Quotes from Mike Magnuson
and Possible Reasons to Go to College
"He's never actually enjoyed reading, and in fact he hasn't read a book cover to cover since he was ten." (76)
Go to college to break a habit?
Go to college to force yourself to read more?
Go to college with the hope you will read more?
"But on this Sunday morning in the Eau Claire County Jail, on Cell Block C, in cell number 6, Mike's moment comes to him, the instant where everything in his life has been pointing in this direction and everything in his life will be different afterwards." (78)
Go to college because you've had a sudden revelation?
Go to college because you suddenly realize what you want?
Go to college because you know college will help you achieve what you need to achieve?
"The Swede--and Mike knows this is the point of the story--is just as smart as these intellectuals, but he doesn't know how to behave like them. He's a large, coarse, oafish dude, and nothing's going to change that." (79)
Go to college to prove that you are just as smart as other people?
Go to college to learn how to behave like other smart people?
Go to college to try to change your identity? (see Salat and Crichton!)
"The Swede is an intellectual, and that's all that matters about being an intellectual: being one." (79)
Go to college to become an intellectual?
Go to college to learn for the sake of learning--to gain knowledge just to have it?
"He's going to fill his mind with ideas and beauty, and even if nobody thinks Mike's capable of knowing this shit, knowing about beauty and truth and art and all that, by God Mike can know about it anyway." (79)
Go to college to learn for the sake of learning--to gain knowledge just to have it?
Go to college to prove others wrong--to prove that you can do it, even if others think that you can't?