[Wednesday, September 1, 2004.] [It's the day after yesterday. You knew it had to happen someday. There was some drizzle as you went to school, but unfortunately, it's still warm. Downpour on the way? Who knows, really.] [The day's proceeded as days usually do, and fourth period happens, as it often does. Which should be starting right now. So we'll go there, because this is really a school sim. Plus, the GM needs to brush up on her Hamlet.] [Session Start.] * Charlotte walks in perfecting a mathematical equation to solve world hunger. Or maybe she just walks in and slides into her usual seat, but she does bother to check if there's gum or something on it first. * Luke's watching the previous class file out and the new one enter, standing behind his desk. He's wearing tan pants and a pale yellow-white shirt. He's holding his attache case in his left hand and a piece of chalk in his right. [There is no gum on Charlotte's seat. Under the desk is another story.] * Krista files in early, not looking anywhere near Luke as she heads to her seat and puts down the book, notebook, and pencil. She's like a learningbot. [Other students enter! One of which is Jeremy, without Ivy. Wow, and you figured they were joined at the hip. He heads on in and flops at his desk.] * Veronica starts walking in shortly, shaking her head, clutching her books close to her chest. She's talking to Christy, as usual, walking in the class. "I'm telling you. Brad Pitt is old hat. And that scruff he's got has got to go." ["But he's a cute old hat. And I like the scruff! It's not my fault you have no taste." Christy walks with Veronica past the teacher's desk, then she backpedals and nearly runs into Creaky Desk Guy, who was just going to his seat. "Mr. M!"] Yeah, this from a girl who still thinks platform shoes are in style. "Good day, Christy." ( Are we talkng moving platforms or the kind that drop out from under you if you stand on them too long? ) (She wears platformer shoes!) (c.c;) ["They so *are*." She looks at whoever's nearby- Krista! Krista's nearby. And lifts one of her feet, upon which, yes, is a platform shoe. She points at it. "Aren't these cool?"] * Veronica eyes Krista, then heads to her seat. If Christy's checking with Krista to decide what's cool or not, then she obviously needs her brain checked. * Krista looks at it funny before saying hesitantly as she looks up to the speaker. "I don't..." A beat, then, "I can't really say." * Luke greets other students as they enter. ["... Too bad. I was hoping you'd have more fashion sense than Rica. Mr. M!" Right, now Christy's back on track.] * Charlotte can though! "I think they're cool." * Krista shakes her head slightly and looks back to her notebook. * Veronica snorts and takes off her cap, setting it on her desk. She's sporting a smart ponytail and a new denim jacket after the old one got all singed. * Luke looks back over to Christy, then heads over toward her, having decided that she's trying to attract his attention and not just greet him. [Christy nods at Charlotte and sticks her tongue out at Veronica, then waits for Mr. M to- ah, see. There he goes.] * Luke arrives at the group, ready to dispense his opinion on shoes. ["Mr. M!" Christy beams. "Matt found out that they're gonna show Hamlet at the dollar theater, and so I was asking around if people wanted to go and we have a few... on my list..." She starts pulling off her backpack and opening it up, putting it on Krista's desk to look through it. "Sorry, 'scuse me."] * Veronica sticks her tongue back out at Christy and drums her fingers against the desk, taking out her notepad and getting ready for stuff. [Matt (Hot Dog Guy) looks up from his doodling at his seat in the middle/back of the room at the mention of his name.] * Krista is flipping a few pages of her notebook when she gets bookbagged. She looks to Christy again and just scoots her stuff out of the way so it doesn't catch dumb--er, I mean, get crushed. [Christy is still looking through her backpack. Seems she doesn't believe in folders. "It's in here somewhere..." The bell rings, but she keeps looking.] (You calling my friend dumb? >.>) (Only if god can't hear it.) * Luke grins, ignoring the bell for a second. ["Got it!" She pulls the paper out and hands it to Luke. It's... er, folded/crumpled up, and there are holes in it (because she poked through with her pen a few times) but it looks like there are names there. The handwriting's far worse than usual from her, and there are about ten. "That's all I've gotten so far."] ["But anyway, I- uh, we! Were wondering if we could get extra credit if we went to see it? Or a field trip? Or something?"] (Any names of note on it? PCs? Established NPCs?) (My name is possibly on it.) (I dunno what crazy lady does with her time.) (Christy, Matt, Veronica, Krista, Jeremy, Ivy, and a few more NPCs. Creaky Desk Guy is not on the list.) (Nor is Pia.) ( Nor is me! ) * Luke looks a bit thoughtful. "Let me get back to you on that, Christy." [Christy nods. "Okay. Thanks, Mr. M." She picks up her backpack, forgets to zip it, and hurries to her desk.] * Luke backs up to the front of the class. "Good morning." * Luke waits for the class to quiet down and pay attention. * Krista is quiet, at least! * Charlotte will only pay attention if it's tax deductible. [The class gradually quiets down as they realize Christy isn't distracting the teacher anymore.] "What did you all think of Act 1 Scene 3?" Luke asks, referring to the assigned reading for today. (*waits for the players to skim the section. ;P) (Ha. Polonoius, Ophelia, and Laertes.) (I have to skim the section now?) (If Veronica didn't read it, no you don't!) (*shrugs* You might be able to fake it or talk around it.) (I had to dig up my book.) (There's a link off the 2S page to an online Hamlet.) (http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/hamlet/hamlet.1.3.html) [Creaky Desk Guy raises his hand. His desk creaks.] (Does he have a name?) (Bob) * Krista flips a note page and is otherwise silent. "Yes, Bob." (Everyone's named Bob.) [He lowers his hand and then says, "I didn't get it."] "What don't you get, Bob? The language? The character motivations and relationships? The significance to the story? Why you have to read this centuries old play anyway? Or all of the above?" [He looks around, noticing everyone watching him, and then says eloquently, "Uh." He swallows. "The way they talk, I guess."] (They do certainly use some of the most complex language. c.c;) ( Rewrites it in l33t. "WTF, U31hr? H3 wuz teh r0xx0rz!" ) * Veronica is one of those people watching him. * Luke picks up a copy of the book from his desk, and reads, "My necessaries are embark'd: farewell. And sister, as the winds give benefit and convoy is assisant, do not sleep, but let me hear from you." He grins. "Isn't that how all the kids are speaking these says?" * Veronica blinks at Luke. "Wha?" [He shakes his head.] Uh... I don't think so, Mr. Mendel. * Krista chuckles a little to herself. ( Alright. Time for us to all watch Renaissance Man. ...) * Luke gives a theatrical sigh. "See, this is because I'm old and out of touch. I still say things like 'gosh, that would be swell' and 'my necessaries are embark'd.'" "Actually, that's not true. I never say 'Gosh, that would be swell.'" (And Christy would love to watch Renaissance Man. Just because it's a movie. I'm not saying she has a crush on Danny DeVito. Though I'm also not saying she doesn't.) If you did, I'd have to hurt you, Mister Mendel. ( Was Hamlet hot? ) * Veronica puts down her book. "But yeah. That Polio guy speaks an awful lot. Does he really need to go on and on like that?" Maybe there was a minimum word limit, like on an essay, and Shakespeare made him talk more to fill space. Could be. Was Shakespeare an English teacher too? That'd explain a lot. "Veronica's made a good point. Polonius is a boring old windbag, isn't he?" * Veronica blinks and mouths to herself. "I did?" * Krista finally looks to Luke. Oddly. "How many of you agree with that? How many of you think Polonius is a boring old blowhard who should just shut up instead of rambling on and on? Seriously, don't be shy. Raise your hands." ( "How many of you want an F?" ) * Veronica tentatively raises her hand. * Krista doesn't. * Charlotte hesitates, then decides to throw in with the hand-raising crowd. "Those of you with your hands raised... That's exactly what Shakespeare wanted you to think. Polonius is *meant* to be a blowhard who talks too much." [Christy pumps her fist triumphantly! Then drops her hand.] "In Act 2 Scene 2, Polonius announces that he'll get right to the point and quickly. It's a joke. He never does." * Veronica lowers her hand. She looks actually a bit shocked now. * Charlotte smiles. She guessed right! ( I think Luke is just trying to get Veronica sweet on him. ) (No. This is actually true.) (Could be. She still thinks he's creepy.) (Snicker.) (It actually is true. Shakespeare was making a joke. I'm getting Hamlet flashbacks now.) * Krista mms slightly and makes a note in her notebook! Gasp. "As for the rest of you, who find him fascinating: great, because that gives me hope for you liking my lectures." [There's some snickering. Pia stares at the wall.] ("Veronica = Maybe not dumb.") "Polonius also has a tendency to repeat his points and draw them out, rather like, as Charlotte commented, a student trying to fill a word count." * Krista raises her hand. "Yes, Krista." * Krista glances up to him. "The whole scene is like that. Laertes already emphasized the point before Polonius did." * Luke nods as he asks, "Which point are you referring to?" ( "There was a point?" ) (Not really. But until Arwen makes another student explode, I have to keep lecturing. :P ) * Krista replies, not looking at him. "Hamlet." Then she looks up. "They both think he's an inappropriate