Reading Response: A Game of Thrones

I've just begun the one series that may keep me from reading the whole thing in the course of a week. I begun the first book of A Song of Ice and Fire series with the epic story of A Game of Thrones George R.R Martin, and  have to say I don't think a book has every grabbed my attention so quickly. This tale of fantasy tale if held in a place where winter's and summers can last decades, and in this medieval time period also sets up a story of glory and deception in a way that I've never seen before.Not only is the plot and world interesting but each character has a path that makes me feel like I'm reading individual stories with each chapter.

My favorite character by far is Jon Snow, the bastard son of Eddard Stark, ruler of Winterfell (when a bastard is born, they aren't allowed to take the last name of their father and must take the name "Snow"). Jon is a strong-willed character that has a rough life not because he was born a king's son, but because he was born at all. His father had him while being married to his wife for a year and is looked upon by the world as the boy who disgraced his family and as someone who shouldn't be. This makes me drawn to this character because he is the outsider accepted by a few people, which is who I am most of the time. In the story, Jon decides that if he must be the outsider, he will take the road to where even a bastard can be looked upon in greatness, as a part of the Night Watch, the warrior's who guard the outer wall's of the land. I wish to see more of Jon in the story but as the character's keep alternating it keep's my attention away as I look at their lives as well.

In this book there are definitely some things that throw me off. An example would be who are the conflict's fall between, because there seem to be quite a bit of hate to one group but other hates rise out under it from the past as well. I would also want to know what type of fantasy am I dealing with in the story, in terms of magic and creature among other things. The main things that I wish to know more about are the outer wall, the Night's Watch, the Dothraki and the Targaryen's. And these are just my main concerns, not even mentioning my other haunt's of this book.

Reading Response: Romeo & Juliet

This week I've been reading the legendary Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare, and I have mixed feelings about the book so far. One part of me likes where the book is going but another part of me says that I should drop the book( even though I can't). So I'll highlight the good and bad parts of the book for me in this response.

In the book, I sort of enjoy looking at the hidden messages of the story, like how one thing means something else entirely. But another part of me just wants to scream from the mental anguish their manner of speaking has caused me, wanting to think that it means the way they say things but it just doesn't want me to do this apparently. Another thing is the characters. New characters rapidly appear throughout the story and the each seems significant in their own way, but since it's in the format of a play I don't get to truly know the characters like I would be able to in other book and it bugs me to no end. I'm I reader who likes to understand most of what he's reading, and this book isn't really helping.

In all I would say that I have to read more of this book before I develop a real opinion of the story I think I would have to read more of it before I start crashing down on books the way I normally would. If my opinion leans to one side, that's most likely the opinion I'll stick with for the rest of the book.

Letter to a friend;Understanding Shakespeare

Dear God Brother,

It's been a while since we've spoken to each other and I was thinking that we may be able to reconnect, talking about what's new and what has changed. In my ELA class we have begun to read Romeo & Juliet by the legendary bard, William Shakespeare. I have just finished the first scene of act one, as this tragic love story has been written in the form of a play and through reading this I have found the story slightly hard to understand but nevertheless interesting. I am sending this letter to you in hope that you may get a better understanding of the story crafted by Shakespeare and I hope that after you have read this, you will somewhat understand Shakespeare and perhaps gather a better understand of the bard's work than I have.

To me, the story begins as two characters planning to take action against the apposing side, until the opposite side see's them insulting them openly and a fight breaks out in public, swords drawn. In my opinion, this was a foolish thing to do in the first place, declaring hate openly when you are outnumbered. But reading this has also taught me that as words are spoken, they can mean something else entirely from what you would think it had meant. Truth be told, I had to look at their definitions for words at least several times to learn what they meant because at first it seemed like a bunch of words strung together to make meaningless sentences. But after learning what their words meant, I was thrown of quite a bit because they had boasted about doing some rather disturbing things to others.

I hope this may be of help to you if you decide to take up reading Romeo & Juliet, knowing that you have to look out for hidden meanings while reading. I would recommend this to you but than again this type of reading isn't really for everyone, but since I don't really know about your tastes in reading I can't be sure.
My best wish's go out to you brother, and I hope that you can keep in touch.
                                                                                                               
                                                                                                             -Your Brother Through God, Tyler

Shakespearean Sonnet Response:Sonnet 27

Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,
The dear repose for limbs with travel tired;
But then begins a journey in my head
To work my mind, when body's work's expired: 
For then my thoughts--from far where I abide--
Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee,
And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,
Looking on darkness which the blind do see:
Save that my soul's imaginary sight
Presents thy shadow to my sightless view,
Which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night,
Makes black night beauteous, and her old face new.
   Lo! thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind,
   For thee, and for myself, no quiet find.


