raise my hopes, a little
because they suggest a battle
(in the setting of a school)
between idealists
and idealism-crushers
which is a classic literary theme that's
so far
problematic for computer games
the classic/generic modern political novel
shows an idealist learning the ropes
and suffering infinite compromises
or via charm/luck/authorial-bad-faith
turning some corner of the tide
and the same for novels about journalists
and the same for novels about soldiers
and the same for novels about scientists
and the same for novels about educators
and the same for novels about artists
and the same for novels about social workers
etc etc etc
history offers few inspiring success stories
and computer game authors
resort to the same bad faith
to give idealism room to win
(can the political reformer ever hope
to knock on enough doors
to counteract the corporadoes'
swiftboat campaign?)
but in the miniaturised society
of a boarding school
surely one can knock on every door
and enlist fair-minded allies
