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Charles Fischer teaches English courses 98-103
as well as team teching Humanities 101
with Joyce Walker and Jason Ripper. |
English instructor Charles Fischer has enthusiasm for literature. His passion becomes obvious when, as he discusses a text, he starts to talk faster and sits up in his chair, while leaning forward with thoughtfulness on his face.
He channels this enthusiasm into his teaching, so that his students can have their own intellectual experiences with literature.
“I try to communicate what’s interesting about my field, why it matters and why I love it,” said Fischer. “My job is to really show the students why the texts that I’m teaching are fabulous texts and why it’s important to learn how to think and write clearly about these texts. I’m trying to teach my students to read and think and write in an honest intelligent engagement with works of art.”
Fischer compares reading classic works of literature to drinking a good margarita or listening to Beethoven, or the Sex Pistols. Taste, he says, is subjective, and you must have your own experiences to be able to judge whether you think something is a classic or not. What matters is what brings pleasure into your life.
“Food and music and literature, for me, it’s the stuff that rewards. It gives pleasure,” said Fischer.
Not only does he find pleasure in literature, Fischer also enjoys meeting people and making connections with students.
“The other thing that’s great about teaching is the connection,” said Fischer. “It’s the opportunity for authentic human connection with your students and that’s kind of rare in life. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does happen, it’s great.”
"They say the only really way to know
a text, or to know a book is to teach it...
and when it goes well, it can be
an ecstatic experience."
When he’s not teaching at EvCC, Fischer is at his home in Seattle, cooking and chatting with his wife or going for a run to prepare for the Cutthroat Classic, an 11-mile race in the North Cascades.
Fischer also recently finished writing a book, called “The Eunuch: Complete and Unexpurgated.” A work of ten years, Fischer explains that his novel is set in the 6th century B.C. during the time of Nebuchadnezzar II and is a “mock historical fiction” that is tragically comical. He finds that his taste in literature and art is surprisingly dark for someone with such a happy life, and that darkness shows through in his novel.
“I’m drawn to darker themes in art and literature. Human dysfunction, violence, illness, the underbelly of what it is to be alive, to be a human being. And I don’t know why, I’m a perfectly happy person and I have a really nice life. I have much in my life to be thankful for,” said Fischer.
Whether he’s listening to music, cooking, reading, or writing, Fischer finds happiness in his life with his wife Lisa and his dog Renzo.
“My wife Lisa is a fabulous conversationalist and really funny. Almost everything that comes out of her mouth is a delight,” said Fischer. “A lot of the joy in my life comes from being around my wife.”
Q&A:
Q: What’s your favorite TV show?
A: I’d have to say Breaking Bad and Archer. One’s a comedy cartoon; the other’s kind of a dark, American tragedy thing.
Q: What’s your favorite band or music group?
A: Well it kind of changes. Depends on what kind of genre and within the genre, I’ve got specific albums. Right now I listen to a lot of Miles Davis, “In a Silent Way.” There’s a song I can’t get out of my head right now called “Man in a Box” by Alice in Chains. They’re kind of like a Seattle old band, like a Nirvana, Pearl Jam type of thing. But I like everything, I like metal, I like jazz, rock, classical, Beethoven’s late string quartets, the song “Supernaut” by Black Sabbath. I also like Elton John a lot, early Elton John, Yellow Brick Road. I’m a music lover; I listen to everything. It’s an important part of my life. I’m a fan. I don’t play a musical instrument, can’t sing on key, and have no rhythm, but I like listening to music.
Q: What’s your favorite food?
A: I like to get a slice of New York pizza at a place called “Turnpike Pizza” on Greenlake in Seattle. It’s a good New York style pizza, the kind you fold over. There’s an Italian restaurant in Seattle I really like called “Tavolata.” I like Italian a lot. I make a mean lasagna. Japanese noodles, there’s a Japanese noddle place called “Udon Noodle” on the Ave in Seattle, so I’m doing kind of a Japanese Italian thing these days. Part of middle age is our gratifications become around the belly. The solace of middle age is food.
Q: If you could chose an instrument to play, what would it be?
A: Easy, electric guitar.
Q: If you could do anything in the world what would it be?
A: That’s the problem with teaching, is that once you do it there’s nothing else I would really rather do. I mean, I would’ve liked to be Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones. A rock star, but even that’s dated, there’s no rock stars anymore.
Q: Do you have a favorite book?
A: Well, I have a top twenty list… I would probably say “Lolita” by Nabokov and then “Blood Meridian” by McCarthy, and then probably “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote. Those are three novels that I’ve taught a lot. They’re hard novels to read. They’re all about dysfunction and violence. The American violence….
Q: Do you have a favorite outdoor activity?
A: I like hiking in the mountains, I like down hill skiing, mountain biking. Anything in the mountains, really. I have a cabin in Methow Valley in the North Cascades and so whenever I’m out there I like to hike and mountain bike. And I like to ski locally.
Q: What’s your favorite class to teach?
A: I would have to say I like all of my classes equally, like children. I like the student body here at Everett, I’m energized by my students. I find them engaging and open and creative and smart. That’s the best thing about teaching is you meet a new batch of kids every quarter ad you make connections.
Q: What is one thing that you hope to do before you die?
A: Get my novel published.
A day in the life of Charles:
"Very dull, very routine. This is what I was talking about middle age; it’s just characterized by routine. I wake up about 6:30, and I have a cup of coffee, usually like a double espresso that I make out of my stove. A piece of peanut butter toast. I glance at the paper. You know, shower and shave, or not. I live in Seattle, so I get in my car and drive up. I try to get to my office early to do a little work. Teach my classes have my office hours, usually back in Seattle by late afternoon. I’ll go grocery shopping and plan the menu. I usually do all the shopping and cooking in the house. Maybe go for a run. My wife comes home, usually late from her day. She’s the managing editor at Seattle magazine. Then normally we’ll have a drink and debrief about our days. I make a really mean margarita. Cook dinner, maybe play some cribbage. If we have a television show that we’re currently addicted to we watch that, right now we don’t have anything going on. And then maybe do a little reading."
Charles Fischer will give a lecture for the Humanities Enlightenment Series on Enlightenment and Tragedy, May 21st from 10-11 a.m. in Whitehorse 105
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