Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Weiran Liu

      If I could be any fictional character I think I would choose to be Bartimaeus. In middle school I came across this character when reading the trilogy (I recently reread the prequel to the series which could be a reason why I am picking him). He is a djinn , in other words a spirit of relative strength and wit. But it’s not the ability to shape shift and use magic that appeals to me the most. He lives indefinitely and works (at first he describes his work as being enslaved) alongside rulers of some of the greatest civilizations throughout history. It would be incredibly amazing to see all of those kingdoms, structures, and people at their prime. Aside from the time spent on earth, he also has an escape in the “Other Place” which sometimes I wish I could have when all the stresses of daily life hit me. He doesn’t necessarily have an easy-going life, but always employs wit to outsmart his opponents. Being Bartimaeus would be living the life of a character which gets to experience all aspects of life – beauties of cultures and natural wonders, companionship, hard work, sorrows and hardships, etc. – while having the added benefit of magic and flying, which on its own is pretty great.