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Lesson 10
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8 Replies
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Sunil Pappu’s Counterexamples
“What I learned doing this assignment is…how to challenge the old ways using challenging questions and counterexamples.”
Old Way: Buying into the war propaganda of the state; Youth enlist for the ‘just war.’ Others join munition factories.
Question Challenges: Elder brother questions the war. There is nothing just about the war. It’s not honourable.
Question Challenges: Air raids destroy the homes and raze the school buildings.
Question Challenges: Atomic bombs destroy Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Question Challenges: Occupation forces take over the country.
Question Challenges: People face food shortages and high inflation.
Counterexamples: US pilot parachuting down from his burning plane is beaten in the streets as the enemy – is a mere 17-year-old helpless youth who is taken by the military police as a war criminal. Daisaku feels sorry for the boy and tells his mother about it. She worries for the mother of the boy instead.
Counterexamples: Warmongers turn pacifists overnight to save their skin and avoid persecution by the occupation forces.
Counterexamples: With schools’ shutdown, youth seek correspondence courses even as they fight to stay alive
Old Way: Daisaku has Tuberculosis and the doctor predict he won’t live to see 30.
Counterexamples: Daisaku seeks a mentor he can trust as he searches for the best way to live life.
Counterexamples: Daisaku drops school to join Toda University and support his mentor’s businesses.
Counterexamples: Daisaku meets the world’s leading philosophers, leaders and thinkers conducting over 8000 dialogues for peace and winning over 200 honorary doctorates and 390 honorary citizenships around the world. He is alive at 96.
Old Way: People of the nation mistrust the politicians and intellectuals.
Counterexamples: Toda rebuilds the organization Soka Gakkai to empower people and eradicate misery from their lives.
Old Way: State Shinto religion will protect our soldiers and win us the war.
Question Challenges: Toda and his mentor refuse the Shinto talisman and get locked up in jail as thought criminals.
Counterexamples: The Emperor steps down to let the Occupation forces take over their country
Question Challenges: Toda and his mentor refuse the Shinto talisman and get locked up in jail as thought criminals.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Counterexamples: Occupation forces pass laws that allow people freedom of religion
Old Way: We need priests to conduct religious rituals.
Counterexamples: Priesthood turns corrupt and refuses to bury a Soka Gakkai member’s relative in a family-owned plot on the temple premises unless they denounce their faith in Soka Gakkai.
Question Challenges: Soka Gakkai members question: Why do we need to respect priests and listen to them when they are going against their own teacher and teachings of respect for all life?
Counterexamples: Soka Gakkai builds a memorial ground for Soka Gakkai members to use freely. They conduct the funeral rituals with sanctity and respect.
Old Way: Soka Gakkai members wait for their mentor’s instructions.
Question Challenges: When Daisaku is banned from meeting members he writes poems, songs, and plays piano to encourage them
Counterexamples: Osaka members stage a protest outside the detention centre demanding the release of Daisaku by the police who harshly interrogate him for three days.
Counterexamples: Yubari coal miners refuse to vote for the union candidate in the elections even at the cost of losing their jobs and being ostracized from their communities.
Old Way: nuclear weapons are necessary as a deterrent.
Question Challenges: Cuban missile crisis brings the world to the brink due to a misunderstanding and scepticism and mistrust between the cold war nations.
Counterexamples: Toda’s nuclear declaration states that anyone who supports the nuclear weapons is “a fiend and a monster”
Question Challenges: Ikeda sends concrete peace proposals to the UN since 1983 every year reiterating his mentor’s stance on nuclear weapons.
Old Way: Daisaku tries to pacify the Priesthood by giving in to their demands
Question Challenges: Priesthood continues to mistreat members and places even more restrictions on the members and leaders of Soka Gakkai
Counterexamples: The Corrupt Soka Gakkai Attorney plays both sides to make money and stokes the fires between Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu priesthood
Counterexamples: Daisaku steps down as Soka Gakkai president but is made the honorary president of Soka Gakkai International and he continues to travel the world conducting dialogues for peace
Counterexamples: Daisaku declares the day of their ex-communication as one of Spiritual independence and celebrates their freedom from the narrow-minded corrupt priesthood.
