Beaver's typewriter - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

frani · 02-18-2003, 12:35 PM

I have a little problem with this ep. I don't, for the life of me, understand how it's cheating for someone else to type a paper for you. It seems like a fairly equitable exchange. Eddie needed a buck (!) and Beaver had a buck. Eddie could type and Beaver hadn't learned yet. Seems very reasonable. I'm an English teacher, and I would never object or even question if someone other than my student typed his or her paper. I couldn't believe how that teacher was grilling Beaver about his typewriter being broken. Very unrealistic.

*InThisMoment* · 02-18-2003, 03:31 PM

I didn't see anything wronge with him typing it for him. beaver wrote it so what if Eddie typed it? beaver couldn't help it if he didn't know how to type.

BBF · 02-18-2003, 04:39 PM

I agree with you both. I mean, Beaver did the work, he had already written the composition. Eddie simply copied it. I am a fairly good typer so many of my friends have me type stuff for them, and they usually pay me or do something nice in exchange for it. I don't see the problem.

HaskellGirl · 02-18-2003, 06:38 PM

I think it was overreacting too, but I guess the point is that you should always do your own work. I know a lot of people's parents typed up their reports when I was younger, but my parents never typed up mine, just because it was my assignment, so I had to do it. On the grand scale of things, it doesn't really make a difference, but its just that Ward bought the typewriter for Beaver to use. It would take a lot of work, but Beaver's not going to learn to type unless he's the one typing. So I think on those two issues, its important for Beaver to type his own work.

maranatha · 02-18-2003, 09:27 PM

I had the same initial reaction that everyone else seems to have had. It was not cheating for Eddie to type Beaver's paper since Beaver had written the composition. The only reason I could think of that they would call it cheating would be if Beaver's teacher actually awarded points for neatness. Beaver would not have earned the points for neatness unless he typed the paper himself.

sweetlilnala · 02-18-2003, 10:05 PM

I didn't see anything wrong with Eddie typing Beaver's paper,after all Beaver was the one who wrote it,all Eddie did was copy it on the typewriter.

DarleneIllyria · 02-18-2003, 10:20 PM

I really don't see what the big deal is either. Yeah, I guess Beaver should've typed his own paper, but at least he did the main part of the work. If he paid Eddie to do ALL the work, yeah, that wouldn't be right. Eddie typing it isn't cheating, imo.

tdr · 02-19-2003, 10:55 PM

For years I have considered this ep one of the best examples of how something which is really a very minor point of concern is greatly overplayed in the last 2 seasons of LITB. It is not even consistent-- Beaver thinks he will be able to type papers for his dad's office the next day, but Ward says, "Beaver I don't expect miracles, but I do expect you to keep your end of the bargain and stick with it." Then as quick as a flash Beaver is expected to type his school assignments and Wally warns hims Ward will jump on him if writes a composition longhand. I don't think Ward is that inconsistent; that he will tell Beaver is "takes a lot of work" to be able to type well, but he would be angry if Beaver does not jump right in and type his long assignments.

As for Beaver paying Eddie to type his work, I agree with everyone else. As long as it is Beaver's original work, it doesn't matter if someone else types it. That's like saying any author has to do all the typesetting and printing himself or he is 'cheating' in some way. But one thing which may slip by as we watch this ep today is that Beaver was paying Eddie quite a sum to type for him. You can multiply that one dollar by 5 or 6 today. And I doubt if Beaver's 'composition' was more than a page typewritten-- or Wally would have returned and found out what they were doing (and he did not know later).

Beaver's teacher's disappointment that Beaver had so quickly gone back to longhand with "the usual scratches and erasures" might be believable. But his probing about the typewriter, assuming it must be in the 'shop,' and mentioning all this to June at a meeting goes too far. And so does Beaver's guilt complex as he confesses to Ward that "another guy" typed his work (he does not mention it was Eddie; maybe Ward would have had reason for being upset if he knew Beaver was overpaying Eddie). "Bad stuff kept happening and happening..." said Beaver. Nonsense, Beaver-- it's just a simple thing which in the end did encourage him to 'keep at it.'

02-18-2003, 12:35 PM	#1
frani Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 09, 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 445	Beaver's typewriter I have a little problem with this ep. I don't, for the life of me, understand how it's cheating for someone else to type a paper for you. It seems like a fairly equitable exchange. Eddie needed a buck (!) and Beaver had a buck. Eddie could type and Beaver hadn't learned yet. Seems very reasonable. I'm an English teacher, and I would never object or even question if someone other than my student typed his or her paper. I couldn't believe how that teacher was grilling Beaver about his typewriter being broken. Very unrealistic.

