May 19, 2009
EPIC simile
The berries blushed red like a lady's lips; like the gaping wound of a battle weary soldier; like the painted red of a tricycle or firetruck. The red of a poisoned apple freshly bitten by an imperceptive princess.
May 4, 2009
Apr 30, 2009
The power point project.
Already I've found way more information than I expected.
Nowadays crime is very broad, there's no certain successful Mob Boss or criminal that everyone talks about, so it would be much more tricky to do a powerpoint, and I suppose that was what I was expecting when I was assigned crime. However, in the 1920s and 30s crime made it's big breakthrough, with the beginnings of the Mafia and Mobs, and Gangsterism(I had no idea it was even a word). People like Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, and John Dillinger, the criminals that have made legend, became big during then. I guess I was surprised of how much I found, it's almost overwhelming.
It is really interesting to read about the Great Depression, and Prohibition, and how it put all these criminals into action. I've found my biggest obstacle is organization, and knowing fact from fiction. You can't trust everything that's on the internet so I've found myself doing lots of research just trying to prove one event factual. Organization even more so because there was so much that went on in the world of crime in the 1920s and 30s it's hard to decipher the important from the unimportant, what needs to be included and when. There were tons of criminals and events and I'd love to find out about all of them, but I need to find the biggest things, the breaking news, but it takes lots of digging up.
Nowadays crime is very broad, there's no certain successful Mob Boss or criminal that everyone talks about, so it would be much more tricky to do a powerpoint, and I suppose that was what I was expecting when I was assigned crime. However, in the 1920s and 30s crime made it's big breakthrough, with the beginnings of the Mafia and Mobs, and Gangsterism(I had no idea it was even a word). People like Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, and John Dillinger, the criminals that have made legend, became big during then. I guess I was surprised of how much I found, it's almost overwhelming.
It is really interesting to read about the Great Depression, and Prohibition, and how it put all these criminals into action. I've found my biggest obstacle is organization, and knowing fact from fiction. You can't trust everything that's on the internet so I've found myself doing lots of research just trying to prove one event factual. Organization even more so because there was so much that went on in the world of crime in the 1920s and 30s it's hard to decipher the important from the unimportant, what needs to be included and when. There were tons of criminals and events and I'd love to find out about all of them, but I need to find the biggest things, the breaking news, but it takes lots of digging up.
Mar 30, 2009
Extra Credit Blog
I think that the ending of Romeo and Juliet(act 5) is so unfortunate and unlucky, it is almost comical. Every single thing that could have gone wrong, did. The message didn't make it to Romeo, his friend saw Juliet's funeral, Romeo took the poison only seconds before Friar Lawrence could have stopped him, and then just a few more before Juliet awakes. It almost makes me feel sad, the whole tragic thing, until I remember that there is close to a zero percent chance of it ever happening in real life, but I suppose that's why we like to read about it so much.
Romeo and Juliet has influenced pop culture so amazingly much. Almost all of the dramatic love stories we read and watch now a day can be traced back to it, whether the author realizes it or not. If they haven't even ever heard of Romeo and Juliet they most likely got their inspiration from another story that was inspired from it. Shakespeare definitely hit just the right spot for entertainment, the plot is absolutely perfect. It can be (has been, and will continue to be) easily shifted to fit whatever the present social standards are. Whatever the problem between the two "star struck lovers" is, it can always be made to fit, so you have the same predictable plot, but with different twists to keep you entertained. I don't believe anyone will ever be able to write a more influential story than Shakespeare has managed to do.
Romeo and Juliet has influenced pop culture so amazingly much. Almost all of the dramatic love stories we read and watch now a day can be traced back to it, whether the author realizes it or not. If they haven't even ever heard of Romeo and Juliet they most likely got their inspiration from another story that was inspired from it. Shakespeare definitely hit just the right spot for entertainment, the plot is absolutely perfect. It can be (has been, and will continue to be) easily shifted to fit whatever the present social standards are. Whatever the problem between the two "star struck lovers" is, it can always be made to fit, so you have the same predictable plot, but with different twists to keep you entertained. I don't believe anyone will ever be able to write a more influential story than Shakespeare has managed to do.
