Persistence - A Short Play

PERSISTENCE SPEECH

NARRATOR: Afternoon, folks, and welcome to the 20^th episode of Growing Your Growth Mindset. Recap on last week. Can someone in our wonderful audience tell us what we looked at last week?

AUDIENCE: Last week, we discussed how failing is just a part of life, how if you’re too cautious then you’re not living life or learning from life. If you are too cautious and you do not fail at anything, then you automatically fail anyway. Failing at something is not failing... it is learning. Learning is all about having a growth mindset. Having a growth mindset is about acknowledging the fact that intelligence can be improved.

NARRATOR: Excellent! Great job! Tonight, we have brought five famous figures that have changed the face of our world into our show. They’re going to be telling us about their lives and how persistence fitted into their amazing achievements. May I introduce... Albert Einstein, the smartest man in history... Dr Theodor Seuss, one of the most celebrated poets ever... Thomas Edison, the creator of the light bulb and... J.K. Rowling, the author of the much celebrated Harry Potter books.

All famous people wave from their seat.

AUDIENCE: clearly expresses their excitement.

NARRATOR: But first, we have one of the most celebrated creators of movie films in the world, possibly the most. He was a man with the imagination the size of an elephant. Walt Disney used persistence in his life countless times. Didn’t you, Mr Disney?

WALT DISNEY: Oh, yes, I used a lot of persistence. I mean, you have to, if you want to achieve something great! I experienced bankruptcy, which means I lost most of my money, after I made several attempts to start a business. How embarrassing! I even got fired from a newspaper for not being imaginative enough! I mean, honestly! I am the key figure in children’s imagination these days! You’d think they’d show a little more respect! Anyway, I kept on using persistence, opening doors to amazing opportunities. Eventually I became the famous Walt Disney, creator of Disney Pictures. It was all thanks to persistence.

NARRATOR: Thank you for that incredible insight into your persisting life, Mr Disney.

WALT DISNEY: My absolute pleasure. Remember, all our dreams come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. If you can dream it, you can do it.

NARRATOR: Thank you, Mr Disney. Moving on, now. This man changed the face of modern physics. He is regarded the smartest man in history. Please welcome Mr Albert Einstein.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Thank you, Mr/Miss (Narrator). Yes, it’s true. I am Albert Einstein and it took A LOT of persistence to get to where I am standing today. I was born in a middle-class Jewish family. I was thought to be mentally disadvantaged at school, as my brain was far more advanced in the time I was living in. In other words, people thought I was silly and dumb, because my theories were too complex for them to understand. Then, I won the Nobel prize and changed the face of modern physics, so...

NARRATOR: Thank you for joining us with your brilliant brain, Mr Einstein.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Thank you for having me. I am not smart... I just stay with problems longer.

NARRATOR: Thank you. Our next guest is the author of the Lorax and Green Eggs and Ham. Kids love this guy! Please welcome Dr Theodor Seuss!

DR SEUSS: Thank you. I am so pleased to be here! Anyway, moving on. I used a lot of persistence to bring joy to everyone throughout poetry. My first book was rejected by 27 publishers until it was published. But, I did not give up! I kept on trying until I found someone who liked my book.

NARRATOR: Thank you, Dr Seuss. I hope to find more people with your incredible imagination!

DR SEUSS: And will you succeed? Yes, indeed! Yes, indeed! Don’t give up! I believe in you all! A person’s a person, no matter how small!

NARRATOR: Thank you for your inspiring words of wisdom! This next man created the light bulb. It literally changed the face of our Earth. It separates the Third World from the Second World. It has reduced the crime rates in the city. Please welcome Thomas Edison.

THOMAS EDISON: Thank you oh so very much. So, let’s see. Persistence. Ah, yes. Rather lacking in the time I was alive in. Yes, persistence really helped me find out a prototype for the light bulb that actually worked! I have never failed. I have only found 1 000 ways that do not work.

NARRATOR: Thank you, Mr Edison. May people follow in your footsteps.

THOMAS EDISON: Remember, many of life’s failures are people who were close to success and gave up. Never, ever, ever give up!

NARRATOR: Thank you, Mr Edison. Last but definitely not least, we have the author of the Harry Potter books, one of the most celebrated books of all time. Her story starts as a severely depressed, broke single mum. Please welcome, Joanne K. Rowling!

J.K.ROWLING: Thank you, (NARRATOR). As you stated before, I did start out as a single mum, broke and really sad in rainy England. I took persistence to the next level. You would not get to where I am standing here today, as one of the richest women on Earth, without a lot of persistence. I wrote the Sorcerer’s stone, the first book in the series, in a café shop! I persisted to keep on writing the other books until I had completed the whole story of Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived. In the words of T.F. Hodge, the sky is not the limit... I am.

NARRATOR: Thank you, Joanne.

J.K.ROWLING: Remember, it is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well have not lived at all, in which case, you fail by default.

