1. Act 2: the shared lesson Pages 70-77

2. Presenting findings about pages 70-77: What did you notice about: - The presentation of Hector’s bathetic decline; - The responses/reactions of the boys to the shared lesson (including who they seem more loyal to); - The dichotomy between Irwin’s teaching style and Hector’s (including ideas about the way each speaks – language and structure).

3. The ‘shared lesson’ What clues have we been given that this lesson is going to be disastrous? How is the metaphor/ image of a war extended in this scene?

4. Read the following critical interpretations. To what extent do you agree? What evidence can you find in the scene to support these ideas? ‘Conflicts ensue. Not least because Hector, the old idealist, and Irwin, the young pragmatist, represent opposite conceptions of what the study of history should be.’ (John Sutherland) ‘Irwin's foil, Hector, is an obese older man and a romantic traditionalist (and a somewhat less- closeted homosexual—in fact an unrepentant molester). He teaches the boys to revere "the truth" (never defined) and to respond to events of the past with hot-blooded feeling— something he accomplishes by making them memorize poetry and quoting them aphoristic snippets of Auden or Hardy.’ (Dana Stevens and Timothy Noah) ‘Irwin and Hector are the polar figures.’ (The Complete Review)

5. A War Between Hector and Irwin? If this scene represents a war between Irwin and Hector, map out the battles: - What is each ‘battle’ to do with? - Who seems to win each one? How? - Which of the boys is one either side? Does this change throughout the scene? Make sure you have quotations to support your ideas.

6. Posner Recap on what you know about Posner so far. What critical interpretations have you already read on Posner? What do you think Posner’s role in the play is?

7. I'm a Jew... I'm small... I'm homosexual... and I live in Sheffield... I'm fucked. "I'm a Jew. I'm small. I'm homosexual. And I live in Sheffield. I'm fucked." Find quotations/ moments from the scene on pages 70-77 (and the rest of the play) that further portray Posner to be different/ an outcast. Do you think there is anything positive to be said about Posner’s difference/ lack of conformity? How does the presentation of Posner in the scene foreshadow his fate? ‘It isn’t ‘good.’ I mean it, sir.’ Posner: ‘I’d go. I’m never asked.’ Dakin: ‘You don’t fit the bill.’

8. William Robert Bray Do you agree with these interpretations of gay characters in the play?