Desi Marquiso has problems. It’s 2007 and the presidential primaries are right around the corner. The nation is electric with political fervor. Feeding the proverbial stereotype of a modern-day conservative Republican, Desi watches Fox News, listens to extreme conservative talk radio, reads TIME MAGAZINE, despises Radical Islam, and mixes his religious faith with his ideological politics. Desi believes it’s his duty as an American to constantly debate what he believes are the flaws in liberalism.
He’s also a conservative theology teacher at a very liberal Catholic high school. Convinced the entire faculty is devoutly left-wing, Marquiso finds himself alone throughout his school days. This only helps fuel his anti-left politics. But that’s not all of Desi’s troubles: Desi hasn’t had sex in a very long time; he’s experiencing major car troubles; he’s in the process of purchasing his first home; he and his wife are expecting their first child; he’s an underground writer struggling to find an audience; and he becomes convinced that his wife is cheating on him due to a nose hair trimmer he found in the bedroom bathroom that doesn’t belong to him. Of course his wife’s suspected infidelities are merely fabrications brought on by Desi’s erratic mind.
But there is hope. Desi, like more and more modern-day Republicans, eventually acknowledges the flaws in his own political endeavors. Rather than shift the blame to the liberal opposition, Desi eventually begins to critique and take ownership of his own failed political ideals. He also eventually makes his peace with Radical Islam and bows in humble forgiveness for any wrong he’s committed toward the Religion of Peace. By the end of story, Desi Marquiso realizes that perhaps he’s always been liberal, but he’s never had the courage to live the truthful life.
Moreover, from beginning to end, the narrative of WHEN I FOLLOWED THE ELEPHANT addresses all the important political events that took place during March through May of 2007, including brief coverage of the presidential candidates from the Democrat and Republican parties; Harry Reid’s famous “This war is lost” speech; Al Gore addressing Global Warming on Capitol Hill; Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s public statements denying the Holocaust of Jews; the fifteen British sailors hostage debacle with Iran; the on-going debate between Pro-Choice and Pro-Life; Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Syria; the Virginia Tech massacre; General David Patraeus’s new strategy for the War; Nicholas Sarkozy’s victory for the French Presidency and Tony Blair’s resignation as Britain’s Prime Minister.
He’s also a conservative theology teacher at a very liberal Catholic high school. Convinced the entire faculty is devoutly left-wing, Marquiso finds himself alone throughout his school days. This only helps fuel his anti-left politics. But that’s not all of Desi’s troubles: Desi hasn’t had sex in a very long time; he’s experiencing major car troubles; he’s in the process of purchasing his first home; he and his wife are expecting their first child; he’s an underground writer struggling to find an audience; and he becomes convinced that his wife is cheating on him due to a nose hair trimmer he found in the bedroom bathroom that doesn’t belong to him. Of course his wife’s suspected infidelities are merely fabrications brought on by Desi’s erratic mind.
But there is hope. Desi, like more and more modern-day Republicans, eventually acknowledges the flaws in his own political endeavors. Rather than shift the blame to the liberal opposition, Desi eventually begins to critique and take ownership of his own failed political ideals. He also eventually makes his peace with Radical Islam and bows in humble forgiveness for any wrong he’s committed toward the Religion of Peace. By the end of story, Desi Marquiso realizes that perhaps he’s always been liberal, but he’s never had the courage to live the truthful life.
Moreover, from beginning to end, the narrative of WHEN I FOLLOWED THE ELEPHANT addresses all the important political events that took place during March through May of 2007, including brief coverage of the presidential candidates from the Democrat and Republican parties; Harry Reid’s famous “This war is lost” speech; Al Gore addressing Global Warming on Capitol Hill; Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s public statements denying the Holocaust of Jews; the fifteen British sailors hostage debacle with Iran; the on-going debate between Pro-Choice and Pro-Life; Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Syria; the Virginia Tech massacre; General David Patraeus’s new strategy for the War; Nicholas Sarkozy’s victory for the French Presidency and Tony Blair’s resignation as Britain’s Prime Minister.