Late Picture Blog
This is Friar Tuck from Robin Hood...I think it might be the name, I'm not sure, but every time I here or read of Friar Lawrence, I imagine this guy. I know he's a mole or badger? Or something of that nature, but he just fits the stereotype in my mind of Friar Lawrence. The clothes, the white hair and bald head, chubby, smiley and cheerful. A good personality, always trying to help people and coming up with all these plans how to. That is kind of like both Friar Lawrence and Friar Tuck. Except, I don't imagine the badger part, usually in my mind Friar Lawrence is human. Usually.
Mar 25, 2009
Pride and Prejudice; You have bewitched me.
So this is the end scene from Pride and Prejudice. It's been my favorite movie/book since I don't know when, so I don't really know how I found it...? Well, where...youtube. Sure.
I relate this to Romeo and Juliet for many reasons. That's Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. Pride and Prejudice is a star crossed lover story really, but it ends happily. They are seperated by class, he is very rich and powerful, and she is very poor. Therefor their families do not approve of eachother. They also keep everything that happens between them a secret up until the very end. In this scene she kind of tells him without telling him that she loves him back. They both have for a while, but there were always things in the way. It's very early in the morning, they never slept, and they are engaged to be married the next day. In the end Elizabeth's family like Mr.Darcy very much, and leave behind all those old opinions of him.
Mar 8, 2009
Characters in Romeo and Juliet
It's kind of hard to think differently of what any of the characters would look like now that I've seen the movie, I always just think of the actors. However, I think Juliet would look slightly different, well, I mean the image in my head of her. I think she would have wavy, darker hair, she would have big eyes, but not scary big, just pretty big. She would be as tall as Romeo, yet I think she would be much younger than how she is in the movie. I know we talked about how they used older actors in the movie because it's more 90's, but really she's supposed to be thirteen, almost fourteen, and there aren't many fourteen-year-old's I know that look twenty.
I think If I met her she would be very quiet. I think she would make a nice friend, but she seems like she might be boring. Like(in the first scene), she's listening to her parents all the time, not disobedient at all. She just doesn't sound like a fun person. I think though she would have some good friend values like kind, good listener, honest, patience, that kind of thing, but I think I would rather a friend who had that mixed with spontaneity and adventure.
I think If I met her she would be very quiet. I think she would make a nice friend, but she seems like she might be boring. Like(in the first scene), she's listening to her parents all the time, not disobedient at all. She just doesn't sound like a fun person. I think though she would have some good friend values like kind, good listener, honest, patience, that kind of thing, but I think I would rather a friend who had that mixed with spontaneity and adventure.
Feb 26, 2009
Prem-oh-nitions
I guess there's a lot to say on the subject of premonitions. They kind of come in so many different ways. I never really have any of great consequence...usually silly little things like "I have a feeling today won't be a good day" but there's something I noticed about feelings like that. If I do end up have a bad day, I've realized it's because I was expecting it, I'm usually just very pessimistic; waiting for bad things to happen and purposefully see all the bad in everything, when it would normally be a good day. So maybe a lot of it is in my head...
Since I never really have good premonitions, I thought of one from the movie Big Fish, I recall from many years ago. In the scene the dad is telling a lot about his life to his sons fiance. He says "I had a dream where this crow came and told me, “Your Aunt is going to die.” I was so scared I woke up my parents. They told me it was just a dream, to go back to bed. But the next morning, my Aunt Stacy was dead. Wasn’t three weeks later that the crow came back to me in a dream and said, “Your Grampa is going to die.” Well, I ran right back to my parents. My father said, no, Gramps is fine, but I could see there was trepidation. And true enough, that next morning my Grampa was dead. For the next couple weeks, I didn’t have another dream. Until one night the crow came back and said, 'Your Daddy is going to die.' Well, I didn’t know what to do. But finally I told my father. And he said not to worry, but I could tell he was rattled. That next day, he wasn’t himself, always looking around, waiting for something to drop on his head. Because the crow didn’t tell how it was going to happen, just those words: your Daddy is going to die. Well, he went into town early and was gone for a long time. And when he finally came back, he looked terrible, like he was waiting for the axe to fall all day. He said to my mother, 'Good God. I just had the worst day of my life.' 'You think you’ve had a bad day,' she said. 'This morning the milkman dropped dead on the porch!'"
