I’ll simply say it as it was. A bitch of a professor at Brown University told me Hemingway wouldn’t be published today because his writing was too simple.
Fuck off.
That was my internal response.
I had been standing at the deli. A middle aged women stood next to me. I asked how her day was. She told me it was rushed. The man behind the counter asked what I wanted and I told him steak. Filet. For two.
I like to chat and talk and meet and know. I asked her who her favorite author was. I quote, ‘Oh, I don’t know. Who’s yours?’
I don’t respect people who can’t answer simple question. I respect them less when it’s about themselves.
‘Hemingway.’
‘Oh. He’s nothing really. He wouldn’t be published today.’
‘No? Why not.’
‘He’s too simple. He never took on anything important.’
‘Tell me how he’s simple. Tell me why.’
‘He never wrote about anything that meant anything.’
‘The Sun Also Rises was simple?’
‘We all stand on his shoulders for what he’s done. But, he’s simple.’
I told her I felt differently. She was alone and it’s easy to frighten off a conversation. I asked, ‘What do you do?’
‘I’m a retired professor.’
‘Of?’
‘English.’
English. Books upon books and cognitive development involved with a mental sphere of words pushed into physical boundaries and here we are.
‘I enjoy to read. Where were you a professor?’ I asked.
‘Brown.’
A professor was asked a simple question. Who is your favorite author. She couldn’t answer the question. She turned the question into a shaming moment. I wish her students the best of luck. I watched this women try to pay for her purchase. She was unable because she didn’t understand how the card ran through.
This is really cool, but I can’t fault the professor for not having a favorite author; I find that there are too many to pick from
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Good point Andrew. I had five minutes to write this..much of the story was left out. I don’t fault a person for not having a favorite author. I took issue with a person judging another for have an answer, when they themselves did not, and then looking down upon that answer. I hope that helps to clarify my stance on what took place. I was also disappointed that a human who teachers other humans has such a distaste for a great writer such as Hemingway. She went on to degrade him with multiple insults. Thus, insulting and degrading me. Thanks for the comment.
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Also, what’s good Hemingway to read? I’ve read The Old Man and the Sea and was wondering about his other books
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Honestly, The Old Man and the Sea is not his best work. I realize the masses picked up on this book- it wasn’t insulting. It was easy for school systems to not kick out. Start with ‘The Sun Also Rises.’ That’s a good start when reading his use of words.
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I totally agree with you, Fuck Off Professor Brown! 🙂 Hemingway was, is and will be a TITAN.
Not having a favourite author is not a shame. But don’t talk like that about an author loved by millions of people. You don’t like him. OK. No problem. But keep it for yourself. Right?
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Thanks for the support! She and I had a small debate I think it helped her to see she was being a bit narrow minded.
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