June- Much Ado About Nothing

Characters of Much Ado About Nothing-Don Pedro- a hero from the war Benedict- has an ongoing battle of wits with Beatrice and they eventually fall in love through the meddling of their friends Beatrice- has razor sharp wit but eventually fall in love with the man she once despised Hero- loves Claudio but because of Don John's meddling Claudio- is fooled into thinking his love is unfaithful Don John- the villain of the story who tries to mess up the lives of the others

Main Plot- Mrs. Baker's class to goes camping. Holling's parents continue to grow distant to each other. Bobby Kennedy is assassinated. Holling loses the utensils on the trail to the camping site. Mrs Bigio adopts Mai Thi, "Good Lord, for alliance!" (a quote from Much Ado About Nothing), Danny has his bar mitzvah. US Marines abandon Khesahn and  Lt Baker comes home.  

Holling is? Don Pedro, a man who brought peace and wisdom to his world, because he knew about war and folly. I think that he loved greatly, because he had seen what lost love is. And I think he came to know, too, that he was loved greatly.  (the words of Mrs. Baker, not me)

What does he learn? A comedy (like Much Ado About Nothing) doesn't always mean funny, they are much more than that... "a comedy is about characters who dare to know that they may choose a happy ending after all." Holling has to deal with people falling out of love slowly (his parents) and says it doesn't happen as quickly as in Shakespeare (pg 249 for examples). The real world is "not always smiles. Sometimes the real world is like Hamlet. A little scared. Unsure. A little angry. Wishing that you could fix something that you can't fix. Hoping that maybe the something would fix itself, but thinking that hoping that way is stupid." Holling experiences his friends eye-opening bar mitzvah and finally stands up to his father about who he truly is, not the son who is going to inherit Hoodhood and Assoc.

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Sources

Wednesday Wars, written by Gary Schmidt 


http://absoluteshakespeare.com/index.htm


http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-plays.htm