Chapter 1: A Gathering of Minds

As she stepped inside, the sounds of laughter and conversation reached her from the living room. She placed her hat, coat, and a pile of exercise books down before entering the room. There, her father was seated at the oval table alongside Captain Horster, the editor of the local newspaper, and another journalist. Meanwhile, her mother sat nearby, knitting, while her two younger brothers occupied the next room.

Decanters of arrack, rum, and brandy adorned the table, along with a box of cigars, suggesting a lively celebration. Unable to resist, she playfully remarked, “You all seem to be having a great time while I've been hard at work.”

“Come in and join us,” her father invited, smiling.

Although she enjoyed her hard work, it was the exhaustion that brought her satisfaction at the end of the day. What troubled her was having to stand in front of her students and teach ideas she didn’t believe in—a blatant hypocrisy! If only she could afford it, she would establish her own school where everything could be different.

The journalist offered to prepare her a drink, but she declined, saying, “I’ll pour my own, thanks. You always make it too strong.” Next to the door, the stack of unmarked exercise books reminded her of her responsibilities.

“Dad, I have a letter for you,” she announced as she retrieved it from her coat pocket.

“From whom?” he inquired.

“From the postman as I was leaving.”

“And you’re only giving it to me now?”

“I didn’t have time to return.”

After a long day of teaching—five hours at the Institute and two at night school—she had little energy to spare. He eagerly took the envelope, scrutinizing the address.

“Is this the letter you’ve been anticipating?” her mother asked.

“It is!” he confirmed, his excitement palpable.

He rushed to read it in the study, where a lamp had already been lit. “Excuse me,” he said to the guests before heading out.

“What’s going on?” Petra asked her mother.

“He's been eagerly awaiting the postman for days,” her mother replied.

The journalist speculated, “It must be from a patient.”

Pouring herself a drink, Petra took a seat at the table. Captain Horster proposed that if she was serious about starting a school, he could offer her a room in his house. The editor inquired about her translation of an English novel for the paper, to which Petra replied that she hadn’t completed it yet but would deliver it in due time.

When her father returned, he waved the letter excitedly. “Here’s news that will astonish the town!”

“What kind of news?” the journalist asked, intrigued.

“A groundbreaking discovery!”

Her mother inquired, “Is it a discovery of yours?”

“Yes, indeed!” he affirmed.

“Please, tell us what it is!” Petra urged.

This marked the first of two significant revelations her father would make that week—one of scientific importance and the other of social impact. Their family dynamic would be forever altered.

This article is the second installment in a series focused on An Enemy of the People.

Chapter 2: The Lab Results Are In

The evidence is crystal clear in An Enemy of the People.

Chapter 3: When Certainty Meets Opposition

It’s a familiar narrative that has ended poorly in the past.

Chapter 4: The Media's Role in the Climate Crisis

A prominent activist presents a claim worthy of an Ibsen play.