. He c ures his patients not from his good-will, but because the gold he'll receive later.He enjoys reading books written about medicine, or anything that has to do with his field. He seems to be fastidious, and wary man.He's fairly rich (This is portrayed through his attire) yet not very generous, maybe even a bit stingy.The Social ClassDoctors, throughout the century has been considered the higher-class people, the more nobles ones. It was the same during the Medieval Period. They were regarded as the high-class, the well educated. Doctors and physicians alike were very influential, especially when knowledge about medicine weren't as perceived as now. People around look up to them and go to them for help.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Essay --

TASK 1 P7 INTRODUCTION I have to describe the Health & Safety and Welfare associated with each of the different types of building surveys. This should include the use of appropriate PPE. Completion of measured surveys: Measured surveys involve taking measurements of sites or buildings in order to produce accurate data represented at a reduced scale. They are usually specified to an agreed level of detail, to acceptable accuracy tolerances, scale, delivery times and costs. Each elevation would be sketched free-hand, dimensions are taken for later reproducing. This can be done manually or with CAD. This process involves simply visiting the proposed property and then drawing a free hand outline and all elevations, dimensions and heights are taken whether by manually or digitally. Condition Survey: A condition survey looks at all parts of a building to assess the condition and state of repair and plan for immediate and future works. This involves many aspects to be looked and noted down which are looking at the average of people living in each house, looking at which type of house it is, how many have central heating, how many have kitchen, which type of fuel is used to heat each house, the age of housing stock, the costs of repair per unit, what the average fitness standard of each house, the health and safety of the houses and what the energy efficiency ratings are. Overall this survey looks at the condition of a building and this can be noted down or organized with photographical evidence and the date (if time) is recorded when taking each photo. This is not like a detailed report neither does it involve any structural nor investigation works. Dilapidation survey: A dilapidation survey which is also called a ‘structural surve... ...lure to complete the work. Similarly, if the surveyor is not paid for doing work, then they in turn can take a client to court for the debt due. This is called getting sued for damages. Reports must be written with care to avoid getting sued. Indemnity Insurance: This is to protect Surveyors against legal proceedings for damages of omission or negligence. Often to be paid for the life of the Surveyor. Nowadays anyone who gives advice or who provides a professional service should consider investing in adequate personal cover. It covers you against compensation sought by a client if they claim you have made a mistake or have been negligent in your professional service. Bankrupt: If the client or surveyor goes bankrupt, then an official receiver would undertake the winding up of the company and establish the liability of the debtors and sums to be paid to creditors.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Vacant Chapter 12 Waiting

I knock, but there's no answer. I let myself in and I'm immediately relieved to see Emily's things still around the house, including her bedding on the couch. Remorse creeps back into my chest as I think about the numerous times I've tried to convince Emily to take my room – my bed – but she never has. I kneel down on the floor in front of the sofa to worship the scent lingering in the sheets. She always smells like baby powder, the cheap off brand they sell at the Dollar Tree, but regardless of the price, it smells like heaven to me. I close my eyes and enjoy her essence while also promising myself to buy her name-brand lotion. No more generic. The shouting startles me awake. â€Å"I don't care! Get the mother-fucking money. I don't pay you to lose my shit!† Then I hear the unmistakable sound of a fist meeting flesh. My blood runs cold as I wonder if it's Emily next door. The thought hits me like the fist from next door: What has she done to get money for herself? I've had many neighbors while I've lived here. It's to be expected, as the downtrodden are a transient population. That unit was empty when†¦.when I left, so I hadn't thought about a new tenant. I also hadn't figured on undesirables moving in. I'd never worried about my safety, but now I have to think of Emily's safety and protection. This is no place for her. I hear a feminine scream amid the sounds of skin being struck and I know it's not my girl. I know what her scream sounds like after a spider infestation and that's not it. It's not Emily. â€Å"Get up, Punta!† I hear more ramblings and shouts in Spanish; the female cries in response. All I can think is, Thank God it's not Emily. But it is someone – someone's daughter, sister, or friend. I do the only thing I can. I call the police and let them handle it. While I've read heroic tales of men saving the day, it's not safe or practical in this case. It's very likely that the monster next door has a weapon, and I'm no good to protect Emily if I'm dead. The cops come and go quickly. The woman refuses to press charges, but the man is escorted off the property with a warning not to return. He'll be back, though. They always are. My thoughts drift to moving to a better neighborhood, but then I realize I may not have a job because I'm a complete coward who left for a week without calling his boss; it'll be a miracle if I'm not fired. How will I take care of Emily without a job? I'm an idiot. God, how did I fuck this up so badly? I dial Margie's number and her cheerful greeting relaxes me a bit. â€Å"Hey, Marge, it's Ethan.† â€Å"Well hey, Sugarplum. How was your vacation?† She knows I wasn't on vacation, and I try to discern if there is sarcasm in her voice, but I can't seem to detect any. â€Å"Margie, I wasn't on vacation.† â€Å"Sure you were, kid. It's on the schedule; I approved it myself. There's paperwork and everything. The owners are glad you finally took some time off. You had more than three weeks coming to you. It makes them nervous that you've never taken a day off in five years.† I'm confused and my silence must confirm this to my manager. â€Å"So, are you coming in tomorrow? I'm down a cashier and could use ya.† Cashier? I'm a â€Å"back of the house† guy. The â€Å"make sure there's always chips on the display† guy; low man on the grocery store food chain. â€Å"Uhhhh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is my incoherent reply. â€Å"It's time you take on more responsibility, kiddo. You have that pretty girl to take care of.† She knows. She knows about Emily. How does she know? â€Å"I'll see you tomorrow, Ethan.† I'm left holding the phone wondering what the hell is going on.