I Am Charlotte Simmons (16 page)
Read I Am Charlotte Simmons Online
Authors: Tom Wolfe
Although she couldn't have said why, Charlotte somehow felt a compulsion to rescue the reputation of the entire class. So she raised her hand.
“Yes?” said Dr. Lewin.
Charlotte said, “Well, I think he does it that way because what the first
chapter really is, is Charles Bovary's background up to the time he meets Emma, which is when the real story begins. The last two-thirds of the chapter are written like a plain-long biography, but Flaubert didn't want to start the book that way”âshe could feel her face reddeningâ“because he believed you should get your point across by writing a real vivid scene with just the right details. The point of the first chapter is to show that Charles is a country bumpkin and always has been and always will be, even though he becomes a doctor and everything.” She looked down at her text.
“âUne de ces pauvres choses, enfin, dont la laideur muette a des profondeurs d'expression'”
âshe looked up at Dr. Lewin againâ“
âcomme le visage d'un imbécile.'
So you start the book seeing Charles the way
we
âthe other boysâsaw him, and the way
we
saw him is so vivid that all the way through the book, you never forget that what Charles is, is a hopeless fool, an idiot.”
chapter really is, is Charles Bovary's background up to the time he meets Emma, which is when the real story begins. The last two-thirds of the chapter are written like a plain-long biography, but Flaubert didn't want to start the book that way”âshe could feel her face reddeningâ“because he believed you should get your point across by writing a real vivid scene with just the right details. The point of the first chapter is to show that Charles is a country bumpkin and always has been and always will be, even though he becomes a doctor and everything.” She looked down at her text.
“âUne de ces pauvres choses, enfin, dont la laideur muette a des profondeurs d'expression'”
âshe looked up at Dr. Lewin againâ“
âcomme le visage d'un imbécile.'
So you start the book seeing Charles the way
we
âthe other boysâsaw him, and the way
we
saw him is so vivid that all the way through the book, you never forget that what Charles is, is a hopeless fool, an idiot.”
Dr. Lewin looked at her and said nothing for what seemed to Charlotte ten or fifteen seconds, although of course it wasn't nearly that long.
“Thank you,” he said. Then he turned to the rest of the class. “That's
precisely
why. Flaubert never simply
explained
a key point if he could
show
it instead, and to show it he needed a
point of view
, and as”âhe turned toward Charlotte, but since he had no idea what her name was, he simply gestured in her directionâ“has just said ⦔
precisely
why. Flaubert never simply
explained
a key point if he could
show
it instead, and to show it he needed a
point of view
, and as”âhe turned toward Charlotte, but since he had no idea what her name was, he simply gestured in her directionâ“has just said ⦔
Dr. Lewin continued in this vein, implicitly verifying the superiority of her intellect, but Charlotte kept her head lowered and didn't dare look at him. Her cheeks were burning. She was overcome by a familiar feeling: guilt. The rest of the class would resent her, this freshman girl who had turned up in their midst and made them look bad.
She kept her eyes turned down toward
Madame Bovary
and made out like she was busy taking notes in her spiral notebook. The class discussion continued with the same fits, stops, silences, and starts as before. Gradually it deteriorated into Dr. Lewin asking students about nothing more than how the plot was developed. The girlsâthere weren't manyâsupplied most of the answers.
Madame Bovary
and made out like she was busy taking notes in her spiral notebook. The class discussion continued with the same fits, stops, silences, and starts as before. Gradually it deteriorated into Dr. Lewin asking students about nothing more than how the plot was developed. The girlsâthere weren't manyâsupplied most of the answers.
By and by Dr. Lewin was saying, “In chapter eleven, Charles, who's not even a surgeon, attempts a radical operation that's supposed to correct the clubfoot of a stable hand named Hippolyte. He botches it and ruins his reputation, which becomes a turning point in the book. Now, can someone tell me what drives Charles, who is not exactly a cutting-edge medical pioneerâif you'll pardon the unintentional punâto attempt something so risky?”
The usual silence ⦠Then, in a suddenly lively voice, Dr. Lewin said, “Yes! Mr. Johanssen?”
Charlotte looked up, and the professor was pointing toward the rear of the class. His sallow face had brightened. It was the first time he had called a student by name. Charlotte craned about to see who this Mr. Johanssen might be. In the back of the room, a big boy, a giant of a boy, was just lowering his hand. His neck was a thick white column rising up out of a muscular torso only barely obscured by his T-shirt. His head was practically shaved on the sides and had just a little crew cut crop of blond hair on top.
“He did it,” said the giant, “because his wife had all these ambitions, and the thing isâ”
“Hey! Jojo read the book!” It was a gigantic black youth in the row in front of the white giant; he was so twisted about that Charlotte could see only the back of his completely shaved head. “The man
read the book
!
”
read the book
!
