Week 8,
October 29th to November 4th
week 8
Entry 1
One thing
that I find very interesting is how we have very advanced solar energy but are
still using fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil. There are scientific
studies that show how we could save both money and the world we live in but we
still are pumping oil into our cars. It is unfortunate that big oil
companies that feel threatened by clean energy and such as solar are
putting lots of money to ensure that they continue to make more and more money.
But it is also sad how the general public is so rooted in gasoline and other
fossil fuels that they resent having to make the change themselves. even though
people may even advocate for the environment they refuse to make the change
themselves.
Entry 1
One thing
that I find very interesting is how we have very advanced solar energy but are
still using fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil. There are scientific
studies that show how we could save both money and the world we live in but we
still are pumping oil into our cars. It is unfortunate that big oil
companies that feel threatened by clean energy and such as solar are
putting lots of money to ensure that they continue to make more and more money.
But it is also sad how the general public is so rooted in gasoline and other
fossil fuels that they resent having to make the change themselves. even though
people may even advocate for the environment they refuse to make the change
themselves.
Week
8
Entry
2
This week we have been watching the 1996 version of “Romeo and Juliet”
with Leonardo DeCaprio. I have enjoyed this movie. Although the story of “Romeo
and Juliet” may not be my favorite story, I definitely think that this version
did a wonderful job of telling the story in a compelling, funny and intense way.
In this version of “Romeo and Juliet”, the story was set in modern times rather
than the Elizabethan time-period of the original version. My favorite part of
the movie was the first half hour which introduced me to the modern setting. In
this part of the story, I was introduced to the coastal city including
skyscrapers, cars and guns. Even though the setting was a modern day city, the
movie still retained certain theatrical qualities such as over-exaggerated
make-up and clothing. The effect was a humorous, colorful and corny modern
setting. The characters wore modern clothes such as Hawaiian shirts and suits,
however, their clothes and hair styles were extremely colorful and flamboyant.
Each group had its own color and style. In addition, the setting helped me to
understand the meaning of what the characters were saying to each other. The
characters spoke in Elizabethan English just like in the original version. The
familiar contemporary setting provided lots of familiar reference points, images
and symbols that enabled me to understand what the characters meant when they
spoke. I understood what was going on because they used familiar ways of
communicating and the kinds of communications that happen in certain places. For
example when Romeo and his older cousin were talking about girls and going to
the party, they were playing pool in a billiard room. This is the kind of
conversation that I would expect in this sort of place. So, it helped me to
better understand what they were talking about. Another example of how the
setting helped me to understand happens during the very first scene. Some of the
Montague guys and some of the Capulet guys accidentally pull up to the same gas
station at the same time. When they realize that other gang members are there,
the tension slowly rises. At first they start insulting each other and then they
start shooting at each other. This seemed to me like a very realistic situation.
I could fully understand the rising tension. The technique of re doing a play in
a modern context has been done before. For example, Orson Wells was made famous
by his contemporary version of “Caesar” which referenced the WWII and mob
bosses. These were all part of the life at this time that people were familiar
with. In much the same way, this
version of “Romeo and Juliet” allowed me to actually enjoy this story in much
the same way that the people back in the time of Shakespeare could enjoy the
original version.
8
Entry
2
This week we have been watching the 1996 version of “Romeo and Juliet”
with Leonardo DeCaprio. I have enjoyed this movie. Although the story of “Romeo
and Juliet” may not be my favorite story, I definitely think that this version
did a wonderful job of telling the story in a compelling, funny and intense way.
In this version of “Romeo and Juliet”, the story was set in modern times rather
than the Elizabethan time-period of the original version. My favorite part of
the movie was the first half hour which introduced me to the modern setting. In
this part of the story, I was introduced to the coastal city including
skyscrapers, cars and guns. Even though the setting was a modern day city, the
movie still retained certain theatrical qualities such as over-exaggerated
make-up and clothing. The effect was a humorous, colorful and corny modern
setting. The characters wore modern clothes such as Hawaiian shirts and suits,
however, their clothes and hair styles were extremely colorful and flamboyant.
Each group had its own color and style. In addition, the setting helped me to
understand the meaning of what the characters were saying to each other. The
characters spoke in Elizabethan English just like in the original version. The
familiar contemporary setting provided lots of familiar reference points, images
and symbols that enabled me to understand what the characters meant when they
spoke. I understood what was going on because they used familiar ways of
communicating and the kinds of communications that happen in certain places. For
example when Romeo and his older cousin were talking about girls and going to
the party, they were playing pool in a billiard room. This is the kind of
conversation that I would expect in this sort of place. So, it helped me to
better understand what they were talking about. Another example of how the
setting helped me to understand happens during the very first scene. Some of the
Montague guys and some of the Capulet guys accidentally pull up to the same gas
station at the same time. When they realize that other gang members are there,
the tension slowly rises. At first they start insulting each other and then they
start shooting at each other. This seemed to me like a very realistic situation.
I could fully understand the rising tension. The technique of re doing a play in
a modern context has been done before. For example, Orson Wells was made famous
by his contemporary version of “Caesar” which referenced the WWII and mob
bosses. These were all part of the life at this time that people were familiar
with. In much the same way, this
version of “Romeo and Juliet” allowed me to actually enjoy this story in much
the same way that the people back in the time of Shakespeare could enjoy the
original version.