Romeo and Juliet Essay

         Juliet, a Capulet, changes tremendously throughout the story. The story of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare causes a young teenage girl starting off as sweet and innocent, who always goes by the rules, living as a normal Capulet. When teenage girls hit that moment where they fall in love with a certain handsome boy, that’s where the attitude changes. And that boy is Romeo. But a Montague. Juliet didn't know until after she fell in love with him. Juliet is now too involved, and her life is about to change and go downhill.
         Juliet starts off in the story just living her casual Capulet life. Her nurse was mostly there for her. Always trying to make the best for her and keep her happy. Juliet knew she can always count on her nurse. She was like a mother to Juliet, since she's with her more than her real mother. At the age Juliet is, her family is already planning for an arranged marriage. Now, that's one thing Juliet wants to go her own way for. Once she figures out that her family plans to arrange a marriage of Juliet and Paris, things slightly change in Juliet's life.
         The moment where Romeo and Juliet first lay eyes on each other during the big party, changed each of their lives instantly. It was love at first sight. The two didn't hesitate to meet each other. Once they did, Paris is completely forgotten in Juliet's mind, and who Romeo's family wanted Romeo to fall in love with, Rosaline, was non-existent during the moment where Romeo and Juliet find love in each other. Neither of them knew they were from different groups, and were supposed to be enemies, but even after they did find out the truth about each other, that didn't stop them from loving each other.
          It began with only the nurse from Juliet's side knowing about her relationship with Romeo, and Friar Laurence, Romeo's father, knowing about Juliet on Romeo's side. The nurse kept the whole story as a secret, and would even allow Juliet to see Romeo. She did so to keep her happy, which is her job. This part is where Juliet is the happiest she ever was. It was until more and more Capulets and Montagues started knowing about the love going on between Romeo and Juliet. Even thought Friar Laurence was fine with the relationship in the beginning, he still preferred his son to seek love in Rosaline, another Montague. But Romeo couldn't turn away from Juliet and Juliet couldn't forget about Romeo. The strong couple proceed to see each other, no matter how many risks they have to take, and how secretive they have to be together in order for no other Capulet or Montague to know about the relationship they have together.
          The relationship of Romeo and Juliet can even relate to my own life because once it comes to that point where I'm going to make a big commitment and marry the person I love, I will. No matter what anyone says. Whereas Romeo and Juliet fell in love with who they wanted to, not who they were forced to. You will have to be faithful in your relationships to the person you love, no mater what happens or how many risks you'll have to take to keep the relationship strong.
          

Romeo & Juliet ~ Thesis and Outline

          1. Introduction ~
a. Lead:
     How does the character (Juliet) change and develop in the story? What message is shown through these changes?
b. Title and Author; brief context or background:
     Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
     There are two groups, Montague and Capulet. They're enemies. Romeo, a kind-hearted Montague falls in love with Juliet, a beautiful Capulet. They will do anything to see each other, even ignore what their families say, besides the fact that they are supposed to avoid each other.
c. Thesis/Focus:
     Juliet's character changes tremendously throughout the story. She starts off as a sweet, innocent, young girl who goes by the rules and lives her Capulet life. She then unexpectedly falls for a dear Montague, Romeo. They both know they aren't supposed to be seen together, since they're supposed to be enemies. But they love each other and they will do anything to see each other. Ever since Juliet's Capulet family has known about Romeo, the Montague, her life has gone downhill.

