Canterbury Tales Casting

1.) I would give the role of the Prioress/ Nun in The Canterbury Tales to Queen Latifah. I made this decision because of the movie, What Happens in Vegas. A Prioress is a religious woman who runs a convent. Although Queen Latifah does not do that, in the movie she is a very successful marriage counselor and helps people that way. In this movie she presents her self as a very classy woman. The Prioress was presented as a very classy woman that had excellent manners. In the story it said, “No morsel from her lips did she let fall, Nor dipped her fingers in the sauce too deep; ...” (Chaucer 76). The Prioress was also a fat woman, but also very put together with her wardrobe. Queen Latifah is not the thinnest women in the world. Also, in the movie you can see how put together and elegant she looks for the most part. That is why I would cast Queen Latifah for the role of the Prioress/Nun.

2.) I would give the role of the Knight in The Canterbury Tales to Mel Gibson. I made this decision because of the movie, Braveheart. A Knight was basically a warrior in the middle ages. In this movie Mel Gibson does not play a knight, but he does play a strong-willed and brave man that is fighting for his people and his country. A knight’s job was also to fight in battles and protect the people. “To ride abroad had followed chivalry, Truth, honor, generousness, and courtesy. He had done nobly in his sovereign’s war…”(Chaucer 74). I used that quote because both the knight and Mel Gibson have those characters. Honor and courtesy are two main ones that represent both characters. The knight was also very dull dressed and wore a dark tunic. In Braveheart, Mel Gibson wore darker clothes also. They may not have been as fancy, but they were still dark. They both also had the strong manly quality to them. That is why I would cast Mel Gibson for the role of the Knight.

3.) I would give the role of the Merchant in The Canterbury Tales to John Krasinski. I made this decision because of the T.V. series, The Office. John Krasinski plays Jim on the show. To see the resemblance between these two characters is not an obvious thing, it is something that you really have to break apart. The merchant sold different things to people and that is what Jim does for his job. “This estimable Merchant so had set His wits to work, none knew he was in debt, …” (Chaucer 78). I used that quote because the merchant actually wasn’t rich, he was in debt, but nobody knew that. I could relate that to some what of a trickster to the people. Jim was also a trickster because he was always playing pranks on Dwight, another employee. Also, the merchant dressed rich with his cloth woven things that had a design and Jim dressed in a suit and tie. Although they both were not rich, that is what they were portraying by there wardrobe choice. That is why I would cast John Krasinski for the role of the Merchant.

Charlie Sheen Iambic Pentameter

Another man that I did see
On April’s road to Canterbury
Walking through the fields of green
Was none other than Charlie Sheen
Trying to find a job again
He had been fired from Two and a Half Men
Only a stripper would get him grinning
A pile of coke… duh winning
At telling jokes he was a butcher
He had been replaced by Ashton Kutcher
His whole career had been a dud
A life lived off of tiger blood

Who would I take?

If I had to travel through hell, I would take my family and Coach Morrell. I would take Coach Morrell simply because she would know every little detail about everything. Like Virgil, she would be a great guide and I would feel confident to get the same experience that Dante got with Virgil. I would take my family because I want them to have the experience. It is not a good experience, but it is one to better a person. If I got the chance to travel through hell and see so that I could change my self to be a better person, then I would want the same for my family.  

Beowulf in the City Jersey Style

Just when you thought reality T.V. could not get any better, Hrothgar’s Shore started playing on MTV. Hrothgar was the almighty gun store owner and it was his job to keep all his workers in line. Not everything went smoothly though for Hrothgar because when he fired one of his employees, Grendel, things started to go downhill. 

Grendel was had the hard-six (six pack) and was a dog-magnet (girls(female dogs) wanted him). Deep down Grendel was evil and a creepy-crawler(sneaky). He only wanted to stir up trouble with the rest of the cast.

Grendel would always trash the house after coming home from a night on the town. The roommates grew sick of this and were always scared of what he was going to do when he got a little liquid courage in him. After Grendel had been kicked out of many clubs for fist pumping people in the face, the roommates decided they wanted him to go back home. Another reason they wanted him to leave was because he looked like a piece of white paper and it was embarrassing to the other pre-skin cancer members on the cast. 

When the roommates sat Grendel down and told him that they wanted him to leave he went crazy! Shman, Mookie, Lena, Nennie, Pajie, and Kinny all ran out of the house to Karma because they were terrified and also because Pajie had a DJ gig. Everyone had left except Beowulf. Beowulf knew that he had to get Grendel out of the house right away for the safety of his friends.