”
“Aw-
right
!” said another huge black youth with a shaved head who was sitting next to the white giant, whereupon the two black giants bumped each other's fists together in a celebratory gesture called “pounding.” “Outta
sight
!”
right
!” said another huge black youth with a shaved head who was sitting next to the white giant, whereupon the two black giants bumped each other's fists together in a celebratory gesture called “pounding.” “Outta
sight
!”
A third black giant, next to the second one, joined in. “Go go, Jojo! You the man!” Now all three were exchanging fist pounds. “Where's
Charles
at? We got us another
scholar
!” ⦠“Awwww yeah!”
Charles
at? We got us another
scholar
!” ⦠“Awwww yeah!”
All three had turned toward the white giant, Jojo, and were holding out their fists so he could join in this merry mockery of scholasticism.
The white giant started to raise his fist, then withdrew it. He started to smile, but the smile turned into lips parted in bewilderment. He crossed his arms in front of his chest as if to rescue his hands from their ribaldry, but then he summoned up a smile, as if to say he was amused, too.
“All right, gentlemen,” said Dr. Lewin in a placating tone, “let's see if we can't settle down. Thank you ⦠Mr. Johanssen? As you were saying.”
“Lemme see,” said Mr. Johanssen, “lemme see ⦔ He adopted a faint smirk as he reflected. “Oh yeah. He did the operation because ⦠his wife wanted some money to buy some stuff?” He now smiled, as if sounding ignorant was funny.
Dr. Lewin spoke coldly this time. “I don't think so, Mr. Johanssen. It's made quite clear that he charged no fee for the operation.” He turned his gaze away from Mr. Johanssen and looked for other hands.
Charlotte was aghast. It was obvious that the boy had been serious when he raised his hand and started to answer the question. Moreover, he was
right on target. Emma Bovary's social ambitions
were
at the bottom of it. And then he'd decided to play the fool.
right on target. Emma Bovary's social ambitions
were
at the bottom of it. And then he'd decided to play the fool.
Her eyes scanned the leaded-glass windows ⦠the arches, the carvings, the ceiling murals ⦠the treasures of Dupont University. Whatever was taking place in this grand old room, she couldn't comprehend.
After class she tarried, hoping to have a word with Dr. Lewin. That wasn't difficult. Nobody else stuck around. He was stuffing his papers into a nylon backpack. Yet another subteen touch. His childish ensemble made him look not more youthful but more decrepit. Somehow it underscored the scoliotic slump of his shoulders, the concavity of his chest, the hirsute tabescence of his limbs.
“Dr. Lewin? Excuse meâ”
“Yes?”
“My name's Charlotte Simmons. I'm in your class.”
A dry smile. “I'm well aware. By the way, here at Dupont we don't use âProfessor' or âDoctor.' Everybody is âMister'âor âMiz' or âMrs.' Unless you're referring to a medical doctor.”
“I'm sorry ⦠Mr. Lewin ⦠I didn't know that.”
“Oh, it's just a harmless bit of reverse snobbery, actually. The idea is, if you're teaching at Dupont,
of course
you have a doctorate. Anyway, that's the custom. But I cut you off.”
of course
you have a doctorate. Anyway, that's the custom. But I cut you off.”
“Sir, I'mâwell, I guess I'm sort of confused.” Her voice sounded so mousy and hoarse, from nervousness. “I thought we were reading
Madame Bovary
in French, but everybody else is reading it in English, and I read it in French.”
Madame Bovary
in French, but everybody else is reading it in English, and I read it in French.”
Mr. Lewin flipped his glasses down from the crest of his forehead and studied her for a moment. “What year are you, Ms. Simmons?”
“I'm a freshman.”
“Ah. Advanced Placement.”
“Yes, sir.”
Big sigh. Then his entire demeanor changed, and he looked at her with a world-weary but confidential smile. “My dear ⦠We're not supposed to call you thatâI gather it's considered demeaning to the female studentâbut anywayâI don't think this is the course for you.”
Charlotte was taken aback.
“Why?
”
“Why?
”
Mr. Lewin pursed his lips and slid them back and forth across his teeth. “To be perfectly honest with you, you're overqualified.”
“Overqualified?”
“This course is designed for upperclassmen who are ⦠uhmmm ⦠linguafrankly challenged but nevertheless have to fulfill their language requirements some way. You're obviously a very bright young woman. I'm sure you can figure out who most of these students are.”
Charlotte's mouth fell open slightly. “I liked the title so much. It sounded wonderful.”
“WellâI'm sorry. I completely understand. I wish someone had red-flagged it for you. I'm not particularly enthusiastic about teaching this course myself, but it seems to be a necessary thing. One tries to think of it as community service.”
