(Graphic Content)
AOL News has obtained two plays a classmate says were written by Cho Seung-Hui. Ian MacFarlane, the former classmate and current AOL employee, provided us with the plays. A note from Mr. MacFarlane and links to the works appear below.What happened yesterday:
When I first heard about the multiple shootings at Virginia Tech yesterday, my first thought was about my friends, and my second thought was "I bet it was Seung Cho."
Cho was in my playwriting class last fall, and nobody seemed to think much of him at first. He would sit by himself whenever possible, and didn't like talking to anyone. I don't think I've ever actually heard his voice before. He was just so quiet and kept to himself. Looking back, he fit the exact stereotype of what one would typically think of as a "school shooter" – a loner, obsessed with violence, and serious personal problems. Some of us in class tried to talk to him to be nice and get him out of his shell, but he refused talking to anyone. It was like he didn't want to be friends with anybody. One friend of mine tried to offer him some Halloween candy that she still had, but he slowly shook his head, refusing it. He just came to class every day and submitted his work on time, as I understand it.
A major part of the playwriting class was peer reviews. We would write one-act plays and submit them to an online repository called Blackboard for everyone in the class to read and comment about in class the next day. Typically, the students give their opinions about the plays and suggest ways to make it better, the professor gives his insights, then asks the author to comment about the play in class.
When we read Cho's plays, it was like something out of a nightmare. The plays had really twisted, macabre violence that used weapons I wouldn't have even thought of. Before Cho got to class that day, we students were talking to each other with serious worry about whether he could be a school shooter. I was even thinking of scenarios of what I would do in case he did come in with a gun, I was that freaked out about him. When the students gave reviews of his play in class, we were very careful with our words in case he decided to snap. Even the professor didn't pressure him to give closing comments.
After hearing about the mass shootings, I sent one of my friends a Facebook message asking him if he knew anything about Seung Cho and if he could have been involved. He replied: "dude that's EXACTLY what I was thinking! No, I haven't heard anything, but seriously, that was the first thing I thought when I heard he was Asian."
While I "knew" Cho, I always wished there was something I could do for him, but I couldn't think of anything. As far as notifying authorities, there isn't (to my knowledge) any system set up that lets people say "Hey! This guy has some issues! Maybe you should look into this guy!" If there were, I definitely would have tried to get the kid some help. I think that could have had a good chance of averting yesterday's tragedy more than anything.
While I was hesitant at first to release these plays (because I didn't know if there are laws against it), I had to put myself in the shoes of the average person researching this situation. I'd want to know everything I could about the killer to figure out what could drive a person to do something like this and hopefully prevent it in the future. Also, I hope this might help people start caring about others more no matter how weird they might seem, because if this was some kind of cry for attention, then he should have gotten it a long time ago.
As far as the victims go, as I was heading to bed last night, I heard that my good friend Stack (Ryan Clark) was one of the first confirmed dead. I didn't want to believe that I'd never get to talk to him again, and all I could think about was how much I could tell him how much his friendship meant to me. During my junior year, Ryan, another friend and I used to get breakfast on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Shultz Dining Hall, one of the cafeterias on campus, and it was always the highlight of my day. He could talk forever it seemed and always made us laugh. He was a good friend, not just to me, but to a lot of people, and I'll miss him a lot.
Click on the links below the read the plays. WARNING: the plays contain profanity and scenes with disturbing content.
- Read Play #1: 'Richard McBeef'
- Read Play #2: 'Mr. Brownstone'
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 689)
16. "to protect from all threats domestic and foreign..." a week be fore this happened i said these words as i swore in to the navy i can't help but feel helpless because the military is suppossed to protect its citizens he gave signs and we should have said red flag help him but hindsight is always 20/20
Pilotav13 at 2:47PM on Apr 17th 2007
17. Madeline, if you had carefully read Mr. MacFarlane's message before the play, you would understand that one of the reasons he has posted the play is to perhaps uncover clues or some reasoning behind what this clearly disturbed man did yesterday, not to disregard the impact of this tragedy. Granted, Stacy's comment is totally unhelpful, but as a writer myself, I do recognize an unsettling tone and theme in this play that is indicative of personal issues. And honestly, I think some people are trying as hard as possible to find a single answer to this tragedy when the unfortunate reality is that there probably isn't just one. It is obvious that this man was sick, but I've read far worse, so I truly wonder what American society would think about MANY writers in their formative years. My heart goes out to the families and friends of the victims. God bless and keep you.
