9th Grade English- Writing Portfolio Bailee Kunnanz

Table of Contents

Writing Fact Sheet......3 Expository.5 Persuasive.7 Narrative..8 Romeo and Juliet WIKI Responses16

Writing Fact Sheet

No incomplete sentences: Were not cavemen. Cavemen talk disoriented. Talk like person from 21st century. Punctuation is important: It makes it easier to read and flows nicely instead on run-on sentences and incomplete sentences. Be creative: Its a lot more fun to read something that reflects off of you (remembering to stick to the topic) than to read something with a blank personality. THINK BEEFY: Opinions are just fluff, research is the beef. If someone tells you they met Patrick Star you dont just believe them do you? No, you want evidence! Be original: Spongebob didnt become the best fry cook by copying someone elses patty flipping mojo, so why should you copy another persons writing mojo? Pictures and animations make everything all the more interesting: No one likes to read a piece of paper with never ending writing on it, jazz it up with a colorful picture!

Make it sound like you: Develop a voice and bring it around town; I know Spongebob has a distinct voice. Have a little variety: Dont start with the same word for every sentence because it just doesnt sound nice. Dont forget to use different beginnings in sentences or at least not the same beginning for a sentence numerous times in a row. Dont do it, its that easy. NO BUTS: But just isnt a right way to start a sentence. Run-ons: Be careful not to write a run on sentence, make sure you divide it with periods, commas, semi colons and all that jazz because it gets very hard to read and just appears as a jumbled mess.

Expository

Compare and contrast essay: Romeo and Juliet

There is a huge debate between which is better, the book or the movie. In order to think that one thing is better than another, there must be a reason why or a comparison or contrast; for example Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet or Romeo + Juliet. The movie and book both share the main deaths and events, but the book explains the story better and the personalities of the characters are better understood when shown in the movie.

Romeo + Juliet does show the main events of Shakespeare's text, but has a modern twist. As read in Shakespeare's text, the fight between Tybalt, Mercutio, and Romeo is fought with swords, but in the movie instead of swords they use guns, cars, fists, and broken glass. The movie shows Tybalt pushed onto glass, breaking it, while Romeo holds Mercutio back; Tybalt taking the chance stabs Mercutio with a shard of glass. As in the text Romeo holds Mercutio back and Tybalt kills Mercutio with his sword, then Romeo kills Tybalt with his own sword out of revenge for Mercutio. Unlike Shakespeare's version, instead of Romeo stabbing Tybalt he chases Tybalt down with his car, crashes into him, and when Tybalt tries to get away, Romeo shoots him. In the movie Benvolio then orders Romeo to flee, just in time because soon after the police arrive and order Romeo banished. As in the book the prince orders Romeo banished, but being modern Verona, in the movie the prince figure is a chief of police. The main points are present, but being modern Verona and not classical Verona could be make or break the likes and dislikes of the new viewers of the movie.

Romeo + Juliet shows action, romance, and comedy that Shakespeare has written, and maybe being visual is a movie's strength. In the text it tells the feelings of the event through dialogue, but in the movie you can see a character's facial features and body language to tell what they're thinking/ feeling. Romeo + Juliet truly show's Mercutio's crazy, wild, and rambunctious actions and witty stories such as the fairies' mid wife, Queen Mab. Romeo himself describes Mercutio as a gentleman "that loves to hear himself talk and will not speak more in a minute than he will stand to in a month"(8-10. Scene 4. Act 2). Even relationships are shown better in the movie such as the intense feud between the Montegue's and Capulet's, loyalty shown between Juliet and the nurse, and love between Romeo and Juliet. In Romeo + Juliet the feud between the families is intensified between the amount of police it takes to stop riot outbreaks; passion is shown when the nurse seems to have no limits for what she will do for Juliet; and the love between Romeo and Juliet is enhanced by how they meet, how they become to love one another, and how they

act when they think/ see their lover dead. Even the tension between Juliet and her family is intensified.

