My coursemates were judgmental of Chris Kyle, as they doubted his claims in his autobiography. They forgot Ernest Hemingway, who embellished his exploits during the Spanish Civil War. And this would earn him a Nobel Prize in Literature. It would pay to have a gift for words, but I was lost in deep thought for a moment. What if Hemingway were in Kyle's place? "American Sniper" would turn into a modern update of masculinity, and how the war on Muslim militants could inspire themes like fraternity and identity. I was certain that Kyle thought along those lines, but he was rather matter-of-fact.
The professor encouraged classroom conversation, which was the only way to improve our written communication. Some would end with red herrings, off-topics that hardly had any relation to the coursework. My instructor didn't mind, though. This was the only way to keep the conversation going. And some topics took us by surprise. (A PhD student penning an erotic novel. Katie Holmes. Apple.) How would this setup work? Let us list it down:
Ask a question. The first ones threw me off the curve. What would be the one thing that I like to change the world? Diminished interest in the Harry Potter novels. I saw shocked faces, but I was serious about it. The literary world must need to move on, and I thought it was a tragedy that Daniel Handler's series didn't get the same attention. Perhaps it was a mistake that it was released alongside the Potter books.
Try free writing. It turned out to be a bucket list. Staring at the Mongolian steppe, which was a setting of my favorite pulp story. Exploring the silk road, while channeling my inner Kipling. And looking at the Namibian desert. I wanted to find out if there was truth behind Haggard's pulse-stopping stories, but I might not live to tell the tale.
Talk to other students. Michael wasn't paying attention until I found out that he was looking at Marie. Dan told me another scary movie. It didn't pique my curiosity in the Horror genre. And Steve asked me if I ever tasted durian. I haven't traveled to other parts of the world.
Dividing the class into two groups. I was lucky to find myself in the company of sports enthusiasts. I told John to give Ryan Lochte a break.
Be positive. I got a kick out of the experience, but I wouldn't say that this could be the premise of a short story. I prefer an exotic setting, where my character would be wary of friendly locals. And he had every reason to be careful. There was political unrest. The rainfall would turn the capital into a chaotic place. He was unable to find a local who could speak a fluent sentence in English. And then he met a fellow expatriate.
A classroom conversation must be taken seriously, but I want to make sure that you're reading this sentence. Tell us about your own experience.
