The Last Holiday Concert - Chapters 14 - 16

Chapter 14: "Mutiny"

After seven class periods, Hart begins to realize that the concert isn't focused enough. There are too many ideas and nothing is being decided on. So he goes home and chooses which songs and acts will be in the program. The next day in chorus he shows his classmates what the holiday concert will be - and he ends up with a mutiny on his hands. No one is happy with Hart's choices and everyone wants their own ideas included in the program. Hart is upset and insists they go with his program - even going so far as to order his classmates to obey him with an angry, "Because I said so!" This one phrase sends Hart's popularity plummeting.

Chapter 15: "Deep Waters"

The next few days are rough for Hart - he's troubled by how fast he's become unpopular and not just in chorus - the news of his teacher-like, "Because I said so!" has gone school-wide. His dad offers him a ride to school one morning in his fancy car (something Hart has been dreaming about) but even that fails when only a couple of kids are there to see his arrival. They turn out to be members of the chorus who aren't interested in seeing or talking to Hart. His dad does give him some advice though, about being a leader: "You can't just give orders. I spend a lot of my time listening. People aren't going to do something - I mean, they won't do it well - unless they really want to." (p.115)

Chapter 16: "Rescue"

That afternoon in chorus Mr. Meinert comes to the rescue. He tells the class that Hart asked him to investigate whether or not the old gym is available for the chorus to use. It turns out the gym is free and the chorus will be able to use it for the holiday concert. It will be a whole separate event and they will be able to incorporate a lot of their original ideas. Hart is surprised by Mr. Meinert's help but goes along with it and tells the class that just like in the beginning when they voted on a chorus director, they should vote now on what should be included in the program.

Are you surprised that the class was upset with Hart's program? Do you think that voting on what to include was the right thing to do?

Why do you think Mr. Meinert decided to help Hart even though he wasn't asked?