# Plays written by the Virginia Tech shooter **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 17, 2007, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528 "2007-04-17T21:47:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/21 "2007-04-18T15:15:59Z")
The guy has been living in the United States since he was 8. Why would his English be so bad? ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/22 "2007-04-18T15:20:21Z")
“Why don’t we go in the bedroom and do it doggy-style.” 🙂 I feel bad for creative writing teachers if this drivel is par for the course. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/23 "2007-04-18T15:21:15Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] The guy has been living in the United States since he was 8. Why would his English be so bad? [/QUOTE] :smack: 🙂 _snort_ Been to university recently? I used to volunteer at the writing lab at my univ (this is \<5 years ago), and I can tell you that the English skills of a lot of 23 year olds who’d been in the United States since age ZERO were abominable. side note: You know what his English reminds me of? It reminds me of those furious e-mails the guy on [EbolaMonkeyMan.com](http://EbolaMonkeyMan.com) gets after baiting 419 scammers. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/24 "2007-04-18T15:24:27Z")
There are professional writers who write stuff much more twisted than this though. Stating the obvious- the buggery/sodomy fixation would lead to me to think he was either a closeted homosexual or was a molestation victim. I wonder who would play the lead roles should any of these gems get produced :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/25 "2007-04-18T15:26:37Z")
[QUOTE=T\_SQUARE] “Why don’t we go in the bedroom and do it doggy-style.” 🙂 I feel bad for creative writing teachers if this drivel is par for the course. [/QUOTE] I taught it a couple of times at another campus, and here’s how it usually breaks down: 1. The young women usually write a lot of romantic fluff with virtually no conflict and quite a bit of crying. 2. The young men usually write something with almost no plot because they want to hurry up and get to the part where someone dies, but with no reason or motivation. 3. There are a few exceptions…like the senior lady in the class who’s in her 80s and writes a story that’s so damn good it almost makes you ashamed of your own work. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/26 "2007-04-18T15:29:32Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] The guy has been living in the United States since he was 8. Why would his English be so bad? [/QUOTE] I’ve known a number of foreigners who have lived in the US for years, but are socially isolated enough (either loners, or sticking to their own little cliques) from English speakers that they never really learn English. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/27 "2007-04-18T15:30:56Z")
I agree there’s a lot of twisted stuff out there. But there’s a difference between twisted and good, with artistic merit and such…and twisted because the voices in your head are dictating to you. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/28 "2007-04-18T15:35:58Z")
All your ass rape are belong to us. Someone set us up the Brownstone. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/29 "2007-04-18T16:08:27Z")
In the movies, mass murderers are brilliant, urbane types like Hannibal Lecter. In real life… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/30 "2007-04-18T18:00:52Z")
[QUOTE=Carnick] Exactly. Being a Theater major I’ve read/listened to more student plays than anyone should ever have to. His work isn’t anything unusual. [/QUOTE] That might be the scariest thing about his plays. They did get him recommended for a psych evaluation, though, if I understand correctly. Maybe it was the loving attention he paid to the details of Mr. Brownstone’s poop. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/31 "2007-04-18T18:21:01Z")
Maybe some enterprising local arts group can produce one of the plays, as part of an exhibition including Hitler’s paintings and signed clown drawings from John Wayne Gacy. [QUOTE=wring] Does anyone ever talk about homosexual overtones? [/QUOTE] Yes, if referring to “The Village People”. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/32 "2007-04-18T19:03:44Z")
On behalf of all Boston Brownstones, fuck you Cho! ---
