Long live improvisation!

It was not the first time this had happened to her:

At the beginning of the new term, she had made all those resolutions – this term she was going to read all the obligatory texts, she was going to prepare each lesson, this time she was going to be a good student.

But, soon things went the way they always do:

The book she had ordered did not arrive on time. She had to prepare a presentation, which she should have started two days earlier. The copy machine had not been working when she wanted to copy the text. She got drunk at a party on Monday; she had had a hang-over on Tuesday. On Wednesday, she had been sitting in a café all day long instead of studying.

Excuses, excuses, excuses...

The result was that, by the fourth week of the term, she had not read the play they were discussing in her class. She had not prepared the secondary literature either.

But she had made it to the class, at least.

She was definitely not the only one who was hanging on like that.

That day, the professor decided to test his students. So, he randomly called up students, asking them to analyse parts of the play. She tried to hide between her neighbours. She wanted to be see-through.

But the professor had no mercy with her. He called on her to interpret one song from the play. Hastily, she read the first few lines in her neighbour’s copy of the book.

Ancient Celtic goddess –fairies - music – folk song – the few words she noticed.

“I think, this song highlights the importance of folklore traditions for the author. It mentions the old religion and tales – therefore, it mourns the loss of those in the present. It is, therefore, a criticism of colonialism, where native cultures are made to disappear, therefore, it calls for the independence of Ireland ....I think.”

Her voice was weak at the end of the statement. Was that too farfetched? Was that even in the play? She had no clue what the play was about, actually.

The author was Irish and the play was written in the late 19^th century – this was all she remembered from the past lessons.

“Very good analysis,” the professor answered, “I see, at least one student has read the text.”