Scripps Character Analysis in The History Boys

Scripps is Dakin’s closest friend, a pianist, and an aspiring writer. He is a devout and practicing Christian, and he says that his parents don’t understand this choice. Scripps delivers a large chunk of the play’s narrative asides to the audience. They show him to be thoughtful and engaged. He eventually becomes a journalist, though he hopes to one day be a “real” writer.

Scripps Quotes in The History Boys

The The History Boys quotes below are all either spoken by Scripps or refer to Scripps. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Farrar, Strauss and Giroux edition of The History Boys published in 2006.

Dakin’s navel, I remember, was small and hard like an unripe blackberry. Posner’s navel was softer and more like that of the eponymous orange. Posner envied Dakin his navel and all the rest of him. That this envy might amount to love does not yet occur to Posner, as to date it has only caused him misery and dissatisfaction.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 21

Explanation and Analysis:

DAKIN: The more you read, though, the more you see that literature is actually about losers.
SCRIPPS: No.
DAKIN: It’s consolation. All literature is consolation.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 46

Explanation and Analysis:

What has truth got to do with it? I thought that we’d already decided that for the purposes of this examination truth is, if not an irrelevant, then so relative as just to amount to another point of view.

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 73

Explanation and Analysis:

Scripps Character Timeline in The History Boys

The timeline below shows where the character Scripps appears in The History Boys. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...their last year of school before applying to universities—enter as well. They are Posner, Dakin, Scripps, Rudge, Lockwood, Akthar, Timms, and Crowther. They remove Hector’s motorcycling gear and show it to... (full context)

...he likes (and that’s not Rudge himself). Dakin says, “happily,” that he’s “black and blue.” Scripps speaks an aside to the audience, saying that he’s the only one of the boys... (full context)

The scene changes as Scripps begins to narrate. He says that one day, he thought he saw a new schoolboy... (full context)

...Claudine. Crowther, Akthar, and Lockwood play supporting roles at the brothel (Rudge doesn’t speak, and Scripps accompanies the scene on the piano). At one point, Posner takes off Dakin’s pants, saying... (full context)

...a run. Akthar has computer club. Posner offers to come, but Hector says never mind. Scripps says, “resignedly,” that he’ll come. Hector accepts this, and leaves. As he follows, Scripps says,... (full context)

...have to “show you they’re still in the game” by talking about things like foreskins. Scripps tells him to lighten up, as Irwin is “only five minutes older than we are.”... (full context)

...fact, he says he knows more about “them and their bodies” than they would expect. Scripps then adds his own narration. He says that “Dakin’s navel…was small and hard like an... (full context)

Dakin says that he sometimes wishes Hector would “just go for it.” Scripps says that Hector does go for it, but Dakin says that he means off the... (full context)

...secondary institutions will welcome this interpretation, but that it will put Oxford fellows to sleep. Scripps insists that it’s “true,” and Irwin asks what truth has to do with anything. (full context)

Then Irwin tells Scripps that “truth is no more at issue in an examination than thirst at a wine-tasting... (full context)

Still in the classroom, Scripps and Dakin discuss Fiona. Dakin uses a metaphor of World War I to explain his... (full context)

...more, though Irwin still doesn’t like him. Posner begins to sing a song, “Bewitched,” while Scripps plays the piano. The other boys come back into the classroom from their break. The... (full context)

...asks the boys to name knocks at the door in literature, and Akthar, Posner, and Scripps name instances from Coleridge’s poetry, a Mozart opera, and the Bible. Timms looks outside, and... (full context)

...have to put fifty pence into a tin. Timms and Lockwood begin a scene while Scripps plays the piano (they say that they have to smoke while they do it). Hector... (full context)

Scripps steps out to deliver narration to the audience. He says that Irwin eventually became well... (full context)

...your sleeves?” The bell goes off. Lockwood says they’ve got lots more, and Posner and Scripps act out a scene from the 1945 film Brief Encounter. Irwin recognizes it, and says... (full context)

...Hector thinks that literature is “everything,” but Posner says, “it isn’t, though, is it, sir?” Scripps cuts in with a narrative aside to the audience. He says that what Posner didn’t... (full context)

The scene changes. Dakin asks Scripps what he does to practice his religion, and Scripps says that he prays and goes... (full context)

Dakin says that this is a good line of argument for Cambridge interviews. Scripps says he won’t use it—it’s private. Dakin says, “fuck private.” Scripps asks Dakin to test... (full context)

Scripps begins to narrate. He says that halfway through the school term, the Headmaster calls Hector... (full context)

...that he’s joking, but when they realize he’s serious, they don’t know what to do. Scripps is closest to Hector, and he motions to Dakin that Hector is crying. Neither boy... (full context)

...was crying about. Timms, trying to bring things back to normal, says that Dakin and Scripps have a scene from a film for him. Hector says that’s good, as there are... (full context)

Akthar says that it is “a subject like any other,” and Scripps protests that it’s “not like any other at all.” Hector says that concentration camps are... (full context)

Irwin starts to say that for one thing, the argument isn’t true. But Scripps cuts in to remind him that they’ve already discarded truth as a major factor in... (full context)

Scripps objects to the word “proportion” and Dakin calls it “context.” Posner says that putting something... (full context)

...quote.” He says that it’s time for him to go, and Irwin asks where, but Scripps and Dakin enter, so Hector says that he just means he has to go home.... (full context)

Dakin tells Irwin that he and Scripps were just discussing whether Irwin is disingenuous—insincere—or meretricious—falsely attractive. Dakin says that Irwin is not... (full context)

Scripps teases Dakin for flirting with Irwin. Dakin says that he wants to impress Irwin in... (full context)

...expectations—“it’s like a game”—but it turns out that Irwin has given him a low grade. Scripps tells Dakin that his handwriting is starting to look like Irwin’s, and that Posner’s is... (full context)

Scripps begins to ask Dakin about having sex with Fiona, and Posner asks whether Dakin is... (full context)

In a narration to the audience, Scripps, Dakin, and Posner describe their visits to Oxford and Cambridge. Scripps says that he took... (full context)

Dakin tells Scripps that he made Irwin this offer as a way of saying thank you. Scripps jokes... (full context)

...and sees Dakin in the motorcycle helmet. He immediately protests, and then Irwin walks in. Scripps says, “and here history rattled over the points…” and the Headmaster tells Hector to take... (full context)

...to patronise,” something he’s endured too much of. Mrs. Lintott says that she has, too. Scripps, she says, became a journalist, but is always saying he will someday “really write.” (full context)

...for the dark.” Irwin says that Hector’s teaching was not suited to this time period. Scripps disagrees: “love apart, it is the only education worth having.” Hector says, “Pass the parcel,... (full context)