House Six, buzzing with the talk of TCDSU elections, exuded an enticing atmosphere on Wednesday afternoon as students flocked in and out of the society hub. Three floors up, the animated conversations of “The Attic” came streaming out of the unassuming alcove, drawing a diverse set of characters into the haven of literary appreciation. Students from all walks of campus life came together as part of the Literary Society Festival celebrations to talk literary guilty pleasures in a bid to justify their secret delights.
The room was filled with LitSoc members, eager to fess up to their best hidden literary indulgences. With the walls lined with shelves of intimidating books, it seemed unlikely that my Bridget Jones predilection had found its space for confession. Yet, with the kettle rumbling in the background and caramel squares finding their way around to those lounging on the worn sofas, it seemed there was hope.
The members opened by emphasising the point that the books being discussed were not to be subject to any pretentious, condescending remarks of the attendees. Instead, for the hour, “The Attic” was to serve as a safe space for sharing one’s most shameful literary loves. The confessions kick-started with an unlikely admittance to a love affair with rockstar biographies. Certainly an unexpected turn amidst the group of intensely intellectual students, but one that was welcomed, questioned and even identified with. People mused over books such as Trampled Under Foot, which follows the outrageous endeavours of Led Zeppelin, before they dismissed Slash’s autobiography – having been unable to finish the book due to the protagonist’s obnoxious character. From Keith Richards to Kurt Cobain, LitSoc’s members admitted to a rock and roll streak in their otherwise Austen-coloured palette.
Inevitably, the conversation shifted over to Twilight as the book-lovers attempted to articulate the need for the vampire series. Arguments addressed Stephenie Meyer’s notable world-building ability and comparisons were made to the similar success of franchises such as Fifty Shades of Grey. With the mention of Taylor-Johnson’s erotic series came an uncomfortable turn in the conversation as members laughed over their fifteen-year-old-selves’ obsession with Harry Potter fan fiction, even going so far as to read out extracts from the explicit collection. Staying on the topic of Harry Potter, the literary fiends unveiled a robot-generated version of the series which produced scenes as bizarre as Ron eating Hermione’s family and as romantic as a potential love affair between two death eaters. The outlandish plot of the automated version of the revered series left those huddled in the intimate space in stitches laughing.
While the gathering in the cosy quarters of the Literary Society didn’t quite allow for as intense an interrogation of the literary significance of Bridget Jones’ love triangle as I had hoped, it did explore some of the more peculiar, if not unconventional, interests of the group in attendance. From delicate discussions surrounding fan fiction, to a scarring reading of James Joyce’s erotic love letter to his wife in 1909, and even a defence of the Twilight series, the gathering allowed the attendees to express their unlikely appreciation for those considered to be the underdogs of the literary world.
