TheHerrendousHarvest

__The Herrendous Harvest__

By: Robert Willoughby, Stephen Kanefsky, Erik Bracken, and Alix Gardner

Setting: //It is a beautiful day in the small farming town of Shareseed, Kansas. Farmer Jim Johansen is raking the ground on his large farm. Jim has the largest farm in all of Shareseed due to his raging success in harvesting produce. It is the first day of the farmer’s market fall sale, and Jim is gathering all of the crops that are ready to be sold.// **Jim:** //(stops raking momentarily, wipes his brow, and looks at the crops)// Crops sure are looking good this year. // Jim puts the produce in a basket, and walks into his house. The audience sees his wife Joy for the first time. Joy is a happy woman who just loves life. Jim’s success provides her with everything she needs, and her attitude is always positive. // **Joy:** Wow, the produce looks great! **Jim:** I know. All of my hard work has paid off this year. I am heading off to the farmer’s market. We should make a mighty profit this fall. **Joy:** Good luck Jim, see you at sundown. // Joy waves goodbye as Jim walks out of the door, on his way to the market. // Scene ends. Setting: //The farmer’s market is already crowded with customers and other farmers. Jim sets up at the largest stand, which is reserved for him. Many farmers are there, and although the audience cannot see them, they see Jim waving and saying hello. Two suspicious farmers are in the background watching Jim. Their names are Samson Slyworth and Garret Greed.// **Samson:** Hey Greed, how are you? **Garret:** I’m alright. It looks like Johansen is too. I fear we are going to lose business because of him again. **Samson:** I know, I cannot stand that guy. He is so happy all of the time, and he is always raking in cash. I wish we could be on top for once. // It has been a few hours now and Johansen has an empty stand, unlike Greed and Slyworth who have only sold a few items. They are packing up to leave. // **Jim:** //(walking over to Greed and Slyworth)// Garret, Samson, how are you? I hadn’t seen you guys all day. Do you need any help? **Garret:** //(with disgust)// No need Jim. Just go on home, we can handle it. **Jim:** All right boys, goodbye. // Jim walks home. He opens the door, and finds Joy running throughout the house frantically. Something is wrong. // **Jim:** Hi Joy, we sure were successful today! **Joy:** //(unconvincingly)// Great, good. **Jim:** Is something the matter? **Joy:** Didn’t you hear the news at the market? It’s been all over the radio. A huge hurricane, they’re calling it Wallace, is coming. They think it is going to last three days! **Jim:** //(sits down in a chair and scratches his head)// Oh boy, that can’t be good for the farm. Scene ends. Setting: //A week has passed and the storm has ruined plenty of farms. Joy enters the room and looks outside of the window at their flooded land. Jim slowly walks in and sits her down. He tries to comfort her but the audience can sense a bit of hesitation in his voice.// **Joy:** //(sobbing)// Jim, the soil is all over the place. All of the crops are dead. There’s no way we can fix this. **Jim:** Now calm down Joy, we’ll be okay. This is just another challenge for old Jim. (//Jim stands up really quick, a look of excitement is present on his face)// Joy! Joy! The seeds! The seeds Joy! **Joy:** //(picks up her head and looks confused)// What seeds, what are you talking about Jim? // By this point Jim has been running around the room excitedly. He runs out of the room for a second, and then comes back with many packets of seeds. // **Jim:** These seeds Joy! I just remembered that I kept some hiding inside the kitchen, just in case I needed them for an emergency! **Joy:** Oh, Jim, that’s great! You are so smart. Well, hurry, go outside and plant them. // Jim runs outside of the house and onto the farm. As he starts to plant the seeds, Samson Slyworth comes to the fence. // **Samson:** Hello Jim. Wait a minute, are those new seeds? **Jim:** Why, yes they are. I remembered I kept an emergency stash inside, why? **Samson:** Didn’t you hear? So many farms got ruined, and business has slowed. The mayor had to increase the price of seeds to try to get money circulating again. Plenty of farmers have to sell their farms just to make sure that they have some money. I’m heading that way too, there’s no way I can afford any more seeds. **Jim:** Well, I certainly have enough. Tell you what, I’ll give you a pack of mine, they should start your business back up. **Samson:** //(as though an idea just popped into his head)// Gee, thanks Jim. **Jim:** Sure thing neighbor. Goodbye! // Samson runs away with the seeds, and Jim stands waving goodbye. // Scene ends. Setting: //Samson Slyworth arrives outside of Garret Greed’s farm. Greed is outside on his farm debating what he should do with his ruined land. He sees Slyworth, out of breath from his run, and comes over to him.