suitor for Ophelia." * Veronica whispers to Christy. "Wait, he's talking about Hamlet? Where?" [Christy looks at Veronica and shrugs, then starts flipping through the act to find wherever.] "That's what Polonius says, yes. Is it what Laertes is saying, though?" * Luke's tone doesn't sound like he's contradicting her. He seems more to be trying to draw out an answer. * Krista nods. "Slightly different reasons, but yes." * Luke glances down at the book. "What are Laertes' reasons, Krista?" * Veronica 's looking through the book as well by now. * Krista continues, "Hamlet's too young and he has responsibiities." "His will is not his own; for he himself is subject to his birth: he may not, as unvalued persons do, carve for himself; for on his choice depends the safety and the health of this whole state." [Creaky Desk Guy's eyes are totally glazing over. Matt doodles in his notebook. Jeremy has his chin propped up on his hand, but he seems to be paying attention.] [Christy looks like she's reading the scene over again.] (Or maybe for the first time!) "Very good, Krista." Luke walks forward into the class, passing Matt's desk, and glances down at the doodles. He holds his briefcase in his left hand and the copy of Hamlet he was looking through in his right. * Veronica watches as Luke goes. This ought to be good. [They're of a stick figure (maybe Hamlet) talking to Ghost Father, who's telling him to fetch the ham sandwich of justice.] * Charlotte is trying very very hard not to look bored. [Matt looks up, startled.] (... Thanks Ard, now I'm having flashbacks to the Slayers/Hamlet comic.) * Luke looks down at the doodle, and says, despite the fact that most people in the class won't have a clue why, "Unfortunately, he spends months agonizing over whether or not to put mustard on it. And then it turns out to be poisoned and everyone dies." (You're welcome!) (Though that was straight from my head, not remembering the comic.) * Charlotte raises a hand. "Did they even have mustard back then?" [Matt blinks, processing this, and then looks at his drawing for a moment.] (It's the JUSTICE!) * Luke picks the drawing up off Matt's desk, saying, "May I?" but not waiting for an answer. He heads over to Charlotte. "I don't know, Charlotte. Maybe." [He opens his mouth, Luke takes the doodle away, and closes it. And then he says, "Sure?"] * Krista smiles a little at her being complimented, but when the silly things happen she looks back down and makes a little mark. * Veronica turns her gaze from Luke up to the clock now. [The period isn't over. HA HA HA.] [Christy says, "Isn't everyone dying a spoiler? I feel spoiled."] * Veronica sighs and goes back to her notepad. It's going to be a long period. "Were you planning on walking out of the movie ten minutes before the end?" Luke asks Christy. ["No, but at least then I would've had dramatic buildup."] * Charlotte raises a hand. "She's got a point. By making us read the book, you're ruining the movie for us." (It's Shakespeare. THEY ALL DIE! JUST LIKE YOU!) [Jeremy eyes Charlotte, but he doesn't say anything.] * Veronica snorts to herself and taps her notepad before writing some things down. * Charlotte catches Jeremy's gaze and settles back into her seat. * Luke turns back to Charlotte. "What sort of movies do you like, Charlotte?" "Romantic comedies? Action movies?" "Cartoons where talking puppies learn valuable lessons about friendship and responsibility?" * Charlotte says, rather quietly, "I don't really watch many movies, Mr. Mendel." * Luke pauses for a second, thrown a little offstride, but he recovers. "Do you have a favourite movie?" * Veronica shakes her head and taps her pen against her notepad, staring at the Luke/Charlotte confrontation. Not really. Sometimes I watch stuff that's on TV, but I can't think of anything that really stands out. * Luke nods. "Say you find a romantic comedy starring someone like Meg Ryan. And she's dating a guy who's kind of a jerk at the start, but she meets a very nice young man. How do you think that movie is going to end?" Probably with her going with the nice guy? But if it has Bill Murray like in Lost in Translation, probably not. (When did that movie open?) (This might be before that.) ( Not 2005. ) (2003.) (Okay.) (It was while I was at the theater.) (See how I date my movies! Ahaha.) "I suppose not. But do you think there's a difference between Sleepless in Seattle and Lost in Translation, other than the ending?" * Charlotte shrugs. "I've never seen Sleepless in Seattle." * Veronica doesn't look up from her notepad. "Well, if it's the ending that's different, then aren't you, by your own logic, ruining the best part?" "My point was that it's not just the ending that's different. You realize pretty early on in Lost in Translation that it's not a bubbly feel good movie." Yeah, well, Meg Ryan stinks anyhow. * Krista pushes her glasses up with her pencil! ( pwnd! ) [Krista