I love my Scottish Professor, despite the fact that he probably does not like me. To give yourself the visual again, he is a small white haired, beard wielding Scott who not only speaks in a thick Scottish accent but also feels the stereotypical need to wear a tweed jacket & tartan (Scottish plaid) tie to every class. Wednesdays are my favorite of the two class periods, because those days are "discussion days" where we basically sit around and "discuss" the novel we were required to read & subsequently be lectured on that week.
Of course, when I say I "discuss" I do mean he goes from unwilling person to unwilling person and they respond with some generalization about a character that absolutely no one can build on. I mean, I am not sure if its my upbringing as an English student in America, but I have always assumed a class based solely upon discussion of a novel should progress into a debate of sorts. Like "I think this character goes through absolutely no character development and therefore adds absolutely nothing to the novel's plot line", where another person responds "You are complete rubbish, as seen in this passage, he plays the most pivotal role in the novel!" (Or something along those lines). BUT NO, either the teacher kills your point dead by simply stating (literally) "No, you are wrong" OR these students aren't as confrontational or even opinionated about their literary analysis enough to counter any point one might make. Pretty much, in my attempts to create some sort of discussion amongst the individuals just sitting there, I have proven to look like someone who merely disagrees with someone to create conflict. *Roni says something - Awkward Silence - Professor interjects with "No" - End. *
Anyway, of course, I am usually running a few minutes later than everyone else, so Erin & I are forced into the two seats RIGHT beside this little Scott of a professor. Therefore, whenever I find myself attempting to create some reaction with this novel, he has to turn and stare at me, with his tartan tie looming the entire time. I have slowly gotten used to this and created the little pep-talk to myself, "At least I speak up, right?" (I think I even caught him slightly smiling at one of my asserted disagreements directed toward some boring generalization the surprised & scared looking girl across from me said today) But, all in all, I have warmed up to this seemingly harsh profes. and realized that he makes some pretty funny jokes (of those you can catch from his Scottish accented mumbling) that no one (but the wee lass forced to sit directly at his elbow every lecture) really catches these entertaining asides. So, my seemingly hard professor is proving quite entertaining to the trained ear!
His little tartan tie... oh how I love Scotland.