// **Samson:** //(panting)// Garret! Garret! **Garret:** Samson, are you okay. What’s the matter? **Samson:** I just came from Johansen’s //(takes a breath)// farm. He’s got a huge emergency stash of seeds. I lied to him about having financial trouble because of the rise in seed prices and he gave me a pack. Don’t you see Garret? This is our chance to be on top! **Garret:** Oh, I see where you’re going. Jim’s too friendly to keep his seeds to himself. So if we keep asking him and asking him, we can run him all out of seeds! **Samson:** Exactly. **Garret:** I like the way you think Slyworth. **Samson:** Come on, we’ll see if we can get you some. // The two farmers run off to Jim’s farm. // Scene ends. Setting: //Jim Johansen is still on his farm. Samson and Garret arrive at the fence and call Jim over.// **Jim:** Hello again Samson, hi Garret. What brings you here? **Garret:** Well, Samson was telling me how mighty generous you were lending him some seeds. I was wondering if I could have some too. I’m in some financial trouble too. **Jim:** Why of course you can. Samson, do you need any more? **Samson:** Well, sure, since you’re offering. **Jim:** No problem, there’s plenty more where those came from. This is what neighbors are for. // Garret and Samson take advantage of Jim’s offer and come back every other day. Eventually Jim gives them all of his remaining seeds. Garret and Samson meet him at the fence again a few weeks later. // **Garret:** Hey Jim, how’s it going? Say, can I borrow a couple more packs of seeds? **Jim:** Unfortunately, I’m all out. I can’t afford anything. None of my crops are growing and I don’t have anything to plant. **Samson:** //(with an evil smirk)// We can help you out with your money issues Jim, I mean, you helped us. **Jim:** Oh, thanks guys, really this means a lot. **Garret:** Sure, we’ll buy your farm right off your hands. **Jim:** Wait, but, no, not my farm! **Samson:** Don’t you want money Jim? It’s our turn to be on top. Sell the farm, Jim, it’s the only way we’ll help you. // Jim drops his head, and shakes the man’s hand. He has lost everything, due to one economic crash and his excessive friendliness. He has been too oblivious to realize that in a financial crisis, people will do whatever it takes to make money. The new owners give each other a high-five, as they have finally won. // Scene ends. Allegorical Elements  The play is an allegory to the recession. The recession causes many common people to lose jobs due to monetary issues. Jim Johansen is a common man who became a successful farmer. When the hurricane (recession) came, he lent his neighbors too many seeds, started to lose money and could not afford to buy any more seeds (pay taxes). He had to sell his farm (let another company buy out his corporation) in order to make some money.
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 * Hurricane Wallace represents the recession, as it decreases the income of farmers, much like the recession decreased the payroll of many workers.
 * The seeds represent taxes. The price of seeds increased due to a lack of money circulating and because of the damaged farms; much like taxes, which increase when money is not in circulation and when there is a major conflict in government.
 * The loss of farms due to weather damage represents unemployment, because the farmers are losing their jobs, much like employees are losing their jobs due to companies having too little money to pay them.
 * The selling of farms to other farmers represents companies buying out other companies. Johansen could not afford to run his farm so he sold it to Slyworth and Greed. Some companies do not have enough money to stay in business so other companies buy, and therefore merge, with them.
 * The Mayor of Shareseed represents the president, as they both increase the prices of seeds, and the value of taxes, in order to fix the recession.