Juliet was expected to marry Paris by her mother and father, but once Juliet refused something within her parents snapped. The rage was easily detectable when reading the dialogue of the story, but in the movie the anger was shown through, not only in tone of voice, but action because Lord Capulet aggressively threw Juliet onto the ground and both parents stormed away. Juliet was not only upset with her parents but with the nurse as well because the nurse reminded Juliet that Paris was the better bachelor all along. Juliet then feels betrayed by the nurse and scurries away to seek help from Friar Laurence, who then gives Juliet a sleeping potion for when she gets home she will accept to marry Paris then drink the potion. The sleeping potion will make Juliet look "stiff and stark and cold, appear like death"(14. Scene 1. Act 4), then her wedding will turn into a funereal, Friar Laurence will wait for her to awaken, and she can live with her husband, Romeo, in Mantua. Friar plans to send Romeo a letter, which in the movie is sent by mail and in the text is sent by another Friar, but either way doesn't get to Romeo by either him not noticing it, or a plague outbreak. In the movie and text Balthasar is the one that tells Romeo Juliet is dead, Romeo then decides he cannot live without Juliet therefore he must die too which causes him to buy poison for the near future. Romeo then visits Juliet to see her for the last time, then drinks the poison.

There are multiple similarities and differences between Romeo + Juliet the movie and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Both the movie and the book show the main events but the movie has a modern twist. Visuals could make or break, whether the book is descriptive enough to where it's satisfactory or the movie is best when it shows comedy, romance, and action. The characters are most important so the readers or viewers need to know what they're like and what role they play in the story. Choosing which is better between a book or a movie is not factual rather than opinionated, causing an everlasting argument between movie-goers and book worms.

Persuasive

Barack Obama deserves the job as president because he supports the American Dream to have freedom of choice in marriage and abortion, and he also understands the need for our loved one to come home from Afghanistan. Supporting this candidate is a good choice because he believes that government should not intrude on family matters (candidatecomparison.org, Afghanistan, para. 15). Romney, however, does not support abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or if the mothers life is threatened, but what about financial costs? What if the parents cannot financially support for their unborn child? Abortion is not the only thing Romney is against: Romney explains in an interview that he disagrees with the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts and that he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman (Romney on Marriage, candidate-comparison.org, same sex, para. 8). But Barack Obama, on the other hand, shares that he was hesitant about gay marriage but realizes that same-sex couples raising children together and gay and lesbian soldiers fighting for our country should be able to be involved in a marriage. The issue across the Atlantic is where both candidates some what agree, the war in Afghanistan. Romney agrees with Obama on the troops withdrawal deadline, he disagrees with the plan to order 23,000 out of Afghanistan by Sept. 30 (candidate-comparison.org, Afghanistan, para. 3). Obama has shown understanding in approving abortion because it is a mothers choice, he has been open-minded to see the marriage rights beyond a religious setting, and has shown careful planning to bring back 23,000 troops from Afghanistan to America. The presidential title belongs to a person of understanding, a person with an open mind, and a person of conscious planning.

Citation: http://2012.candidate-comparison.org/

Narrative
348

Sarah and Drake had been engaged for 6 months and now they had decided that moving to a small town, Agency, would be the next step in their relationship. As they drove along the highway Drake drove with his left hand on top of the steering wheel and his right hand entwined with Sarahs left hand rested on the middle council.

Drake, take this next exit, Sarah instructed.

Drake did as he was told; once they were on a straight road he looked at her and smiled. She smiled back, Why are you looking at me like that?

Drake shook his head, still smiling, and put his attention back on the road, Nothing Just excited is all.

Sarah continued to smile at Drake and squeezed his hand, "I am too, the central part of Agency is beautiful and a nice small place to start our new lives together."

Drake and Sarah stood thoughtfully and triumphant in their living room full of boxes. Of course they still had a lot of work to do yet, but they were happy to be in their own home. The movers were nice enough to put the bigger furniture in the correct places as Drake and Sarah would have had trouble doing it on their own; Sarah and Drake happily plopped down on the couch.

