Introducing Wordsworth

Trelane Scott worked as a librarian for the Polar Bear Library on the island of Kodiak, in Alaska.

She was young, in her early twenties, relatively tall for a woman at 5 feet 8 inches, slender, with short black hair and strikingly light blue eyes.

Her nickname was Wordsworth. When she met new people, they sometimes asked how she had acquired , or received, that nickname.

"Are you a fan of William Wordsworth?" they would ask. William Wordsworth was a famous English poet who lived from 1770 – 1850.

And Trelane was always happy to explain where her nickname really came from.

"Wordsworth was the name of the obsolete man in the Twilight Zone episode of the same name.

Wordsworth was a librarian, and since there were no longer books, let alone libraries, in the state in which this story took place, there was no need for a librarian. But Wordsworth refused to be re-assigned to a different type of job; he refused to let the practice of reading books die out.

Because of this, Wordsworth, who is a small man -- meek and mild -- is called before the Chancellor, a "perfect male specimen" to learn his fate. His fate is to be executed.


Wordsworth can choose the manner of his execution, and asks that a bomb be placed in his small apartment, set to explode at midnight. Wordsworth invites the Chancellor to his apartment. The Chancellor comes, expecting Wordsworth to beg for his life. Instead, Wordsworth locks the Chancellor into the apartment with him.

The government has placed television cameras inside the room, so that an audience can watch and see how this meek and mild man reacts as the time for his death draws nigh (comes closer and closer). However, Wordsworth stays strong...he is not afraid of death. The Chancellor, however, grows more and more terrified and finally breaks down in tears. He begs Wordsworth to let him out of the room. Wordsworth unlocks the door and lets the Chancellor escape, or run away. Then, the bomb explodes.

The next day, the Chancellor, who has shown his cowardice in front of an audience, is also condemned to death."

"And so," Trelane would always finish, "that meek and mild librarian has always been an inspiration to me."

Vocabulary
acquired - to receive, to earn, to purchase, to obtain, to take possession of
obsolete - of no use, out-of-date, no longer needed
fate - a declaration of what must be
Chancellor - the title of various important judges and other high officials
execute - (in this context): to be killed with official sanction
sanction - (in this context): approval
draws nigh - phrase meaning 'near in space or time'
terrified - greatly afraid
escape - to get away, avoid punishment

Cultural References
William Wordsworth - (1770 – 1850). A poet who introduced the Romantic Age in English literature (placing emotion (not necessarily "romantic love" over science in novels).
Twilight Zone - an American science fiction anthology (series in which each story is complete in itself, rather than an on-goig story)from 1959-1964.