Monthly Archives: September 2023

There’s a trend on TikTok right now in which female users ask the males in their life how often they think about the Roman Empire. The number is higher than you might expect, with some guys answering that their mind wanders to the ancient empire multiple times a day. Although I’m not one to post my own take on the trend on TikTok, I was curious if this phenomenon would hold true for the males in my own life.

It’s a simple question: how often do you think of the Roman Empire? I asked my dad for his input a few nights ago and his answer surprised me. He thinks about the Roman Empire three times a week on average. I just didn’t perceive him as being someone who thinks about history, and a specific part of history at that, on a regular basis.

Bolstered by this confirmation, I asked some people my own age. Once again, I was surprised that guys in high school think about the Roman Empire quite often. I assumed that their minds would be occupied by other things – homework, sports, college applications, friends – but surely not the Roman Empire.

I can see why the Roman Empire is interesting for guys to think about. Ancient Rome was a man’s world, with men holding power at home and in public. I assume that the gladiator fights and military prowess of the empire also add to their fascination. But all of this talk about this interest in the male-dominated ancient world got me thinking – what is the female version of this phenomenon?

The first thing that comes to mind for me personally is Taylor Swift. She is an iconic, powerful symbol of feminism who has become a historic musician during her 18-year career. From her humble country music beginnings, to the feud with Kanye West that began when he interrupted her award acceptance speech at the 2009 VMAs, and now through the culmination of her career thus far through her Eras Tour, Taylor Swift has been scrutinized for every move she makes. People say she dates too much, is too opinionated, or does things for attention. I think almost all women can relate to being perceived as one or more of these things by other people, but Taylor Swift handles the allegations with grace. The success of her current Eras Tour has also drawn worldwide attention, with millions of people vying for tickets. Her musical prowess, strong morals, and relatability certainly makes her an obvious choice for the female version of the Roman Empire phenomenon.

Another topic that could mimic the phenomenon in women is being kidnapped. All children are warned from a young age not to take candy from strangers, but it is drilled into women that they constantly need to be aware of their surroundings in order to stay safe from being kidnapped or caught in a trafficking scheme. I feel like every time the TV is on in my house there is another story about a woman being kidnapped, raped, and/or killed. It’s scary to think about. Sometimes, when I’m getting into my car alone in a deserted area, I jump into the car because I’m afraid that someone hiding under the car is going to slash my Achilles and kidnap me. Although this isn’t a positive thought source like Taylor Swift, it definitely comes to mind often. It’s striking to me how the topic that men focus on is so masculine, while many of the women’s alternatives are strictly female-dominated areas.

The final topic that I often think about unprompted is the British monarchy, specifically three women who are or were a part of it: Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, and Princess Kate. The existence and purpose of the monarchy is a controversial topic, but I think all girls have wished to be a princess at some point in their lives. This goes beyond the designer outfits and lavish lifestyles. The elegance of the female members of the British monarchy, as well as the rules they have to follow in order to act with poise, is a source of fascination for the idle minds of many women. The media has certainly contributed to this interest, as these female monarchs were and are often painted in a very positive light.

The Roman Empire phenomenon, as it has become known on Tiktok, represents more than a niche interest that many men share. It symbolizes the admiration of patriarchal societies and masculinity that literally dominated the world. While the women’s alternatives are areas that center around femininity, the focus is less about power and strength, and more about a kind of sisterhood that unites girls everywhere.

I’m sitting on my bedroom floor with a book in front of me, eagerly awaiting my father’s entrance into the room. I am five years old, and there is just enough time for some reading before bedtime. I would say a story, but this particular book was too long for me to finish in just one night. I trace the drawing on the bright red cover of the book and look up as my dad walks in. He sits down on the floor and I lean against him. The book is Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, a Hale family favorite. My dad read it as a child, my sister read it as a child, and now it is my turn. Well, this isn’t my first time hearing the story, but tonight I tell my dad that I want to do the reading instead of just listening to him. 

We open the book and I survey the paragraphs in front of me. At 48 pages, this is the longest book I have read so far, but I’m excited for the challenge. I follow the words with my finger to keep myself on track. Each page takes a painstaking amount of time to get through, but my dad waits patiently while I sound out long words and look at the pictures. After a while, we put the book down. It is late for me, and my dad promises we can finish it the next night.

Just as my dad said, we pick Mike Mulligan back up the very next night. As we neared the end of the book, Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel were working on digging a hole that would become the foundation for the new city hall. However, Mike Mulligan forgot to leave a way for his steam shovel to get out of the hole they had just dug.

This is my first experience with a climax of a story, although I don’t know it yet. I feel the suspense build in my stomach – will Mike Mulligan find a way to get his trusty steam shovel out of the hole? My dad urges me to keep reading. He’s read the story several times, both himself as a child, to my older sister, and to me. Yes, I’ve heard the story before, but somehow reading the book myself instead of having it read to me elevates the suspense I feel.

I return to the words on the page, pushing my apprehension aside. My dad patiently listens as I read about how Mike Mulligan works out a deal with the townspeople so that his steam shovel can be repurposed as the town boiler, a part of the city hall building. This solves the main conflict. I breathe a sigh of relief and turn to my dad, telling him how happy I am that the story ended on a happy note.

In this way, before I even knew what a plot structure or literary element was, I learned how authors create emotion in their readers through conflict and resolution. It will be a few years before these terms become a part of my vocabulary, but it always helps me to remember how I felt reading Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel when analyzing specific elements of a piece of literature.