I suppose there was really nothing the he could have done to save his aunt, grandpa or dad. He did tell his parents each time, but it seems like fate, if that's the right word. Like no matter how many precautions we taken there wasn't anything that could be done to prevent the deaths. I thought that the story was humorous though, the end bit I mean, even though it was pretty tragic. Especially scary for a kid.
So something strange just happened; I was writing this and I took a break because my mom made me go to my friends house because she does this dinner trade thing with them and they made dinner for us. And I had a feeling something bad was going to happen, I was really set on not going, it's dark and creepy outside, and so I dragged my brother along with me. Then when we were walking down Glass st. he tripped and fell on his hands and knees, and his right knee looks...demented. I knew something was going to happen! I feel a bit bad for making him come with me, but there wasn't too much I could do without feeling the wrath of my mother.
Since I never really have good premonitions, I thought of one from the movie Big Fish, I recall from many years ago. In the scene the dad is telling a lot about his life to his sons fiance. He says "I had a dream where this crow came and told me, “Your Aunt is going to die.” I was so scared I woke up my parents. They told me it was just a dream, to go back to bed. But the next morning, my Aunt Stacy was dead. Wasn’t three weeks later that the crow came back to me in a dream and said, “Your Grampa is going to die.” Well, I ran right back to my parents. My father said, no, Gramps is fine, but I could see there was trepidation. And true enough, that next morning my Grampa was dead. For the next couple weeks, I didn’t have another dream. Until one night the crow came back and said, 'Your Daddy is going to die.' Well, I didn’t know what to do. But finally I told my father. And he said not to worry, but I could tell he was rattled. That next day, he wasn’t himself, always looking around, waiting for something to drop on his head. Because the crow didn’t tell how it was going to happen, just those words: your Daddy is going to die. Well, he went into town early and was gone for a long time. And when he finally came back, he looked terrible, like he was waiting for the axe to fall all day. He said to my mother, 'Good God. I just had the worst day of my life.' 'You think you’ve had a bad day,' she said. 'This morning the milkman dropped dead on the porch!'"
I suppose there was really nothing the he could have done to save his aunt, grandpa or dad. He did tell his parents each time, but it seems like fate, if that's the right word. Like no matter how many precautions we taken there wasn't anything that could be done to prevent the deaths. I thought that the story was humorous though, the end bit I mean, even though it was pretty tragic. Especially scary for a kid.
So something strange just happened; I was writing this and I took a break because my mom made me go to my friends house because she does this dinner trade thing with them and they made dinner for us. And I had a feeling something bad was going to happen, I was really set on not going, it's dark and creepy outside, and so I dragged my brother along with me. Then when we were walking down Glass st. he tripped and fell on his hands and knees, and his right knee looks...demented. I knew something was going to happen! I feel a bit bad for making him come with me, but there wasn't too much I could do without feeling the wrath of my mother.
Feb 21, 2009
Shakespearian Stories
I would say that, like Romeo and Juliet, A Westside Story has a mix of love triangle, disobeying parents, and above all star-crossed lovers. A Westside Story is basically a modern (and musical) version of Romeo and Juliet. It starts out in New York, with two gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. The Sharks and the members families have just moved to New York from Peurto Rico, and the Jets feel like they've invaded their "turf", so almost immeadiately there is rivalry(as in the Capulet's and Montagues). Very soon Tony from the Jets and Maria from the Sharks fall in love at a dance, and are forbidden to see eachother ever again. Thus we are introduced to Romeo and Juliet.
The Sharks and Jet's call a rumble underneath the highway, and the leader of the Sharks (Maria's brother Bernardo) kills the leader of the Jets (Riff). Tony gets angry because Riff was his best friend; like a brother to him, and he kills Bernardo. Chino, a member of the Sharks(also in love with Maria) wants to get even with Tony and goes out looking for him. Tony and Maria make plans to run away from New York, but Bernardo's girlfriend, out of anger, has Tony told that Maria was killed by Chino because he found out about their affair. Tony doesn't want to live without Maria and tries to find Chino shouting that he wants to be shot as well. Chino shoots and kills Tony, but there is a twist to the ending. Maria finds Tony but does not kill herself; instead she is angry at everyone for all the hate and makes the Jets and the Sharks realize how wrong their rivalry was. Also, Chino(Paris) is not killed, instead he kills Tony(Romeo).
The Sharks and Jet's call a rumble underneath the highway, and the leader of the Sharks (Maria's brother Bernardo) kills the leader of the Jets (Riff). Tony gets angry because Riff was his best friend; like a brother to him, and he kills Bernardo. Chino, a member of the Sharks(also in love with Maria) wants to get even with Tony and goes out looking for him. Tony and Maria make plans to run away from New York, but Bernardo's girlfriend, out of anger, has Tony told that Maria was killed by Chino because he found out about their affair. Tony doesn't want to live without Maria and tries to find Chino shouting that he wants to be shot as well. Chino shoots and kills Tony, but there is a twist to the ending. Maria finds Tony but does not kill herself; instead she is angry at everyone for all the hate and makes the Jets and the Sharks realize how wrong their rivalry was. Also, Chino(Paris) is not killed, instead he kills Tony(Romeo).
Feb 18, 2009
Anticipating Shakespeare
I find it a bit confusing to read Shakespeare, because firstly the way it's written with rhyme and tempo throws me off. I almost seems distracting to me; sometimes I will find myself not paying much attention to what the characters are saying, rather how it is all said. Also how the characters, especially in movies like A Midsummer Night's Dream, speak so fast, and with all these words that are new to me, I get lost. That's why I am looking forward more to reading Shakespeare's plays, I can go at my own pace and comprehend everything better. One more, slightly less confusing thing is how he may be talking about one thing, and I think he's talking about something else because of the different words used and words that are still used meaning other things. It always surprises me how words we use today mean completely different things in his writing, but I remembered something from the fifth grade...Shakespeare created tons of new phrases that people hadn't ever used before, so who knows, maybe the first people to read his plays got confused as well.
Almost everyone knows at least the basic outline of Romeo and Juliet, I would be surprised to find someone in the US who hadn't at least heard of it. It has inspired tons of stories and movies, the whole tragic love thing. Not that I'm saying it's not a good plot, definitely original(at the time), but to be completely honest: I'm getting sick and tired of Romeo and his Juliet. Sure it may have been a brilliant piece of work, but you can only read, analyze and discuss something so many times before you become just plain bored of it. I have read it over and over from different teachers, done all the projects that they had with it, I know it backwards and inside out. If the choice presented itself, I would have much rather read one of his less mainstream plays.
Almost everyone knows at least the basic outline of Romeo and Juliet, I would be surprised to find someone in the US who hadn't at least heard of it. It has inspired tons of stories and movies, the whole tragic love thing. Not that I'm saying it's not a good plot, definitely original(at the time), but to be completely honest: I'm getting sick and tired of Romeo and his Juliet. Sure it may have been a brilliant piece of work, but you can only read, analyze and discuss something so many times before you become just plain bored of it. I have read it over and over from different teachers, done all the projects that they had with it, I know it backwards and inside out. If the choice presented itself, I would have much rather read one of his less mainstream plays.
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