pokes her eye out! No, not really.] "How about Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, then? If he's going up against a gang of criminals, how will that end?" * Veronica shrugs, "With him beating 'em up?" * Charlotte raises an eyebrow. "Well, In Last Action Hero, Hamlet's castle blew up." * Charlotte starts flipping through her book. "Is that how this ends? That was pretty cool." "Weren't you worried about the ending being spoiled, Charlotte?" Luke says, grinning. Well, I knew everybody dies. I mean, it's Shakespeare. (* Luke sweatdrops.) "Yes. It's especially tragic in Much Ado About Nothing." * Charlotte shakes her head. "I meant... Never mind." She turns her eyes back to her book. "What you meant was that it's a Shakespeare *tragedy*. It even says so on the cover." So did they assume it just wasn't good literature if everyone didn't die back in those days? "It wasn't good literature even if they did. This is just cheap entertainment for the masses, remember?" [Pia raises her hand, then Luke says that, and she lowers it.] Then why are we reading this? "And the reason you know everyone dies at the end of a tragedy is the same as the reason you know in an action movie some two bit crook won't manage to shoot the maverick cop determined to avenge his partner. Genre convention." Actually, he probably would shoot him. The cop would live though. He'd get the last shot in the end. "I stand corrected." (Unless you're watching Sin City.) "But either way, you know the way it works. The cop doesn't die. It's always just a flesh wound. The movie you mentioned, The Last Action Hero, emphasizes that idea." Well, yeah. It wouldn't be a very good movie if the bad guys won. "Why not?" * Veronica mutters. "Might be more realistic though." * Charlotte shrugs. "I dunno. It just doesn't seem right." "Because it's not the way the movie's supposed to work." "You paid your seven fifty, plus another twenty bucks for popcorn and a drink, and you know what you're supposed to get for that: a movie that ends the way it's supposed to." I don't like to go to the theatres, Mr. Mendel. I only watch them at home. [Someone raises his hand. It's the student in front of Veronica: skinny guy with freckles, thin glasses, and neat blond hair. His name's Steve.] * Luke shrugs. "You sat there in front of the tube, then." "You gave two hours of your life, including sitting through commercials." "Yes, Steve?" ( [Steve sends an e-mail from China.] ) ["I like it when a movie doesn't go how I expect it to," he says, glancing at the other students in the room. Then he fixes his eyes on Luke again. "If a play doesn't go like we expect, wouldn't it make for a better story?"] ( WRONG! Sit down! ;_; 'kay.) Not really. You could grow attached to the protagonist, and then he dies. It's depressing. ["But that doesn't make it bad. Just like everything working on a formula doesn't make it good." He looks to the teacher for confirmation.] It can. * Luke waits for a second, watching the back and forth. (As his player is all, "Whee, I can take a break for a second." :P) [He shrinks back for a moment, then he says, "How?" Blinking at this, he continues, gaining force, "If I know everything that happens... here." He waves his copy of Hamlet. "It's by Shakespeare and it's a tragedy. What's the surprise? Where's the suspense? Hamlet's going to die, and so is everyone around him. So what?"] [Christy groans. "Sooooo spoiled."] (... Christy makes my head hurt.) (Hooray!) (That's what she was designed for!) * Veronica blinks. "Wait. What?" * Krista looks back at Steve and offers, "Being a good story is about more than surprise. It's about skill with the tools of storytelling. Like any art." Maybe I'd expect the play to end differently, and I'd be dissatisfied when it didn't. Then I wouldn't read any more of Shakespeare's works, because he failed to live up to my expectations. (Poor Krista. She has a media student's definition 'good work'.) [Steve looks at the Krista and then Charlotte, and he slumps in his seat, pushing up his glasses and rubbing at his eyes.] * Veronica stops flipping through her book for a second. "Actually, if you didn't know what was going to happen in a story, how would you know if you liked that author or not?" You'd read it and find out. Yeah but if none of their books are related... Then he'd better impress me with his first story. * Charlotte glances at Luke. "Or just get someone to force me to do it." "An advantage Shakespeare has." And Hemingway. Yeah. I'm sure Shakespeare was depending on English professors hundreds of years after he died to force people to read his work. Maybe he was psychic. Who knows? * Charlotte turns back around. She's done. "No. He was depending on getting mass appeal by giving the people what they wanted. Steve, a daring and unexpected plot direction can be great, and it may win you literary prizes, but it rarely ends up putting you on the bestseller