Experiments of an English Major
by Bethany Doty
Too often do I hear the words “same old same old” to the generic question of “how are things going?” No more! I want to be a dynamic character, a spontaneous adventurer... like the characters in my favorite books. As an English major, I sometimes think about how my reality compares to the reality an author can create in a fictional work. Is there a way of taking the real and putting it in the perspective of the fictional?
Realistically, my life is not very exciting. I go to work, I go to class, I do homework - all dismally lacking in the action field. It took a seemingly insignificant event to launch me into an exploration of what my life could be like if I suddenly incorporated elements of my favorite fictional stories into my life.
My college has an extensive public bus system including many Double Decker buses that were brought over from London. While this may not be important information, what is important is that on a certain day after a certain class, I missed my Double Decker bus. Instead of waiting for a normal bus, I decided to call a friend and take a nice stroll home. I took off at a brisk pace and dialed my friend Lissa, excited to catch up. After a block or two, I spotted my Shakespeare professor, not 50 yards away from me. I had never been to this professor’s office hours but that had not kept me from admiring her from afar.
No longer thinking clearly at all, I channeled my inner spy and whispered, “It’s my Professor; I think I’m going to follow her.” Lissa quickly helped me formulate a game plan. With her furtive instructions in my ear, I picked up the pace. I would need to position myself so I could pass my professor on the other side of the street, putting me in the optimal position to cross back slightly in front of her and, still on the phone, casually strike up a conversation. Objective: brownie points.
I crept in the shadow of my professor, following her down ally ways which divided fraternity houses into a small neighborhood, using my powerful stride to put me in position for the pass. I became overzealous in my speed walking but upon realizing my tactical error, I had already passed too far in front of my target, effectively making the casual hello impossible and awkward. Biding farewell to Lissa, I decide my best alternate course of action was to keep walking, as I think the professor had noticed me. I stopped at a corner, somewhat confused at my location, and called my roommate.
Although my mission of obtaining brownie points had failed, I felt like a true adventurer. I adapted fiction into my life to create my own narrative. For once, I got to see myself as a complex character instead of just a collection of quirky interests and daily activities. Instead of just analyzing a novel from the perspective of realism, I learned that we can all infuse a sense of adventure and discovery into our own reality by using the scope of fiction. By taking a step outside of reality, I am able to more clearly see the details of my life that are often overlooked.
As with any piece of fiction, there is often a moral or theme and here is mine: if you are going to follow your professor home, have a friend ready with a getaway car.
Published December 18, 2007. All rights reserved.