I'll Take Basic Geography for $200, Alex

I am currently taking a summer class called Postcolonial Literature and Film. I know, sounds exciting right? Not even a little bit. We basically learn about colonialism in various countries through discussion, movies, and different forms of writing (like the title of the course didn't give that one). As boring as it is, I have learned a lot in the class and I actually do like it more than I let on. Although somedays going to class is like pulling teeth and I wish my professor would just stop talking and stay on topic for a change.

Last week in class we talked about Ireland. We watched the movie, The Wind That Shakes the Barley (which is now added to the list of one of my favorite movies that most people have never seen). It took place right before the Irish Civil War, so the British were still in Ireland. It showed the IRA trying to get the British out of Ireland and the effects of the division of the Irish on the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

Obviously after the movie we discussed it. My professor started using the terms "British" and "English" interchangeably and it apparently confused some of my classmates. One girl raised her hand and asked what the difference was between the two. It ended up being about a 15 minute discussion about the difference between the Great Britain and England. I'm not sure about you, but I feel that a college student should know the difference. It's kind of like the rule that all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are not squares; the English are British, but not all British are English. She actually considered bringing up a map to show people England in relation to the Britain.

Am I insane to think that college students should know the difference? I feel that the number of people in my class that didn't know says that I am.