Henry’s Law
Stacie Lents
JASON
Your phone works.
I’ve been texting you.
I texted you fifteen times during Algebra; I texted you twenty-six times during French; I
texted you thirty-two times during wrestling and now Coach is threatening to pull me
from the match tomorrow after I stopped eating for three days to make weight. I’m
friggin’ starving.
I was WORRIED, Sara! I couldn’t find you during study period. I looked everywhere.
You think you’re so friggin’ smart all of a sudden, Sara. Ignoring me every time I wanna
hang out, like everyone’s gonna stop breathing tomorrow if you don’t memorize the
goddamn formula for air. But you know what, Sara? Most people at this school don’t give
a crap about H2O unless they’re skinny-dipping in it. And guess what? You’re most
people. I mean I can’t believe I bought all that bull about you and Mad Max going around
talking about gravity this and pressure that. What a load of crap.
You want pressure? I’ll give you pressure.
Max was right. You are just a tease.
Analysis: Henry’s Law
Type: Dramatic
Synopsis
Max and Annie are siblings. Max, about seventeen years old, is the older brother. He’s far
from cool. In fact, he’s kind of a science nerd. He conducts experiments in his bedroom.
Annie, fifteen years old and a freshman, wants to be popular and isn’t exactly proud about
Copyright © 2015. Applause Books. All rights reserved.
living in her older brother’s geeky shadow. In the first scene, we learn that Max is preparing
to tutor Sara Culverson, a popular kid and the girlfriend of Jason Swarthmore. Annie, who
has been trying to teach him how to flirt, tells him that flirting is in fact useless with Sara
because she’s out of his league.
The first tutoring session takes place in Sara’s bedroom, and it’s awkward. Max
misidentifies an Usher poster as Justin Bieber and is just generally awkward. But the two
finally find some common ground and get to work.
Mercanti, J. V. (2015). In performance : Contemporary monologues for teens. Applause Books.
Created from cpcc-ebooks on 2023-08-29 16:55:59.
Sara comes to Max’s house for another study session. After Annie does a lengthy photo
shoot with Sara for her Facebook page, Max and Annie get to talking. Sara finds herself
attracted to Max and kisses him. Annie walks in and sees this. The next day at school, Annie
finds Jason and tells him she saw Sara kissing another boy. Jason loses it.
An online viral smear campaign against Max, falsely outing him as a homosexual, begins. It
seems like Jason is the one behind it. Annie is most worried about how the scandal will affect
her.
Max stops returning Sara’s calls and even stops going to school. Max kills himself. He
purchases arsenic online and takes it. Jason is ostracized at school. Everyone blames him for
Max’s suicide. When he goes to Sara for comfort, she admits that she was the one who
started the online rumors because Max wouldn’t respond to her advances.
Character Description
Jason Swarthmore, 17–18 years old
Jason is a somewhat intense guy. He favors a casual outfit of T-shirt, jeans, and a baseball
cap. When he hangs out in Sara’s room he’ll send her text messages to get her attention. He’ll
even call her from another room for her help to find something in the kitchen. He gets upset
when Sara corrects his use of language: he says “anterior” instead of “ulterior” in a sentence.
Jason drinks Sara’s dad’s beers from the fridge. Jason refers to Max as “Mad Max” and even
as a “little faggot.” He manipulates Sara, emotionally and physically, into not doing her
homework.
Given Circumstances
Who are they? Sara and Jason have been a couple for a while now.
Where are they? Outside Clearview High School.
When does this take place? The present.
Why are they there? Jason has been standing there waiting for her.
Copyright © 2015. Applause Books. All rights reserved.
What is the pre-beat? Jason has walked right up to Sara, who didn’t see him because she
was texting.
Questions
1. Can you state your objective in a simple, specific, and active way?
2. Whom are you talking to? Be specific and have a clear image.
3. Can you think of three adjectives to describe your character?
Mercanti, J. V. (2015). In performance : Contemporary monologues for teens. Applause Books.
Created from cpcc-ebooks on 2023-08-29 16:55:59.
4. How long have you and Sara been a couple?
5. What does she look like?
6. Are you in love with her?
7. Have you ever cheated on her?
8. Annie told you Max kissed Sara. How did that information hit you?
9. What does Max look like?
10. Max is a nerd. Have you ever had a conversation with him?
11. How many texts have you sent Sara?
12. When did you start texting?
13. How long have you been waiting outside for her?
14. Can you look at Sara without imagining Max’s lips on hers?
15. What could she say to you right now to make things better?
Copyright © 2015. Applause Books. All rights reserved.
Mercanti, J. V. (2015). In performance : Contemporary monologues for teens. Applause Books.
Created from cpcc-ebooks on 2023-08-29 16:55:59.