02-18-2003, 03:31 PM	#2
InThisMoment a starlit sky and you & me Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 02, 2002 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 95,142	I didn't see anything wronge with him typing it for him. beaver wrote it so what if Eddie typed it? beaver couldn't help it if he didn't know how to type.
	__________________ an island of green and blueberry ice wish we were there but you make me feel i'm in paradise, anywhere you're velvet on a red cupcake sound a cello & a violin make

02-18-2003, 04:39 PM	#3
BBF Workin' those Scrubs Senior Member Join Date: Jun 12, 2002 Location: The "Natural" State Posts: 2,014	I agree with you both. I mean, Beaver did the work, he had already written the composition. Eddie simply copied it. I am a fairly good typer so many of my friends have me type stuff for them, and they usually pay me or do something nice in exchange for it. I don't see the problem.
	__________________ BBF (Beavers Biggest Fan) GILMORE GIRLS FANATIC!!! ~~Future Registered Nurse!!! May 2008~~

02-18-2003, 09:27 PM	#5
maranatha Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 12, 2002 Location: Foxworth, MS Posts: 120	Cheating or not? I had the same initial reaction that everyone else seems to have had. It was not cheating for Eddie to type Beaver's paper since Beaver had written the composition. The only reason I could think of that they would call it cheating would be if Beaver's teacher actually awarded points for neatness. Beaver would not have earned the points for neatness unless he typed the paper himself.

02-18-2003, 06:38 PM	#4
HaskellGirl Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 15, 2002 Posts: 590	I think it was overreacting too, but I guess the point is that you should always do your own work. I know a lot of people's parents typed up their reports when I was younger, but my parents never typed up mine, just because it was my assignment, so I had to do it. On the grand scale of things, it doesn't really make a difference, but its just that Ward bought the typewriter for Beaver to use. It would take a lot of work, but Beaver's not going to learn to type unless he's the one typing. So I think on those two issues, its important for Beaver to type his own work.

02-18-2003, 10:05 PM	#6
sweetlilnala Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 24, 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 44	I didn't see anything wrong with Eddie typing Beaver's paper,after all Beaver was the one who wrote it,all Eddie did was copy it on the typewriter.

02-18-2003, 10:20 PM	#7
DarleneIllyria Gone Forum Star Join Date: Oct 15, 2000 Posts: 19,086	I really don't see what the big deal is either. Yeah, I guess Beaver should've typed his own paper, but at least he did the main part of the work. If he paid Eddie to do ALL the work, yeah, that wouldn't be right. Eddie typing it isn't cheating, imo.

02-19-2003, 10:55 PM	#8
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	For years I have considered this ep one of the best examples of how something which is really a very minor point of concern is greatly overplayed in the last 2 seasons of LITB. It is not even consistent-- Beaver thinks he will be able to type papers for his dad's office the next day, but Ward says, "Beaver I don't expect miracles, but I do expect you to keep your end of the bargain and stick with it." Then as quick as a flash Beaver is expected to type his school assignments and Wally warns hims Ward will jump on him if writes a composition longhand. I don't think Ward is that inconsistent; that he will tell Beaver is "takes a lot of work" to be able to type well, but he would be angry if Beaver does not jump right in and type his long assignments. As for Beaver paying Eddie to type his work, I agree with everyone else. As long as it is Beaver's original work, it doesn't matter if someone else types it. That's like saying any author has to do all the typesetting and printing himself or he is 'cheating' in some way. But one thing which may slip by as we watch this ep today is that Beaver was paying Eddie quite a sum to type for him. You can multiply that one dollar by 5 or 6 today. And I doubt if Beaver's 'composition' was more than a page typewritten-- or Wally would have returned and found out what they were doing (and he did not know later). Beaver's teacher's disappointment that Beaver had so quickly gone back to longhand with "the usual scratches and erasures" might be believable. But his probing about the typewriter, assuming it must be in the 'shop,' and mentioning all this to June at a meeting goes too far. And so does Beaver's guilt complex as he confesses to Ward that "another guy" typed his work (he does not mention it was Eddie; maybe Ward would have had reason for being upset if he knew Beaver was overpaying Eddie). "Bad stuff kept happening and happening..." said Beaver. Nonsense, Beaver-- it's just a simple thing which in the end did encourage him to 'keep at it.'