Romeo and Juliet

Each character is different in his or her own way and adds to the overall depth of the play. From reading at home and in class I feel that I can somewhat relate to Benvolio and Juliet. Like Benvolio I do not get wrapped up in the dramatics of love. Yet I am the friend that will help others when they feel the world is coming to an end. But when compared to Juliet I will try and do what my parents ask and try to be a good daughter. I have found that reading Romeo and Juliet is not as hard as I thought it was going to be. I understand most of it but the reading at school is a lifesaver. Talking about the play in class offers different ideas about a passages I had previously not considered. This adds to the overall understanding of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Wrapping up Great Expectations

In Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations many different themes are introduced and interpretations can be different. A theme I noticed woven through the book is that self-improvement and ambition can be virtuous things but can be corruptive when constant shame is involved. In our lives we all have had times when we want to for example; get an A on a paper or do better in a sport. These things are great in themselves but if our goals cut out our past then how do we really know who we are? Our past shapes us into who we are now and who we will be in the future. Self-improvement should be something that we are proud of but if shame haunts our every step than how can we really improve ourselves and become better people? Dickens uses Pip to show how this is something that everyone goes through as they grow up. Growing up is hard in its self, but if shame follows our every move we will never reach the potential that we have inside ourselves.

Thoughts on Reading

 Although the reading was tedious I actually enjoyed Great Expectations. I felt Dickens did a very good job at developing Pip through the tragedies that he had to experience. This added to the overall motif of becoming a gentleman. One of the characters who I enjoyed was Wemmick. Though he did not change throughout the novel his persevering attitude towards Pip and how he acted around his castle and the Aged P. made him an enjoyable addition to the overall story. Without help from Sparknotes or any other aid I figured out that Miss Havisham was not the benefactor and that Magwitch was. I also figured that the other convict had been involved with Miss Havisham. I believe that Dickens did an overall good job at incorporating the different mysteries into his story of Great Expectations.


When I started to the read the book I was behind about 100 pages because I had been sick. Within the next week though I was all caught up. Most of my reading took place at night after all other homework had been completed. Finding time was hard but by staying up a little later I completed the book. At times reading the book at night was difficult because I would be tired and concentration on lengthy literature was hard. What would be frustrating was at times the reading would be dry and you could very easily read a couple of pages and then not remember what you had read. If I could go back and read this book again I would have much rather read earlier in the day when my mind was fresh and not exhausted. Overall I felt that I did a good job with staying on task and finishing the book on time.