From a Mock Essay to Comedy Gold: the Complete Evolution of the 'Perchance' Meme
By Elena Rostova
Q1: Was the 'Mario the Idea vs Mario the Man' essay written by an actual student?
No. The essay was conceived, written, and staged by comedian Phil Jamesson. He created the paper as an intentional parody of clumsy college writing and posted the photo to his social media accounts on February 19, 2022.
Q2: Why is using 'perchance' on its own grammatically incorrect?
"Perchance" is an archaic adverb meaning "perhaps" or "by chance." It modifies verbs or clauses within a complete sentence (e.g., "Perchance he found his way home"). It cannot stand alone as a one-word sentence or substitute for an entire argumentative conclusion.
Q3: What does 'stomping turts' mean in the context of the essay?
"Turts" is an irreverent abbreviation for turtles, referring to the Koopa Troopa enemies in the Nintendo Super Mario series. The phrase parodies Mario's iconic jumping mechanics by describing his gameplay actions in crude, violent terms.
Elena Rostova holds a Master's degree in Public Health Journalism. She covers groundbreaking medical research, holistic wellness trends, mental health awareness, and nutritional science.
