Assignment #5: The Road Less Traveled

1) Do you believe it is important to be passionate about your job?
      As children, we fantasize about the perfect job, minus all the technical things such as the pay, the effort, and the time, yet when one grows older the perfect job remains a dream, and we settle for the easiest option. Jobs are not only a source of money but a daily part of ones life. On average, people spend eight hours a day/ five times a week at their work place. It is impossible to lead a satisfying life if you are dreading to go to work. Passion plays a key role in ones day to day life. If there is no passion, there is no enjoyment and without enjoyment, it is impossible to be happy with the job you have. People tend to complain about their jobs rather than going back to school and finding an occupation that you are truly interested in and want to focus in more detail. For example, I'm a senior in high school and frankly I had no idea on what I plan to do this upcoming year until now. Unlike many adults who just reconcile with a future they are unsure of, I avoided making a hasty decision that I may later regret. Instead of picking any area to study in university, I took the advice of my councilor and elders who know how it feels to be in this position and researched deeper into the courses I am most intrigued by. Although, my future will be filled  with obstacles, I know I can conquer them because my driving force is my passion. Without passion, one's life lacks fulfillment. A prime example is my dad. My dad works as a construction worker. This is not his dream job nor is he passionate about it. Due to hard times, he had to take whatever job was available. Every afternoon, when I see him come home after a grueling day at work, I can tell he would much rather be doing something involving alot less labour. Eventually, such jobs can start to weigh you down, and that's when one contemplates all the decisions they've made throughout their lives leading up to this moment. People take the easy road all the time, but the ones that have the confidence to take the road less travelled tend to lead a life they imagine in their dreams.

2) What are you going to do with the rest of your life (career wise) and how are you going to get there?

   " What do you want to be when you grow up?" This question is one that I've been trying to avoid lately.I'm a grade 12 student, graduating in 6 months, its a scary thought to process that I will be heading into the real world in such a short amount of time. My future seems to be as stable as tall building during an earthquake. It feels as if my mind changes a total of three times a day but after many months of thoroughly considering all my options, I've come to a conclusion. For my upcoming year, I plan to study in university. My choices being Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, and University of Victoria. My final decision will be made after my acceptance and rejection letter arrive in the mail. But when it comes to my field of interest, I'd like to focus on psychology and get a Bachelor of Arts degree. When it comes to a specific occupation, I have yet to figure it out  but I'm sure as I attend university, it'll be much less of a struggle to decide on a future because I'm being educated. My main goal is to do something I know I'll wake up every morning knowing I have a great day awaiting me.

Ten Things I Hate About You Vs. Taming of The Shrew

    The movie "Ten Things I Hate About You" directed by Gil Junger is successful in capturing the essence of the play "The Taming of the Shrew" written by Shakespeare because there are many similarities throughout the two. For example, Katerina, in "The Taming of the Shrew" expresses her hatred for conformity several times. While having a discussion with her father, Baptista, Kate is asked to stay behind so he can have a chat with Bianca. Katerina answers with "why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What,shall I be appointed hours as though, belike, I knew not what to take and what to leave, ha?"(1.1.104) This shows that Katerina, lives for herself and takes orders from no one. In "Ten Things I Hate About You", Kat, who is the equivalent of Katerina's character, who has the same opinion on conformity. An example from the movie is when Kat and Bianca are venting to each other and Kat gives Bianca some sisterly advice, along the lines of, how she shouldn't act the way people expect her to act, she should be the person she really is. In both, the movie and the play, Katerina is portrayed as an independent woman, who speaks whatever it may be on her mind. In the play, she is "renowned in Padua for her scolding tongue" (1.2.97). Many civilians are hit by fear when they hear her name. In the movie, Kat is known to be the girl who is only relies on herself, not caring about what peoples opinion is on her. She wears what she wants, and prefers to be an outcast rather than a part of the crowd. To her fellow classmates, she has the reputation as a "heinous bitch". Kat and Katerina are similar in terms of personality and the way they are received by the people around them, only difference is the time frame the movie and play take place.

    Although the movies does a fantastic job remaking the play in modern day time, there are some subtle differences. For example, the relationship between Katerina and Petruchio changes Kate as a person, "as she had never been" (5.2.7) Due to Petruchio's bazaar methods of taming, Katerina leaves her old ways and becomes the perfect wife. For example, towards the end of the play, all the men have a bet during Bianca and Lucentio's wedding. They bet to see who's wife would be summoned by their husband's first. To no surprise, Katherina is the only one who comes to her huband's command. At this point, it is evident that Katerina was no longer the same person she started off as. On the other hand, in the movie, Kat remains the same person throughout the movie. Kat and Patrick's relationship had no impact on her other than the fact that she begins to show some compassion and love towards her partner. She stops putting up the front of being tough  and shows the audience her kindhearted side. Yet, she still manages to keep her morals and beliefs. In conclusion, The movie does exceptionally well in capturing the essences of the play but if one were to look in detail, it is evident that some differences are present.