Assess the relevance of Pages 58 – 63 in the History Boys to the rest of the play

When we meet Irwin again at the beginning of Act both he is a man flat well into his forties and has moved on from teaching history in a school to filming a idiot box history programme on location. We learn that he is five years older and yet there is a certain irony in the fact that he still recites the same mantra that he used with the history boys when called in to prep be them for Oxbridge entryIf you want to learn about Stalin study atomic number 1 VIII.If you want to learn about Mrs Thatcher study Henry VIIIIf you want to k at present about Hollywood study Henry VIIIIt was all history. It seems that although older and now in a wheelchair his basic attitude and approach have changed little. He is now a personality presenting a programme upon Rievaulx Abbey and life in monastic orders which he brings down to the level of toilet arrangements stating that he believes this to be the way to bring history to life and the Director reflects upon how he sounds a tad schoolmasterly.Ir win, for all his changed position, having been transported from a life in the classroom to in front of a television camera, is still focussed upon geting things from an unusual perspective and using language to effectuate as when he reflects upon the different materials cosmos used in place of toilet paper, in effect saying that it is these artefacts which people now muster to view saying of them, there is an increment in excrement, so sanitised by the years and sanitised too so he introduces a none of humour. Indeed he says of what he sees as modern day pilgrims. We are differently credulous and our cults are not the same but saner, wiser, more rationalHe stumbles as if deeply absorbed in reflection of how peoples attitudes have changed, yet he can use the same approach. We see that Irwins approach to teaching and to history has not really changed from that which he expressed when first called in to prepare the boys for Oxbridge entry, For Irwin history is not a matter of conv iction and he encourages the boys to be dispassionate and so distance themselves. It was perhaps evident from Irwins first conflict with the boys that he was prepared to advocate whatever was required in order to gain the described objective. Irwin, the television presenter, has retained this belief in looking at these aspects of history which offer a more controversial approach to the subject. Initially describing the boys work as horribly dull he recognised to be successful they had to attract attention by using unorthodox methods. His dictum, which was evident as a teacher, was evident when he said,The defective end of the stick is the right one. A question has a front door and a back door. Go in the back or let out still the side.Read also History QuizzesTo shock or surprise was his intent. He then proceeded to express his opinion that history was a performance, For Irwin, unlike Hector, entry was everything and he has interest in moral truth viewing things as being enterta inment, so the first glimpse of Irwin the television presenter was evident level as a teacher. When referring to Stalin, whilst agreeing that he was a monster, he was still perfectly willing to say something in his defence. Thus, to him, the end justifies the means and he revels in being perverse. Irwin sums up the object of his approach, to the man who turns out to be none other than Posner, by describing it as meretricious and when called upon to define the excogitate he describes it as Eye-catching, showy, false. This last word almost appears as a damning indictment of his whole approach to teaching. When Posner replies by saying, But you were a good teacher Irwin simply says The meretricious often are on television particularly. He then backs this up by reflectin thatThe wheelchair helps of course.Disability brings with it an assumption of sincerity.We see that he was still prepared to use whatever vehicle to give him the edge and curry favour and sympathy. It was a means to an end, a prop but reveals him to be morally shallow.So it is that we are reminded of our initial meeting with Irwin when, still in a wheelchair, he was addressing three or four unidentified mononuclear phagocyte system upon the best way of presenting a bill before Parliament, the cause of which would, if examined, would prove to be very contentious concerned, as it was, with the effective ending of trial by jury in at least half of the cases which come before the courts abolishing with it the assumption of innocence. Sadly Irwins views have become even more morally corrupted, perhaps the person we see before the television camera and addressing MPs is just the logical projection of the teacher who advocated taking a completely opposite or controversial view to attain a desired outcome.It is now just the case that his horizons are greatly expanded and he is able to suppress any moral feelings. He has obviously reached a stage where he is happy to twist debatable aspects to fit in w ith what he wishes to achieve. His views are well illustrated when he says in defence of a law change, Paradox flora well and mists up the windows which is handy We then come to appreciate how Irwin the television presenter views what he does by saying, School. Thats all it is. In my case anyway. Back to school. He really had come to believe that history was a performance. Its entertainment. And if it isnt make it so. Perhaps this last statement is so telling of his willingness to subvert the facts and in so doing taking an logical argument and endeavouring to prove its opposite as he had first done as a teacher who was willing to relegate moral truth for effect.