Excitement You Can't Hold In

Class date: Wednesday, Jan. 27th

As of today the students have forced me to restructure my class.

Can you remember the last time you met a friend for lunch, or picked up your child from school, and before you can even say hello they're bursting with exciting news they want to share. Now imagine fifteen such individuals all eager to share with you their thrilling news. Today, that's what I experienced, and I decided I had to adjust the way I conduct class.

As part of the daily ritual, whenever a teacher walks into the classroom, the whole class stands up and remains quiet while they are greeted by the teacher. As soon as I walked in, the excited uproar of comments over last night's reading started. I couldn't help but be swept up in the excitement and break with the ritual to listen, just a bit:

"Mr. Travers! Mr. Travers! It was dramatic!"

"It was disturbing!"

"I was scared!"

"It was sad! Tragic!"

It was all I could do to get everyone under control to greet me appropriately!

So, what was it that made the class so enthralled by last night's reading?

Three of the main characters, whose motivations we've studied in isolation of each other, came clashing together in an intensely dramatic few pages.

Claude Frollo, obsessed with Esmeralda, and jealous of Phoebus, finds out that the gypsy and the captain are to rendez-vous. The priest tracks Phoebus and is able to hide in the room where the lustful captain is to meet the enamored gypsy. (For more on Frollo's obsession, refer to the entry titled "Illustrating a Soul")

This is the first meeting between the two. Esmeralda, wholly in love with Phoebus, wants to be instructed in Phoebus's religion so that they may be married. However, Phoebus dismisses such a notion as nonsense and slinks his arm around her waist. At this point, Andy reminded us of the "opposite" views of love the two of them have. (For more on Phoebus's vs. Esmeralda's attitudes towards love see the entry titled "Opposites Attract?")

Meanwhile, the hidden Frollo, seething with jealousy, tests the point of a dagger against the tip of his finger. Several students, at this point of our discussion, uttered concerned moans.

As Phoebus leans in for the kiss Esmeralda is finally willing to allow, the demonic priest towers over Phoebus, stabs him, and kisses Esmeralda as she faints.

When Esmeralda wakes, she sees Phoebus’ body being carried away and hears, “She’s a witch who just stabbed a captain.” Several students sighed--Phoebus is probably dead, the wicked murderer escaped, and Esmeralda is blamed!

How could I blame the students for bursting with excitement after having reading that chapter? In fact, I'm now reserving a couple of minutes at the beginning of every class to hear their reactions!