Alan Bennett The History Boys Analysis

The History Boys, by Alan Bennett, is a play that tells the story of the conflict between two teachers over students while they prepare of their exams. The first teacher is Hector. Hector has been the boys’ teacher longer, teaching them literature and knowledge for the sake of it. Irwin is different in this matter. He was brought in solely to prepare the boys for their exam and was promised a permanent position if the Oxbridge boys do well enough on their exams. One scene in which you can see Irwin’s approach to learning is when Posner, one of his students, comes to him for advice on his crush on another boy. Irwin tells him it’s natural and it will pass, but before he leaves he says, “you must try and acquire the habit of contradiction.