Romeo and Juliet: the Greater Good

While all of the characters in Romeo and Juliet are very interesting, one I found the very interesting was Friar Lawrence. When Romeo asks him to marry him and Juliet, he can tell that they are too young, too rash, and that they are rushing into things way too soon. He tells Romeo about his strong misgivings, yet he does not follow up on them, deciding instead, that he will marry Romeo and Juliet, even though he is well aware of the dire consequences that are sure to come with their marriage.

In the story, you can see how the two families are honest-to-god enemies. They get into sword fights on the street, and have been threatened by the Prince about their behavior. The Friar can tell that if Romeo and Juliet even so much as openly courted, let alone got married, there would be bloodshed. He can see that, besides the fact that it is just a bad idea, Romeo is clearly rushing into things, without really thinking or taking the time or care to process what is happening.

Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline. And art thou changed? Friar Lawrence is telling Romeo that just a few days ago he was supposedly cut up about Rosaline, weeping over her, and now he wants to marry a whole new girl? He can’t have just flipped a switch overnight and changed. He then says Pronounce this sentence then: Women may fall when there’s no strength in men. I think he is saying a proclamation here, that you cannot blame women for becoming unfaithful or cheating on their husbands, when men themselves are so wishy-washy. He is trying to talk some sense into Romeo. I think Friar Lawrence is like a father to Romeo and sees him as a young, innocent boy who is in need of guidance.

Then he adds, almost as an afterthought, that he will marry them, but only it seems, for a greater good: to help mend the rift between their two families.

In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households' rancor to pure love.

I think he sees this now as an opportunity, rather than just helping two, lost young teens. This is one of the smaller turning points in the story, where the Friar chooses the greater good over the good of Romeo and Juliet. He has made the choice to almost sacrifice them in return for the mending of their families.

 I can see where he is coming from, and I doubt he thought it would end up as horribly as it did, but he had to realize that there was a more than likely possibility of someone(s) getting hurt or killed. I think that he should not have gotten Romeo and Juliet tangled up even further in this mess. They made the knot, but the Friar had the choice to either untangle it, or whack it up until t was impossible to unknot again. I really think that he should have just given Romeo his advice, made sure it got followed through, and just left it at that. He could have prevented this whole thing from happening, but I suppose his purpose of reuniting the families did work in the end. 

Romeo and Juliet: The Worst Week Ever

We are currently reading Romeo and Juliet, by Shakespeare. It is a story a young boy (Romeo) and a young girl (Juliet) who are madly in love, but their families have hated each other for as long as anyone can remember. There are several themes in the story, but I think that the main message Shakespeare is trying to convey is about young love; teenagers may think they are meant to be together forever, but they are really not mature enough, they have not had enough life experiences to fully understand what it is to truly love another.

When we first looked at the story’s plot line, I thought that Shakespeare was trying to tell his audience the opposite; that there is such thing as love at first sight, and that teenagers are capable of falling in love. When I began to read the story however, my first reaction was whoa, slow down there lover boy! It appears that Romeo is desperately in love with a girl named Rosaline, who, unfortunately, does not return his feelings.

”One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun

Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun.” he tells his cousin Benvolio (There has never been such a beautiful woman since the world began.)

He then goes to the party were he sees Juliet.

“So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows. As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows... Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.” So now he has gone from Rosaline being the only women he will ever love, to thinking that Juliet is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen and falling head over heels for her. They meet and fall in love all in one day. They get married by the next day, and they have both committed suicide for each other within three days.

I think that Shakespeare is trying to show how young love rarely works out. For all we know, Juliet was just the modern equivalent of a rebound from being rejected by Rosaline. I think that Romeo might have married Juliet because he wanted subconsciously to show Rosaline that he was over her, and maybe make her jealous. I do not believe that you can fall in love with somebody without even speaking to them first. If that does happen, it shows that you are basing your feeling purely on the surface, and that they have absolutely no real substance. I think that if Romeo was able to go from being in love with one person, to loving another person, all in the course of a day, then he was never actually in love in the first place. Romeo and Juliet were not even 14 years old. They had nothing to compare their feelings to. I don’t even think you are capable of falling in love that young. People change so much in their teen years that for all we know, they might have broken up after three weeks.