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Bob Kerr: COUNTEREXAMPLES
What I learned in this class was both a process and techniques that will broaden how I challenge THE OLD WAYS. I believe it will make the script even more Profound and entertaining.
OLD WAY: Freshman are nor physically or mentally prepared to play varsity college football
Question Challenge: How do we field a team against #9 Arkansas if we don’t play freshmen?
Question Challenge: How do we honor the teams vote to continue the season if we don’t
play freshmen?
Counter Example:
The freshmen expect to play and expect to create the greatest upset in NCAA history.
OLD WAY: The opponent is a mortal enemy and deserve no respect or mercy
Question Challenge: Why are the Little Rock citizens so welcoming to us as the opponent
instead of berating us and disrespecting us?
Question Challenge? Why is Coach Broyles asking the Arkansas fans to refrain from their
traditional “Hog Call” used to intimidate the opponent.
Counter Example: The Shockers receive a standing ovation when they enter the field. Something usually reserved for their hometown Arkansas Razorbacks
OLD WAY: Young 18 and 19 year old young men won’t or can’t accept resposibilities outside of playing football.
Question Challenge: What happens to young 18 and 19 year old young men when they now have to attend funerals of their classmates instead of attend classes and go tio football practices?
Question Challenge: Who choses to go to funerals and then face the reality of parents coming to your dorm room to collect personal belongings and vehicles sitting empty in the parking lot?
Counter Example: The Shockers volunteer to attend the funerals and then face the reality of empty lockers when they must resume practice
OLD WAY: Sometimes it is better to just forfeit as game then play the #9 Arkansas team undermanned and playing 19 freshman.
Question Challenge: What do we have to do with our two freshman qb’s to have the best chance to win sat Arkansas?
Question Challenge: How do we, as coaches, tell the upperclassmen that freshmen are starting in their place?
Counter Example: Our best chance to win is to utilize our speed and passing offense to takje advantage of our strengths.
OLD WAY: Fear will always win out.
Question Challenge: When the freshmen tell the team that “screw the NCAA. We’ll play regardless if it costs us our senior year of eligibility.”
Question Challenge: Despite the obstacles, we coach these guys hard. Our objective is toi win at Arkansas. Nothing short of a victory will suffice.
Counter Example: This is just the next game on our schedule. We are better than our record.
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Deb’s Counterexamples
What I learned… Not sure if I did this assignment correctly because it’s super long and seems disjointed. It’s just a lot of guessing, with no real conclusion. I was able to brainstorm many questions/counterexamples.
Old: Narcissism: my behavior is an expression of myself and does not affect those around me. There are no consequences.
Challenge: What we do/don’t do impacts the lives of those around us.
(5) Questions:
Shall we consider the butterfly effect?
Do you live on a deserted island?
Have you ever had to wait for someone who was taking too long, or been annoyed for one reason or another by someone else? If so – than actions DO have consequences.
What happens when someone else’s “expression” interferes with yours?
Do you believe in gravity? (For every action there is an equal or opposite reaction)
If someone depends on you for something, are you obligated to them in any way?
(5) Counterexamples (dialogue, experience, or character):
Experience: people waiting in a long line at a store behind a patron who is as slow as molasses (rethinking her purchases, talking on the phone, getting a different product)
Experience: A child gets a hold of a gun or poison because a parent doesn’t secure it properly
Experience: A pedestrian who gets hit by a careless driver
Character: A frazzled woman who is worn out from accommodating the narcissist in her life
Character: A partner who has cared for their sick spouse ends up dying before the sick person.
Character: A character who constantly helps those around her; visits the sick (brings soup or flowers), donates to the needy, gives encouraging words – and her actions affect those around her in a positive way.