Orchid at 2:47PM on Apr 17th 2007
18. The thing is, who would you report him to? What would you say? You can't lock someone up for being "strange". If so many, many people would be in jail and then there's the question of civil liberties. So until the tragedy happens, there's just nothing you can do.
Marti at 2:47PM on Apr 17th 2007
19. Stacy was talking about the actual play Richard McBeef which does indeed sound like a young adolescent boy wrote it...She was not saying the note written by Ian MacFarlane, was juvenile...The note is what the two of you are referring to...go read the actual play and you will understand
Jessica at 2:47PM on Apr 17th 2007
20. I feel you guys shouldn't be fighting like that right now. Virigina Tech is going through a lot right now and all everyone should do is be praying for them and be thinking about what they are going through.
heather at 2:48PM on Apr 17th 2007
21. Kappharmd-
You pegged it. These writings should have been turned into counselors and then a follow-up should have been done on how it was being handled.
Jennifer at 2:49PM on Apr 17th 2007
22. This should have gone straight to a counselor... this is not even close to an acceptable piece of work from someone of his age.
Were they going to let him graduate?
plastic at 2:49PM on Apr 17th 2007
23. This kid was hurting beyond anyone's ability to understand. I am so saddened by his writings because he was screaming for help inside. My heart hurts for everyone that has been effected by this tragedy.
Jennifer at 2:49PM on Apr 17th 2007
24. I COULD GIVE A MAD F*** BOUT VIRGINA AND WAT GOES ON IN IT WE GOT ENOUGH SHIT GOIN ON N OUR OWN CITIES N STATES TO WORRY BOUT SOME SHIT THATS ALREADY DONE N OVER WIT 33 PPLZ DEAD OK BIG F****** WOO AINT THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE STUPID DID SOME SHIT LIKE THAT AND AINT GONNA BE THE LAST ONLY PEOPLE TO BLAME R THE SKOOLZ THEY THE ONES WHO SUPPOSE TO MAKE SURE SHIT IS SAFE N THEN SOME SHIT LIKE THIS HAPPENS YEA O-----K NEWAYZ ALL I KNO IS THEY EEDA STOP INTERRUPTIN MY SOAPS LIKE DAT
JESSICA at 2:49PM on Apr 17th 2007
25. OMG! This guy was really nuts. That is not a good piece of writing, especially for any college level student, even with the macabre theme. He must have been filled with rage. I hope his parents are seeking help for themselves-this kid must have been a handful. A lot of students with high IQ's have little, if any social skills. This person sounds like one of those. My prayers are with everyone involved.
Susan at 2:50PM on Apr 17th 2007
26. Has anyone looked into his early childhood years and home life? His writing indicates that there's something there.
ssaylorhna at 2:50PM on Apr 17th 2007
27. "Richard Mcbeef"? WTF? That was supposed to be disturbing? That was shit. I write better than that.
Angie at 2:50PM on Apr 17th 2007
28. Thanks for sharing your point of view Stacy. You having been exposed to the killer gives us a sort of visual insight and dynamic to the killer's mind set leading us up to this horrific event. I am sorry for the loss of your friends. It's Truly Heartbreaking. My prayers are with you all.
Kay at 2:50PM on Apr 17th 2007
29. dude is nuts clearly
chmibb at 2:51PM on Apr 17th 2007
30. As a student of Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount, VA, the tradgedy at VA Tech will remain in the forefront of my thoughts for a very long time. As simply a student, knowing that there are disturbed children everywhere such as Hui, I think it is important to keep in mind that sometimes barely reaching out is not enough. What he did was horrific and no one will ever know if it could have been prevented. It is a shame that someone who had no friends could not have been reached out to in time not only to save his young life, but the lives of thirty two bright, young, innocent students.
Hayleigh at 2:51PM on Apr 17th 2007