Keystone Pipeline Monologue Project
In History, we have been learning about the Keystone Pipeline Project. The Keystone Pipeline is is a pipeline system to transport synthetic crude oil from Canada to the United States. For our project, Mr. Block made us take a standpoint and write from that prospective, so for instance I was against the pipeline so I wrote a monologue from the standpoint of someone who was against the pipeline.
For my first monologue out of my three monologue series, I decided to write as someone who was offered money to leave her home so that they could use her land for the pipeline.
My Home is NOT for Sale!
(Sitting on her sofa when she hears a knock on the door)
Who is it? I’ll be there in just a second! (walks to answer the door)
Hello mr... mr... Mr. Jameson. Come in please, it’s a little chilly. (walks inside with Mr. Jameson and they sit on the couch)
What brings you here today? My land? You want my land? Why? No! You can’t have it! I won’t let you! (Angrily Speaking) I can’t believe you thought you could come in my house and take my land! This is mine! I bought it and I refuse to sign it over to you. TransCanada? Who are they? Why do they feel the need to take what isn’t theirs? (Pause) A pipeline? From Canada all the way to Texas? Why the hell do they need all that oil anyway! Go dig somewhere else! I dont care how beneficial it is to the company, the other states, or anyone else for that matter. I worked my whole life for this land and I’m not going to throw it away for a project that will be gone in five years after all of the oil dries up! (Pause, looking to her left) Calm Down? Me calm down? At a time like this? I’m sorry Mr. Jameson, not to sound rude, but thats not going to happen. There is more to the land then just a place to be. My children were born and raised here, my grandchild born in this very house. There is an emotional connection involved in this house and there is no amount of money that can change the way I feel about this. (Looks at the paper handed to her) 7,000 dollars? 7,000 dollars is the amount of money offered to me for the forty years that I have invested into this house and for the forty years worth of memories that my family has created. Im sorry Mr. Jameson, but if you would like to take my land, you are going to have to fight for it, because I’m not giving it up this easily. Have a good day! (Walks off stage with Mr. Jameson, seeing him out)
My Home is NOT for Sale!
(Sitting on her sofa when she hears a knock on the door)
Who is it? I’ll be there in just a second! (walks to answer the door)
Hello mr... mr... Mr. Jameson. Come in please, it’s a little chilly. (walks inside with Mr. Jameson and they sit on the couch)
What brings you here today? My land? You want my land? Why? No! You can’t have it! I won’t let you! (Angrily Speaking) I can’t believe you thought you could come in my house and take my land! This is mine! I bought it and I refuse to sign it over to you. TransCanada? Who are they? Why do they feel the need to take what isn’t theirs? (Pause) A pipeline? From Canada all the way to Texas? Why the hell do they need all that oil anyway! Go dig somewhere else! I dont care how beneficial it is to the company, the other states, or anyone else for that matter. I worked my whole life for this land and I’m not going to throw it away for a project that will be gone in five years after all of the oil dries up! (Pause, looking to her left) Calm Down? Me calm down? At a time like this? I’m sorry Mr. Jameson, not to sound rude, but thats not going to happen. There is more to the land then just a place to be. My children were born and raised here, my grandchild born in this very house. There is an emotional connection involved in this house and there is no amount of money that can change the way I feel about this. (Looks at the paper handed to her) 7,000 dollars? 7,000 dollars is the amount of money offered to me for the forty years that I have invested into this house and for the forty years worth of memories that my family has created. Im sorry Mr. Jameson, but if you would like to take my land, you are going to have to fight for it, because I’m not giving it up this easily. Have a good day! (Walks off stage with Mr. Jameson, seeing him out)
My Second Monologue was written as a child of the women who just got told this terrible news.
My Home, My Safety
(Sitting on the bed when she hears a knock at the door) Who is it? Oh come in mom. (Pats the bed) Sit down please. You have news to tell me? Is it bad? Oh no, the look on your face, this cant be good. Mom just tell me, don't sugar coat it. (Looks away) Our land? They are taking our land? A pipeline? They are taking our house to build a pipeline? Please tell me you said no. Your considering it? Mom, no! (Angrily pounds fist into knees) I've lived in this house all of my life and you are thinking about giving it up for some oil? They don't care about us, they just care about the money they are going to be making. 7,000 dollars? You are throwing away our time in this house for a measly 7,000 dollars, that isn't even enough to buy another house mom are you serious? I cant understand how you can consider up and leaving something you have had for so long because they made it sound good! This is an embarrassment. You aren't putting your family first and its sickening. This is my safety net, the only thing that has been stable my entire life and I don't want to let go of that. If that's what you plan on doing, please leave me out of it. (Lays back in bed and puts headphones on)
My Home, My Safety
(Sitting on the bed when she hears a knock at the door) Who is it? Oh come in mom. (Pats the bed) Sit down please. You have news to tell me? Is it bad? Oh no, the look on your face, this cant be good. Mom just tell me, don't sugar coat it. (Looks away) Our land? They are taking our land? A pipeline? They are taking our house to build a pipeline? Please tell me you said no. Your considering it? Mom, no! (Angrily pounds fist into knees) I've lived in this house all of my life and you are thinking about giving it up for some oil? They don't care about us, they just care about the money they are going to be making. 7,000 dollars? You are throwing away our time in this house for a measly 7,000 dollars, that isn't even enough to buy another house mom are you serious? I cant understand how you can consider up and leaving something you have had for so long because they made it sound good! This is an embarrassment. You aren't putting your family first and its sickening. This is my safety net, the only thing that has been stable my entire life and I don't want to let go of that. If that's what you plan on doing, please leave me out of it. (Lays back in bed and puts headphones on)
My Third Monologue was written as a letter written to the women telling her about what was going to happen next.
You move, or else!
To whom it may concern, this is our last attempt of land transfer peacefully. We have tried to get you to continue this process as painless as possible but your family is not cooperating with our request for land. We are in dire need of your land to go foward with our building and the more you do not cooperate, the longer it is going to take to complete our project. We tried to prevent this case from having to become a legal matter, but that is the next step. We have spoken with a judge who is more than willing to sign this order to make you leave the property as early as tomorrow, but we are hoping that it does not have to come to that. We respect the fact that you have a family that has lived here all of their lives, but this project is very beneficial to the economy and the well being of the states and we need the land to continue with the progress. Please get back to us as soon as possible to inform us of how this matter is going to be addressed. Thank you so much for your copperation.
Sincerely,
The State of Texas.
You move, or else!
To whom it may concern, this is our last attempt of land transfer peacefully. We have tried to get you to continue this process as painless as possible but your family is not cooperating with our request for land. We are in dire need of your land to go foward with our building and the more you do not cooperate, the longer it is going to take to complete our project. We tried to prevent this case from having to become a legal matter, but that is the next step. We have spoken with a judge who is more than willing to sign this order to make you leave the property as early as tomorrow, but we are hoping that it does not have to come to that. We respect the fact that you have a family that has lived here all of their lives, but this project is very beneficial to the economy and the well being of the states and we need the land to continue with the progress. Please get back to us as soon as possible to inform us of how this matter is going to be addressed. Thank you so much for your copperation.
Sincerely,
The State of Texas.
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