This sonnet was very interesting to me in terms of meaning after I had annotated it. This sonnet, like many others, were directed to a specific person. Basically, to me it means that he was always a tired many, physically by day, and mentally by night. He had personified night as a women, saying as the sun went down the face of night became beautiful and young once again. But as he waited for night to fall he also had a very tiring day, both waiting and working. With the stress of both these things on his body and mind, he couldn't find any peace and just relax.


I thought at first this sonnet was about a woman, describing her as beautiful as night in his sleep, but later on I realized that this was only his imagination at work. For me it is strange to think of why someone would waste so much thought on this person when she doesn't exist. It was as if he was trying to bring this person to life through his dreams, the amount of thought he was using in the process has left him depleted for his apparently draining lifestyle.


I would think that this is still a beautiful poem, changing the focus of his writing to something else for a change. It was in truth somewhat difficult to depict his meanings but in the end it is just a dedication to his dreams, which I can somewhat understand. Reading this sonnet gave me a better understanding of Shakespearean sonnets and helped me find a focus for my own sonnet. 

Shakespearean Sonnet:Waiting For..

Sonnet 1
Title: Waiting For.

I continue to sleep, trying to dream

I think that my head is about to steam.

I only wish that I could remember

What my dreams were like before December.

Were they like fire, warm and yet so bold?

Or like winter snow, soft but just so cold.

I only wish that I could find the truth,

It feels like it’s hidden within my youth.

But then again I am only a kid,

Just hiding the feelings I must be rid.

I guess that I am just thinking too much,

About all these meaningless thoughts and such.

But this feeling, I couldn’t shake it before

So what is it that I am waiting for?

I had changed the rhyme scheme because I figured since this is poetry, we shouldn't be bound to rules of the things that we can and can do, so never the less, I hope it was still enjoyable for those who may end up reading it.

Poetry Unit:First 3 Poems

What is Night


Night is the time when the city is in the full moons grasp,
a place where we now come out to play.
Where a city ignites with a light that will make you gasp,
a time where you no longer know what to say.
Night is a time where we can truly be free,
night is a time where I now wish to be.


What happens to the promises that were made


Were the promises that we made kept,
or had they just disappeared as we've gone up and slept?
Were these words just for show,
so that they lay in our minds for us to never know?
So I ask you,
What happens to the promises that were made,
are they gone now?
I suppose it's too bad,I wish they had stayed.


The Disputa


As the mortals cry and pray up to the heavens above,
the ones who have passed try to look down at us with love.
With heaven looking down from the clouds as if on display,
we mortals still finds more and more to say.
With both worlds caught in this tragic dispute,
I find that these words have been wasted
for both the ears of heaven and earth are both mute.

Artist Response:Raphael Sanzio

"The Disputa"

The artist that I chose to look up for this project was Raphael Sanzio. Raphael was born in the town of Urbino,Italy on either March 28th or April 6 1483 (It seems that the day of his birth has been found but not the year).Although he died at the young age of 37, his artwork lived on,showing his different styles and works of beauty.Raphael was born during during the period of The Renaissance, working alongside Leonardo Di Vinci as well as his rival Michelangelo. Raphael has painted in not just one, but three different European styles of painting, from his own style to the traditional way of Florence to last years of life in Rome, where he meet his untimely death on April 6th,1520.
Raphael's works of art were highly celebrated and upon their incredible grace and soothing perfection.Many of his paintings were found and kept safe,from his paints and drawings to his large scale paintings inside the Vatican(The Pope's Palace). Of all the works of art that I've come across from Raphael, I was struck by his first masterpiece that he had worked on for the Pope in Rome,The Disputa.
The Disputa or Dispute is a scene that was painted on the walls of the Vatican by Raphael between 1509 and 1510.To me this picture show a argument between heaven and the people of earth,though it isn't really clear on what the dispute is about.I was able to recognize some figures from the Bible in this picture such as Jesus Christ,The Virgin Mary and John the Baptist,watching calmly from above.
What I like about the picture aside from the vivid colors and detail of the image is whats actually happening inside the picture.From what I understand it seems like us humans are praying and begging with heaven while Jesus,Mary and John attempt to keep to peace while the other people in heaven discuss the matter at hand. This picture captures the tension and emotion in the scene while giving it a strange sense of beauty as well,which is perplexing since this has to do with an dispute between the dead and the living.