It was nice of the movers to help with the furniture Sarah commented.

Yeah, tomorrow we should get some groceries, dont you think? Drake said, bringing his arm around Sarahs shoulders, looking down at her face with a slight smile on his own. Sarah looked up at Drake and smiled, Sounds great.

Drake and Sarah were working together to put the groceries away, they had quickly gone out for groceries and arrived back at their home in time for a late lunch. Sarah was putting away the refrigerator and freezer foods while Drake was putting away the cabinet and drawer foods when there was a knock at the door.

"You finish here and I'll get the door," Sarah said walking over to peck Drake on the cheek, then jogged over to the door. Reaching out for the knob and giving it a twist pull motion while stepping out of the way for the door to swing open wide.

Sarah smiled warmly when she saw an adorably small lady with snow-white hair, skin that was pale but some-what youthful, with crystal blue eyes encircled with dainty rectangle glasses, "Hello you must be one of our neighbors."

"Well aren't you just a beautiful thing," she quavered, "I brought you a welcome gift, my name is Caroline," she said as she gently offered a tray of brownies contained in a plastic container, I gladly took it with both of my hands. Her hands folded neatly together in front of her gracefully.

"Oh thank you, Caroline. When should I return the container?" she asked, Drake's feet thudded against the floor as he walked out of the kitchen, across the living room, and into the entryway to join his fiance at her right side in front of the door.

"Don't bother, I'm sure you'll need it more than I do, being engaged and all. Quite a beautiful thing, being betrothed, isn't it?" She asked as she gave a sweet smile that made her lips thin as they stretched and pushed her cheeks up so her light blue eyes were nearly hidden between her eye lids.

Drake snaked an arm around Sarah's waist and replied, "It sure is, although it sometimes it's a nightmare to see her bedhead in the morning," Sarah turned her head to the right,

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glanced up at him, then smiled, but she shifted her gaze downward and stared into the distance with a blank expression on her face, deep in thought.

Drake simply kissed her head and continued to talk with the nice old woman, "My name is Drake by the way," Drake held out his hand and Caroline put her hand in his and shook gently.

Sarah, still lost in her thoughts, was startled when she heard Drake say his name, "Don't you think that would be lovely, Sarah?"

Sarah looked at Drake, then at Caroline, then back at Drake and spoke, "I'm sorry I missed that..."

"Caroline here just offered for us to come to her house this evening for dinner, don't you think we should go?"

"Yeah, that's a great idea, where do you live?" Sarah plastered a smiled upon her face as she saw the woman motion to her house across the street, a couple houses down the left.

"It's right down there, I will invite some of the other neighbors too, they would love to meet you," she beamed.

"Thank you very much, Caroline, we should be able to make it there about... six-ish? Sarah?" Drake looked down at Sarah waiting for her approval, Sarah smiled at Caroline and repeated Drake's words, "We should be able to make it there about six-ish."

Caroline showed her teeth in her dazzling smile that caused little wrinkles to appear by her eyes as she replied, "Wonderful, see you then."

"See you then, now I have to go investigate this box of goodies before Sarah has a chance to stop me."

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"Bye, Caroline," Sarah smiled as she closed the door, she quickly returned to her previous thoughts from earlier.

Turning around and walking towards the kitchen where Drake was, currently leaning on his elbows that were placed on the marble island with a brownie in his hand, Sarah asked meagerly, "How did she know we were engaged?"

Drake, taken back with a strange look on his face but soon replaced it with a calm one, looked at Sarah, "She probably saw the ring on your finger."

Sarah glanced down at her left hand and wiggled her finger to let the ring sparkle in the light, "She couldn't have possibly known we were not married yet, maybe I'm crazy..."

"Yeah, but it's kind of hot."

Sarah looked up to see Drake had a seducing smirk on his face, she walked over to him and got close to his face. She giggled then snatched his brownie right out of his hand, "Go take a shower hot shot, we have a dinner to get ready for."

