The West Wing
S2E22
· Two Cathedrals Flashback

Young Mrs. Landingham Exposes Gender Pay Gap to Jed

On sunny New Hampshire school grounds in the early 1960s, a distracted young Jed hoses down sculls when Young Mrs. Landingham interrupts with playful banter, teasing his work ethic. She swiftly pivots to a bold moral challenge, revealing the pay disparity between male and female teachers and questioning if Jed's father, the superintendent, knows. This surprising confrontation ignites Jed's awareness of injustice, cementing her role as the assertive force shaping his nascent moral compass and foreshadowing her lifelong influence.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

4

Young Mrs. Landingham approaches Jed as he hoses down sculls, attempting to engage him in conversation despite his initial distraction.

distraction to slight engagement ['school grounds']

Mrs. Landingham points out a missed spot, sparking a playful yet pointed exchange about her habit of preemptively critiquing Jed's actions.

playfulness to mild annoyance

Mrs. Landingham introduces a project for Jed, challenging him to address the pay disparity between women and men at the school.

casual to confrontational

Jed reacts with surprise to the revelation of pay inequality, prompting Mrs. Landingham to question whether his father is aware of the issue.

surprise to contemplation

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
Dolores Landingham
primary

Playfully teasing masking bold moral conviction and assertive challenge

Approaches young Jed from beside him as he hoses sculls, calls to gain his attention twice, engages in witty banter about his diligence and her 'annoying' habit, then challenges him with a 'project' revealing the teacher pay disparity before directly questioning his father's awareness.

Goals in this moment
  • • Awaken young Jed to the school's gender pay injustice
  • • Test and provoke his rumored courage, intellect, and leadership
  • • Forge an immediate personal connection through confrontation
Active beliefs
  • • Gender-based pay disparity is a glaring, actionable wrong
  • • Young Jed has the potential to confront authority and lead change
  • • Direct, humorous challenge accelerates moral awareness
Character traits
playful assertive witty morally incisive engaging
Follow Dolores Landingham's journey
Josiah Bartlet
primary

distracted then mildly amused and surprised

hosing down sculls, distracted at first, banters defensively about his work, expresses surprise at the pay gap revelation

Goals in this moment
  • • complete his maintenance work on the sculls
  • • defend his work ethic during banter
Character traits
protective resolute self-aware principled
Follow Josiah Bartlet's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
New Hampshire School Sculls

The sleek wooden sculls line the sunny grounds as the central prop for young Jed's chore; he sprays them forcefully with the hose amid misty veils of water, while Mrs. Landingham references his 'busyness' hosing them to pivot banter into moral confrontation, symbolizing everyday labor pierced by injustice.

Before: Lined up on school grounds, salt-encrusted and sweaty …
After: Partially cleaned with water beading on hulls and …
Before: Lined up on school grounds, salt-encrusted and sweaty from use, stationary under afternoon sun
After: Partially cleaned with water beading on hulls and exploding from decks, still in place amid ongoing spray

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
School Grounds, New Hampshire

Vast, sun-blazed school grounds in early 1960s New Hampshire host the intimate outdoor exchange, where shimmering grass and summery heat frame young Jed's chore turning into a transformative moral challenge, underscoring the contrast between idyllic youth and emerging social awareness.

Atmosphere Brightly sunny and summery, humming with afternoon heat, wet earth tang, and forceful water sprays …
Function Casual outdoor workspace for maintenance chore that becomes impromptu stage for provocative confrontation
Symbolism Pastoral innocence of youth disrupted by first seeds of righteous outrage
Relentless afternoon sun glare on grass Powerful hose jets scouring sculls with misty explosions Faint tang of wet earth and summery humidity

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What this causes 2
Character Continuity medium

"Young Mrs. Landingham's playful yet pointed critique of Jed's actions echoes in her ghostly dismissal of Bartlet's self-pity, both moments where she refuses to let him off the hook."

Bartlet's Storm-Fueled Cry and Spectral Reckoning with Landingham
S2E22 · Two Cathedrals
Character Continuity medium

"Young Mrs. Landingham's playful yet pointed critique of Jed's actions echoes in her ghostly dismissal of Bartlet's self-pity, both moments where she refuses to let him off the hook."

Mrs. Landingham's Ghostly Rebuke Ignites Bartlet's Resolve
S2E22 · Two Cathedrals

Key Dialogue

"MRS. LANDINGHAM: "You missed a spot." JED: "I didn't miss it. I just haven't gotten to it yet.""
"MRS. LANDINGHAM: "You know the women who work at this school are paid less money than the men?" JED: "No, I didn't know that." MRS. LANDINGHAM: "You think your father does?""