I think that teenagers are capable of falling in love, but they are also capable of falling out of love. That is why it is so important not to rush things. Shakespeare was trying to say that there is nothing wrong with going slowly, and taking the time to know your partner before you do anything serious. I think that it is much better to take the time and be sure you love somebody, then to rush and then have a sad ending. 

Health-Conscious Celebrities Promote Junk Food

http://upfront.scholastic.com/issues/02_18_13/book#/6

In the article Celebrities for Sale?, the author is trying to show how many Celebrities are being depicted on sodas, such as Pepsi and Coke, as well as ads for high-fat breakfast sandwiches, frosted flakes, and Rice Krispy Treats, as well as many other sugar-filled foods. These celebrities, especially ones that are very health-aware, such as Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps should know that these foods are bad for young children. The author is questioning the moral ethics of these celebrates who endorse Pepsi and Coca-Cola.

The author opened up with the fact that, despite the fact that Beyoncé supported Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move health campaign, she is getting paid $50 million dollars to be shown on Pepsi cans and have the Pepsi logo on her mouth. He also showed that many athletes, who most likely know to and do eat healthily, shown holding/eating/or on fatty products. Obesity is quickly becoming one of the leading, preventable diseases in America, and studies show that junk and fast foods are a main contributor. You have to ask yourself, why are people who already make millions of dollars supporting something they know is wrong. The people who are supporting these products are almost all fit and healthy people. Olympic stars that train all their lives and have next to no body fat, probably never eat any fast food. I think that it is one thing to do an ad for a car, but it is almost sad to see how many celebrities have taken to endorsing or publicly supporting things that are so bad for your health.

 Since this was an op-ed piece, the author was clearly biased. The funny thing was, even when I tried to think of arguments, I couldn’t. In his piece, he asked the few questions that might have scored the opposing side a few points, and squashed them. The questions he asked were how much does it matter, really? And what if the product was not really that bad? He showed that for most people, seeing a fit, skinny person on a product prompts you to buy it. I actually learned in science that when you see a healthy person eating something, your brain sends you a message saying that person looks happy and healthy-eat that thing they are eating! It is called the mirror neuron affect. Even if the coke is really bad for you, your brain is telling you to drink it. And most of the food products they endorse are pretty much all junk. I’m guessing the vegetable industry just does not have the money to pay millions of dollars to celebrities to eat their food.

I think that it is horrible what celebrities are doing; they are completely aware, and they are knowingly advertising food that leads to diabetes and obesity.  They do not need that money at all, and could very well give just as much money as they are making to health organizations, or even charities. They have a huge surplus of money, I mean, how much do you really need? Even if they do sponsor foods, why the ones that are so bad. It really makes you question the moral standards we live by, and how much people always seem to want more. The poor would love to be middle class and just have a nice house, the middle class yearn to be rich, with a huge house and a swimming pool, the rich want to be famous, and the famous just keep wanting more. Everyone has their own unnecessary wants, but the junk food advertisement is just too much.

I am the messanger

I am currently reading the book I Am the Messenger, by Markus Zusak. It is a story about a 20 year old cabdriver, Ed, who does not really have any hopes, dreams, or goals in life. He has two very happy, successful, siblings, but he has decided that he has no potential; he will live his life, die, and then that will be that-he will never amount to anything. He then starts receives a series of anonymous notes with the addresses of different people written on the back. As he visits each home, he sees the troubles of each family, and fixes them. In the end, he ends up helping many more people than just the ones who were written on the cards. I think the message of this book shows that everyone has the ability to do great things in life, but they need something; words of encouragement, or support. Even receiving the names of people in need, shows you that someone thinks you are capable of changing lives.

