Summary

Scene 11 (p.59-63)

Vivian teaches a class full of students. She asks a student a question he cannot answer, and she berates him either to come prepared or leave the class and the university. Vivian points out to the audience she was not gentle and understanding of his youth and ignorance. She then defends herself by saying she taught him a lesson. Another student asks why Donne makes everything so complicated. Vivian ponders. The student proposes her own answer: “I think he’s hiding. I think he’s really confused, I don’t know, maybe he’s scared, so he hides behind all this complicated stuff, hides behind this wit.” The student goes on and Vivian is curious to see if she will push through to great insight. The student loses her way trying to follow her line of thinking.

Vivian advises the...