          2. Body ~
a. Paragraph 1
     - Juliet, a Capulet starts off telling a story of her life in her point of view. Living the life of a Capulet isn't easy if you're a young girl forced to look for love. 
     - In the party scene, Montagues and Capulets dance. This is where Romeo and Juliet first lay eyes on each other. It was love at first sight, Romeo immediately thought that he had found ' the one '. Juliet went along with the eye contact and even stepped up to talk to him.
     - This part of the story shows that love at first sight can actually happen, no matter who you are, no matter if Romeo is a Montague and Juliet a Capulet. No matter if Romeo was forced to fall in love with Rosaline, and no matter if Juliet was forced to fall in love with Paris. The two can have found each other, who they really love.
b. Paragraph 2
     - Only Juliet's nurse knows about Romeo. And only Friar Laurence knows about Juliet. Nurse has even been trying to help Juliet to keep her happy. She's been arranging ideas for the couple to see each other more. Juliet knows no other Capulet or Montague cannot know about her relationship with Romeo. Friar has suggested Romeo to seek love in Rosaline, but ever since Romeo found Juliet, she's never on his mind. Juliet is his true love.
     - Juliet's even mentioned that if anyone dared to see Romeo with Juliet, Romeo could be banished forever and Juliet would never see him again! The two love each other very much, and are willing to do whatever it takes to see each other without anyone knowing.
     - This part of the story shows that Juliet and Romeo will take all risks to see each other. They both truly love each other and wont listen to anyone who tells them to never see each other again. They're both there for each other even though they are supposed to be enemies and avoid each other.
c. Paragraph 3
     - Juliet's personality and emotions dramatically change as more and more people know about Romeo and Juliet being together. They still try their best to promise to each other that they will see each other again, but they both know it's a big commitment since it's a huge risk for a Montague and a Capulet couple to not get caught.
     - Ever since the marriage of Romeo and Juliet, both their lives have been slowly disintegrating. The rest of the Montague family such as Friar Laurence forbids Juliet to see Romeo again because he wants her to marry Rosaline. Juliet's mother has even wanted her daughter to fall in love with another Capulet, Paris. But both Romeo and Juliet have refused to go their separate ways and stay in love and together.
     - This part of the story shows that Juliet will only truly love Romeo, and Romeo will only truly love Juliet. They now only have each other ever since Juliet's nurse has let her down. In the beginning of the story, the nurse would arrange occasions so that Romeo and Juliet can see each other, but once it came to the point that everyone else prohibited a Montague and a Capulet being together, she had a change in heart and decided that Juliet had her own life to live whereas she had to marry another Capulet. But she couldn't. She's so dedicated to Romeo she's even willing to take her own life for him and vise versa.

          3. Conclusion ~
a. How does the text relate to you, the reader, the world, and/or another text?
     The relationship of Romeo and Juliet can relate to my own life because once it comes to that point in life where I'm going to have to make a big commitment to marry the person I love, I will. Whereas Romeo and Juliet fell in love with who they wanted to, not who they were forced to marry.
b. What do you think the reader should think, feel or know about your topic? 
     The reader should think about once you have fallen in love, you will be faithful to your partner no matter what it takes or how many risks you will have to take to keep the relationship strong.

Nonfiction ~ The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

          A highly infectious, deadly virus from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. There is no cure. In a few days, 90 percent of its victims will be dead. A secret SWAT team of soldiers and scientists is forced to stop the outbreak of this exotic "hot" virus. The Hot Zone tells a dramatic, shocking, frightening story even scarier than fiction.
          The events in this book take place between 1967 and 1993. The period of the viruses in the book is less than just 24 days. No one who suffered from any of the viruses or who was in contact with anyone suffering from them can catch or spread the viruses outside of he period, and none of the living people described in this book suffer from a contagious disease. The viruses included in The Hot Zone can't survive independently for more than 10 days tops.
          The Ebola virus was the most important virus included in this book, it is talked about throughout most of the story. It has infected so many people in such little time. Thinking about an event like this actually happening in the real world is frightening. Something this huge as a contagious virus or disease really gets my attention to read about it since it's nonfiction.
         I have not ended the book yet, but what I have already read so far makes me want to continue. Something this scary will keep my eyes glued to the words as I not only learn about the lives of the people with a virus, but the story.

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

          Ruby was so used to depending on no one and answering to nobody. She's very independent and wanted no part of anyone else to bother her. But all that changed when her mother vanishes and she is sent to live with her older sister, Cora. Now Ruby's got her own room in an incredible new house, she's going to a private school, and, for the first time, feeling as if she has a future. Plus, there's an adorable and sweet boy next door, Nate. Ruby believes that everyone is almost perfect. Ruby soon comes to realize that sometimes, in order to save yourself, you've got to reach out to someone else.
          Ruby always thought she wasn't ever going to have a future. She didn't believe in herself, and she thought everyone was a bother. She thought whoever was involved with her life wouldn't help her, wouldn't comfort her or even care about her. She thought her life was horrible living with her mother. They didn't get along and finally, one day, she vanishes. The vanishing of her mother causes Ruby to find another place to live; and she does. She chose to live with her older sister, Cora in her brand new and fabulous house. By then, she thought her life was perfect. Nice, big house, nice school, and nice boy. Ruby living with Cora was probably the best decision she's ever made.
         I'm really enjoying this book, it's very touching and deep. I'm interested in reading books about teenagers and their lives, because they're always relatable to some readers. It's nice to read about lives of people my age and see how much we differ or how much we're similar.