Drake stared at her awestruck and walked up down the hallway and into the bathroom. Sarah smiled and took a bite of her brownie, she bit into something hard, "Yuck, I hate nuts... she said, throwing the brownie into the trash under the sink.

* "Drake, you look very nice," Sarah commented as they walked down the sidewalk, hand-inhand, towards Caroline's. Drake was wearing a brown sweater with dark blue jeans and black shoes. However, Sarah was wearing a loose navy dress with a band at her natural waist that had buttons on the left and right side. Accessorized with a light brown leather jacket, black leggings, long white socks that pulled up at her shin and light brown suede boots three fourths below her socks.

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"So do you, beautiful."

Drake and Sarah arrived at Caroline's front door step, Drake knocked. Strangely no one answered, "Are you sure this is the right house, Sarah?"

"Positive..." Sarah peeked inside the window, seeing no movement or light she looked at Drake, "Maybe she had last minute plans?"

"Hey look, is that her?" Drake said, pointing towards the end of the street. Sarah looked at Drake with a worried face and jogged down the street after, what seemed to be, Caroline.

"Caroline, Caroline!" Sarah called, Drake joined her, "Caroline, are you okay?"

Sarah and Drake neared the end of the street at the corner when they were pushed behind a house; they looked up to see a light brunette wearing jeans, V-neck, and a white lab coat beside them peering over the corner.

She looked back at them, "Look, no time to explain. Not here, but my name is Ellis and trust me, if you want to live, you need to follow me." Drake protectively grabbed Sarah's hand and they followed Ellis to a warehouse in the nearby woods.

"Okay, we followed you, now tell us what the heck is going on here!" Drake bellowed.

"Sshh! You don't want them to find us do you?" Ellis turned into a room full of strange bottles and tubes filled with colored liquids, Sarah and Drake followed.

"Who? Why are we here?" Drake demanded.

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Ellis sighed, "The people in this town have been infected by a chemical called RZF-069. It has caused them to be what you would call the 'walking dead', they feed on the flesh of living people and are as destructive as acid," Ellis started grabbing chemicals and pouring them into vials, mixing them together.

"So what you're saying is that we're running away from zombies." Drake concluded.

"Precisely, and I have a way to reverse it. We can reverse it by inserting human tissue into them," Ellis turned around to show Drake and Sarah a small needle filled with a light blue liquid. Walking over to strange rectangle that resembled a microwave she sighed impatiently, placing the tube in the microwave-resembling box and looked at Drake and Sarah, "However, the liquid needs to mature for ten minutes so get comfortable, and prepare yourselves."

With five minutes left for the antidote to mature, Sarah began to feel uneasy. Clawing at her arm, she began to draw blood and Drake immediately noticed.

"Sarah, what are you doing?!"

Sarah burst into tears, "Bugs! Bugs are in my skin! They itch, make it stop itching Drake!" Her nails were full of blood and flesh and she dug into her right arm.

"Sarah, there aren't any bugs! You're fine, it's okay!"

Drake tried to pry at her arm to stop her from scratching her messy arm, "Ellis! Help, what do I do?"

Ellis scurried over to assist Drake, she took Sarah's jaw in her right hand as her left hand pulled out a flashlight from her pocket. She began to shine the flashlight in Sarah's eyes as if

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the answers lay there, "She is under extreme stress, there isn't much we can do but let her lay down and rest."

"Alright Sarah, calm down. Just go to sleep, okay?" Drake soothed as he gently laid her down on the floor, placing a spare tablecloth on the floor for her head.

Sarah's eyes began to water, "I'm scared, Drake," Sarah whispered.

"Everything's going to be just fine, rest. I love you."

"I love you, too." Drake was terribly wrong. All wrong. Things were most definitely not going to be 'just fine'.

***

Drake was sitting crisscross next to Sarah, she had been sleeping peacefully for two minutes. Drake decided to stretch his legs and walk around, as he was examining the room he came across an oven... It wouldn't have been suspicious if it hadn't been for a brownie mix box. Empty. Looking closer at the box he found little crumbs of nuts, Drake picked up some and smelled it. He snorted when he smelled the putrid crumbs. These are not nuts, Drake thought. Drake mulled over the possibilities as he sat down next to Sarah, he then noticed the same looking crumbs next to Sarah's mouth then remembered Sarah snatching the brownie right out of his hand.

