Thoreau Meets World Group 4 Alex H., Marissa, Josh, Shashvat, Matt Scene 1: Good Morning Thoreau (Lights turn on. When Emotions speak, pass a white balloon lightbulb back and forth.) (Thoreau exaggeratedly wakes up, stands up from bed.) Nature: OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I absolutely despise this city. Full of smog and dust grime, covered with lowly concrete, barely sublime. The buildings make the sun barely showing, and bean plants whose stalks that are hardly growing. Where are the trees, the birds and the pond? Now in a city that I m not very fond. This place I will not stop scorning. I have to say, what an awful, Philosophy: (Interrupting.) morning! (Glaring at each other) I ve always said waking up early brings forth a good day, good for thinking, and good for... Antisocial: Being alone! (Grumbling from other emotions and Antisocial looks around grumpily.) Philosophy: As I was saying Waking up early is good for watching the sunlight streaming through the window. Just look at those trees. (Thoreau looks out window amazedly, with his hands pressed against the glass. Grand arm gestures as Nature is speaking.) What a beautiful world. Listen to the song of the birds! Nature: Look, an ant has come to greet us this morning. Antisocial: Ants? I love ants! They don t say anything! Nature: Shhh Antisocial, you ll scare him. Hello, ant. What a strong worker you are. We really love how you ve come to be our friend today, despite this anti-transcendent setting. You work too hard, maybe take a break some time. Philosophy: Ants are like the middle class of the natural world. They work so hard to have a decent life. They care so much about their communities and the places in which they live. They are so helpful to each other. We as humans must be like ants, having more consideration for
every person we meet. We should be loyal like ants, and like dogs. Dogs are so great. But better than dogs Contradiction: Philosophy!!!!! Please stop talking, we have to eat breakfast! Why are you still rambling on and on and on and on and on Antisocial: Okay Contradiction, we get it. (Thoreau walks around a bit and mimes pouring a bowl of cereal, then begins to eat it.) Nature: Oh goodness, I just cannot believe we are eating this cereal right now. This stuff is so bad for us. It s too processed! Contradiction: (Obviously upset.) Seriously Nature? You re going to complain about the healthiness of cereal? I thought we were minimalists!!!! Cereal is the most basic food you can find nowadays. What, do you want to eat dirt? (Thoreau makes eye contact with the audience while both bewildered and pondering, then shakes head no as if dismissing the thought.) Philosophy: I am so prepared to work at McDonalds today. We must speak up for what is right this time. Nature: The cruelty towards animals there is truly absurd!(thoreau makes a motivated expression, grand arm gestures while Nature and Philosophy are speaking.) Animals are necessary for all modes of life, for we all live and breathe the same air. The climate is changing for the worse and without the animals, we will not be able to live the way we want to. Antisocial: I don t know if speaking up is a good idea I don t like the people there. Actually.. I don t like people. (Thoreau nods head yes, agreeing with his thoughts.) Contradiction: Yeah, I agree with Antisocial! Animals are SUCH a burden anyways. (Until Philosophy speaks: Thoreau stares wide eyed and distracted out at the audience.) Nature: EXCUSE ME CONTRADICTION????? Antisocial: Oh no
Contradiction and Nature: (Obvious argument phrases, speaking over each other while fighting, passing balloon back and forth.) Philosophy: (Takes balloon, pops it.) GUYS!!! (Thoreau comes back to his senses.) Why do we always argue? Don t you think having two opposite thoughts in one person s head is a bit contradictory? Contradiction: I AM CONTRADICTORY! (Antisocial stifles a laugh.) Philosophy: It is very immature of us to fight like felines and canines. Anyways, we have to go. (Thoreau freaks out.) Antisocial: NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Can t we just stay home today? (Thoreau pacing back and forth.) Contradiction: We have to go. Nature: Contradiction, weren t you just agreeing with Antisocial a second ago? Contradiction: I have no clue what you re talking about. Philosophy: Okay guys, let s go. (Thoreau picks up hat, walks towards door, opens it, and sighs. Lights out as Thoreau continues walking.)
