The Perfect List

-1

Monday, September 15

- Read and summarize Act 2 & 3 of King Lear

- Call car insurance people (ASAP)

- Find the spare house keys.

- Dress for dinner with Andrew

..

"Shakespeare wasn't trying to say that a tragic hero is less of a hero because of his flaws, he's trying to say that tragic heroes develop through tragedy to become a hero just like any other," Mr Collins walks to the end of the platform and crosses his arms, taking the time to look each of us in the eyes.

"The question we must ask ourselves," he carries on, "is whether we will allow ourselves to be changed by that tragedy for the better or for the worse. In the case of King Lear, he realized the change in himself when it was too late."

Mr Collins pauses and stops behind his desk.

"Let us not make that mistake, ladies and gentlemen - Realization is key. Always."

The lecture hall is silent except for the scribbling away of pencils. I grab mine and quickly jot down, "Realization is key - Always." in capital letters on the first page of my notebook.

"But sir, what if we're blinded by something?" a loud, deep voice sounds from far back in the auditorium and everyone turns slightly to find the owner of the voice.

"Do explain," Mr Collins answers, leaning against his desk.

"Realization is universal, right? Because it involves thinking and solving. So it can be placed into any context, correct?" the voice says, confidently.

"Correct," Mr Collins nods.

"So what would it mean in the context of love?" the voice asks.

I look around noticing confused expressions as everyone ponders the question.

"That would depend on your definition of love," Mr Collins replies, he too thinking hard.

"I don't have a definition sir, but I do know it's blind," the voice answers immediately earning a few smirks and smiles.

"It can be. What's your point?" Mr Collins asks.

"My point is that what if one is blinded by love so much so that the realization of the reality of things never occurs and they just continue living in a bubble where they don't really know what's going on."

Mr Collins thinks for a while, his eyebrows furrowed.

"But that's an assumption," I blurt loudly, my worst habit of thinking aloud exposing itself unashamedly.

I feel everyone's eyes turn to face me, as I stay frozen in my seat in the fifth row.

"Explain, Miss-?" Mr Collins looks at me waiting for a reply.

"Miss Karenina," I answer and he nods while a few people snigger at my surname, "The assumption is that love is blind but whether or not a person is blinded by it is their choice. And that's the point, what if that person is choosing to ignore their reality because the realization is what they're afraid of?"

"And why would they be afraid of it?" the voice answers and this time I turn fully around and stretch my neck, spotting the owner of the voice.

The boy sits in the last row, alone, with a pencil in his hand. His hair is swept away from his face forming a tuft. From where I sit, I can't make out the rest of his features.

"They're afraid of it because it means they have to face what they don't want to face, because their reality isn't something they enjoy living in," I say, squinting to see him.