Romeo & Juliet: First Thoughts

As I was reading the first act of Romeo and Juliet, it was almost as if I had entered another world. The way the characters talked was so proper and hard to understand, that it took me a while to final read through it and understand what I read. I liked how things were detailed enough so the reader knew what was going on and felt like they were actually there. So far, I'm not completely liking Romeo & Juliet, but maybe that will change later in the play.The plot is interesting, but I mean common, who doesn't already know how the story is going to turn out? Knowing what happens at the end and knowing how the characters develop (vaguely) kinda ruins the view of the play.

Wonderestruck Final Thoughts

I finished reading Wonderstruck the first week, so this week I will just be sharing some final thoughts about the wonderful book.
I really enjoyed how this book was written. The part of the book that was written was absolutely phenomenal and the drawn portion of it was filled with intricate detail that made you look a little harder into the picture and the part of the story it told. The story itself was different than most stories. It didn't follow one character in one time period, but instead it followed two from two different time periods. What was really cool was at the very end, about the last 100 pages or so, both stories are connected in a way that the reader might not have expected.
Overall, I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a fast read, a "picture" book, or a book that will bring a new love of reading. I can't say that there is a lot of action or drama, mystery or suspense; everything flows nicely and creates a great story.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

As the title of this post implies, I chose to read Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick. I'm not 100% what lured me to read this book, perhaps it was the unique way it was written, maybe it was the story and historical aspect, or maybe it was because I finally had watched the movie Hugo the night before. The way this book is written in very unique and interesting. Half of the story is told through text, while the other half is told through pictures.
To list some of the thoughts I had while I was reading would take up sooooo much room due to the fact that I finished the book in a day, but what really stuck out to me was how I interpreted the pictures. Sometimes the story can be unclear when you aren't being told what is happening, it's like the other way around where the reader has to put words to the pictures. At some parts, especially when new characters were introduced, it was difficult to tell who the person was and their role in the story, but in the end, it all comes together and is understandable.  Oh and both of the stories in the book revolve around two deaf children, so it made it easier when they would write notes to say what they were thinking.
Just to wrap up the book, I really enjoyed it. There wasn't much action or anything like that, but instead, I had the sensation of wonder, something that I can't say I feel a lot when I read a book. The whole layout of the book was fabulous and the way that Brian Selznick brought both stories together at the end was absolutely fantastic!

Compare/Contrast

    The Capulet family resembles Tillie’s family for many reasons but is also quite different. Overall, I liked the book, but it was actually kind of strange at parts.

    One of the similarities between Juliet and Tillie are that they are both independent. Tillie has learned to grow up without the support of her mother and sister, which is mainly the reason she is independent. Juliet has gone against what her family believes by seeing Romeo, a Montague, leading her to be an independent young lady. The families are also quite similar to each other. Lady Capulet and Beatrice both seemed to act as if their daughters didn’t exactly exist.

    Over the course of the book, Beatrice actually felt pride for her daughter, which Lady Capulet never expressed. The families are also different in the time that the book takes place. Romeo and Juliet takes place near the 16^th century and The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds takes place sometime during the 20^th century. 

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds: Act 1

As I was reading act 1 of Man-In-The-Moon-Marigolds, I thought about how it related to me. I came up with that there are times when I stand out from everyone, and that's not a bad thing. Being different may lead to better things, like it did with Tillie. I'm sure that I have many moments where I have felt like I was in Tillie's shoes, but my mom was much more supportive for me than Beatrice, Tillie's mom, was. I can't think of anyone who would be like Ruth, but there is probably someone who hated me until I did something great, which the outcome would then be that they loved me and thought that I was their best friend. I could go on and on about life experiences that can relate to this first act, but I prefer not to go into all of that :)

Romeo

Romeo is the character that I chose to focus on as I read Romeo and Juliet. He has his own unique personality the differs depending on who he is with and the situation that he ends up in. I didn't really like Romeo that much, but he changed throughout the story in a way that no other character did.

At the beginning of this play, Shakespeare portrays Romeo as someone who is very emotional and strong as a character. He is a little cocky, self-centered, making rash decisions, and always getting what he wants. At times, he isn't able to control his actions. Like when Tybalt was fighting Mercutio in Act 3. Romeo enters as they are about to engage in a fight and tries to restrain Tybalt. "Don't fight" was what Romeo said to him, but to no avail. When Mercutio fell down, dead, Romeo proceeded to kill Tybalt himself and his actions got him banished.  

When Juliet came into Romeo's life, he was different than what he was like before. He was calmer, more humble, and less cocky. Their love for each other is genuine, even though Juliet seems a little hesitant at first. At the end, when Juliet takes the sleeping potion, Romeo becomes his old, rash self. He remembers the pain and depression he experienced when Rosaline left him and didn't want to go through that again, so he kills himself. THE END.

Watch This!

The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail: Act 2

Examples of irony are everywhere in the book. To name a few, I think that Waldo is quite ironic. He always says he is going to do something, but he never does do it. He doesn't stick to his word and is a hypocrite. Also, I thought it was ironic when Ellen wouldn't take Henry or John alone, but she would take them both. This is ironic because you wouldn't think that this would happen in regular society.

