Where do you "belong"?

I feel that I belong in many different places. As a Jew, I think that I belong to the Jewish faith. I was born a Jew and I wish to die a Jew. I have a special connection with my faith which also draws me to the country of Israel. I have been to Israel one before and as soon as I got there I felt like I was where I belong. Both sides of my family are Jewish and I feel like that is right for me.

I was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and I am currently living in Indianapolis. However, I'm pretty sure Indiana is not where I belong. While it may be good for now, I plan to move somewhere else in the future. Even though I am an American, I don't feel very patriotic towards my country. Maybe it's because I was not meant to live my life here. I don't know where I'm going to end up in the future, but it's still too early to decide.

Defend or condemn the practice of euthanasia and explain you opinion

Euthanasia - Euthanasia is the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit.

Euthanasia is a controversial issue throughout the world. In most cases it is illegal, but there have still been many debates on it. The idea of killing a person before it is their time to die has a negative affect on most people. But what if the person is in unbearable pain. Then is it alright to put them out of their misery? And what if they ask to die, is it ok then? These are many of the questions asked concerning euthanasia.

I personally believe that it depends on the situation. I think that if a person is in so much pain and they no longer have the will to live, euthanasia should be allowed. But only under the following circumstances:

1) The person has absolutely no chance of surviving and they are just waiting until they die.

2) The doctors cannot do anything else to help the patient.

3) The patient personally asks to die.

4) The patients family agrees to euthanasia.

5) The patient is in unbearable pain.

In any other circumstances, I do not believe that euthanasia is necessary. Without the patient's consent it is an inhumane act and should not be allowed. But if the following circumstances apply, I think it should be allowed.

How important is it for human beings to have a place where they "belong" and where there are people who love them?

A home is an important thing to have. It is a place where you can just be yourself and not care what anyone else thinks. Everyone needs a place where they belong. A home is a place where you are surrounded by people who love and care about you. Without a home, you have no place that you can return to in herd times. 

What makes a friend? Why do we have friends?

A friend is a person that you can count on in any situation. Someone who is always there for you and will be with you even in the worst of times. People need friends to depend on and trust. Humans are not designed to live on their own, they are meant to work together with others. It is important to have friends to talk to and communicate with. If you let your feelings stay bottled up inside you, they eventually burst. Everyone needs a person in the world who they can trust.

Statements

On Monday, we discussed certain statements and whether we think they apply to today's life. One statement was; "A good friend always tells their friend the truth, even when they don't want to hear it." I personally think that this statement is true most of the time. A person deserves to know the truth even if it may hurt their feelings. For example, if someone is talking about them behind their back, they should know. However, there are certain situations where telling the truth may not be the best thing to do. If the truth could hurt someone to the point that they want to kill themselves, the truth should be withheld from them for their own safety.

Another statement that we talked about was; "Today, men treat women more like equals than as objects." I think that over the years the situations with women have definitely improved. For instance, women are now allowed to vote and own their own businesses. But, there are still some people who treat women like objects. Even in todays world we see this all around us. Commercials for women's products treat women like objects by completely revealing them. Still, women have so many more rights today than they did 50 years ago.

Should Romeo have been punished for killing Tybalt? How should he have been punished? Explain why you think this.

Romeo should not have been banished for killing Tybalt, because Tybalt was the one who started the fight. Romeo was trying to stop Mercutio and Tybalt from fighting. After Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo feels responsible for his death so he takes revenge on Tybalt. Killing Tybalt was probably not the best thing for Romeo to do. He knew the consequences of his actions, but ignored them anyway. Romeo should have gotten a less severe punishment from the prince.

Who was ultimately responsible for all of the death that occurred in the play? Why?

Ultimately, the two households (Capulet and Montague) are responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. The feud between the two families makes it impossible for Romeo and Juliet to be together. As Juliet says, "My only love, sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me that I must love a loathed enemy"(61). 

If is was not for the two families fighting, none of the tragic events would have happened. There would not have been such detestation between the two families and Benvolio and Tybalt would not have been killed. Romeo and Juliet would not have had to hide their love and Romeo would never have killed Tybalt so he would never have been banished. If Romeo wasn't banished, Juliet would not have had to fake her own death. And if Juliet hadn't faked her own death Romeo would not have found her "dead" and neither Romeo or Juliet would have died. In the end, it all comes back to the hatred between the two families.

What do you think of Capulet’s orders that Juliet marry Paris? Was he correct to do so? Why or why not?

When Capulet ordered Juliet to marry Paris, he was not thinking about what was best for her, but what was best for him. Juliet's father wanted her to marry someone with the Capulet's blood, as it was traditional. Even though Capulet was Juliet's father, he should not have forced her to marry Paris. Looking back, it was mainly his fault that Juliet died. If he had not forced her to marry Paris, she wouldn't have had to fake her own death in order to be with Romeo.

Romeo & Juliet: Act I

Last year when I read Romeo and Juliet I was so confused. I couldn't understand the Shakespearean language, which was a big problem because I didn't really get the plot of the play. After reading it once before, it makes it a whole lot easier to understand. I have found that I actually really enjoy Shakespeare, which is a big change from a few years ago. Romeo and Juliet is now one of my favorite pieces of literature. 

In the prologue, we learn that the story takes place in Verona, Italy, where there are two families (Capulet and Montague) with equal status. The two families have been fighting for years. But fait brings two lovers (Romeo and Juliet) together, and their deaths are the only things that can stop their families from fighting. 

The two families, the Capulets and the Montagues, are extremely alike, despite their ongoing feud. But when Romeo and Juliet meet, all of their family's fighting is forgotten. When Romeo first lays eyes on Juliet, he says that he has never felt true love before. This seems to be a hypocritical statement, because in the previous scene Romeo cannot stop taking about his "love" for Rosaline.