There will be rain tonight…
So let it come down!
MacBeth
So, the AP class was going to check out MacBeth (I was hoping to do the Crucible, but too many of them did it in middle school–too bad, it would have been SOOOOOOO apropos!) Anyway–I’m doing my ‘thang’–
My ‘thang’ is when I make the story personal–so I start talking about the Valedictorian, and how he’s a good an honorable man, and then I pick on one of the self-professed ‘slackers’ and I make up a scenario in which the slacker wants to be the Valedictorian–and all he has to do, is steal one paper while the Valedictorian is at his house…what’s to stop him?
‘Ethics?’ Says one person. ‘Morals?’ Says another. ‘Another person?’ Says a third.
“Another person?” I say. “Like say his girlfriend…who wants to be his girlfriend in this scenario?” And the girl who is teasing the slacker volunteers. “So, Freda–(not her real name:-) you REALLY want to be the Valedictorian’s girlfriend…which means your guy has to be Valedictorian, right? And you play with his hair and smile into his eyes and say ‘please please pleeeeeeaaaaasssseeeeee steal that paper’ and he says?….”
“No?” Supplies the slacker.
And right here–I have them–they are paying attention, they want to know what happens next, and I have them all set up and my next line is the kill line. And it is (for those of you who know the play and are understanding the analogy) borderline inappropriate. But it is also VERY VERY analogous to MacBeth–because her line in the play is “From this moment forth, such I account thy love.” It’s usually staged where she turns her back on her husband and grows very cold–and it is essentially the wife’s throw down–turn your back on your morals, kill your kinsman, become king, or you don’t love me any more and you will get no more loving period the end. So what do I say? I have the students–I can risk my job, or I can accept that if I am going to teach at all, I need to teach true to myself. I can slink away and go with the easy.. ‘No more kissy face for you!’… or I can go with the real kill line–Lady MacBeth’s real implication in this scene, and the thing that has MacBeth by the testicles and forces him into action.
“Please steal that paper… please please pretty pleassssseeeee……”
“No.” Says our slacker.
“Well then I won’t put out.” I do the hair flip, the attitude, the back turning…
And most of the class roars.
My cronies? The ones who are out to get me? They exchanged glances, “Talk about inappropriate!” One of them gasps.
But I’m done. I will not live my life or teach my class in fear of their censure. If there is rain, let it come down.
