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.

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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.