NARRATOR: Thank you, Ms Rowling. Well, folks, if there’s one thing you picked up from today’s episode, it’s that, without a whole lot of persistence, you will not get anywhere in your journey towards success! Strong hope is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle in which you get there. If you want to be successful like our stars on the stage, be persistent and don’t dwell on the failures and mistakes you have made. In the words of Barack Obama, if you run, you stand a chance of losing, but if you don’t run, you’ve already lost. Thank you, folks! I’ll see you next week!

AUDIENCE: clap enthusiastically.

The Quest for Topaz Lake

My jewel-encrusted short sword slid out of its jet black scabbard, silver blade as sharp as the sharpest knife, glinting in the warm sunlight. I clashed my sword down as hard as I could against Lethe’s ferociously sharp scimitar. Unfortunately, Lethe didn't have much skill with a sword, so I beat her easily. “Yield, thy villain,” I exclaimed. Lethe groaned in frustration at my horrible sense of humour. I grinned mischievously and helped her to her feet.

“Where to next,” Lethe asked in a sluggish voice. My grin instantly faded and I took out The Map of Topaz Lake. Curse this troublesome map. We had trudged up steep hills, scaled rock-ribbed mountains and swam through cerulean, wide rivers!

I scanned the rough, thick parchment, and my eyes caught on the final destination that I had waited for.

“Finally!”

Lethe jumped and landed on the ground, looking surprised at my sudden outburst.

“Get up! Topaz Lake is 6 kilometres away!”

We plundered through verdant hills, shivering with excitement. After five kilometres, the verdant landscape transformed into hard, rocky ground with topaz veins threaded through them. We must be close.

Our footsteps echoing, we clambered through the vast mountainside, squinting into the blue haze that surrounded the mountainside with a hazy mist.

We drew closer to a colossal mountain, which stretched as high as the blue sky.

“This could take a while,” I announced, staring up at the humongous mountain towering imperiously over me. But, Lethe was already an eighth of the way through, with her nimble physique. I sighed and started half-walking, half-scaling up the massive mountain.

In two hours, we scrambled up the few metres of the tall mountain and collapsed on beautiful, level ground. Lethe raised her head ever so slightly and gasped sharply at her beautiful surroundings. Mossy green trees surrounded the huge clearing. The harmonic melody of colourful birds filled the vast clearing with a melodic tune. The rich smell of the wet rainforest drifted out to meet us. But, the most exquisite feature of the peaceful site was the Topaz Lake. Shimmering colours of yellow, pink and blue rippled across the surface of the extraordinary lake.

“It’s beautiful,” Lethe murmured, enhanced by the beauty of it all.

“No one could ever bring harm to a peaceful place like this. Nor could we,” I exclaimed out loud.

“Whatever are you saying?”

“Lethe, for the last few moments, I’ve been wondering. In my view, we must swear to never tell the location of the ’fabled’ Lake of Topaz. We must also burn the map.”

Lethe started to argue, but then saw the sense in my view.

“I swear to never tell the secret of the ‘fabled’ Lake of Topaz,” Lethe announced, half-heartedly.

“Good. I swear to never tell the secret of the ‘fabled’ Lake of Topaz,” I declared strongly.

With that, I took out The Map of Topaz Lake and ripped it into shreds. Lethe could only watch helplessly as I burnt the shreds into ebony ashes.

Hannah Abbott, an empathic girl, finds her way on a once-in-a-lifetime journey. On one of the convict ships of the First Fleet, the Charlotte lurches Hannah into a journey, where she finds an experience which she never would have dreamed of.

An Amazing Experience

 

Areebah Khan

My name is Hannah Abbott. I used to live in Manchester. But, then, it all changed. Mother and  Father started going to sea, and I was left at home. Then, a couple of weeks after this, Mother and Father got an unusual offer for being a ship's surgeon. I knew Father would say 'yes'. I had to leave everything behind; my piano, my French lessons, my nice nanny... and, most of all, my lovely house. I knew that my life was changed. With a sinking feeling, I left my home.

After a very rocky carriage ride, we arrived in London. It stank like a chamber pot! The sky was clogged up with thick black smoke. Beggars and thieves crowded the streets. I looked at them in dismay. I felt horrible, thinking about the terrible fate awaiting them. We arrived at the shoreline. Eleven ships lined the coast, paint peeling off. Only two ships remained in good condition, the chestnut-brown paintwork gleaming in the golden sunshine. I walked towards the handsome ships.

Father stopped me. "Our ship is that one, Hannah," he said, pointing towards one of the stinking ships. I gagged. Mother gave me a soft push, and I started walking towards, what I thought was my end.

