**Beginning of the year SPOILER ALERT Warning:

After Labor Day, we are going to be reading New Moon, the second novel in YA book series by Stephenie Meyer. I would strongly suggest you go ahead and read the first book, Twilight, to get a good background on all the characters. It may look intimidating in size, but it’s a quick read!

As we continue with our theme of being “misunderstood,” there are several characters that we will come across in literature that have had their fair share of confusion and heartache. In two of the works that we have been reading, R & J and New Moon, we see that everyone in the world of Edward, Bella, Romeo, and Juliet seems to misunderstand the love between our passionate characters. Incidentally enough, I would even venture to say that it is BECAUSE the characters are the only ones who understand each other (Juliet is the only one who gets Romeo and Bella is the only one who gets Edward) that there stories are so compelling. There is something to be said for having ONE person in the world who understands you more than anyone else. Let’s analyze these two works and explore the mystery some more!

ASSIGNMENT OPTIONS

OPTION # 1:

Meyer has a “playlist” that she posts on her website for each of her books. Click here to see the playlist for New Moon. Each playlist contains songs that inspired her to write from each of her character’s perspectives (You can listen to the songs for free on the website). Meyer states that “the playlist loosely follows the story sequence. I’m going to put a B, E, or J after each song, so you’ll know who’s perspective I’m hearing it from (that might help you categorize them into where they fit in the novel). Mostly B’s of course, since [Bella is] telling the story.)”

Your assignment is to go through the songs listed on Meyer’s playlist for New Moon. I want you to select ONE song that you believe could also relate to Romeo and Juliet. I would like you to write an essay (3-5 pages, the # of paragraphs are up to you – make INTELLIGENT DECISIONS here, please!) in which you compare the two story lines using the song that you have chosen. Here are some ideas that you might consider:

• What particular lyrics line up with the plot of both works?
• What quotations support your findings?
• How does the mood of the song reflect the tone of both R&J and New Moon?

OPTION #2:

Meyer uses an epigraph from Romeo and Juliet at the beginning of New Moon:

“These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which, as they kiss, consume.”

-Act II, Scene VI

However, she almost chose a different quotation from the play to include. Click here to read about this decision on her “Outtakes” portion of her website.

Your assignment is to examine both texts and choose ANOTHER alternative epigraph for each one. For New Moon, I would like you to find another quotation from Romeo and Juliet that could have been used as the epigraph for the book (and please DO NOT use the alternate that Meyer already published on her website!). For Romeo and Juliet, I want you to choose a quotation from New Moon that could have been used as an epigraph for the play. I want you to write an essay defending your choices for both (and please note – you MUST choose an alternative epigraph for BOTH WORKS!). Your essay should be 3-5 pages in length (the # of paragraphs are up to you – make INTELLIGENT DECISIONS here, please!)

DUE DATE FOR EITHER OPTION IS OCTOBER 1st!