list or topping the box office." "Remember, Shakespeare may be something only people forced to participate in High School English read today, but back then, it was popular entertainment." Back then they didn't wear pants, either. "Where do you find the surprise twists in movies? In blockbusters or independent films?" [Steve looks up, a little surprised at being addressed, and then hesitantly raises his hand again.] "Yes, Steve." (Poor Steve.) [He lowers his hand. "That doesn't mean the blockbusters are better. I mean, a blockbuster getting more advertising doesn't mean it's a better film. It doesn't even mean that they'll like it more. It just means they figure it's safe."] "Better" is a matter of opinion. I think his point is that Shakespeare was trying to make money too. "Exactly. Despite what you may have heard, Shakespeare wasn't perfect and he wasn't always trying to be artistic. Shakespeare was the guy making the blockbusters." ["I got that," Steve says, almost sounding annoyed. "But everything happening because of the formula doesn't make it good."] ["And I think it'd be better if there were something in the air. That's all." He shuts up and looks at his book again.] No. But thousands of English professors depending on you reading it for a grade means you'd better like it somehow. [Steve so doesn't answer.] "You don't have to like it. And you don't have to agree with it." * Veronica snorts. "Tell that to my last English teacher." "But you should understand it. The reason everyone dies at the end of Hamlet is because Shakespeare wasn't as daring as you, Steve. He stuck to the formula." * Krista scribbles a note after a second. "That doesn't mean he didn't do anything worthwhile, though. There were plenty of other people who wrote plays around then according to that formula, and even I can't name more than a few of them." [The bell rings!] (Krista's notes are all: I want a burger for lunch.) * Charlotte slaps her book shut and shoves it in her backpack. * Veronica closes her book and takes a deep breath, sighing. Finally. [Jeremy shakes himself out of his stupor and gathers his things. Other students look ready to bolt the moment Luke says it's okay.] (Are not!) * Krista gathers her stuff up slowly. Will she go to lunch today? "And it seems we're done. We'll be finishing the scene tomorrow, and if you want to read ahead, we'll be starting scene four the day after." [Now they bolt! Er, walk. Quickly.] [Christy jumps to her feet. "Gotta run to Spanish!" she declares to Veronica. And maybe the entire world.] (Christy can tutor that NPC who doesn't speak Spanish.) * Veronica stands up quickly and grins. "Yo quiero Hasta la bye bye." [Jeremy stands up, grabs his backpack, and walks right out of there.] [Christy laughs. "Yo quiero Taco Bell. Adios!" And then she heads out, too.] * Luke shuts the copy of Hamlet he's been holding. * Krista stands up after the crazy people run around just to see Jeremy go and actually hurries after him. * Veronica heads out quickly of the class, giving a quick wave to Luke. But if she has to shove her way out, she will. [Matt gets up and approaches Luke.] * Luke waves back to Veronica with the hand holding the book. "Hello Matt." [Matt smiles nervously. "Can I have my drawing back?"] (Were there any notes on the paper with the doodle or just the drawing?) (It has the ghost of Hamlet's father on it. The doodle itself is a note.) * Charlotte gathers her things and heads out. (No. He was using a fresh sheet.) "Were you still working on it?" ["Well, uh. I was thinking that maybe I could do another one where he eats poisoned mustard."] (My question is, why would anybody put mustard -poisoned or not- in their ear?) (Such are the mysteries of Shakespeare.) (It's a kink thing.) (Ahh, that'd do it.) * Luke grins. "I'll return the drawing, but only so you can complete it. Then I want it back." [He blinks, processes that, and then grins. "Sure, that's cool."] * Luke sets down his briefcase so he can pull the drawing out of Hamlet, where he'd slid it in as a bookmark. He hands it back to Matt. [Matt takes it back. "See ya tomorrow, Mr. Mendel."] "You too, Matt." [Matt scooches around Luke and leaves the room! Meanwhile, Steve is the last student in the room, finishing reading something in the book before closing it and putting it in his backpack.] "Steve?" [Steve zips up his backpack and stands, picking it up. "Yeah?"] ( Steve needs to watch some Van Damme movies. ) "It's true that sometimes the best stories are the ones that surprise us. But do they surprise us because we had no idea what would happen next, or because we thought we did and were wrong?" [Steve hesitates for a moment, then he says, "I think the best stories surprise me because I thought I knew what would happen next, but I was wrong. And when I look back, it makes a lot of sense for what actually happened to happen."] [Session Continued in a Mini or Something.]