How it might play out in my story:
My main character is a “quiet” narcissist – he’s not obnoxious, but he believes that everyone should do what they want and follow their own convictions. However, his own negligent actions have killed or hurt someone he loves – but he refuses to take the blame for it. (This will change.)
Also – there would be another character who does good deeds and helps others (maybe out of wrong motives?) but it’s obvious that his/her actions impact others for good.
Old: My happiness is everything.
Challenge: Happiness is illusive and not guaranteed.
(5) Questions:
Have you ever read the book of Ecclesiastes?
What is your measure of happiness? No trouble? More money? More power? More wisdom? More fun?
People in insane asylums laugh too.
Why do we define ourselves by what we lack?
Who pays when you are not happy?
(5) Counterexamples (dialogue, experience or character):
Experience: Someone who seems to “have it all” commits suicide
Experience: A mother who gives a child everything to make them happy and yet the child is a spoiled brat… or ends up strung out on drugs.
Experience: A man happily begins a renovation on his house – and a wall falls on him and he dies.
Character: A person who is very sad, yet content
Character: A person who is poor, weak, and dependent, yet doesn’t try to (or can’t) change his situation.
How it might play out in my story: The main character has everything – riches, power, fame, yet it’s not enough. This is countered by his father who is poor, weak and dependent, yet is at peace.
Or – maybe the main character has just enough – food, clothes, home, family – but feels like he’s lacking. And then his spouse is content to live with what she has – or maybe she is just as discontent and urges her husband to be/have/get more.
Old: It is enough to be a good person and live a moral life and do good works.
Challenge: What constitutes good? What is your measure for morality and do you really meet that standard? What happens when you fail to live up to that standard – who will pardon you?
(5) Questions:
Define good.
What constitutes morality? Do you believe in an absolute God who would dictate such? Or do you have your own standard?
Can ‘good’ and ‘morality’ be arbitrary and based on what I deem them to be?
What happens when what I define as good is different from what you define as good? (same with morality)
If there are no absolutes – does it really matter if I do good things or live a moral life?
(5) Counterexamples (dialogue, experience or character):
Counterexamples:
Experience: A gift is given to someone who doesn’t value it.
Experience: a child being forced to brush his teeth or eat vegetables
Experience: A person steals because they don’t believe you have the right to your property.
Experience: A person sets a high standard to follow goodness and morality (10 good deeds a day) but falls short (only does nine).
Character: A person who is immoral and mean – yet is happy and content.
Character: a person who goes around letting everyone know how other people personally injured, upset or hurt them in some way. Or someone who is highly offended all the time.
Character: Someone who does good deeds but only as a quid pro quo.
How it might play out in my story: I like the idea of someone who thinks they are good, moral, and just but are looking for something in return. I also like the idea of a highly offended character – you can’t say or do anything right. These are extremes that might play off well in a minor character or a subplot.
Another way: Perhaps the main character of the story gives his child a birthday present, and the kid hates it and says “what you think is good is not what I think is good”.
Old: To get what I want, I must appease the higher powers with my thoughts, words, and actions.
Challenge: Our lives are not what we make it – and we can’t manipulate a god or The God – just like we can’t control the weather.
(5) Questions:
Do you worship a god you created with your hands?
Is your god too busy to hear your plea? Perhaps he’s in the bathroom or you need to talk louder?
Does your god demand that you kill, steal or lie to get what you want? It that okay with you if you get what you want?
What if you did everything perfectly, followed all the rules, did all the assignments, dotted all the I’s, crossed all the t’s and STILL didn’t get what you wanted. Would that be fair?
Let’s say you finally ascended Mt. Everest and reached the pinnacle – is that the end of life for you?
Can you control the weather? The traffic lights? Your two-year-old? A puppy?
(5) Counterexamples (dialogue, experience or character):
Experience: A person of prayer who lights candles, prays, and does penitential acts – yet their loved one for whom they pray, dies, or gets worse.
Experience: An entire church prays for days to raise a little girl from the dead – but she is not resurrected.
