PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE WITH MAX WALLACE

The Proust Questionnaire is a form of interview, popularized by French novelist Marcel Proust, that is focused on the interviewee’s personality.

Max Wallace is currently pursuing his M.A in English, with a focus on dystopian literature, trauma theory, and disability studies. He plans to graduate in the Spring of 2023.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

That is deep! Probably, I love being surrounded by the people and things I love the most. I can’t imagine anything that would make me happier than being with people I love and doing things that I love to do.

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?

I read a lot of Dystopian fiction. So, I really like Anthem from Emma Trevayne’s Coda Series. He is just the kind of person that sticks up for his family and is willing to do things even when they seem difficult.

What talent would you most like to have?

I wish that I was good with computers. As an English person, I am great with words, but I am not good with technology at all. That is something I wish I was better at.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

I use filler words. I say ‘Like, and Hum!’ just a lot.

What do you consider exceptional about you?

Oh Goodness, I think I am generous; that’s probably the exceptional thing about me. I was always raised in a kind of environment where you give to people if they need help. You know someone needs your last dollar more than you. You give it to them because it is just the right thing to do.

Who are your favorite writers?

Oh Goodness, I really like Leigh Bardugo, she is really good. Emma Trevayne is another favorite. My all-time favorite is probably Neil Shusterman. I haven’t read a single thing about him that I did not like. Everything he has ever written is amazing to me.

Which talent would you most like to have?

I would like to be able to juggle. Weirdly enough, it always looks so cool and I have not been to do it.

What is your greatest extravagance?

I am really fascinated by space, I love the stars, I mean, it is vast and it is beautiful. Space is just amazing  

What is your current state of mind?

Busy! There are a lot of irons in the fire.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

Emily Dickinson. I just think there is something about the way she is honest in her work and the kind of like closeness, like family. You know she lived in her parents’ house and she wrote to her sister constantly. Yes, I try to be like that.  

What is your favorite occupation?

My favorite occupation is obviously got to be writing. I would not have been an English person if I didn’t like writing. Gosh, if I could write poetry for the rest of my life that would be the goal. 

What or who the greatest love of your life is?

My fiancée and my girlfriend both would have to be the greatest loves of my life. I have never had anyone in my life that I care for like I care about the two of them. I mean, they are my moon and my stars

What is your motto?

I have never thought about that before. Gosh, I don’t know if I have one. It sounds super cunning. Okay, like the golden rule, “Do unto others as you want them to do to you.” This is what I would try to live my life by. It is something that is important to me.