Ed grew up in a family were words of love, encouragement, kindness, and support were given. Just not to him. While his sister and brother grew up to be happy, smart, and successful, he became a cabdriver and never left his home town. The fact of matter was he was doomed from the very beginning. Even when he was little, he reminded his mother of his alcoholic father, and so she shunned him, and never let him in. I think that because of this, he turned to his father for support, and so his mother decided her point had been proven.  Ed never though he could amount to anything, all throughout his life, so he saw no reason to try.  I think he never even considered he might be able to do well, so he saw no point. When you read about famous people who rose from horrible families, there is always a story about how the local shopkeeper told the kid he was talented, or the next door neighbor told them they were smart. And that, the magazines say, was the moment when little Johnny decided to become a computer designer! Ed’s problem was that he never got that moment.

He was told he was worthless so many times, he acted like he was, and so nobody even though to tell him otherwise. It ended up becoming a vicious cycle. Ed’s mom decided he was like his father, (even though at the age of three his brain was not fully developed) and treated him like he had no talent or abilities. Then he began to act like he had nothing to prove, and so she decided she was right, and continued to treat him the same way. “You could be as good as any of them…but you’re still here and you’ll still be here in fifty years.” That was what she said when he asked her why she seemed to hate him so much. The funny thing is, the only reason Ed’s father became an alcoholic in the first place was because the he loved the mother, but she was cheating on him. And the only reason Ed wasn't as good as his siblings was because she never offered him any support. I think this shows that you cannot lose hope in a person, and you should never try to decide who or what they are going to be in the future. Children always change, and parents need to see that they are the ones that decide whether it will be for better or worse.

When Ed was sent those cards, somebody was saying that they trusted him, they had faith that he could help change these peoples’ lives for the better. That they knew he had the ability to alter and help those who were in need, and that was all he needed to start trying in life again.  Teachers and parents often say that you need to try your hardest, in school and in life, but kids need to know that if they do try, they will achieve something. They need to know that they are capable. Once you tell somebody they are stupid, or dumb, they will act it, because they will think they are stupid, and they cannot change. Often, it is not because people are too lazy to change, it is because they do believe they had the capacity to change. 

Sorry I was not able to post this yesterday

Viva La Vida; Long Live Life

In the song Viva La Vida, I think that there were multiple meanings you could draw from the song. To me, I think that the writers were trying to show that while you can achieve a lot by being dishonest, or cheating others, you success always ends up crashing down around your ears sooner or later, and then you are generally left off in a worst place then when you started.

In the chorus, they say For some reason I can't explain/I know Saint Peter won't call my name/Never an honest word/But that was when I ruled the world

Saint Peter basically determines whether or not you go to heaven, whether you were naughty or nice. He says Never an honest word/But that was when I ruled the world. I think he is trying to say that when he was on top, when he was the ruler, rich and powerful, he never was honest, he never told the truth, and he had to lie to get to where he was. After you have reached the ultimate goal and then you have fallen, I think that is when you see what you did, and how it felt to the people you pushed down in order for you to get up. You realize, but all too late, that you are not going to heaven; you only lived it briefly in the midst of your success, but now that success is gone, and there is nothing else left.

Another stanza that I thought was powerful was when he said Listen as the crowd would sing/ "Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"/One minute I held the key/Next the walls were closed on me/And I discovered that my castles stand/Upon pillars of salt and pillars of san. After the people realized he was a fake, he was shut out, and it turned out his gleaming castles of success, were really quite fragile, ready to collapse at the slightest probe. But what the people don’t see the recurring pattern. They release their first King, and replace him with a brand new one, and the whole process starts over. Many people use greed, lies, and dishonesty to get what they want, be it power, money, or success. Even when you shoplift, you have the few moments of thrill at getting that free item, but then the beepers go off, security comes, and you have a shoplifting account on your permanent record.

The honest way to the top is hard though, which is why many people resort to cheating their way through. When you take the time to live life, well the beneficial results are also often slowed, but prolonged, while dishonesty gets you there faster, but the benefits soon flicker and die. Today, many people are dishonest, and you can almost always trace our problems back to greed and cheating others. While this may sound cliché, it will only be when everyone is truthful, only then will we get the success we are searching for.