Conversation 47 - Excerpt

Dr Dietz: Well, you should go back to the library, go back to your reference books, and see if you can’t locate the source for this remark. So– here. Here’s your essay back–

Student: Oh!

DD: – and you can add the citation if you find the quote. And then, bring it back to me and I’ll grade it.

S: Oh, OK! Thank you, Dr Dietz. I’ll do that right away– and I’ll be more careful next time, I assure you.

DD: I know you will, Jacob, I’m sure you will. And you might try looking first in Reverend Stanton’s Life of James Joyce. I think that’s a likely location. Isn’t that one of the books in your bibliography?

S: I think, uh…yes, here it is. Gee, I looked at so many biographies of Joyce, I can’t remember which one’s which anymore.

DD: Well, Stanton’s is probably the least sympathetic of Joyce’s biographers. I doubt he even tried to read Finnegans Wake. Probably thought it was nonsense.

S: Well, I can see why! (Laughs nervously then suddenly stops.) But I guess I’d better get over to the library now.

DD: Yes. Yes, you should. And get back to me with your revisions as soon as you can, Jacob.

S: Yessir, I will.