Section Outline for Thurber

Paragraphs 1-4
Botany Class
(he couldn’t see through microscope)

Paragraphs 5-12
Economics Class
(the football player Bolenciecwcz couldn't answer any questions)

Paragraph 13
Gymnasium
(he couldn't see without his glasses; he couldn't swim; he hated stripping for health exams)

Paragraph 14
Journalism Class
(the animal husbandry major Haskins couldn't write a decent story)

 Paragraphs 15-18
Military Drill
(he couldn’t do the drills right until he was a senior)

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Summary Paragraph for Thurber

A Summary of
James Thurber’s “University Days”

In his essay, “University Days,” James Thurber presents several humorous anecdotes that illustrate how absurd and frustrating college can be.  In his botany class, Thurber’s inability to use the microscope perplexes and eventually enrages his professor.  In his economics class, a star tackle on the football team cannot answer even the most simple question.  When Thurber takes gymnasium, he hates to swim, so he had another student swim in his place.  In addition, Thurber tells the story of an agricultural student in a journalism class who cannot manage to write an interesting story about agriculture.  Finally, Thurber’s ineptitude in military drill forces him to participate for four years, which eventually earns him an award but the general cannot remember who he is.