Experience: A person who does absolutely nothing of value wins the lottery and lives like a slob.
Experience: someone thinks they follow a recipe perfectly, but the dish doesn’t turn out
Character: Someone who was born with an incurable disease and must live with it.
Character: A high achiever who succumbs to dementia/Alzheimer’s
How it might play out in my story: It think this might play out in how someone plans a perfect day – an outdoor picnic – but it is ruined by rain. And maybe my main character – who through his actions severely injured someone – and then he prays, and the person doesn’t get better – so he rejects his god. Or maybe someone makes a cake, and it doesn’t turn out, and they are outraged/disappointed.
Old: The things of this world are enough and satisfy all my needs – if I can just obtain them.
Challenge: This world is not enough. Something is wrong – something is missing. We will never be satisfied with the things the world can offer.
(5) Questions:
Are our bodies more than just meat and drink?
What constitutes enough and what is gluttony?
Is hedonism the answer?
When you look around, do you see a world that is at peace or a world that is fractured?
If the world is fractured, how, then will you find peace?
(5) Counterexamples (dialogue, experience or character):
Experience: A lovely snowflake is a part of a frozen, uninhabitable tundra.
Experience: The lulling waves of the ocean holds the same riptide that will take you down and drown you.
Experience: The imperfection in any relationship
Character: A hoarder
Character: A hedonist
How it might play out in my story: I think the environment/setting for the story is going to play a big role in this – maybe in the normal world (act 1) things are set up as good – the beauty of a snowflake, or the ocean, or any number of things in nature… but in (act 2) these will prove to be deadly and/or disappointing in some way.
Old: To maintain my belief in God and my success in this world, I must live a double life – acknowledging God to get what I want, but doing what pleases me with no regard for God’s will.
Challenge: We cannot be our own god and give lip service to the true God. We must constantly put to death our own will.
(5) Questions:
Is a double-minded man stable?
What makes a person phony?
When push comes to shove, what side will you stand on?
If you can’t stand a phony – why is it okay for you to be this way?
(5) Counterexamples (dialogue, experience or character):
Character: a person who says what they mean and means what they say
Experience: A tree rooted in good soil that produces good fruit
Experience: a world class athlete that is extremely disciplined and denies themselves of vice in order to win
Experience: a boat tosses to and fro on the waves – and it finally capsizes
Character: Someone with a split personality (the extreme)
How it might play out in my story: I like the idea of contrasting two people in the extreme – someone who maybe has a “split personality” and put them next to someone who leads a double life – to show how they are the same. Also – a good tree is a good environmental example – and could be something to contrast from act 1 to act 2.
Old: If I give up my wants, needs, and will, I will lead a dull, unfulfilled life, and then I will die.
Challenge: It’s in losing your life that you find true life.
(5) Questions:
Is everything that feels good, good for you?
Is what we want the same thing as what we need?
What if you gave everything to your “cause” and your “cause” ended up coming to nothing?
Is death really the end?
Why do we associate “dull” with something we’ve never tried?
Is it possible to find fulfillment by looking outward instead of looking inward?
(5) Counterexamples (dialogue, experience or character):
Experience: someone loses a job but gets a better one
Experience: a woman fulfilled with being a mom
Experience: a dad who’s home is his castle – and he is king
Character: someone who sacrifices his life so another can live (Carton gives his life for Darnay)
Character: A man who gives up everything
Experience: someone who gets exactly what they want and it turns out to be the worst thing for them
How it might play out in my story: I think this might be the conclusion of my story – when the main character finally realizes that he can’t get his hand out of the jar if he doesn’t let go of what’s inside. He has to live his life with an open hand – not grasping – but receiving with thanks what he has already been given.
Old: I do not sin; therefore, I do not need to be forgiven.
Challenge: We all fall short – are wretched and unworthy of anything good and need forgiveness. It is the most precious treasure and worth more than all the wealth this world can hold.
(5) Questions:
If you haven’t sinned, have you ever tried to be or do any good for others? Is that easy?
