In Class Assessment

Questions about Professor Incognito Apologizes:an Itemized List by Austin Grossman

Are there any prominent symbols in the story? 

The story plays with superhero archetypes, particularly those of the protagonist and super villain Professor Incognito. The costumes the Professor and his ex-girlfriend Nebula wear symbolize the capacity for people to lead double lives. The costumes represent a breakdown of communication for the couple that divide them, but also make them more alike than they realize. The Professor comes close to disclosing his identity many times over the course of their relationship, but he can never overcome the final emotional hurtle and put complete trust in his partner. Ironically, his girlfriend Suzanne was experiencing the same moral dilemmas simultaneously in regards to revealing her own secret identity. 

What elements did you connect with from the story? 

The story does a good job representing the struggles of a relationship, albeit in an exaggerated and entertaining framework. It’s difficult to be completely honest with another person all the time; in real life those secrets are probably smaller than being a super villain, but they are no less important in the context of ones own relationships. I appreciated the choice Professor Incognito sets up in the end for Suzanne. Despite the apocalyptic overtones, the Professor’s underlying affection for her comes through clearly in his plans. The Professor ultimately realizes that to repair and sustain their relationship he has to make compromises so he creates an arrangement that works in the confines of their unique situation.

What changes would you make to adapt the story to another medium?

Considering the current fervor in the entertainment industry around the superhero cash cow I’d be surprised if this story isn’t being adapted for the screen in some form or another right now. Though it’s a short story we still get a clear sense of the narrative and character arcs that would fit well into a Hollywood movie. The situation presented in the short story where Suzanne discovers Professor Incognito’s lair should be situated near the climax of the film. Their budding relationship and subsequent falling out would comprise the first two acts and there would have to be some kind of dramatic confrontation or reconciliation at the end. There is a lot of exposition through telling going on in the short story, which works to it’s benefit in this medium, however if it were to be adapted, the filmmaker would have to present the events the Professor describes visually so that the audience can experience them at the same time as the characters.