The History Boys Lesson Plan

What is the significance of Posner's line in Act Two, Scene 1: "All the effort went into getting there and then I had nothing left. I thought I'd got somewhere, then I found I had to go on"? What does this reveal about his character and the education he received?

In this scene, which takes place at the beginning of Act II, an unidentified man (whom we later learn is Posner) is speaking to Irwin about why he dropped out of Cambridge. Posner explains that after he had worked so hard to get in to such a prestigious university, he realized there was still more he had to keep working and excelling and competing, and he simply couldn't do so. Students should connect this...