Is it possible or impossible to keep the law?
Why is it so hard for us to admit when we’re wrong?
What is the difference between a mistake and sin?
(5) Counterexamples (dialogue, experience or character):
Character: someone who is constantly sinning/stepping on toes/hurting others and owns it, but isn’t troubled by it.
Experience: kids on a playground – intentionally or accidentally hurting someone and then receiving forgiveness from their victim
Character: someone who is completely honest about their failures and shortcomings without excuse or pretense.
Character: someone who does something they are sorry for – but tries to make up for it by doing something “good”. Like someone is having an affair – but they go out and buy a Prius. Or someone is a thief, but they donate blood all the time.
Experience: someone carries a heavy load and the load is taken from them – they are free
How it might play out in my story: This is one of those tricky pillars that’s going to take a constant attack throughout the screenplay to topple. I may use all of the counterexamples and maybe come up with some more. The point is 1) To get my main character to admit that he’s a sinner (yes – sinner – not a person who makes mistakes, no a victim of circumstance.) and then 2) be able to ask for and receive forgiveness for that sin (how I do this visually, I do not know – “what’s easier to see – your sins are forgiven or take up your bed and walk?” Perhaps this priceless treasure is the restoration of health – which is synonymous with his forgiveness… like the drug dealer who’s been shot and paralyzed and as he heals, his friends bring him for treatment to the chiropractor – and they all stand and watch the chiropractor make the adjustments – but then one day they realize that there is someone who can actually heal their friend/boss – so they take the lame man to Him and he heals him (AND forgives his sins).
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Mary Albanese’s Counter-examples
What I learned doing this assignment is… how to create subliminal messages through counter-examples for your profound truth to creep in. I am reminded of the old drive-in movie theaters where they used to flash images of hot dogs during the intermission so fast you wouldn’t be consciously aware of them, but that line for the snack bar was SOOOO LOOOOONG. In other words, stuff your script with multiple counter-examples EVERYWHERE YOU CAN and they won’t even realize why your profound truth is impacting them so deeply. Makes me hungry to go beef up my script!
5 Questions for questioning old ways:
1. Why should Heather get to walk again? Why should she be the one?
2. Why should Heather’s self worth be based on her mother’s problems?
3. Why does Guy feel Heather is worthy?
4. Why does Mr. Guth feel Heather deserves to walk again?
5. When/how will Heather accept her own self worth?
5 Counterexamples
1. After the crash, Anna’s brother who emerged unscathed falls into a bad life of drugs, while Anna with her broken body goes on to become a successful executive.
2. Heather learns to love herself from a friend who is not really there.
3. Guy with the most crippled body of all has the greatest impact on the others.
4. Ethan with his many limitations becomes as valuable a teacher as their impressive Mr. Guth.
5. Maddie finds grace but swears like a sailor.
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Sharon’s Counterexamples
What I learned doing this assignment is… that it’s easy to think you’ve got it when there’s quite a weak version of a possibility. Better to be obvious and straightforward at this stage, I think – and then elaborate when writing the script. So many examples available! Even with a contained script!
5 Question Challenges to an Old Way
– Old Way
o Challenge
– She thinks with her head only
o She’s asked to ‘go with the flow’ when she is forced to investigate the opportunity of the crypt in the first place
– She thinks with her head, and that everyone is against her
o Assumes that everyone is against her – but this is a new setup seemingly built just for her. (Why? Who? Etc. – but the point is that she’s being challenged again to trust and go with the flow.)
– She’s suspicious about everything that’s happening
o Silver Cannisters – has to trust they’re there for a reason – and further, trust to use them
– She doesn’t believe she can do it, she’s not committed
o Her doubt of achievement completely comes into question when Beta appears in front of her
– She has the vision, but no commitment
o Beta must challenge Alpha against making the time machine in the first place
– Alpha and Beta want to STOP the time machine from being made – still thinking with their head
o Kappa must challenge Alpha and Beta to continue making it so that she can save her family and change history
– Alpha, Beta and Kappa are still resisting claiming their destiny
o Omega must challenge Alpha, Beta and Kappa so that she can save the world – her destiny gets bigger and bigger
– Kappa still doesn’t believe her invention will manifest
o Kappa sees Beta arrive – a real challenge to her old ways! Her stuff actually works! But not yet – a real vision of the future…! She manifested it.