For the next couple of weeks, Father, Mother and I lived in harsh conditions; from lying in the unbearable heat to lying on the thin, dirty, ragged mattress in the cold, wet night. Cries and moans clogged up the sky, making me want to go home even more. I shut my eyes tight as the punished convicts cried in pain as they were flogged. Red marks appeared on their pale, white skin. One day, I was so angry at Father for telling me off for wanting to talk to a convict, that I crept into the hull where the convicts stayed! The decaying stench and foul pests made me wrinkle up my nose. I came across a woman as pale as death. Then, I heard a soft sobbing. There, sitting among a nest of rats, was a frail little girl. "What's the matter," I asked in a soft, calm voice. The girl jumped, saw me and gave a soft hiccup. She told me that her mother was dead. I walked up to her and comforted her, despite the nasty rats. I accidentally fell asleep.

A shout and a glint of bright sunlight awoke me. I realised where I was, gave the little girl a hurried "goodbye" and rushed up to deck. The sun rose, and in the distance, I saw a dark silhouette. No, it could not be! "Land Ahoy!"

I was sick of the ocean, of the rocking water. But we had to sail onto Port Jackson! Apparently, Botany Bay was too inhospitable for a settlement, so we were sailing onto Port Jackson, a much better harbour, and it was! Fluffy, white clouds scattered against the periwinkle blue sky. The water was a pure, intense blue. The land flourished with every shade of green. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.

 

The Stolen Generation and its Cruelty

The Stolen Generation was a terrible idea. Innocent children were taken away from their families and put into white home families. They were treated like slaves for the rest of their lives. Their rich culture and language were taken away, just in a blink. The white people, in that time, were enormously reckless.

Aboriginal children were snatched from under their mothers' noses. They were put in to children's home and stayed there, until white families adopt them as their slave. They were devastated because of being taken away by the ones that love them. 

The children were treated like slaves. At the end of the day, they were exhausted and tired. Their hands bled from cooking and cleaning. Their feet wobbled, like jelly, because of the sweeping and they were sunburned by gardening. They were forced to do adult work for all their lives.

Their rich culture and language were taken away from them, faster than the speed of light! they were shouted at if they spoke their language. They were banned from their language.

The strict rules at the childrens' home, were too much for children. The Aboriginal children were enslaved by the white people. I am glad it doesn't happen today.

Alien Stacey finds a Friend

Alien Stacey was an alien. But she didn't live on an alien planet. In fact she lived on Earth! Today is the 1st day at college for Stacey. She was really hoping that she would fit in , due to the fact she was an alien. Oh no! Not at all! From the first moment she set foot on the doormat, (this college was made for teenagers to feel like they were at home) a bully would come up to her and tease her about her antennae or her green skin. It had only been two weeks, and Stacey was well known at the  college, even though there were roughly a thousand teenagers at college. Stacey was starting to feel a lot of home-sickness. Her mother said she will feel warmth, as if she was at home. But Stacey felt like she was in the World of Bullies. She felt She felt like she would never escape this World of Bullies. Would never survive, to see her family again... But one  day, everything changed. Someone new came to college. Her name was Stella. Stacey found out many similarities between herself and Stella. Both of them were shy, both of them got bullied and ( most importantly) they both felt home-sick. One day, Stacey got up all her courage, and asked something she never thought she'd ask to someone at this college. " Of course, I'll be your friend!", exclaimed Stella. "Funny, though. I was about to set off for your  room to ask you to be my friend.", said the half-confused and half-amused Stella. " So it's settled then? Friends?", Stacey asked, forcing her hand up. "Friends.", answered Stella. The next day, Stacey and Stella were in for a big surprise. Stacey woke the next morning at 5:00am sharp, to find that Stella was surrounded by a group of bullies. "Do something, Stacey!", trembled Stella. " Well, well, well.", sneered James, the leader of the bullies. " Miss Stacey's friends with Miss Stella. Perfect match, eh?", he asked his gang of bullies. This was the perfect thing that Stacey wanted. She took a step forward and started speaking in a strong and brave, loud and clear voice. Everybody could hear her, absolutely clearly. " Bullying is not a good thing. How would you feel if somebody bullied you? It's not about the look on the outside. It's more about the look in the inside. Make friends by communicating with each other.", finished Stacey. From then on, no bullying went on at that college. What a happy ending!!!!

                   

Chopping down trees should be banned!!!!

You shouldn’t cut down trees for many reasons. Trees give us oxygen to breathe and air that crashes and sways onto our skin. Trees give us the freshest and juiciest fruits in the whole world. You DEFINETILY must not chop down trees.

Trees give us very special oxygen that we breathe in and out and the oxygen keeps on coming! Did you know that trees take the bad air away and use it for their food and to use it for the oxygen? We will never run out of oxygen if trees stay!

Trees give us smooth, fresh, juicy, luscious fruit that we munch and crunch down in seconds. Trees produce fruit in just hours. Trees produce scrumptious fruit that we just can’t delay. You could make anything with fruit. You could make an apple snake!

Can’t you see we need trees? Without oxygen, air and fruit we wouldn’t be here. So, help me convince everyone to stop cutting down trees. I love trees and I hope you do, too!!!! Trees are very helpful!!!!