The three most important characters in my opinion would be Henry, Sam, and Waldo. I would cast Robert De Niro as Waldo because he has the acting experience and  I would cast Jim Carrey as Sam because his personality reminds me of Sam a lot. And I would cast Chris Lowell as Henry because I think that he could pull of Henry's transcendentalism view point. I picked these actors based on what I saw occurring in the book for each character. Waldo was sort of like a grandpa to Henry. They both had a respect for each other. De Niro also fits the image that I have of Waldo. Carrey would be a good Sam because I can see Sam looking how Jim Carrey does, and also how he could interact with Harrelson. I think that Lowell would make a good Henry because of how he interacts with the other characters/actors.

I don't think that Henry's protest is successful in the end because he gets let out of jail without proving his point. The whole reason he was in jail in the first place was because he refused to pay his taxes, which were going towards a cause that he didn't believe was right. If he had been successful, then the outcome of the story would be very different.

The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail: Act 1

“Don’t remember what I’m saying. Remember what I’m talking about.”

Agreeing with Henry David, remember what someone is saying is different than remembering what they are talking about. If you just remember what they say, you may not have a full understanding of what they are talking about. But if you remember what someone is talking about, you have a complete understanding of what is being said. So thinking about what someone is talking about rather than what they’re saying will be more beneficial for educational purposes.

A Perfect Day for Bananafish

When I read "A Perfect Day for Bananafish", the first character that I was looking for was someone that compared to Holden. The young man, who I think is Seymour, is the one who is most like Holden. The way he interacts with Sybil reminds me of how he is with Phoebe, and how he saw talked also reminded me of Holden in a way. Muriel also reminds me a little of Holden because she is always complaining, like Holden is. Otherwise, she reminds me a little of Sally, how girly she is and all. Sybil reminds me of Phoebe, seeming to know and care about what her elders are talking about. She has a kind heart, and has knowledge above her age. But a way that she is different from Phoebe, is that when you ask to change the subject she will, unlike Phoebe. She doesn't get sore at you for absurd reasons, nor does she argue with you.

CITR Chapters 7-12

1. If I were Holden and had just gotten kicked out of school, I would probably go to a friends house or travel to a place that I had been wanting to go to. I don't think that I would want to go home, agreeing with the thoughts of Holden on this. I would go to a friend's house because it would be like starting vacation early instead of getting kicked out of school. Or I would go to a place I had been wanting to go to for a while, like NYC, because it would get my mind off why I wasn't in school, and all that other stuff.

2. I think that what the end of chapter 12 says is true. Especially when you're reading a book, and someone else has already read it and they tell you exactly what happens. Same with movies. When you're having fun and someone is just all bummed out about it, that also can ruin it for you. Or when they're not enjoying themselves but you are, and they think that it's all about them. People have definitely ruined things for me before, while I'm reading books or about to watch a movie. And when others are just down all the time, it has ruined it for me also.

3. Right now, Jane's character has just been introduced a little. There hasn't been any present interactions between Jane and Holden yet, so I can't really say how they interact together. But Jane is one of those people who is always fun to be around, likes just hanging out, and also doing random things that are fun. I think the fact that Holden remembers how Jane always kept her kings in the back row was a hint of a possible connection between the two. I have the feeling that Holden cares about Jane, even if he isn't willing to admit it. His thoughts always drift back to her, and he doesn't really mention any other girls, other than ones he "went around with", which leads me to believe that she was someone special.

CITR Chapters 1-6

1. To be unique means to stand out in the crowd. It is a good thing to be unique because everyone else is already taken, so there's no point in trying to be them. I think that in the teenage years, before you really figure out who you are, you try to fit in like everyone else. I'm not saying that this is how everyone is, but I have definitely noticed this, as I have done it too. You're not meant to be like your best friend. If you were, wow, this would be a boring place. In this context, being unique is like Ackley, or Allie. Ackley has a distinct personality that makes him him and Allie had the brightest red hair ever, making him unique from someone with just slightly red hair. They both stand out, and how you react to that is part of who you are. Holden is also a very unique character. He doesn't admire himself all day long and talk about how great he is like Stradlater. He likes to act like a little kid, which is very unusual for a 16 year old, especially since almost all the 16 year-olds that I know act like they're all grown up and everything. On some level, Holden is really independent. I think that while he was talking with Old Spencer, he was considerate of what he had to say, and respected that he was trying to help him, but he didn't want to listen. He is a very smart kid, just not book smart, if you know what I mean.

2. In an adult world,  individuality is kept by being different than everyone else. Doing what you love is the most important part to being a unique individual in an adult world. If you really love something, you'll really excel and be great at it.

3. Allie is similar to my favorite person in many ways. (First off, I wish not to tell my favorite person because I cannot choose between them.) One, my favorite person cares as much as Allie does for other people, as well as being extremely intelligent, funny, and great to be around. This person makes me smile, yet can be serious when necessary. Rereading the page where Allie is mentioned, my favorite person is very athletic, and always there for support.