On their way to the Gale Farm and OZitorium, the Poes stop for the night at the Wagon Wheel Motel. In their room, Edgar and Allan use one of the beds “like a trampoline, testing the elasticity of the memory foam and the torque of the box springs” (92). To some people, Edgar and Allan’s destruction of the hotel bed may look like inconsiderate mischief. From their own perspective, however, their behavior is perfectly logical and scientific.
- Have you ever been inspired to conduct a test or experiment, in hopes of learning something new, but second-guessed yourself because others might criticize you or call you crazy?
- What was that experience like?
- In what way(s) do you think our intellectual pursuits are limited by social expectations?
- Are these expectations for our own good, or do they hold us back in some way? Why?