Character breakdown

Set at a fictional university, all the characters reside in a fraternity sponsored house within the confines of university grounds. All the characters are an attempt to break stereotypes, and come from regularly viewed backgrounds found in American society. Marcus Pullman Senior, African-American middle-class from New York. Marcus Pullman is not a star athlete, or the campus drug dealer. He is as about as average as they come, with a good GPA, an interest in football and baseball, but an even stronger interest in environmental issues and obtaining a degree in political science. He is one of many American families from the middle-income band, with a father who is a NY firefighter and a mother who works as a legal assistant at a law firm. Marcus is part of a small statistic, an alarming statistic of overall African-American males in universities in America. According to an article in 2004, â€Å"today, black men make up 41 percent of the inmates in federal state, and local prison, but black men are only 4 percent of all students in American institutions of higher education† (Maxwell). It has to be said, however, that circumstance is everything, and whilst Marcus is part of a 4% statistic, he is also one of   â€Å"17% of blacks age 25 and older who had a bachelor’s degree or more in 2005† (US Census, 2007). Marcus has been in the fraternity since his Freshman year and is seen as a figurehead of the house. Simon Li American-Asian, Freshman, music student from Louisiana. It isn’t unusual for there to be a diverse ethnicity in fraternities, but it is also been cited as something as irregular. According to some fraternity members, this comes down to simply just a matter of comfort. â€Å"Minorities don't rush because they are intimidated by the stereotypically white Greek system,† Ngan said. On the other hand, â€Å"a lot of minorities do rush, they are just more comfortable hanging out with people of the same ethnic background.†(Brubaker, 2000). Simon Li is a ‘Rushee’ and a freshman music student from Louisiana. He is a second generation American-Asian, with roots in China. According to the census bureau, Louisiana has a registered American-Asian population of 1.4% (2005) with 2.5% of firms owned by Asians in the state. Simon Li’s parents own and operate a chain of successful auto-part stores – and nothing related to restaurants or grocery stores, as is often the stereotype. Having grown-up in Louisiana, Simon has a soft spot for anything Cajun, as well as an interest in music – from country to bluegrass. His predominant interests do not lie with traditions, but with incorporating grassroot sounds with techno, or club music. Dermot â€Å"Ozzie† Sullivan Australian, Sophomore, medical student. International students continue to make-up a large percentage of undergraduates at American universities. According to Hahn-Koenig, within Philadelphia, â€Å"more than 11,000 are enrolled in the city alone, with thousands more studying elsewhere in Pennsylvania† (2007). Whilst the Australian university system is considerably good, Dermot has come to America to broaden his horizons. His family is part of the wealthy upper-class in Australia, which avails him the high tuition fees and ability to apply for a student visa. Despite Australia being a part of the Visa Waiver Program, Dermot would have had to apply for a F-1 visa in order to study in America (State Dept, 2007). Dermot is an easy-going guy who is hard-working but also knows how to enjoy life. He appears to be a well-liked sort on-campus. Victor Henson Sophomore, member of a neo-nazi group. The antagonist of the characters. Victor is a Caucasian American from a poor background in middle America. He has not known his father, and his mother continues to struggle to make ends meet and keeping a family. His family are like many who should have seen better times after Clinton’s welfare reforms, but still suffer from poverty conditions. The Anti-Defamation League have cited a 12% decline in anti-Semitic activities, in recent surveys, however â€Å"it is disturbing that there are still an average of about four anti-Semitic attacks per day in America† (ADL, 2007). Victor indulges in many on-campus parties, and unsurprising is his overindulgence in alcohol. He is the student who is trying to fit in, and is a â€Å"Rushee† of the fraternity. SCRIPT Scene: Outside the campus library. It is a noticeably Fall day, and overcast. Marcus (leaving the library): Hey, Ozzie! How’s it going? Ozzie (seated on the stairs of the library): Gudday, Marcus. Yeah, s’alright, I reckon. Weather’s a bit foul, eh? Marcus (looks up briefly, smiles): Definitely going to rain. Hey, you seen that new rushee? Uh, Victor I think his name is. Ozzie: Yeah, yeah, I have. Saw him last night. Was hammered something nasty, I tell ya. Looked real green in the bushes (laughs) Marcus: Drunk? Ozzie: Aw, totally smashed, mate. Marcus: Hm, well Freshman, I suppose. But, listen, you think you can have a talk with him? See what he wants from joining a fraternity, and if he’d fit in. (slaps Ozzie on the arm with a book) Be a spy, eh? Ozzie: Yeah, yeah. Sure. Check ya later, eh? Marcus and Ozzie part ways. Scene change: Ozzie is in the frat house with Simon, who is ‘plugged in’ to a laptop and appears to be listening to music. Ozzie throws a screwed up paper ball at him. Simon (loudly): What? Ozzie demonstrates to remove the earphones, and Simon does. Simon (normal volume): What? Ozzie: Ya seen that new kid? Victor? Simon: Yeah, he was looking a little rough in the kitchen. Told him to clean the dishes for us. Ozzie: Smooth move, mate, smooth move. Hey, what ya think of him? Simon: Meh, he’s okay, I guess. He doesn’t say much to me. Ozzie: Hm, fair enough. I’ll go talk to him. Marcus wants the scoop on him, see if he’ll fit. Simon nods and plugs back into his laptop. Ozzie goes to the kitchen where Victor is struggling in removing a pair of rubber gloves from his hands. Ozzie: Hey mate, lemme give ya a hand. Hah – get it. Victor: Yeah, I got it. Ozzie: Jeez, no humor, eh? Victor: Sorry, still hungover a bit.. and†¦ (voice trails off) Ozzie: What’s up? Feelin’ a bit crock still? Victor: Huh? Ozzie: Ill. The hangover†¦ Victor: Nah, not the hangover. Just†¦ hey, I can talk to you right, yeah? Ozzie: Sure, mate. We’re all brothers. Or, well.. you â€Å"might† be, eh? (smiles) Victor: Yeah, I guess.. well.. I don’t know. Seems really†¦ well†¦ Ozzie: What? Victor: Well, why are they in charge here? Ozzie: Who ya mean? The seniors? Victor: Nah.. well yeah.. but†¦ nevermind. Ozzie: Something bothering you, you know you can tell me. Or Marcus even, mate. Victor (sneers): I don’t think so. Ozzie: What? Marcus? Nah, he’s cool, mate. Don’t need to worry about him. He’s a good egg. Victor: Egg? Rotten, more like. His sort are nothing but trouble. Ozzie: His sort? What Greenpeace Al Gore types? (laughs) Victor: No†¦ his â€Å"sort†. Ozzie: Don’t get you mate†¦ you mean New Yorkers? Victor (laughs): Yeah†¦ New Yorkers. Whatever. Victor leaves, sees Simon still plugged in and shakes his head. Ozzie looks perplexed and follows Victor out of the house. Ozzie: Wait up. So, I don’t get what you meant in there. Victor: You want me say, for real? Ozzie: Yeah, mate. For real. Victor: I don’t trust Marcus. His type are nothing but trouble, they take advantage of everything. Ozzie: Wait, wait.. his type? What’s his type? Victor: Black, man. I got to spell it out, or what? You fucking blind? Blacks are nothing but trouble. Ozzie: Woah.. woah†¦ you can’t be serious†¦ Victor: Yeah†¦ well maybe I am. He’s always getting up in my business. Ozzie: Well you are trying to join the fraternity†¦ Victor: Yeah, well screw it. I don’t want to be a black man’s brother, ya know. Ozzie: Jesus†¦ well.. yeah, I don’t think I want you around either†¦ Marcus walks up to them outside the house. Victor falls silent but stares at Marcus. Ozzie is stunned, but looks serious. Marcus notices the uneasiness quickly. Marcus: Everything alright? Victor (snorts): Yeah, man. Victor walks away, and Marcus looks at Ozzie questioningly. Marcus: Ozzie? What happened? Ozzie: I dunno mate†¦ I really dunno†¦. References _. Lousiana State Quick Facts. Census Bureau. (available from: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22000.html ) _. New York City, Black History Month, 2007. Census Bureau Press Release, February, 2007. (available from: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/007862.html ) _. Anti-Semitic Incidents in US. Press Release. Anti-Defamation League, 2007. (available: http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASUS_12/4993-12.htm ) _ . Student Visas. US State Department, Bureau of Consular Affairs. (Available from: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html ) Brubaker, C. â€Å"Greek system concerned with diversity† The Cavalier Daily, April 5, 2000. (available: http://www.cavalierdaily.com/CVArticle.asp?ID=3898&pid=564 ) Hahn-Koenig, A. â€Å"Coming to America.† OneBigCampus.com 2007 (available: http://www.onebigcampus.com/article_comingtoamerica.htm ) Maxwell, B. â€Å"On campus, grim statistics for African-American men.† St. Petersburg Times, January 4, 2004. (available from: