True Love or A Rash Decision?

Romeo And Juliet, A play that has been talked about since it first appeared, is said to be one of the most romantic plays ever written. Romeo And Juliet is a play about how the children of two feuding families fall in love with each other, and cause their ultimate demise. While most people believe it to be a truly romantic tale about true love, others think its about the effects youthful rashness has on others. The debate between whether the main characters in this play were in love or acted rashly was very interesting to me.

The debate between whether the main characters in this play were in love or acted rashly was very interesting to me because it has many valid points on both sides of the argument. For example, in act 2.3 lines 48-49 Romeo says, “With Rosaline? No. I have forgot that name and that name’s woe.” Although this can be argued, this line brings up a point for youthful rashness because in act 1.4 Romeo promises his best friend Mercutio that he would try to get over Rosaline and find a distraction, and about 10 minutes later he claims he is in love with Juliet. Romeo may have latched onto the first beautiful girl he saw and said he was in love with her when they just met. The fact that Romeo was obsessing over unrequited love but after he meets a new girl forgets his past loves name shows that Romeo is impulsive and isn’t understanding that he’s making his decisions a lot faster than normal, which proves that he is making a rash decision of proclaiming his love to her and proposing to her. Another example is that in act 1.5 both, Romeo and Juliet find out that they’re in rival houses but still announce that they love each other no matter what. Although this can be shown as teenage rebellion, it can also bring up a point for the ‘true love’ side of the argument because many people think that it shows that these two characters will do anything to be together no matter what the repercussions are. Although both Romeo and Juliet knew that being together was dangerous they sacrificed a lot just to be together. The fact that both Romeo and Juliet showed that they would sacrifice anything for each other can prove that they were truly in love.

In conclusion, I found this debate interesting because all the evidence used can easily be used for both sides of the argument. In the end I have decided to support the side that says that Romeo and Juliet were making rash decisions instead of the side that proclaims that Romeo and Juliet were truly in love. Although both may harbor feelings for each other, they are way too young to comprehend them. When young, people tend to make rash decisions and don’t even know what true love really is. Romeo is still young and reckless, so when he made the decision to marry the daughter of his family’s rival it wasn’t out of true love, it was out of confusion.

(P.S. Ms. DePalma gave the dance students of 806 and I an extension to Saturday night, so its technically not late.)

 

🌠✴Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare✴🌠

     Have you ever seen a demon? Do you even know what a demon is? Clary Fray and the Shadow Hunters do. Fifteen-year-old Clary Fray is partying hard at the Pandemonium Club with her best friend, Simon. There, she sees a crowd of strangely behaving, but incredibly attractive teens sneak into a storeroom. She follows them, and discovers that they're demon hunters when they kill a demon in front of her, which dissolves into the floor. Yuck! Clary, determined not to think about any demons or demon hunters, gets a cryptic phone call from her mother, and Clary's life spirals out of control and becomes even more involved with people she shouldn't be able to see. In the City of Bones Clary's interactions with other characters changes the way she acts.

     Clary's interactions with other characters changes the way she acts. For example, When Clary's 'uncle' Luke and her mother, Jocelyn, finished bringing up boxes, Clary asks what they're for. On page 26, when Clary receives an answer she gets annoyed and a little bit angry at her mother and says, "Tell her! Tell her it isn't fair!" to Luke and when her mother says an excuse, "So sell some more of Dad's stocks," Clary said angrily. "That's what you usually do, isn't it?" Usually Clary is a calm, collected person, but when faced with the news from her mother she is confused which cases her to put up defenses to hide her confusion and to try and find out why Jocelyn wants to leave. Although, when Clary's defenses are up she comes off as annoyed and snarky. Clary's interaction with Jocelyn and Luke causes her to become the snarky Clary that she is on page 26 instead of the laidback Clary on page 1. Another example is, on page 298, after rescuing Simon, Clary's best friend, from the clutches of the night children, Vampires, Alec Lightwood, Jace's best friend, pulls her aside. When out of view, Alec tells Clary that she needs to leave because she's endangering Jace's life with her 'selfishness.' Enraged, Clary lashes out at Alec saying, "News flash," Clary snapped. "I don't make Jace do anything. He does what he wants. You ought to know that." ...Clary recoiled. Rage rose up in her like a black wave —rage against Alec, because he was partly right, and rage against
everything and everyone else: against the icy road that had taken her father away from her before she was born, against Simon for nearly getting himself killed, against Jace for being a martyr and for not caring whether he lived or died. Against Luke for pretending  he cared about her when it was all a lie. And against her mother for not being the boring, normal, haphazard mother she'd always  pretended to be, but someone else entirely: someone heroic and spectacular and brave whom Clary didn't know at all. Someone who wasn't there now, when Clary needed her desperately. "You should talk about selfish," she hissed, so viciously that he took a step back. "You couldn't care less about anyone in
this world except yourself, Alec Lightwood. No wonder you've never killed a single demon, because you're too afraid."...She could see how she was hurting him, and it made her glad. Someone else ought to be in pain for a change." Clary's emotions are usually held together in a small space at the back of Clary's mind, the result of that is her emotions getting mixed together, burning underneath her skin. Because Alec said something that got her angry, all of her other emotions towards different people fuel the fire behind her rage keeping it going until Alec gets angry enough to snuff it out and replace it with fear. This shows how Clary's interactions with other characters changes the way she acts.
     In conclusion, Clary's interactions with different characters affect the way she acts towards them and others. I hope that people can relate to Clary because I fell that Clary represents the teenage spirit with different emotions changing how she acts constantly. Clary uses these emotions to her advantage, but sometimes it may get out of control. Clary along with other characters in City of Bones represent different emotions and different traits, good or bad.