Scene 2: Working with Thoreau Lights up. Thoreau puts on hat. He is at his job, McDonalds, grilling burgers in the back. After putting down the patties, Thoreau stares at them a bit, then looks up and ponders. Nature: Why are we grilling burgers? Those are made of meat, and PURE people become vegetarians. What has this world come to that other folks don t care about the sanctity of nature and the wonderful creatures it houses? Contradiction: Sheesh, just let people eat what they want! If they want a burger, they eat a burger. Not everyone wants to live like us with our salad eating attitude. Antisocial: (quietly and slow)...uh guys why can t we just... get along? Philosophy: (Starts off monotone, then progressively picks up speed) You see, this is a valuable moment. Two sides, two different opinions, this is life! Only we humans have the free will to do and think whatever we want. We should embrace each other s opinions as friends, not enemies. Just like these burgers. At first they were raw and cold in the freezer. But when brought to the light of the flame, they changed their color, consistency, and taste. The flame represents wisdom and the changing of our opinions. Ya know, this really reminds me of when. Contradiction: (Interrupts) STOP! I ll never change! Philosophy: (In a patient tone) We must change for the better to find internal peace. Each one of us finds it in our own way. Antisocial: Quick, we need to start working or else the boss will come over to see what s wrong. Nature: Well If we get fired, we will never have to confront the boss again! And, we will never have to look at these abominations again. Then we can go live in the woods, and spend our days looking at ants and bees and squirrels trees and ducks and fleas and birds and peas, mice and meese and everything else beautiful in this world. Antisocial: We can be alone again! I already miss the woods. I really wanna go back to that pond. Oh what was the name of it? I feel like I wouldn t have forgotten it. I guess those memories are WALDEN-side my brain.
Contradiction: No way, that place was so boring. Too many trees and loons and not enough action. I can t even look at beans anymore. Philosophy: While our experience out there was great, I think we should distinctly focus on the future. This will bring us towards a greater sense of wisdom and unity with nature, even in the city. The important thing now is just to do our job and contribute to society in a constructive way without error, to be a model worker for the community. Contradiction: Do you smell smoke? Nature: Yeah, looks like we burnt the burgers.. Philosophy: What a noble way for them to die. Although their meat was wasted, they have contributed Contradiction: (Interrupting aside to audience) Here we go again! When will he stop, I don t know, (points to nature and anti-social) they don t know, and (pointing to audience) I m pretty positive you don t either! Lights out.
Scene 3: Goodnight Thoreau Lights up. Antisocial: (Relieved.) Ahhh, home at last. I just love avoiding all other life forms on this planet. Nature: (Thoreau looking around on ground for ant.) Now, where is my ant friend from this morning? (Thoreau lifts foot and then stands in shock.) OH WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?! (gasps, falls out of chair.) Philosophy: Based on my precise observations, I suppose that we have crushed, and subsequently killed our friend. (Thoreau picks up ant.) Antisocial: Our only true friend Rest in Peace. Philosophy: Let us bow our heads in remembrance for our dear friend Mister Ant. All: (Bow heads) Nature: (Visibly upset) I must not sleep tonight. It would be too rude. (Thoreau stands up.) Contradiction: NO! WE HAVE TO SLEEP! ARE YOU SeRiOuS? Everyone else: (Nods in agreement. Thoreau walks solemnly to his bed, sits on edge. A few seconds of hesitation from all characters. ) Contradiction: (Cheerfully.) Well, goodnight everyone! (Nods off.) Antisocial: Well. me too then goodnight. (Sleeps.) Nature: I don t know, it doesn t feel right to go to sleep. I still have a lot of guilt for what happened today with that ant. Philosophy: It s alright, it s important to remember our fallen friends but to also look forward to the future. Time heals all wounds. Plus, looks like it s just us two awake still anyway. Do you want to talk about time? I really think is so fascinating; it only goes in one direction, irreversible.
Every day, hour, minute, second, all so valuable! How can we possibly sleep with such little time, anyway? Nature: On second thought, I m uh (looks around) I m getting pretty tired myself. And I also have that thing I m doing tomorrow, early in the morning so. Philosophy: You sure? I mean tomorrow s Saturday and Thoreau s schedule looked pretty open Nature: (Looking half brazen) No, I m positive yeah. Goodnight. Philosophy: Okay? (Confused. Then sleeps. A few second pause.) (Thoreau lays down.) Philosophy: Wait! (Thoreau sits up.) All others: WHAT?! Philosophy: Do you guys remember that man that visited us once, he never slept? While that was quite impractical after some time, it bring up a good question. Sleep is like the death of the working man. It is extra important to Thoreau: (Breaking the fourth wall for the first time. Interrupts Philosophy.) Well, here we go again Lights out.