English Teachers
Wolff wonders, “Unlike our math and science teachers, who modestly stuck to their subjects, they tended to be polymaths. Adept as they were at dissection, they would never leave a poem or a novel strewn about in pieces like some butchered frog reeking of formaldehyde. They’d stitch it back together with history and psychology, philosophy, religion, and even, on occasion, science. Without pandering to you presumed desire to identify with the hero of a story, they made you feel that what mattered to the writer had consequence for you, too.” English teachers display a mastery of various subjects because the books which they utilize in teaching learners explore divergent themes and concepts. The teacher’s expansive knowledge enables them to deconstruct complex works for their leaners. English is a basic factor for all subjects because it is the predominant language of expression.
Tradition
Wolff writes, “There was a tradition at my school by which one boy was granted a private audience with each visiting writer. We contended for this honor by submitting a piece of our own work, poetry if the guest was a poet, fiction if a novelist. The writer chose the winner a week or so before arriving. The winner had his poem or story published in the school newspaper, and, later, a photograph of him walking the headmaster’s garden with the visiting writer.” Inviting the accomplished writers is vital in nurturing creativity in the school. Performance of the tradition is predictable because it has been performed for long. Winning the contest is the most significant component of the tradition which validates the winner’s creativity and writing skills.
Aftermath of the Announcement of Frost’s Visit
Wolff recounts, “Frost’s visit was announced in early October. At first the news made me giddy, but that night I grew morose with the dread of defeat. I couldn’t sleep. Finally I got up and sat at my desk with two notebooks full of poetry I’d written when taking a break from stories. While my roommate muttered in his dreams I bent over the pages and read piece after piece.” Wolff yearns to be the winner so he can meet privately with Frost. The desire to submit the winning poem motivates him to forfeit his sleep. He holds that spending the night working on his poems and reading through them will increase his chances of being the winner.
