Sophistry
By Jonathan Marc ShermanRobin, the college valedictorian, has just found out that not only is her boyfriend Xavier been having an affair with another girl, he sent her flowers. She feels insulted and betrayed, and in this scene, she loses it.
ROBIN:
Where were you? You weren't at dinner. You said we'd talk at dinner. You weren't there.
It's supposed to mean Sharon's mouth is big. It's supposed to mean you shouldn't send tangible items if you don't want to get caught, that's what it's supposed to mean. You gave her flowers. She's telling people you gave her flowers. I mean, enough that you're having an affair with the stupidest person on this campus, but you're sending her things you're not even sending me. I'm not even asking for exclusivity here, I'm asking for equality. She gets flowers, the least you could have done was send me some flowers. Not that anything would have been excused, but do you know how low it makes me feel? Are you aware?
You sent the tramp flowers, Ex. You went into town and gave money to a florist so your little affair could smell flowers. How thoughtful! You should have called me. Perhaps I could have picked out some roses and delivered them for you personally, if I happened to be in the right mood, in the floral spirit, as it were.
I've had enough of this shit. Yes, I know, I asked for it, I do deserve some of it because I tolerated it, I allowed it, I ignored it, but there are limits. You've pulled off some incredible stunts during this relationship, gotten away with some extraordinary garbage, and I want to be the first to congratulate you, you do the scumbag thing extremely well. But I will no longer be a segment of your vicious circle. I don't fit. I can't even look at myself in the mirror, because when I do, all I can see are flowers, somebody else's flowers. You've gotten a lot of mileage on just a few drops of romance very early on. I'm a sucker. But the tank is empty. Enough of this. I can't do it. Enough.
This is Robin's commencement speech - it is a break from the traditional and a rebellion against the university and her time there. She addresses the dismissal of a tenured professor on the word of a student who claims he was sexually molested against his will. She addresses the college's decision to fire the teacher, and the decision to "settle" the case that teacher later decides to bring against the college. "Pomp & Circumstance" plays. Robin enters and stands in front of a microphone.
ROBIN:
When I was a little girl, I was so confident and certain, daydreaming in my suburban Illinois bedroom, all nice and safe and clean and frilly. My parents, who are here right now - wave to the crowd, folks. (Points.) That's them. They used to make me settle fights with my playmates. They'd call them "debates," but don't let that fool you. They were fights.
(Beat) This school's administrators recently paid an enormous sum of money to settle. To keep a former professor from taking them to court to challenge a decision they made. This doesn't feel like a fight, or a debate - not really. This feels like compromise. This feels... very Hollow. What I this supposed to mean to us, as we're about to graduate from this place, with diplomas from an institution that's telling us to settle?
(Beat.) I know that eventually, when understanding runs out, there is a need for judgment, but who is qualified to judge? And who is qualified to judge who is qualified to judge? Who picks the judges? Who decides that it's okay - to settle?
(Beat.) Everybody in my hometown was shocked when I chose this place, but they shouldn't have been. Martha Graham danced here. I used to envision myself - secretly of course - as the heir apparent to Martha Graham. Here was a woman making exotic shapes - her shapes made more powerful statements than all the tainted rhetoric in the air. (Beat.) If I could only dance all of this... (Pause.) But... I can't.
(Beat.) I've tried to find some truth during my time here, some wisdom, beyond food and sleep and sex and showers. What's worth giving to? I don't know. I wish I did...
(Beat.) I suppose settling can also mean coming to some sort of peace, and I do hope we all find some sort of peace in our lives... All of us. Anybody... anybody who's ever been in pain. And whether we settle or... not... remains to be seen.
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