**Author:** ![tashabot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tashabot/32/6250_2.png) [@tashabot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tashabot)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/33 "2007-04-18T19:56:36Z")
I read the stuff. I found it to be poor quality and not really that disturbing. I’ve written more disturbing stuff (including a novel where a girl who has attained power violently and graphically “gets back” at everyone who hurt her) and I don’t think I’d ever be capable of doing what this guy did. I’d have a hard time shooting one person, even if they were attacking me. There’s a difference between being capable of conceptualizing violence, and being capable of actually carrying it out. A person’s fictional writing is no indication of their mental state; look at Stephen King. The man’s written some downright disgusting shit, and he hasn’t killed anyone yet (that we know of, anyway). ~Tasha ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/34 "2007-04-18T20:08:18Z")
[QUOTE=tashabot] I read the stuff. I found it to be poor quality and not really that disturbing. I’ve written more disturbing stuff (including a novel where a girl who has attained power violently and graphically “gets back” at everyone who hurt her) and I don’t think I’d ever be capable of doing what this guy did. I’d have a hard time shooting one person, even if they were attacking me. There’s a difference between being capable of conceptualizing violence, and being capable of actually carrying it out. A person’s fictional writing is no indication of their mental state; look at Stephen King. The man’s written some downright disgusting shit, and he hasn’t killed anyone yet (that we know of, anyway). ~Tasha [/QUOTE] What’s disturbing about his writing isn’t what he writes, but what he doesn’t write; there’s so much obvious pent-up rage that he can’t fully articulate. Of course you and Stephen King have written better stuff – that may be **why** neither of you has gone postal. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/35 "2007-04-18T20:24:59Z")
[QUOTE=enigm4tic] Waiting for Godot wasn’t written by a young dull-witted man? Oh… hmm… [/QUOTE] Pardon me? Not only was Beckett a genius, he was also in his 40s when he wrote that. So while you may disagree with the former assertion, I’ve run rings around you with the latter. Hmph. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/36 "2007-04-18T20:51:49Z")
“Mr. Brownstone” didn’t strike me as even vaguely disturbing, just juvenile and poorly written. If I hadn’t known who wrote it, I would have guessed it was the effort of a group of thirteen-year-old boys in detention who were trying to get back at their teacher. The other one, kinda fucked up, but probably not any more so than lots of stuff you see in college creative writing classes. If anything about it struck me as a red flag, it would have been the disjointed feel of the writing rather than the content. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/37 "2007-04-18T20:55:59Z")
[QUOTE=Fretful Porpentine] If anything about it struck me as a red flag, it would have been the disjointed feel of the writing rather than the content. [/QUOTE] This is what I was trying to get to in my last post. The disturbing thing about it is how obviously he **wants** it to be hateful and vicious and raging, while utterly failing. That kind of pent-up anger is, IMO, what fuels some of these mass murder incidents. ~1cS another uninformed layman making wild guesses ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/38 "2007-04-18T21:17:46Z")
[QUOTE=vivalostwages] 1. The young women usually write a lot of romantic fluff with virtually no conflict and quite a bit of crying. 2. The young men usually write something with almost no plot because they want to hurry up and get to the part where someone dies, but with no reason or motivation. [/QUOTE] Anybody else reminded of the [“Tandem Writing Assignment”](http://www.snopes.com/college/homework/writing.asp) joke? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/39 "2007-04-18T21:38:23Z")
[QUOTE=saoirse] Pardon me? Not only was Beckett a genius, he was also in his 40s when he wrote that. So while you may disagree with the former assertion, I’ve run rings around you with the latter. Hmph. [/QUOTE] Don’t feel bad **saoirse**. I love _Waiting for Godot_ as well. ---
**Author:** ![Queuing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Queuing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queuing)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528/40 "2007-04-18T21:50:03Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] All your ass rape are belong to us. Someone set us up the Brownstone. [/QUOTE] Ok, this made me laugh, does that make me evil? On another note, writing in University creative writing courses is really that bad? So much that some of you aren’t even shocked by how poorly written it is? Wow, just wow. Those 2 plays were just horribly written. I feel bad for people who actually have to grade this stuff. For those of you who may be creative writing teachers in university, if you could set aside what you know about this guy, what kind of mark would you have given this? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plays-written-by-the-virginia-tech-shooter/400528.md?page=3)