Beowulf was a tank-grenade (super ugly), but he was probably the only person that Grendel was scared of because he was just like a flesh-chewer (shark). He was the kisser of tears(he could make everything better) in the house at the shore and he knew that he was going to succeed in getting rid of Grendel no matter what. 

While Grendel and Beowulf were back at the house, Hrothgar went to Karma and saw all the roommates. They all talked about what happened and Hrothgar was very upset. He just hoped that everything would be okay and decided to stay with them for a little before going back to the shop because he forgot to lock up.

Beowulf had been watching Grendel destroy the house for about an hour before he finally stood up. He was ready to fight for his people. This terrified Grendel and he hurried out of the door to the unlocked gun shop where he got a gun. Grendel wanted to kill all the roommates just because he was just so infuriated. Beowulf was a smart guy and knew that Grendel was going to try and hurt the others so he also left and went to Karma to protect them. 

When Beowulf got to the club, he saw Grendel chilling in the VIP booth just waiting to attack. Once Grendel saw Beowulf he knew that he had to act fast so he shot at him a few times with the gun. Everyone screamed and fell to the ground for safety. Beowulf stood up unharmed for two reasons. One reason being because Grendel’s aim was a little of due to one too many cocktails. The second reason was because the bullets were not able to penetrate Beowulf’s bullet proof hair. The next words that Beowulf said were, “Well I guess the gel paid off.” Grendel had run out of bullets and had no way to protect himself from what was about to come.

Everyone in the club was mad about the stunt that Grendel just tried to pull on Beowulf. Instead of beating the beat up, they all ended up beating him up. 

Grendel was so ashamed and left the shore because he knew the he could not show his face at Hrothgar’s Shore ever again. All the roommates that were still on the show lived happily ever after as millionaires traveling the world. 

Stranded On An Island

            I thought it was going to be just a normal plane ride, but about an hour into the flight the plane started to go down in the middle of the deep blue. It all went black for me then.

            I woke up floating on a raft with all my carry on bags next to me. When I sat up I was speechless. Not because I was floating in the middle of nowhere, but because the hottest guy ever was sitting right in front of me. Channing Tatum saved me from the sinking plane. I whispered, “My Hero.” He smiled at me with his perfect teeth and we talked until we hit land.

            I started to go through all my bags and found my sister hazel album still left on my I pod, my blanket, and the hunger games series. I was so happy that I still had some of my personal items. I was hungry and started to get upset, but then Channing took off his shirt, flexed his muscles, and then went in the water and caught a fish with his hands.                                                                                                                                 This was not a tragedy, it was a great opportunity. Just the two of us together on the island was my happily ever after.                  

Keep moving forward

         My parents always tell me to just keep moving forward, but on January 29, 2011, my family thought forward wasn't going to be an option for me. 

          When I found out I was sick, it was the beginning of my junior year I didn’t know what was going to happen. Everything changed so fast and I was struggling with getting to school because of being in the hospital. Despite my illness, I was still determined to preserve and just live my life, but my health started to deteriorate and things took a rapid turn downhill.

        The doctors told my family that they were doing everything they could, but time was not on our side. I don’t remember much, but through slipping in and out of consciousness in my hospital bed, I remember seeing glimpses of my family standing around me telling me how much they love me. I was scared, but at the same time I felt watched over. 

          Heaven was next thing that came to my mind because I needed help breathing and I was just so tired. Then I realized I was not ready to go and I was going to hold on. It was almost like a spark had gone off inside me. That spark was perseverance and determination. Although my body was physically weak and frail, my heart and will to live was much stronger.

          I spent two weeks in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit fighting and trying to regain some of my strength. During that time, I saw and went through things that were unimaginable, but I was still determined to keep going. The happiest day was leaving that unit and being taken back upstairs to the normal pediatric unit. The feelings running through me were indescribable and the doctors kept saying that I was a living miracle.

          Knowing I still had my junior year of school left ahead of me, I picked myself up by my boot straps. I was determined to start my senior year with the rest of my classmates. Within four months, I completed 11^th grade and was ready to go for 12^th.    

          To quote Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get”. For me, I was unlucky and got sick, but that doesn't matter because I overcame it. Obstacles are just a part of life and they make us the people we are today. Different trials will always be coming into my life and overcoming them will only make me stronger. Life does have a plan in store for me. I’m not quite sure what that plan is yet, but I’m going to find out and I’m ready for whatever else is going to be thrown my way. Things might not always go how I plan, but no matter what, I will always keep moving forward.

Anglo Saxon Riddle- A sign

I can be big or I can be small
You can find me on the street or on a wall
Sometimes I can tell it all

Introduction

Hi I'm Leah and I'm 17 years old :). I live on a farm and ride horses. I am the upper school yearbook editor for my school and I am very outspoken.