– Stick to what you know, in your head. Don’t trust your intuition
o The lightbulbs – keeps screwing them in. Why not manufacture one that doesn’t explode?! A new way. JFDI – seize and claim it. Don’t just think about it. DO IT. Why am I waiting?!
– Faffing and indecision
o Omega’s matter-of-fact JFDI when she throws Alpha back – contrary to Alpha’s faffing and indecision
– Kappa still believes the path of time can be changed with decisions – Kappa’s asking whether Omega knows the future – still not convinced that it’s pre-defined
o Omega knows the future – even she doesn’t want to believe until the last minute
– Kappa continues in the old way (job, thinking, activities, approach)
o A job request/ email asks Kappa whether she wants to entertain/ do the old way – which she finally refuses
5 Counterexamples to an Old Way
– Scattergun approach
o Clear step-by-step instructions as opposed to a scattergun approach
– Faffing, maverick approach
o When Omega introduces clear and calmness and assuredness as opposed to Alpha’s ways, and then Beta has already learned some stuff, too
– Alpha tries anything and everything
o Beta, who questions her maverick approach, and focuses her down to the task at hand because that’s what she’s doing – she has a clear plan for what she needs to achieve
– Alpha only thinks with her head, needs evidence
o Beta shows Alpha how she trusts her instincts more
o Kappa showing Beta further how she trusts her instincts more
o Omega showing Kappa how she trusts her instincts more – but knows that there’s a bigger purpose that drives it all
– Useless at combat, not planned for any of this
o Kappa who’s learned some martial arts – To beat Beta and Alpha – but doesn’t realise she’d have to deal with Omega too
– Almost giving up when the key doesn’t work
o The key to get in – she almost gives up first time, whereas when she’s Kappa, she breaks in. Intensity and intention is there.
– Alpha is not too bothered about the plan – she’ll get there in the end, maybe
o Kappa super-focused on her plan – keeps Alpha focused through leaving the watch etc.
– Alpha faffing and indecision
o Omega’s matter-of-fact JFDI when she throws Alpha back – contrary to Alpha’s faffing and indecision
– Alpha is truthful, trusts everyone
o Omega uses manipulation and lying to get what she needs – Alpha doesn’t. Beta’s starting to, and Kappa more so. JFDI and focus.
– Flapping, chaotic
o Omega is calm, all-knowing, sure. Whereas Alpha, Beta and Kappa are flapping.
– Reacting to the situation
o Omega pre-preps with the knife and other items – Alpha reacts to the situation etc.
– Not a clue about anything
o Omega knows exactly where the Cone is
– Alpha is a picture of innocence
o Omega lies to ensure Kappa does what she needs
– Alpha hasn’t got a plan, nor a real end-game
o Omega is carrying out the plan to the nth degree – including killing Gamma/ Kappa’s family
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Ray’s Counterexamples
What I learned doing this assignment is
5 Question Challenges to old ways
1. Why should I try trust you?
2. Why shouldn’t I trust the boy?
3. What makes the dolls so good?
4. Why are the dolls trying to help us?
5. WHy do we continue to fail?
5 Counterexamples to old ways
1. The boy is always getting into trouble.
2. The boy does things trying to prevent Eve from starting her business.
3. God requires Eve to study the Bible first and not think about the business.
4. Eve adopts a child even though she doesn’t get along with children.
5. Starting a business on her own.
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ASSIGNMENT 10
Susan McClary’s Counterexamples
What I learned doing this assignment:
That the questioning dialogue or actions can easily lead into counterexamples.Brainstorm at least 5 Question challenged and 5 Counterexamples you can put in your screenplay.
