She is sleeping.
Bern has everyone lay out their scrolls, their favorite one, because they're going on the wall for a show. She tries not to laugh when Nathan puts his down. It's a single bamboo stick, lazily done, with two dark leaves - one at every other joint. The others are colorful and full of life, expressing something, while Nathan's has the appearance of something done last minute, without care. But then she remembers she didn't turn in one at all, and has no room to laugh.
At least he tried.
One by one the class goes over the scrolls, finding constructive things to say, things that falter when they reach Nathan's. He mentions that
worms
gnawing at your innards
leaving behind the bad
snapping up the good
nothing matters
not work
not family
not friends
nothing
just the worms now
comfort in the grave
whispering
good night.