Invasion of The Drones (Non-Fiction Reading Response)

You’ve probably heard about Domino’s testing drones as a faster way to get pizza from your door. Drones have been used more frequently from farmers and scientist to Hollywood directors, but the amount of these unmanned vehicles in the sky are starting to raise questions. The article “Invasion of The Drones” by Patricia Smith is about the concerns people have with drones. In the beginning of the article the author tells the story of Mandy Lingard and how her privacy was invaded by drones. Then the article talks about warfare and safety issues people have with drones. The author is trying to say that drones are dangerous and are violating laws.

The author, Patricia Smith, is trying to say that drones are dangerous and are violating laws. For example, the author says, “Sunbathing topless in the privacy of her secluded backyard, Mandy Lingard dismissed the buzzing she heard overhead as coming from some kind of toy, In fact, it was a drone hired by a real estate agent to take aerial photos of the property next door to her house. Lingard was later horrified to discover a picture the drone had taken showing her mostly naked body in billboard real estate ads.” This is a major privacy concern because it shows that drones can hover over our cities and towns 24/7 and track where everybody travels. Many people think this is illegal because the Fourth Amendment protects Americans from “unreasonable searches and seizures,” but does it stop the police from hovering over us?  Does the use of these drones to spy on us count as an unreasonable search. In 20 states lawmakers have passed regulations on drones with most laws addressing privacy concerns. Another example is, the author said, “Last Spring, a 375-pound drone operated by the Pennsylvania Army National Guard crashed outside an elementary school near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.” If school was in session many people would be hurt. Recently there have been many near misses between drones and airplanes because either the drones have escaped their controllers’ command, they got software glitches, or gusts of wind knocked them into trees, buildings, or the ground. Another example is, the author said, “Drones have, in essence, given presidents leeway to wage remote control war.” Although it may sound like a good idea because it prevents a lot of death, one, the drones can miss targets and end up killing innocent people, and two, it is illegal for the president to wage war without congressional approval. If the president does get permission though there are a lot more risks that aren’t worth taking. This shows that the author is trying to say that drones are dangerous and are violating laws.

In conclusion, the author showed how drones are a danger to us and that they violate our laws. I realized that although drones may look cool and do cool things, drones break many laws and are a danger to our community. I don’t think we should use drones in our life because of all the problems they cause. One problem is that there is a major security issue. Another is that there is a major safety issue, and finally the last problem is that using drones in war can cause more harm than help.

Fiction Reading Response ***Mockingjay Spoilers***

   Have you ever heard that all power is good power? I have. Many times. Whether it be from books, magazines, TV, or even real life all I hear is "Power is good, Power is great." Now that I have had time to really think about power, I realized its not always great. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is the third installment of the Hunger Games series and is about Katniss and the struggles she faces in district 13 and being in a position of power. I think that power is not always good and not always bad.
   Power is not always good and not always bad. For example, on page 216 Katniss is talking to the citizens of district 2 about joining the rebellion when she says, "... They've done it again. Got me to kill you-- the people in the districts. But why did I do it? District 12 and District 2 have no fight but the one the capitol gave us." In this scene Katniss is saying that the Capitol used their power to make districts kill other districts when they have no reason to fight. Katniss is also saying that the capitol has been using their power to manipulate all the citizens of Panem to do whatever the Capitol wanted. A way that power is good is that on page 132 Katniss sings a song called the Hanging Tree. On page 132 Katniss sings, "Are you, are you Coming to the tree? Where the dead man called out for his love to flee. Strange things did happen here, No stranger would it be. If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree." This song and Katniss appearance on TV, because of her powerful image in the rebellion, Peeta got to warn Katniss of an airstrike that the Capitol sent out. If Katniss was not a powerful person in the rebellion Peeta wouldn't have broken out of his hypnotic state and warn district 13 of a danger. Because of Katniss' power District 13 did not all get killed and many lives were saved. This shows that not all power is good and bad.
   In conclusion I realized that not all power is good or evil, instead I learned that its peoples choices that decide if its good or bad at the time. I also realized that power is neutral and can be swayed to a side for a small amount of time. I hope that people realize that power is a lot like people, it's our choices that make us who we are. I think the author chose to implement the different uses of power so we could learn it.

