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Hank, You do show how Macbeth evolves. Nicely done. You have brought in key events to demonstrate his change in character. You are direct and to the point as you bring about his transformation. You have a creative piece in you that does want to share a bit in the retelling of Macbeth's adventure. Good work.

Journals 1-8

Journal 1: An unreliable source...

I've recently met 3 witches while returning from the war with Banquo and they've predicted that i would become thane of Cawdor. They also prophesied that i would someday become King, and that Banquo's sons would be king..... I wonder if it will come true.

Journal 2: Truth unveiled

Alas, it came to be true. The king has pronounced me Thane of Cawdor. The old one was apparently a traitor. Now, if the witches are to be trusted, then i shall become king in due time. But how could it happen, how? I must discuss with my wife about this further.

Journal 3: The plan

My wife has persuaded me to take an upcoming opportunity to seize the throne. The king is coming over for a visit, and we shall take the the chance to rid us of this unsightly obstacle. We have devised a devious plan, and it shall be put into action as soon as possible

Journal 4: Close call

The body has been discovered. However, all is not lost. I have successfully shaken the suspicion off of me and i've framed some servants. Too bad there aren't any eyewitnesses... heh heh heh... I'll be king, and ill remain king! It must be that way. Unfortunately, since the witches predictions have proven to be true so far, it seems that i must kill my friend Banquo...

Journal 5: Guilt

I can't sleep. I just can't. No matter what i do, I can't sleep. Everytime i close my eyes, i see blood, blood, and more blood. I can't let this get to my head though; I have to focus on the job at hand. Banquo. He has to go. He is a problem. So is Macduff... I must seize the day and eliminate all threats to me and my kingship.

Journal 6: Banquet

Something strange happened to me today. Banquo was killed just earlier, and i... saw his ghost at the table. He was there. So material... t'was my wife that brought me back from insanity, the damn thing. Sitting there. Just sitting. It's as if it knows that it was me..... God save me. It's too late to turn back now....

Journal 7: Downfall?

I have seen the witches again. They prophesied that i would only have to fear when the woods start to move, and that i could not be killed by any man of woman born. So i am safe. Wood cannot move, for it is wood. And all men are born of woman. So there is nothing to fear after all...

Journal 8: The time has come

It's impossible. The wood is moving. The witches were right, again. It seems almost unreal, out of this world. The last part has yet to come true though... I can only hope that it shall not. I will stay ready. Ready to leave, should the one come.

I would like to be Macbeth for the journals

This is because i don't feel like writing a journal as a female. Also, Macbeth seems like he is slightly less deranged.

Simplified Macbeth

http://simplifiedshakespeare.com/tragedies/Macbeth.html

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/

Poem Response

The poem that I felt most connected to was "As I Grew Older" by Langston Hughes. This is because when I was young, I had a lot of dreams, and now it feels to me like they were all slowly covered by a veil of shadows. Although I am not "black", this poem still connects to me because I can look at my past and compare what i used to see with what is described in this poem. This poetry really inspires me to take every shot i get in life, because if i don't, the wall will eventually rise between me and my dreams. My hands may not be dark, but they are still hands that can "help me to shatter this darkness", and to "break this shadow into a thousand lights of sun".

Identity music

SIA - Breathe Me

Song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghPcYqn0p4Y

Lyrics:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/breathe-me-lyrics-sia/5baf785a295a848248256f2b00129392

I chose this song because I feel that the lyrics really connect to a lot of peoples identities; the lyrics are not only straight forward (a lot of people need friends, and a lot of people constantly lose themselves) but are also deep, because this song really describes what a lot of people feel inside, not what the person chooses to display for others to see.

Journal Response 1 First Edit

To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, -- that is genius. Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I think that this quote is very important for self growth - it encourages us to be more self reliant and promotes independence.

This quote tells us that to "Trust thyself" is to do what is right, and that as long as we trust ourselves and follow in our beliefs we wont feel guilty or feel bad for what we do. Also, this quote serves as a reminder that as long as we do what is true to us, we won't feel stupid. I think that this quote is not only important for self growth, it is also important in life in general. For instance, in life, you don't want to always be a follower - you sometimes need to believe in yourself and take a stand. For instance, i once "took a stand" in a group project and stood up to the extremely arrogant "leader" of the group. I ended up leading the group instead and I made the project even better than before. You need to sometimes trust your decisions and not let the choice you made bother you, because it is your own choice, and it is because it is your own choice that your heart should "vibrate to that iron string."

Independent people are hard to come by - most are very dependent on others in life; however, it is almost inevitable that anyone that follows this quote in life will be one of the rarer, more independent, and successful people that reap the benefits of self reliance.