Chapter 102: Tree Hill High School

Wednesday, January 4th, Morning

There is a well-known scene in Shakespeare that everyone knows the opening lines but doesn't know more of it. The Seven Ages of Man speech, a monologue in ACT II Scene VII of As You Like It. A meditation on life and how it progresses, in a comedy none the less, Lucas Scott reflected, as he sat behind his desk waiting for his honor senior English class to start. From his desk, he observed that the second age was right on the money, but he knew this from years of teaching.

Then the whining schoolboys, with his satchel and shining morning face, creeping like snail. Unwillingly to school.

As the class bell rang, he watched the last of his students enter the class, like Shakespeare's snails. These were the honors students too, he thought. They must remember we're starting every student's favorite section of this class Shakespeare.

Lucas stood up and walked towards the classroom door. Shakespeare is hard to read and understand what they are saying. Well at least it's not Chaucer which is legitimately written in a different language, and they insist that the students try to read Middle English. Closing the door, he looked at the class and took a deep breath, then smiled.

"Good Morning Class, are we ready for the new subject?" Lucas asked, after a moment, he nodded, "Don't all answer at once. We have to do Shakespeare, so get over it. Any guess on which play we're doing? Yes, Nikki?"

"Hamlet, Mister Scott," one of his students said.

"Well, most years we would be covering Hamlet," Lucas said, "But this year we're doing The Tempest. Yes, Nat?"

"What's The Tempest?" The student asked.

"Well, The Tempest, which we're breaking from the convention is one of Shakespeare's comedies not, the usual tragedy we would cover. It's believed to be one of, if not the last play Shakespeare wrote alone. So, it's one of his late works. It has comedy and there's a love story," Lucas said, "Yes, Angel?"

"What stands out in this play?" the student asked.

"Good question Angel, which brings us to your first assignment," Lucas said, "Yes, Gemma?"

"What about books?" the student asked.

Lucas pointed to a small pile, "Grab one before you leave and sign for it," Lucas said, he paused, "And by destiny, to perform an act whereof what's past is prologue, what to come in yours and my discharge," he looked over the room, "Yes Riley?"

"What does that mean, Mister Scott?" the student asked.

"What do you think it means?" Lucas asked.

"I'm not sure," Riley said.

Lucas nodded, "That's okay, Riley. Anyone else have an idea?" he asked, "Yes Nikki?"

"That everything that happened before now is in the past and we control the future," the student said.

"Very well, Nikki," Lucas said, "Anyone else wants to take a guess? Rory?"

"That you shouldn't look back and only look forward," the student said.

"Very good, Rory," Lucas said, "Angel?"

"That everything that happened before now was leading us to where we are so we could act at what one would consider the moment of destiny," the student said.

"Thank you, Angel," Lucas said, "Anyone else? Good, so your first assignment for The Tempest is to read Act One and write a three-page essay on your impression on it. Also, due Friday is another three-page essay."

Lucas walked over to the whiteboard and wrote on it.

And by that destiny to perform an act where of what's past is prologue, what to come. In yours and my discharge.

Lucas turned and looked over the class. "The essay due Friday is three pages on what these lines mean to you," he said, "Yes Peter?"

"Do we have to footnote it or site references?" the student asked.

"For the essay on Act One, yes. For this second Essay, I want you to state what those lines mean to you, and explain it, in detail. I want to know what you think and how it affects you. Not, what other people say what it means," Lucas said.

"How does it affect you, Mister Scott?" Nikki asked.

Lucas laughed, "I already know what it means, Nikki, so my answer is tainted," he said.

"But what does it mean to you, Mister Scott," Nikki replied.

Lucas walked over to the front of his desk. He reached out with both arms and grabbed the desk.

"When I first read these lines, it meant to me that everything in my life was setting me with the skills, experience, and opportunity to reach for my dreams. That everything I did set me up to be here at this very moment in life," Lucas said, "Well at least that's how I felt then."

"When was that, Mister Scott?" Rory asked.

"My freshman year at UNC," Lucas said, "I was about to get married and that life was grand."

"Mister Scott, you felt that way then, right?" Riley asked.

"Yes, yes I did Riley," Lucas said.

"What does it mean for you now?" Riley asked.

Lucas nodded; his blue eyes took a mournful expression. "Riley, these words on the board affect me now in that our story is still being written, and we have to live each day to the fullest because yesterday is just the preface for today. That is a long-winded explanation for the simple concept of Carpe Diem. Now, I suspect you'll try and write my meaning into your essay. Please don't, use it to explore your thoughts and think critically about these simple lines," Lucas said.

"Why should we think critically on this assignment, Mister Scott," a student asked.

"Because you should always think about everything and question what you're told. I wish I had, many times, it keeps you let's say interesting," Lucas said, he checked his watch, "Any other questions? Yes, Perkin?"

"Why do we study Shakespeare? What does a person who wrote in a different time from us have to tell us?" Perkin asked.

"In short Perkin, that from the late sixteenth century to early seventeenth century to now the twenty-first century, that people really hadn't changed. Yes, some concepts are outdated, but overall boiled down to it we've not really changed," Lucas said.

"How so?" Perkin asked.

"We still live, die, love, lust, commit murder, are greedy, and scheme. Every time we rally the troops or teammates with a speech, we do what Shakespeare did, as in Henry the fifth. It's like looking at ourselves in the mirror," Lucas said.

"Thank you, Mister Scott," Perkin said.

Lucas checked his watch, "Come up and get a book, and I'm being generous today, I'll let you get started on reading Act One. Please don't forget to sign for the book," he said, pushed off his desk and walked behind it, taking his seat. He watched the students come up, taking a book and sign for it. Yes, Shakespeare was right on at least one thing Lucas pondered, Creeping like snail unwillingly to school.