The Lucky Place by Zu Vincent

          This is a remarkable story. When Cassie's father, Sikes, gets drunk and forgets three-year-old Cassie at the horse races, it's the last straw for her mother. Soon Cassie and her brother, Jamie, have a new dad and move into what their mother calls their Lucky Place, where her two little brothers were born. Cassie wasn't to believe in the Lucky Place, but behind the picture of a suburban city in the 60s is another, more fragile and complex world.
         Cassie adores her new dad, Ellis. If only Jamie would love him, too. If only their charming, drunk father would quiet popping in and out of their lives to ruin things. If only their mother would stop pretending like everything is fine.
          Then during a family trip, Cassie learns a terrible secret about Ellis that threatens to shatter the dream of the Lucky Place forever. In the end, Cassie faces a great loss, but by also facing the truth about her family, and learning to look at them with true love, she discovers a stronger version of herself.

Reading Response ~ Teen Angst? Naaah... (Non-Fiction)

          In the auto-biography, Teen Angst? Naaah..., Ned Vizzini is just an average teenager. Dealing with the usual drama in school, fighting everyday battles with parents, people from the street, rock bands,  friends, fame, camp, prom, girls, the New York subway system and more. With honestly, Ned shares his take on high school disasters and big moments. Basically, his personal life. 
          This book has parts labeled events in Ned's life. Mostly about school. The first part is Junior High. Through out the first chapter, Ned briefly explains his obsession with Nintendo products. Ever since he's gotten one of the systems from his father, his younger siblings, Daniel and Nora, have been fighting more often. Before they received the Nintendo, they've always fought. Daniel was only 6 and Nora being the youngest, just 3. Their father thought buying the system it would keep them quiet. But it's actually made them worse. He finally settled down with the kids and encouraged them to share and not fight over the Nintendo and make Mom mad. So Ned did. For the next 5 years.
         Another part in the story, Ned is in high school. Stuyvesant High School. Stuy High. Ned explains how he was terrified and overwhelmed on the first day. But on the bright side he makes friends quickly and immediately fit in. Most of the kids in that school had their faces buried in books, eager to learn. Ned learned the vibe in Stuy and became one of them. The high school is huge, modern and sparkling clean. He even says that everyone there was nice. No seniors or older kids would beat you up. People would mumble "Sorry" if they bumped into you in the halls; they said "Excuse me" before charging past you on the stairs. Everyone was incredibly self-motivated. And that was a plus for Ned's school life.
         I'm reeeeally enjoying this book. It's definitely relatable, any teen in middle or high school can compare their lives with Ned Vizzini's. Definitely recommended for anyone ages 13 and up.
          

Article - Why is Smoking Bad for You ?

          "Why is Smoking Bad for You?" is an article explaining the affects and danger of smoking. Smoking is responsible for several diseases, such as cancer, long-term respiratory diseases, and heart disease, as well as premature death. Smoking is the largest cause of death in the world. It is preventable, but many people are addicted. Recent studies have found that smokers can also affect the health of non-smokers in the environments they smoke in, releasing harmful chemicals such as tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide.
           Smoking can cause life-threatening cancer. 90% of lung cancer patients developed their disease because of smoking. Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths in the world. Smokers have a higher risk of developing: heart disease, heart failure, kidney failure, lung, breast, bladder, pancreatic, throat, stomach cancer and leukemia.
           Cigarettes contain 3 dangerous chemicals. Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical. It's extremely fast-acting drug. It reaches the brain within 15 seconds after it has been inhaled. Tremendous amounts of nicotine can cause vomiting, seizures, headaches and affect the nervous system. Tar contains several cancer-causing chemicals.70% of the tar remains in the lungs after it has been inhaled. Carbonm monoxide is a poisonous, odorless and tasteless gas. The body has a difficult time to tell the difference of oxygen and carbon monoxide, so it goes straight to the blood stream, affecting the entire body.
            This article had all the information needed to give readers knowledge about smoking. This article can even convince non-smokers to never smoke, if they were ever going to begin. Overall, smoking is very dangerous, it affects almost all the organs in the human body such as all of the respiratory system and humans should not put themselves at risk of getting seriously sick or even death.