Go through your story outline or script and brainstorm the following:
5 Question Challenges to an Old Way.
1) Brother to GG: Why don’t you ever stick up for yourself?
2) X-Girfriend in bedtime remembering/flashback screaming at GG to get out of his own home until he can behave like a “human being.”
3) X-girlfriend is unbearable impatient with GG as he tries to form responses to her attacks.
4) Nosy neighbor comes and asks GG if he is housesitting or something? (also irony with the pets)
5) All Pets but one dump their food bowls on the floor and refuse to eat.
6) Brother calls and demands an answer to the pet store expenses on the credit card.5 Counterexamples to an Old Way.
1) Brother dumps huge task of taking care of his menagie of Pets on GG right expecting him not to say no and stick up for himself.
2) GG behaving like a human being even though X is a crazy freak.
3) GG’s actual grace and patience are a counterexample to his X’s attacks.
4) GG gets sarcastic with “Safflower” and asks her if her folks were hippies? Slightly defending himself in a way she cannot even fathom.
5) GG goes and buys new healthier food for each of them.
6) GG explains the food situation plainly and clearly. -
Gordon’s Counterexamples
What I learned: How to question (i.e., challenge) and how to create counterexamples to old ways.
Screenplay: TMS (abbreviated title)
Questions that Challenge Jess’s Old Ways
1. Jess, who is far from family for his job, is an extramarital affair while away. He’s asked by Augie, who is just getting to know Jess and doesn’t yet know, “Does your wife ever come here?” To which, Jess reminisces (flashback) of a recent moment in bed with his lover, before he replies.
2. Augie’s very next question:
Augie looks toward Jess, reads his discomfort.
AUGIE
So, why you here?
Jess glimpses out the windscreen.
3. Much later in the story Augie finally presses for answers:
AUGIE
You never finished tellin’ me. What really brings you here. Doin’ this risky business. Away from family.
(focuses)
What makes you tick man?
4. After Jess confesses his sins to Augie, Augie asks, “What now?” Referring to Jess’s future which causes Jess to consider and, for the first time, respond honestly.
5. The final question which is an in-the-face ultimatum, causing Jess to pause and ponder deeply, in which direction is he headed. Home? Or back to the war? Either way, there may be no turning back. That question comes from his lover who, at this point is completely unselfish:
GRETA
(interrupts, to Jess)
I won’t stop you. But if you so much as touch these guns you will be a wanted man.
She has Jess’s full attention.
GRETA
That means you could never return home. Do you understand this?
Counterexamples to an Old Way
1. Experience: Although Jess intentionally stays afar from family and home, the one thing he does regularly is to send letters with photos to his sister, who is his closest family for the time being, and she is back home in the states, close to his wife, close to his own family. In this way, when staying afar from home, he nonetheless stays in touch regularly with family, his sister, while avoiding apologies to his wife and chldren.
2. Experience: Jess’s act of writing a message to his son whom he’s never met, in the cockpit of the plane he flies. This message is Jess’s direct method of communicating with those from whom he’s chosen to stay afar, but with a message that could likely survive his own demise should he not survive the next mission.
3. Experience: One eve, when weather doesn’t permit flying, Jess is discovered playing the piano in the rec center. We see here that he’s a highly skilled concert pianist and he is reliving his past. We see how, through music, he meets his wife. He is reexperiencing or reliving in the present that which he misses while staying afar from family.
4. Experience: His part in running guns and munitions hidden within the humanitarian goods they deliver to the side they support. This gun running is Jess’s contradictory metaphor of sorts, his personal disgust over Britain’s secret munitions and armament shipments to the enemy. Like how Britain’s P.M. lies about not supporting their side, Jess is doing the same thing but against the side that Britain supports, while hiding it all from his former employer (the CIA) and from the Church and Father Tony whom he promised he would never run guns.
5. Character: Jess’s sister, Marion. She is family with whom Jess stays in regular contact. She represents the antithesis to his staying afar from family.
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