Belwadi

Tanay Belwadi

Mr. Bystrom

Lit/Writ, Block 7

11 March 2024

If one looks up synonyms for passion in a dictionary, one will see words like craze, infatuation, and fury.

In his play, Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare uses two lovers from feuding families to illustrate how their

passion leads to disaster. The young couple follows their passion, ultimately leading to their pre-ordained and

self-inflicted demise at the conclusion of the play. Similarly, the characters Daniel and Natasha from Nicola

Yoon's The Sun is Also a Star follow their passion in an attempt to steer their lives together but because of

following their passion, they go through a rollercoaster of emotions such as love, hate, sadness, and heartbreak.

To sum it up, both authors develop the message that following your heart will lead to disaster.

Yoon illustrates the effects of the relentless pursuit of dreams despite personal resilience or the impact

on relationships through the experiences of Samuel and his family. Yoon illustrates Samuel's tenacity in the

quote by stating “But Samuel’s skin was never thick enough. Rejection was like sandpaper. His skin sloughed

away under its constant onslaught. After a while, Samuel wasn’t sure which would last longer, himself or his

dreams”(Yoon 42). This quote shows that Samuel is worn down emotionally and mentally and that he is

hopeless and concerned about his future. This is because he followed his dreams of acting, which led him to feel

dejected. Yoon’s use of the words “Samuel’s skin was never thick enough” illustrates that he can't handle the

rejection. The metaphor of saying someone has thick skin is used to describe how someone handles rejection

and criticism. Saying Samuel doesn't have thick enough skin implies he is sensitive and easily wounded by

criticism and rejection. Yoon also says “Samuel wasn’t sure which would last longer, himself or his dreams”

which shows Samuel's internal and existential struggles. Samuel is struggling with the question of whether he
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will be able to achieve his goals and dreams, or if he will give up before he is able to. Another example of this is

when Natasha, Samuel’s daughter, says “My father had been dreaming his life away for years. He lived in those

plays instead of the real world. He still does. My mother didn’t have time for dreaming anymore. Neither do

I.”(Yoon 208) This quote shows that because Samuel was so focused on following his passion, he was

disconnected from his family which caused them to lose faith in not only Samuel but their dreams. Yoon’s use

of the words “He lived in those plays instead of the real world.” demonstrates how Samuel followed his passion

for reason which caused him to get lost in his old world. This quote shows that Samuel is prioritizing his

fantasies over his family and responsibilities. Yoon also shows how Natasha faced the consequences of

Samuels's actions through the part of the quote “..neither do I.” Samuel’s actions caused Natasha to not only

have her dreams but also to hate dreams since his actions showed how passion can affect someone's life and the

people around them. These examples demonstrate the dangers of blindly following your passion and how it can

affect others around you.

In Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," the juxtaposition of celebratory tones with harsh outcomes and the

use of vivid imagery illustrate the theme of impulsive passion leading to tragic consequences. One example of

this is when Romeo says, “Here's to my love! [Drinks the poison] O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus

with a kiss, I die.”(Shakespeare Viii . line 119-120). This quote shows how in the moment Romeo’s

overwhelming passion for Juliet causes him to kill himself without really checking if Juliet was dead, which in

the end causes them both to die. The phrase “Here’s to my love!” shows Romeo’s love for Juliet and his

desperation to be with her. This line shows Romeo's impulsive and passionate nature. The phrase “here’s to” is

usually used before a toast and is in a celebratory mood but in this context, it shows Romeo’s acknowledgment

and respect for Juliet. The juxtaposition of the celebratory tone of 'here's to' with the grim reality of Romeo's

impending demise adds depth to the scene. Romeo saying “Thus with a kiss I die” symbolizes the ending of the

play and shows that Romeo is willing to sacrifice himself to show his devotion and love to Juliet. This line

foreshadows Romeo’s imminent death and the conclusion of the play. By saying these words just before
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drinking the poison, Romeo accepts his fate. His actions reflect the worldview of how everything is determined

throughout the play. Friar Lawrence conveys a similar message by saying, “These violent delights have violent

ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey Is

loathsome in his own deliciousness.”(Shakespeare II, IV lines 9-11). In this quote, Shakespeare goes into the

idea that too much pleasure or happiness leads to consequences. Shakespeare uses imagery in the quotes

“violent ends” and “violent delights” to show that moments of love and joy can quickly lead to moments of

destruction. Shakespeare uses this juxtaposition to show the hasty nature of human emotions and to warn

against the danger of too much pleasure. In the quote "The sweetest honey Is loathsome in his own

deliciousness," Shakespeare uses the metaphor of honey to illustrate that even pleasurable things can become

appalling if consumed excessively. In the context of “Romeo and Juliet,” this line can be interpreted as a

comment on the passionate and impulsive nature of the couple. The line “Is loathsome in his own deliciousness”

suggests that even good and desirable things can become bad and undesirable. Shakespeare's "Romeo and

Juliet" shows how following intense emotions without thinking can lead to tragedy.

In summary, both authors convey the idea that following one’s heart recklessly can lead to catastrophe.

These examples demonstrate the dangers of blindly following your passion and how it can affect others around

you. Yoon illustrates the dangers of blindly following passion impulsively can negatively affect the people

around you. In Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet” Shakespeare shows how intense passion without reason can

lead to disaster. If you have lived your life by only following passion you may want to think about where it

might lead you.

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