Professor Focus:

John Smith

One of the most familiar faces in the U_P.E.I. English department is that of Professor John Smith, who settled her in 1967. He was born in Toronto and had lived there twenty-two years. He attended the Univer- sity of Toronto where he earned, of all things, a Math and Physics degree. he had always been very inter- ested in literature, through; having worked atacol- lege magazine. After an aborted attempt at an addi- tional degregin Philosophy, he ended up teaching high school English for seven years and then returned to the University of Toronto where he got his M.A. in English. Following that, he ended up here, and it’s the longest time he ever stayed in one spot.

When asked why he ended up teaching English, Smith recalls that English, of all subjects he could teach, had the most room for diversity. “I’m more of a dabbler in many things than an expert in anything,”” he says. ““I decided that I didn’t want to spend my life doing mathematics. I’ d always been interested in literature, and had written quite a bit of poetry by that time. I followed the line of least resistance, I sup- pose.** He admires people who have clear-cut goals and pursue them directly. ““I have sort of a ‘‘Hamlet

complex’*, he tells me. “I stand back and think about things.””

English in Professor Smith’s chief interest, and why he chose the profession of teaching was also a deci- sion based on preference. ** You stick with things you feel comfortable with,’’ he decided. “‘I’ve gone through periods in my life where I’ve been very sceptical of words and the distortions that they intro- duce into reality. The introduction of words tends to fix something that is otherwise fluid, and shifts attention from things to words. But, in spite of that, I’ve cast my lot with them.”’

Subjects taught by Professor Smith currently include the Romantic Poets and Shakespeare, writers who have fascinated Smith for some time. He’s been

hooked on Shakespeare since high school, and Byron

UPEI X-P RESS

. book, ‘“Name of God,”” said you could find G

October 31, 1991

Sasi Git bok scchaksles eee ne students question the value of teaching works Sonn . long ago, but opinions in favour of his subjects.

“*One advantage of them,’’ he suggests, “‘is that they do introduce you to a different world, and to differen states of mind.*” He admiresthe flexibility with ~ which Shakespeare treats language, ranking only

behind James Joyce in his opinion.

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Another important aspect of Shakespeare according & Smith is its theatrical side. As he says, “‘I’m par-_ ticularly interested in shakespeare toobecauseall “| literature to an extent involves performance. A reads must “‘perform”’ a poem before itcomestolife. | Whether in the theatre of the mind or among actors, J lined must be performed before they acquire full | actuality. isee all of literature like that. Whether | it’s dramatic literature ornotthereaderhastobe 7} involved, he has to participate.”” 3

Shakespeare is about as far back as most students ag willing to go to explore an “‘ancient’’ text, and Small thinks ir is unfortunate that many students are una= | ware of earlier writers such as Chaucer. Smith is ewe more dismayed at the absence of Latin, Greek, and Classics in most modern day educational programsy “*T’ve always felt reluctant to go along with major views,” he says. “‘Thatdoesn’tmeanthatthey 7 (majority views) are wrong, necessarily, but minof ties keep other potentialities alive.” 7

Outside the classroom, Professor Smith enjoys reagy ing a wide variety of works. He’s always been fag nated by Plato’s Dialogues, andhasalsobeen Fj strongly influenced by the works of an anonymous, sixth century monk whowentbythenameof 7 “*Dionysius the Areopagite’’. One of this monk's { books was the ““Mystical Theology’, which detailegy the via negativa philosophy, the “‘negative way” ja) which said you could find God by screening ang h unholy from your life, complete denial. Ano the monk’s books expresses the via affismativel

affirming all of his qualities rather than denyis ‘i everything else. These are very challeagingyy

phies. a Profesor Smith has also i influenced heavi Shinese and Sanskrit traditions, especially theT Teh Ching, a book about following the way n: accomplishing the most by doing the least: n oa interference. Other works tharbave pores i