Assignment: The Alligator River Story
THE SITUATION
Once upon a time . . . there was a man named Gregory who was in love with a
woman named Abigail. Abigail lived on the shore of a river. Gregory lived on
the opposite shore of the river. The river which separated the two was
teeming with “man eating” alligators. Gregory wanted to cross the river to be
with Abigail. Unfortunately, the bridge had been washed out.
So, he went to ask Marina, a river boat captain, to take him across. She said
she would be glad to, if he would consent to go to bed with her preceding the
voyage. He promptly refused and went to a friend named Vana to explain his
dilemma. Vana did not want to be involved at all in the situation.
Gregory felt his only alternative was to accept Marina’s terms. Marina fulfilled
her promise to Gregory and delivered him into the arms of Abigail.
When he told Abigail about his journey (in which he engaged so that he
could cross the river), Abigail cast him aside in disdain.
Upon arriving home, heartsick and dejected, Gregory turned to Slug with his
story. Slug, feeling compassion for Gregory, sought out Abigail and spread a
negative rumor that caused her to lose her job. As the sun sets on the horizon,
we hear Gregory laughing.
THE TASKS
1. If you were Gregory what would you have done differently to accomplish
the objective of reaching Abigail? Cite specific negotiating techniques
could you have used to create additional options? How could Gregory
improve his POS? You can make some assumptions based on the stated
behaviors of the characters in the story.
2. There are some elements of the story that may indicate that it’s not all
what it seems. For example why is Gregory laughing at the end? Please
present some thoughts on each of the characters and explain their
possible motivations for their decisions.
3. The story has five characters: Gregory (the lover), and Abigail (the
beloved), Marina (the sailor), Vana (the friend), and Slug (the aptly
named). List (1 through 5) the characters in terms of honor, the most
honorable first, the least honorable last, with an explanation of your
reason for listing them in that order.
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