Â
Â
Jojo didn't hurry anywhere after he left the class. His next class wasn't for another hour, and breaks between classes gave him just about his only opportunities to stroll about the campus and ⦠be noticed. It wasn't something he thought about consciously. It was more like a mild addiction. What was bestâand it happened a lotâwas when some student he had never laid eyes on before would hail him with a “Go go, Jojo!” and a big grin and a little wave, which was in fact a salute.
It was one of those September days when the air is nice and dry and the sunshine is warm, toasty, and gentle, even to fair skin like his. He had a warm feeling inside, too. Treyshawn, André, and Curtis had treated him like â¦
one of them.
They'd even wanted to pound him. Mr. Lewin had gotten a little frosted off ⦠but
they had treated him like one of them.
one of them.
They'd even wanted to pound him. Mr. Lewin had gotten a little frosted off ⦠but
they had treated him like one of them.
Fiske Hall, the building he had just departed, was right on the Great Yard. Everywhere you looked were the old-fashioned stone buildings that said “Dupont” even to people who had seen them only in photographs. The famous library tower was right over there ⦠All over the Yard's lush green lawn, students were hustling along the walkways to their next classes. Jojo stood on a walkway pondering the matter of which direction would satisfy his urge quickest ⦠He could already see, or thought he could see, some students nudging each other and discreetly pointing out his famous towering figure. Yes, it was a good feeling ⦠His eminence at this particular crossroads of American college life, the Great Yard at Dupont, was incalculable ⦠What an awesome day it was. He filled his lungs with the perfect air ⦠He opened his very pores to the perfect sunshine ⦠It wasn't a question of whether, but when, some student would salute and sing out
Go go, Jojo
!
Go go, Jojo
!
A girl from behind him walked past, heading in the direction of the library, a trim girl with nice legs, good calves, and long brown hair, who evidently hadn't recognized him at all as she approached him from the rear. He liked what he could make out of the nice, firm bottom inside those denim shorts â¦
Hey, wait a minute â¦
It was the girl from the class, the brainy one. He recognized that hair. He had taken a long look at it from where he sat ⦠It didn't matter what a brain she was. In fact, there was something nice and feminine about that. It went with a
look
she had. She wasn't just some hot number. She wasn't beautiful in any way you usually thought about at this place. He couldn't have given it a name, but whatever she had was
above
all that. She looked like an illustration from one of those fairy-tale books where the young woman is under a spell or something and can't come to until she gets a kiss from the young man who loves her, the kind of girl who looks pureâyet that very thing about her gives you even
more
of the old tingle. And she had come walking by him obviously not even knowing what an eminence she had just been so close to.
Hey, wait a minute â¦
It was the girl from the class, the brainy one. He recognized that hair. He had taken a long look at it from where he sat ⦠It didn't matter what a brain she was. In fact, there was something nice and feminine about that. It went with a
look
she had. She wasn't just some hot number. She wasn't beautiful in any way you usually thought about at this place. He couldn't have given it a name, but whatever she had was
above
all that. She looked like an illustration from one of those fairy-tale books where the young woman is under a spell or something and can't come to until she gets a kiss from the young man who loves her, the kind of girl who looks pureâyet that very thing about her gives you even
more
of the old tingle. And she had come walking by him obviously not even knowing what an eminence she had just been so close to.
He strode after her with his big long legs. “Hey! Hi! â¦
Hi!
⦠Wait a second!”
Hi!
⦠Wait a second!”
She stopped and turned, and he walked up to her, beaming a certain winning smile and waiting for the usual. But she didn't even yield up a girlish grin, much less say, “You'reâJojo Johanssen!” In fact, she didn't make any positive response at all or exhibit even the slightest sign of vulnerability. She looked at himâwell, like some guy she didn't know, who had just accosted her. Her apprehensive expression seemed to be asking, “Why are you delaying me?” Aloud she said nothing at all.
Broadening his smile, he said, “I'm Jojo Johanssen” ⦠and waited. The girl merely stared.
“I'm in the class.” He gestured toward the building they had just left ⦠and waited. Nothing. “I just wanted to sayâyou were really terrific. You really know this stuff!” She didn't even smile, much less say thanks. If anything, she looked more apprehensive. “I'm not kidding! Honest! I was genuinely impressed.” Nothing; her lips didn't move in any way, shape, or form. He vaguely realized that saying “I'm not kidding,” “Honest!” and “genuinely” one after the other was like erecting a billboard that said PHONY. Her eyes looked frightened. There was nothing left to say but what he was leading up to in the first place: “Wanna grab some lunch?”
To anybody on the basketball team, thatâor something like itâwas just clearing your throat before saying, “Would you like to see my suite?” which
in turn was a polite formality before putting your hand on her shoulder and getting it on. In his mind he could see Mike going at it with that wild-haired blonde ⦠gross, but a turn-on â¦
in turn was a polite formality before putting your hand on her shoulder and getting it on. In his mind he could see Mike going at it with that wild-haired blonde ⦠gross, but a turn-on â¦
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