Prize Fighters: Difference between revisions

College approaches, so [[Helen Morgendorffer|Helen]] insists that [[Daria Morgendorffer|Daria]] starts searching for shoolarshipsscholarships. After some grumbling from Daria, she searches the internet and discovers a ten thousand dollarsdollar prizescholarship, awarded by the the [[Wizard Foundation]], to the student "who best embodies the Wizard pursuit of excellence" ''(sic)''. It requires an essay, answering the question 'How youwould you change the world if you could?' andalong thewith filling of someout forms. At school, she talks aboutmentions the prize to [[Jodie Landon|Jodie]], who tells her that anthese essayrequirements andare fillingfairly formsstandard isfor normalscholarships. Daria eventually writes and sends aan parodyhonest ofand theobservant essay. Duringadvocating the wholeelimination process,of money. She defends her essay by saying that she'd rather be herself than become fake just to win a prize. [[Jane Lane|Jane]]'s isresponses bittertend andto be cynical, though a bit makesharder-edged cynicthan remarksusual.

Meanwhile, [[Jake Morgendorffer|Jake]] has a problem of his own: due to a mistake filling on-line buy forms, he has received an enormous quantity of frozen hot dogs, instead of the prime ribsrib he wanted. He tries to return them, to no avail, and differentstarts cookingadding them to recipes that only make the Morgendorffers, plusalong with [[Jane Lane|Jane]] and [[Tom Sloane|Tom]], sick of hot dogs.

A few days pass, and Daria receives a letter informing her she has made the finals for the prize and will be interviewed. She is surprised to knowlearn that Jodie and [[Charles "Upchuck" Ruttheimer III|Upchuck]] have also applied and are also finalists. Daria feels defeatedthat she has no chance to win, as she feels Jodie, more conformist and positive, and Upchuck, who has started a dot-comwebsite like the Wizard's CEO, are sure to make a better impression during the interview than her. Both Helen and Jodie recommend an interview coach to help prepared Daria, an idea Jane scorns at.

As Tom is helping preparing Daria for the interview, he informs her the Wizard Foundation has a very conservative attitude regarding the employment of women and minorities in top positions. Daria informs Jodie of this, hoping both would give up the process, but [[Andrew Landon]] convinces both to go, saying if both of them refuse to take the opportunity, then they will never be able to change Wizard's attitude regarding employment. Daria ends up deciding to go, and has a (predictably fruitless) session with thean interview coach.

Daria, Jodie and Upchuck are interviewed together by anMr. Brower, a Wizard employee Mr. Blower. Jodie provides all the right andstock, positiveconservative answers, Upchuck tries to woewoo the interviewer with compliments and the use of treats he knows the CEO likes, butwhile Daria only gives cyniccynical answers. Unimpressed by Jodie and Upchuck, BlowerMr. forcesBrower asks Daria to confront whether she really wants or not the prize. When theDaria latergives says no ina lengthy negative answer addressing the Wizard Foundation employment policy, Blower express dismay at her decision and informs her she had received good marks atfor her "Light-hearted spoof" essay, toa description that takes Daria's by surprise (since her essay was meant to be honest and anything but light-hearted).

In the end, none of the three Lawndale students getswin the prize. Jodie and Upchuck lament over how they used the possible wrong strategies they used in the interview. Daria also laments on not getting the prize, realizing that she did want it after all, justthough not enough to win it. Both Daria and Jodie lament their lack of ethics in the whole application process. Later, as Jane and Daria talk aboutdiscuss the situation, Jane confesses the reason for her angry reaction before: she was jealous that three intelligent students were competing for a prize she wouldn't be able to apply for, due to her lack of academic achievements. Both endtry upto reminescentingfigure overout thewhy factthey heyeven arecared growingabout upthings andlike havethis, tofinally startrealizing joiningthey're thegrowing systemup.

Meanwhile, Jake finds a way to get rid of the huge order of hot-dogs: he organizes a hotdog eating contest inat Lawndale High!