Oh goodie! A back-to-school special! Alright, I already did a Mean Girls-esque “who’s sitting in the cafeteria” list, so I’m gonna go with classes! If a character from a book had to go to school (on top of having to save the world, obviously), what would be their favorite subject? Here are my thoughts on that matter.
(I chose just one character per subject per book, because…um, I have too many books unmentioned otherwise?)
Ten Fictional Characters and their Favorite Classes
Reading/Literature – Khalid (The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh)
I always have this belief that Khalid was not just a warrior, but also a very well-read and educated man. I mean, he had to be to become the caliph, and honestly, if you’ve read any of the notes he’s written to Shazi, you’d totally know he’s a bonafide poet. He also likes stories, because he always refers to the stories Shazi tells him.
Mathematics – Jenica (Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier)
Oh, this is a given. Jenica is a born and bred mathematician, and her father pretty much rears her up to understand the financial side of the family business. She’s mostly home-schooled and self-taught, but if she went to school, her aptitude for math will definitely shine. And, I mean, what’s sexier than a female mathematician, amiright? *coughNOTBIASEDATALLcough*
Chemistry – Aerin (The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley)
Any decent apothecar has a rudimentary knowledge of chemistry, and many a poison is made by knowing what to mix together and how much of it to mix. Aerin doesn’t have proper training–in fact, her father kind of tries to dissuade her from doing anything too “manly”–but she manages to successfully create a fire-proof potion in order to fight the legendary dragon. Hell, she was so into making this potion that she even rebuked romantic advances. Gurl is busy working here! Love it.
Biology – Valek (Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder)
Alright, here’s another chemist/biologist, but I put Valek as a biologist because, honestly, there’s a lot to be said about knowing how much or how little to give when it comes to poisons. A lot of assassins have to be aware of how their deader’s bodies will react to weapons, poisons being one of them. And, well, Valek’s an expert in the art.
Physics – Sameth (Abhorsen by Garth Nix)
Sameth isn’t a good Abhorsen, but honestly, that’s not where his destiny lies anyway. He was never very comfortable about facing the dead, but he did like to build things, and eventually he got so good that his skill is matched only by the builders of Old. Sameth likes tinkering, and I think he’d enjoy learning about how things work. Physics it is!
Art – Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins)
A lot of the survival that happened in the book was due to cunning, strength, and swiftness. In Peeta’s case, though, strength wasn’t something he solely relied in, because he survived mostly on camouflage. It’s all that cake decorating, man. Art is totally his thing.
Music – Kvothe (The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss)
It’s been a while since I’ve read this epic fantasy, and honestly, Kvothe already had the opportunity to go to school. He probably even has a favorite subject. But if he went to school today–and magic is limited, if not nonexistent–he’d totally find himself loving music class. He does, after all, come from a band of players, and he’s talented in his own right.
History – Agnieszka (Uprooted by Naomi Novik)
Nieshka has sass and magic aplenty, but I think the one subject that she will probably get the most kick out of is history. Nieshka grew up on folktales of Baba Jaga and the Dragon who “steals young ladies” and in her small village, there is a limited amount of knowledge being passed on. Even if the Wood wasn’t such a big deal, I think Nieshka would have found a way to learn from the past in order to make decisions for the future.
Computer Science – Cress (Cress by Marissa Meyer)
Seriously…there’s no denying that Cress is a powerhouse hacker, and she knows her way around technology. It’s what happens when you’re stuck alone in a satellite for over a decade with no one to talk to than a VI you create. Cress would totally love computer science if she took it in school.
Languages – Rhy (A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab)
It’s the duty of the prince and future king to be mindful of the languages spoken by his subjects. I think not only does Rhy succeed in his study of language, but he probably enjoyed it when he learned. In school, he’s probably that kid who’d sass people in different languages just because he can. Sure, someone would be jealous and try to beat him up for it, but ya know. Kell’s got his back, NBD.
Story and Somnomancy 