"Hey Ellis, do you like to bake?" Drake said, still examining Sarah.

"What do you mean, Drake?"

Drake stood up, staring at Ellis accusingly, "I didn't tell you my name."

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"I know, I heard Sarah call you by that."

"She whispered." Drake couldn't help but notice Ellis grow a shade paler.

"You are being absolutely preposterous, I have good hearing." Ellis retorted, turning around to gather the vial from the microwave.

Drake, steamed with anger, sat next to Sarah. His heart nearly stopped when he saw she was pale blue, "Sarah?" he whispered, shaking her gently, "Sarah! Wake up!"

Tears welled in Drake's eyes, he rose to his feet and stomped towards Ellis, "You! You killed Sarah! I saw the brownie box, the crumb that smelt like poison and the traces of the same crumbs on Sarah's face! It was you! You killed her!" Drake yelled as his face grew red, veins popping out of his neck.

Ellis turned around, a mischievous grin on her face, "I did kill her! She was in my way! You're in my way! You know way too much, the undead are my soldiers, they follow my command, and if you escape you will be hunted down! Where ever you go my army will follow you and destroy and change any one in their way into a zombie! The farther you get, the thinner your chances are of living..."

Drake staggered backward, bumping into a counter. Ellis continued calmly, "You can be hunted down, or join me in changing the world."

Drake only did what he thought was right, he refused, "I will never be one of your followers, I would never become a figment of you!"

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Romeo and Juliet WIKI Responses

Journal Prompt #3b: In Act 2, Scene 3, Friar Laurence uses the poisonous flower as a metaphor for human nature, and he brings up two important points: 1) no matter how evil someone/something is, that doesn't mean it can't do any good, and 2) evil is like a cancer it will grow and fester in a person until they succumb to it. What do you think of Friar Laurence's views on human nature? Do you agree? Response: I think he is definitely right about no matter how evil someone or something is, it doesn't mean that it (they!) can't do any good. Also, I agree that evil is like cancer, it can change a person's decisions and/or actions until it has come a prisoner to it. I do believe that evil is like cancer, but some cancers can be removed and therefore, can't evil be removed? Can evil be ceased within a person or thing? I believe it can because nothing is impossible, with a little reality check (no unicorns or dragons, they were real in a mythological sense) it can be done.

Journal Prompt #4a: As we discussed in class, the fight that erupts in the climatic 3rd Act between Mercutio, Tybalt, and Romeo is a muddled mess - who's really to blame for the resulting deaths? Is it Tybalt's hotheadedness, Mercutio's lack of discretion, or Romeo's "fire-eyed fury" (1048)? And then there's Benvolio - he manipulates the truth to make Mercutio look the better while Tybalt suffers complete dishonor - was this the right thing to do? Discuss all the characters' actions and come up with a consensus for who deserves the most blame. Response: I don't think Benvolio's choice to manipulate the truth was entirely the right thing, but in terms of being friends with Romeo I think it was a loyal thing to do. The fight between the three seems obvious to think whose fault it is, I personally think it was Tybalt's fault but I mustn't blame just him. Tybalt did start the fight but Mercutio talked back, making Tybalt angrier and breaking the law; Tybalt also stabbed Mercutio but while being held by Romeo, Mercutio being vulnerable and Romeo trying to stop the fight. Mercutio died a terrible death and Romeo, raged, took revenge on Tybalt's life. Now, maybe Tybalt deserves the most blame, he started the fight, killed Mercutio, and broke the Prince's law. Maybe Romeo deserves the most blame instead, he held Mercutio and left him vulnerable, Mercutio died, he killed Tybalt for revenge, AND he also broke the Prince's law. My previous opinion still stands; I think Tybalt deserves the most blame.