Fiction Reading Response ***Spoilers from Hunger Games***

Jaylene Miranda806ELA   Have you ever wondered if a character's world,even if its fantasy, ever had any similarities to our world? Well even if we don't realize it authors usually include little parts of our world into theirs. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is about a 16 year old girl named Katniss who participates in the brutal death games hosted by the Capitol, the government of Panem, North America, while trying to keep up an act of love with someone she will eventually kill if she wants to get out of the 'arena'. Panem and the world we live in now are very similar.   
   Panem and the world we live in now are very similar. For example, in chapter 18 of The Hunger Games after Rue has bled to death Katniss says, "I’ve lost the will to do the simplest tasks, to do anything but lie here..." This is similar to our world because when somebody close dies people can fall into depression and just loose the will to live or move, like Katniss. Katniss said she didn't want to move but, unlike people who have lost someone Katniss was fighting for her life. I also think she was motivated by the promise she made to Rue saying that she was going to win and Katniss didn't want to break it. Another example is in chapter 1 Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' best friend, says, "Leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. You and I, we could make it." This quote shows many similarities. One similarity is the fact that most people run away from their problems like Gale wanted but, people like Katniss held them back and stopped them. Another similarity this quote shows is, most people show arrogance and say they can do anything and it looks like Gale is implying that he can survive in rebellion, whether he can or can't. This shows similarities between Panem and Our world.     
    Although it may not be intentional many authors implement real world characteristics to the book world. I think the author implemented bad similarities to show us that we can change for the better. I think the author chose to put in characteristics that make the worlds different so people can relate to the book. I personally agree with making worlds similar because its allows teenagers to relate without having to open up to somebody when they don't want to.

No Job? Get Lost!: A Non-Fiction Reading Response

  The article, "No Job? Get Lost!" written by Andrew Higgins published in Upfront Magazine is about Norway's northernmost territory, Svalbard and its requirements to live there. The beginning of the article talks about the requirements of living in Svalbard and what is illegal. Then, the article talks about the effects these laws had on citizens. And, finally the article talks about the trouble polar bears cause and how citizens deal with them. I think Andrew Higgins is trying to tell us that living in Svalbard can be safe.
    Andrew Higgins uses different crafts to prove that living in Svalbard can be safe. One craft the author uses is by quoting a powerful political figure that lives in the location. In this case it's Governor Odd Olsen Ingero, who says, "It is a very quite and law abiding society." By using this tactic the author makes us believe that because it comes from a resident, a very political resident, it must be true. Another tactic the author uses is using descriptions of every day life to how how the residents feel about living there. One description showing this is, "Residents regularly leave their car and snowmobile keys in the ignition and don't bother locking their front doors." This shows how residents feel about Svalbard and what they do regularly to prove it. this tactic is used to draw the reader into thinking nothing bad happens in Svalbard and how safe people feel there.This shows how the author uses different crafts to prove that living in Svalbard can be safe.
    In conclusion, the author uses interesting crafts to sway the reader into thinking living in Svalbard is safe. I realized that the people in Svalbard feel so safe that they leave their belongings  powered, left alone for a certain amount of time, and leave their front doors unlocked. I don't feel like that is right. It is still good to be cautious even though you are safe. In the article it said wild polar bears attack citizens some times so why would somebody leave their door unlocked if anybody can get in, even a polar bear, and attack them.

Darkness Too Visible Response

     The article, "Darkness Too Visible," by Megan Cox Gurdon is about how young adult books are too dark and inappropriate for teenagers. The beginning of the article is about Amy Freeman and how she was looking for a book for her daughter but, found all these 'dark' books. Then MCG, Megan Cox Gurdon, talks about ‘dark’ books and how they affect teenagers and what we, the people, can do to help. MCG ends with a counter claim to throw us off. Megan Cox Gurdon is trying to sway readers into thinking about banned books and how the ‘darkness’ in them affects YA’s.

     The author, Megan Cox Gurden, uses different crafts to support and elaborate on her opinion. For example, in the beginning of the article the author uses a narrative about Amy Freeman to show all the horrifying topics YA books hold. Although the author shows Amy Freeman’s perspective about YA books, she did not include Ms. Freeman’s 13 year old daughter’s perspective. The author compares the older generation to the younger generation instead of asking young adults about their opinions on books. MCG also uses repetition of the word ‘dark’ to make readers feel like YA topics are terrible, horrifying topics that even adults cannot read.

     In conclusion, I don’t agree with MCG’s opinion about YA books. One reason why is because YA books can show the struggles average teens face but with a different spin. Another reason is YA books not only show a problem with their world it shows problems with the real world. For example, in Harry Potter, Harry’s world struggles with classism like our world struggles with racism. YA books also show us how to overcome problems in many different ways and shows us what can happen in the real world. These are only some reasons why I disagree with Megan Cox Gurdon.