Will The Life Of An English Major Ever Be The Same Now?
Judy Ramsook
April 20, 2007
As we all know now, Cho Seung-Hui was an English Major with a flair for violence. His one act plays that were posted online reflect this in lines such as: ‘Dick Must Die, Must Kill Dick…’
Unlike him though, most English Majors who include violent scenes in their works of fiction do so and move on to the next assignment. But when it came to the matter of Cho Seung-Hui’s writings, this violence thing became a recurring theme with him. So much so that it bothered his classmates and professors alike.
As a result of this, one professor wanted him to seek counseling while another wanted him out of her class. As for some of his classmates, they refused to return to class for fear that they will be exposed to more of Cho Seung-Hui's macabre writing.
And in light of this, will all or most English Majors’ works of fiction in that Creative Writing class be viewed with the utmost scrutiny so their professors/teachers and classmates can get a peek into their psyche? Or will some English Majors who have something to fear back away from that Creative Writing class?
For all writers, even if they write non fiction, leave a trace of themselves in their work. And since this was found to be so true of Cho Seung-Hui, one just wonders if the same over analytical attention will be exercised when viewing the works of other students who seem mysterious and questionable.
This is something that could happen, if it is not happening already. For since writers are supposed to write about what they know or experience, they will do so, whether it means leaving a part of themselves in their work for all to see or not.
Of course if you are a mentally healthy English Major who leaves the violent scenes right there, in that piece of fictional work, you have nothing to worry about. Let that work be analyzed.
Unlike him though, most English Majors who include violent scenes in their works of fiction do so and move on to the next assignment. But when it came to the matter of Cho Seung-Hui’s writings, this violence thing became a recurring theme with him. So much so that it bothered his classmates and professors alike.
As a result of this, one professor wanted him to seek counseling while another wanted him out of her class. As for some of his classmates, they refused to return to class for fear that they will be exposed to more of Cho Seung-Hui's macabre writing.
And in light of this, will all or most English Majors’ works of fiction in that Creative Writing class be viewed with the utmost scrutiny so their professors/teachers and classmates can get a peek into their psyche? Or will some English Majors who have something to fear back away from that Creative Writing class?
For all writers, even if they write non fiction, leave a trace of themselves in their work. And since this was found to be so true of Cho Seung-Hui, one just wonders if the same over analytical attention will be exercised when viewing the works of other students who seem mysterious and questionable.
This is something that could happen, if it is not happening already. For since writers are supposed to write about what they know or experience, they will do so, whether it means leaving a part of themselves in their work for all to see or not.
Of course if you are a mentally healthy English Major who leaves the violent scenes right there, in that piece of fictional work, you have nothing to worry about. Let that work be analyzed.
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