This week I finished reading the play The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail. It was such a good book, and I really enjoyed the ending. Anyway, as I read this play, I found a few examples of irony in it. One would be that Sam Staples, a tax collector, tells Henry his taxes must be paid, and then says that he will pay the taxes for him. I think it’s ironic how his job is to make sure everyone pays their taxes, yet he is willing to let Henry not pay his taxes, and just pay Henry’s taxes for him. Also, a similar example of irony is shown he was put in jail because he didn’t pay his taxes, but even after they got paid by his Aunt, he didn’t want to leave jail, because it would mean that his taxes were paid, and he didn’t want them to be. Finally, when Sam told Henry that because his taxes had been paid there was no charge against him and he shouldn’t be in jail, it was very ironic. This is because Bailey has been waiting in jail for three months without a real charge against him yet(since he hasn’t had a trial yet), and Sam is completely fine with it. This is why I’m very glad that a promise was made that if Henry left jail, Bailey would get his trial immediately.
Next, the three most important characters in this play would probably be Henry, Waldo, and John. A present day actor who I think would play Henry well is Daniel Day-Lewis. I think Henry looks a lot like Abraham Lincoln, and Day-Lewis looked a lot like him too when he played Lincoln in a movie. Also, Henry is a thoughtful, somewhat serious person. Judging by his acting in Lincoln, Day-Lewis is very good at playing this type of person. As for Waldo, I believe that Russell Crowe would do a good job being him. This is because he’s an actor who usually plays an important role in a serious movie. Most of his characters are smart and serious, and he never does comedies. Waldo seems very serious, and is a wise person who is good with words, so I think it would work well for Crowe to play him. Finally, John, Henry’s brother, is another important character. John seems to share similar views with Henry, just less extreme views. Also, John is funny, and seems like a fun person to be with who really cared about Henry. This one was harder, but if I had to pick an actor to play John, I think it would be Robert Downey Jr. This is because like John, Robert seems like a funny, easy to get along with kind of person.
Next, the three most important characters in this play would probably be Henry, Waldo, and John. A present day actor who I think would play Henry well is Daniel Day-Lewis. I think Henry looks a lot like Abraham Lincoln, and Day-Lewis looked a lot like him too when he played Lincoln in a movie. Also, Henry is a thoughtful, somewhat serious person. Judging by his acting in Lincoln, Day-Lewis is very good at playing this type of person. As for Waldo, I believe that Russell Crowe would do a good job being him. This is because he’s an actor who usually plays an important role in a serious movie. Most of his characters are smart and serious, and he never does comedies. Waldo seems very serious, and is a wise person who is good with words, so I think it would work well for Crowe to play him. Finally, John, Henry’s brother, is another important character. John seems to share similar views with Henry, just less extreme views. Also, John is funny, and seems like a fun person to be with who really cared about Henry. This one was harder, but if I had to pick an actor to play John, I think it would be Robert Downey Jr. This is because like John, Robert seems like a funny, easy to get along with kind of person.
So, after reading this play, an important question to consider is whether or not Thoreau ended up being successful in his protests against the war. I would say yes, even though his tax ended up being paid by Henry’s aunt. I’m saying yes to this question because Henry still proved his point that he personally will not pay taxes to support a war he didn’t believe in. This showed he was dedicated to what he believed in and was willing to stand up for his beliefs. Yes, Henry may not have influenced people to end the Mexican War by doing what he did, but he didn’t give up on his protests, so he was still successful.
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