Academic Armchair – Dr Matthew Dimmock

Heaven White
It’s Friday morning as I intrude impromptu on Dr Matthew Dimmock’s time, a
Senior Lecturer in English Literature and Director of Student Experience.
Safe from the dismal torrent of rain outside, Dimmock discusses his book
due to be published the following year.
‘I am currently writing about the figure of the prophet Muhammad in
English writing during the Late Medieval and Enlightenment period’.
His work is largely inspired by an unpublished play that he came across
during his PHD concerning Muhammad which successfully highlighted
misrepresentations of Islam.
Dimmock ‘couldn’t imagine doing anything else’ if it weren’t for his
studies and research in Early Modern Literature.
He has had however, some very interesting jobs that vary from a cattle
rancher to a maggot farmer.
I then attempt to dabble in a ‘Harry Potter’ query which goes horribly
amiss.
‘If you were a character from Harry Potter, who would you be?’ Long pause.

‘Well, to be honest I haven’t actually seen any of the Harry Potter
films.’
Oh my; perhaps this should be an opportunity for me and other students
alike to stop watching a Whomping Willow attack youths and engage in some
more enlightening literature such as Donne or Marlowe.
Next, I question which food he would build his house from if this were
architecturally feasible, leading Dimmock to describe his very odd and
particular eating habits.
‘I’m currently going through a roll mop faze.’ Roll mop? ‘It’s pickled
herring.’ Fish?! ‘I also make a mean scotch egg.’
Whilst I respect individual tastes, I would not recommend a house
constructed from herring and scotch eggs.
Neighbours may be prevented from attending your perfectly nice summer
barbeque by the overwhelming stench of fish and eggs.
More seriously, Dimmock’s advice for students would be to primarily enjoy
your time here, since this experience is so brief.
Also, if Dimmock could possess any super power, he would have the ability
to avoid travelling.
Whilst many of you will empathise with the arduousness of extensive
travelling and the unsettling nature of jet leg, attaining the art of
apparition does require reading  (and gaining the powers) of Harry Potter.