Bunburying for Dummies
A Guide for Your Secret Self
Mariah Judy
What is a Bunbury, you ask?
A "Bunbury", a concept used by Oscar Wilde in "The Importance of Being Earnest" is an imaginary person created as a fictional excuse.
What's the Big Deal?
The purpose of "Bunburying" is to hide another identity from others by using certain cover-ups or excuses to get away. The ultimate goal is to fabricate a secret identity for a fictional character (a "second self") in effort to evade a situation in one place and resort to another place for enjoyment without the knowledge of others.
Mr. Bunbury Himself
Algernon "Earnest" after his debacle with Jack "Earnest" over identity. A big thing to avoid in Bunburying!
The Importance of Being Earnest, 1895
A picture from the first stage production on Valentine's Day, 1895.
Steps to Becoming a Bunburyist
- Create a pseudonym for your "Bunbury" or alter-ego. Avoid names of people you know or very unusual or strange names for the time to avoid all confusion and/or suspicion between companions or those you encounter.
- Create a situation for your Bunbury (back story).
- Create a personality/demeanor for Bunbury.
- Give your Bunbury a setting or location that is not well known (i.e somewhere populous in the city).
- Never give the address, phone number, or identification information to anyone you come into contact with, as this is a fictional character.
- Do not put the Bunbury in a situation that would not fit his/her imaginary personality.
- Inform only the necessary information about your Bunbury to the people around you; at the same time, do not bring out your imaginary character out of nowhere to your companions when in need of an excuse.
- Stay active in pathway toward your Bunbury, making backup plans for every situation that may come your way.
Creating the Bunbury
- Create a pseudonym for your "Bunbury" or alter-ego. Avoid names of people you know or very unusual or strange names for the time to avoid all confusion and/or suspicion between companions or those you encounter.
- Create a situation for your Bunbury (back story).
- Create a personality/demeanor for Bunbury.
Guiding the Bunbury
- Give your Bunbury a setting or location that is not well known (i.e somewhere populous in the city).
- Never give the address, phone number, or identification information to anyone you come into contact with, as this is a fictional character.
- Do not put the Bunbury in a situation that would not fit his/her imaginary personality.
Polishing the Bunbury
- Inform only the necessary information about your Bunbury to the people around you; at the same time, do not bring out your imaginary character out of nowhere to your companions when in need of an excuse.
- Stay active in pathway toward your Bunbury, making backup plans for every situation that may come your way.
Problems in Bunburying
- Someone overhears information about the location of the Bunbury and when he visits him/her, finds that Bunbury in fact is not there.
- You confuse the information you have and haven't already told companions or spill unnecessary information about Bunbury and they get suspicious.
- Tell the wrong alibi for Bunbury one instance.
- Getting in a misunderstood situation.
Solutions to Potential Problems
- Someone overhears information about the location of the Bunbury and when he visits him/her, finds that Bunbury in fact is not there --- be more secretive in your interactions with people.
- You confuse the information you have and haven't already told companions or spill unnecessary information about Bunbury and they get suspicious --- only include necessary information when explaining your Bunbury, but enough that people do not get suspicious.
- Tell the wrong alibi for Bunbury one instance --- create a secret list of everything you have already told your companions.
- Getting in a misunderstood situation --- create a Bunbury that is not completely opposite of you in any situation (upper class vs. lower class, social issues, etc.).
About Us
Email: bbpro@coolguy.com
Website: theworldofbunburys.edu
Location: 6626 Alibi Circle, Bunbur, Australia
Phone: (317) 903-5768
Facebook: facebook.com/BunburyandCo.
Twitter: @coolguy682bunbury