"Romeo and Juliet" is written much different than any book I've ever read. Sometimes I feel like I am translating the book! After the first page or so, I got used to the old English and reading is going quicker. But, I still can't imagine people casually talking like that! Some parts of the writing are like poetry, they are written beautifully, and other parts are almost like modern English.
It is strange how Capulet and Montague (the parents) don't argue or fight, they almost seem to want peace, but the rest of their families get along horribly! I guess it is a long history of arguing and nobody wants to mess with tradition! I also found it coincidental how Montague and Benvolio were talking about Romeo and his sadness, and then Romeo just walks up!
I like that it is in play form, it makes it slightly less confusing. I enjoy parts of Shakespeare's writing, other parts are just difficult to comprehend.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail Act 2
1. An example of irony is that Thoreau considers Bailey to be one of the most educated people he knows, even though Bailey can barely spell his own name! Henry taught Bailey to write his name, but then told him not to write it... Another example is that Henry feels more free in jail, he notices things he never noticed before, like the church bells. But at the same time, Henry prefers to teach outdoors instead of in a classroom.
2. I think the three most important characters in the play are Henry, Waldo, and Ellen. Honestly I have no idea who to cast for any of them. Henry would need to be someone who looks younger and acts passionately, in a calm and sometimes thunderous way. Waldo would be someone older than Henry, someone with an equal amount of passion, but calmer and more chosen in the way they speak. Ellen would have to be beautiful and younger, but at the same time a little bit separated from the rest of the people in the town. She would need to have an open mind, but also have her own way of looking at the world.
3. I don't think that Henry was successful in the end. He realized that his approach was a protest for himself, but not one that other people were part of. This is partially because he wasn't part of the rest of the world and because people didn't listen to him with much respect. When Aunt Louisa paid his tax, everything went down the drain.
2. I think the three most important characters in the play are Henry, Waldo, and Ellen. Honestly I have no idea who to cast for any of them. Henry would need to be someone who looks younger and acts passionately, in a calm and sometimes thunderous way. Waldo would be someone older than Henry, someone with an equal amount of passion, but calmer and more chosen in the way they speak. Ellen would have to be beautiful and younger, but at the same time a little bit separated from the rest of the people in the town. She would need to have an open mind, but also have her own way of looking at the world.
3. I don't think that Henry was successful in the end. He realized that his approach was a protest for himself, but not one that other people were part of. This is partially because he wasn't part of the rest of the world and because people didn't listen to him with much respect. When Aunt Louisa paid his tax, everything went down the drain.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail Act 1
"Don't just remember what I said. Remember what I'm talking about." If everybody just remembered what people said, only their exact words, people would be like robots. To remember what people are talking about is to remember their words, their actions, their expressions, and their emotions. This can change the entire meaning of the words. This relates to transcendentalism because, transcendentalism is believing that everything is interconnected with God, just like remembering what people say is part of remembering what people are talking about. It is a smaller part (remembering what people say / everyday events) of a bigger whole (remembering what people are talking about / God).
Saturday, February 4, 2012
A Perfect Day for Bananafish
Muriel reminds of Holden. They both have left their parents without talking to them. Although Muriel seems to be older than Holden, her Mother still frets over her during their phone call. Holden and Muriel both are calm about things. They don't seem to get worked up about much, they just live in the moment and don't think a lot about the future. Muriel seems annoyed with her Mother and Holden gets annoyed with people all the time.
Sybil is quite a bit like Phoebe. Both girls are younger than the people they interact with in the stories. Sybil is inquisitive and not afraid to ask her questions. Phoebe is the same way. The difference between the girls is that Sybil listens to Seymour more that Phoebe listens to Holden. When Seymour asks Sybil to talk about something else, she does. When Holden says something that Phoebe doesn't like, she ignores him. Phoebe is more stubborn and strong-willed than Sybil, but that is partially because she is older.
I think that Seymour is also like Holden. Both of them are lost in their lives. Holden doesn't know what to do, where to go, who to talk to. Seymour doesn't seem completely mentally stable, but is lost in his thoughts and other people's lives, which are entangled with his.
Sybil is quite a bit like Phoebe. Both girls are younger than the people they interact with in the stories. Sybil is inquisitive and not afraid to ask her questions. Phoebe is the same way. The difference between the girls is that Sybil listens to Seymour more that Phoebe listens to Holden. When Seymour asks Sybil to talk about something else, she does. When Holden says something that Phoebe doesn't like, she ignores him. Phoebe is more stubborn and strong-willed than Sybil, but that is partially because she is older.
I think that Seymour is also like Holden. Both of them are lost in their lives. Holden doesn't know what to do, where to go, who to talk to. Seymour doesn't seem completely mentally stable, but is lost in his thoughts and other people's lives, which are entangled with his.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)