King of the Hill

Summary

The story "King of the Hill" revolves around the competitive game played by children on a large dirt pile at Angus Frederick Wellinghizer Elementary School, focusing on the dominance and eventual downfall of Danny McManderfelt, the schoolyard bully.

Abstract

During the construction of a new school wing, a large pile of dirt appears on the playground, captivating the students who begin playing "King of the Hill." The game's objective is to reach the top of the dirt pile and remain there by fending off challengers. Danny McManderfelt, a mean and overweight student, initially dominates the game due to his size and ruthlessness. However, as the game progresses, the other children start to collaborate to dethrone him. In response, Danny forms an alliance with two other boys, Frankie and Sonny, to secure his position as the "King." This triumvirate becomes unbeatable, causing most children to lose interest in the game. Eventually, Danny's allies abandon him, and with no one left to challenge him, he realizes his victory is hollow. The next day, the dirt pile is removed, and Danny's reign is forgotten.

Opinions

The story suggests that competitive games like "King of the Hill" can be both engaging and divisive among children.
The narrative implies that collaboration can be more effective than individual effort, as seen when the children work together to challenge Danny.
The author seems to critique the concept of absolute power, as Danny's obsession with being "King" leads to his isolation and eventual defeat.
The story reflects on the fleeting nature of childhood games and the lessons they can teach about power, cooperation, and the value of inclusive play.
The removal of the dirt pile symbolizes the end of childhood innocence and the transient nature of popularity and power dynamics in a school setting.

A Capitalist playground story

Construction on the new wing of classrooms at Angus Frederick Wellinghizer Elementary School began during summer vacation. During the initial excavation a large pile of dirt was dumped temporarily on the playground. The dirt pile was approximately twelve feet tall; not exactly a mountain but to small elementary school kids it was a really big hill.

After classes resumed following summer vacation the big pile of dirt was still there. To the befuddlement of the faculty, during recess the kids did not swing on the swings, slide down the slides, hang upside down from the monkey bars, or play sports. All the kids instead gravitated towards and played with the big pile of dirt.

How does one play with a big pile of dirt? Well, there are actually countless ways but what proved to be the most popular game among the youngsters was King of the Hill. In case you have never heard of this game it involves a race to the top of the hill. The first kid to the top is proclaimed King of the Hill. And that is when the game starts getting alarmingly competitive.

You see, the object for all the other kids is to make it to the top and push the King down the hill, thus deposing the old King and becoming the new King. So once a kid made it to the top and became King they had to defend themselves against all the other kids clawing their way to the top, pushing them all down as they reached the top of the hill. The kid who could remain at the top of the hill the longest without being deposed was the winner.

Despite being a tad overweight, Danny McManderfelt was taller than most of the other kids and he was also meaner than anyone. Many a young student had lost their lunch money to him on the playground. During the first month of the school year Danny was the undisputed champion. He always managed to claw his way to the top and he was utterly ruthless in pushing everyone else down.

This only fueled the desire of the other kids to make it to the top so that they could push Danny off the hill. If you had ever had your lunch money stolen by Danny there was nothing you wanted to do more than depose him. While Danny made it to the top more than anyone else and stayed there longer than anyone else, he was always eventually mobbed by enough kids to be deposed. But his determination to be King was very strong and he always managed to regain that position.

The other kids began strategizing. They realized that they had to work together to depose Danny. As a united front they became more successful at deposing Danny. And this is when Danny began strategizing.

Danny McManderfelt figured he could be even more successful at King of the Hill if he enlisted some allies. So he made a pact with Frankie Blunderhausen and Sonny Fultonwinger. They agreed that they would together try to take the hill and not push each other off. Once all three of them made it to the top of the hill together then they could much more easily defend the hill from others.

By this time almost all of the girls had tired of the game and had moved off to other parts of the playground. A lot of them would just watch all the boys playing King of the Hill. By this time also the pile of dirt was now only about ten feet tall. Mothers all across the neighborhood wondered why their children came home from school with so much dirt in their shoes.

The triumvirate of Danny, Frankie and Sonny became invincible. They stayed atop the hill for ever longer periods of time. They fought well together despite the fact that Frankie and Sonny were beginning to resent the fact that Danny would not allow them to be called Kings. Only Danny was the King. The two other boys were his lieutenants.

As days passed more and more boys quit playing the game and went off to other parts of the playground. Eventually the day came when Danny, Frankie and Sonny were standing atop the hill and not a single other kid was even trying to get to the top.

That is when Danny, Frankie and Sonny began fighting. Danny managed to push both Frankie and Sonny off the hill. Both Frankie and Sonny went off to play with all the rest of the kids.

Standing at the top of the hill with his arms spread wide, Danny yelled at the top of his lungs, “I am the King! I am the King! I am the King of the Hill!”

As he looked around Danny realized that absolutely no one was paying any attention to him. Bringing his arms down, he slowly sat down on the top of the hill and cried.

The next day the construction crew removed the big pile of dirt and the reign of King Danny became a forgotten footnote in history.