“If Romeo had never met Juliet, maybe they both would have still been alive, but what they would have been alive for is the question Shakespeare wants us to answer.”
In this quote by Gary D. Schmidt, the idea that the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is not simply their deaths, but the potential for a different kind of life without their meeting is explored. Schmidt implies that Shakespeare's play raises questions about fate, love, and the consequences of our actions. This quote prompts readers to reflect on the complexities of human relationships and the idea that even in tragedy, there is room for contemplation and understanding.
In his quote, Gary D. Schmidt raises an important question about the timeless tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The story of two young lovers from feuding families has continued to captivate audiences for centuries, prompting us to consider what their lives would have looked like if they had never met. This question challenges us to reflect on the power of fate, the consequences of impulsivity, and the importance of overcoming societal barriers in our own lives. In today's world, where issues of division and conflict are prevalent, the story of Romeo and Juliet remains relevant as a cautionary tale of love, loss, and the enduring impact of choices.
“If Romeo had never met Juliet, maybe they both would have still been alive, but what they would have been alive for is the question Shakespeare wants us to answer.” - Gary D. Schmidt
In this quote, Gary D. Schmidt explores the consequences of Romeo and Juliet's tragic love story, suggesting that their meeting was both the cause of their deaths and the reason for their existence.
As we contemplate the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet, we are left to wonder about the role of fate in their lives. The quote by Gary D. Schmidt raises thought-provoking questions about the purpose and meaning of their existence if they had never met. Consider the following reflection questions:
How did the meeting of Romeo and Juliet ultimately determine the course of their lives?
In what ways did fate play a role in their tragic ending?
Could Romeo and Juliet have found happiness and fulfillment in their lives if they had never crossed paths?
What does Shakespeare want us to contemplate about the significance of their meeting in the grand scheme of things?
How does the story of Romeo and Juliet compel us to reflect on the concept of destiny and its influence on our own lives?
“In the whole story of the world, bananas have never once been a special treat.”
“I love the sound of a brand-new bottle of coke when you pry the lid off and it starts to fizz. Whenever I hear that sound, I think of roses, and of sitting together with someone you care about and of Romeo and Juliet waking up somewhere and saying to each other, weren't we jerks? And then having all that be over. That's what I think of when I hear the sound of a brand-new bottle of Coke being opened”
“Mrs. Daugherty was keeping my bowl of cream of wheat hot, and she had a special treat with it, she said. It was bananas.In the whole story of the world, bananas have never once been a special treat.”
“One day we ran all the way to Jones Beach, and if Mrs. Sidman hadn't sent a bus after us, I think we would have collapsed on the boardwalk and died.”
“Maybe the first time that you know you really care about something is when you think about it not being there,and when you know-you really know-that the emptinessis as much as inside you as outside you.For it falls out,that what we have we prize not to the worth whiles we enjoy it;but being lacked and lost,why,then we rack the value,then we find the virtue that possesion would not show us while it was ours.That's when I knew for the first time that I really did love my sister.”
“That night, [Black Dog] lay beside Henry, and he stroked her sharp shoulder blades and scratched behind her ears. He did this late into the night as he listened to the low and terrible moans that swept through the hallways of the house and that were not from the lonely wind but from his lonely mother, who had lost her oldest child and would never have him back again.”