A Fly on the Wall

You’ve heard that expression, haven’t you?

“Oh, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall!” means “I wish I could have been there to see THAT!”

Stories can give us an insider’s view, and that’s always interesting, especially if we see the scene from the vantage point of the casual observer. Perhaps this is because we can more easily see ourselves as a minor character than a great hero. The stories of Sherlock Holmes, for example, are told from the vantage point of Watson, his assistant.

• What would it be like to bear arms for a great knight?
• What would Batman’s adventures look like from Robin’s point of view?
• What would a child remember about the first moon landing, the 9/11 attacks, or a witnessed crime?

Exercise:

• Identify a great figure in history and imagine telling their story from the perspective of some minor but intimate observer.
• Identify a great moment in history and imagine reporting the events from the vantage point of an average person.