It was difficult to recognize ironic conversations or situations in the play because Thoreau is such an ironic person in general. They irony was practically right under my nose; I just had to "hunt for the huckleberries." ;) Anyway, one ironic conversation was when Lydian and Henry were discussing Henry's possible marriage to a woman. He continuously refused the very thought of living with another person. I found this very strange because the one who is very alone in life, Henry, wishes to forever be left to himself, while the one with seemingly everything, Lydian, does not feel loved by anyone. This is the opposite mindset from what we expect from certain types of people. Another ironic conversation in the play is between Waldo and Henry. Henry seems to be the one preaching ideas that are worth hearing to Waldo, while lecturing and philosophising is Waldo's job, not Henry's.
I would not sat that Henry's protest proved successful because of the fact that the map changed course and still did not reach its exact destination. It's one thing if you reach the same goal but take a different path to get there, but Thoreau did not do so. His ultimate goal was to make a difference by protesting the law, which did not happen at the time. He may have changed the ideas of a small few, but his point of view was not seen from until many many years later. He did not stop the war with his protest, which may not have been his ultimate goal. But he barely made a scratch on the surface of change in the government with his actions (and non-actions) during his lifetime. Therefore, I would say that the protests of Thoreau did not prove successful in the end.
This should be very fun, since I love the entertainment business. The actors I have chosen for each role and my reasoning for each are as follows:
#1- Henry David Thoreau-- Jamie Bell
I picture Thoreau as a young man who looks old from experience and wise thoughts. Jamie Bell would be able to pull off this look quite well because he can easily transform from a youngster to a man, as Henry does quite often in the play. I also see Thoreau as a nimble man who can almost float through the fields he studies, as well as he floats through life. Jamie Bell used to be an avid dancer (as he showed us in Billy Elliot) and could play a frolicking teacher as well as a serious inmate (as he was in Defiance).
#2- Ralph Waldo Emerson-- Dustin Hoffman
Emerson is a brilliant theorist who never fails to express his unique ideas, whether in a lecture or in everyday life. This characteristic fits almost PERFECTLY with Dustin Hoffman's character in the movie "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium." Hoffman seems to match the look of a mad scientist (or in this case, lecturer) which is a vital advantage. Their random yet brilliant personalities and thoughts go together like a pair of my grandma's knitted socks; perfectly.
#3- Bailey-- Dax Shepard
Bailey, to me, has the look of a man that has great potential, but just needs a bath and some education to realize it. Dax could fit this look because he has that cut-edge look of someone who just needs a shave, but you can tell that he has a great talent from the way he speaks and carries himself. Dax could fit the part of someone who is uneducated at first, but molds into someone who begins to recognize how much they can do and strives to learn, as Bailey does.