Dear William Shakespeare

Gyujin Hong
Van Nuys High School 11th Grade

I remember read- ing Romeo and Juliet for the first time in elementary school, a children‘ s picture book just thrown open on a colorful alphabet mat.

Ever since then I became more aware to the extremities of human nature.

Being a little bit more aware of the world at such an early age might have had negative effects but it did prepare me ear- lier on for hardships of life that came on later.

I remember reading A Midsummer Night’ s Dream in middle school during english class, just an excerpt from one of its passages, of sweetness and magic.

Ever since then I was fascinated and awed by the strengths of imagination.

It has been a better life being able to retreat into fiction and its world of no restrictions after discovering that world, based on self-experi- ence and also scientific studies- fiction is good for health!

I remember reading Macbeth as a freshman in high school, as a class-assigned book, in a compact small book edition. I remember be- ing satisfied with the book at first for its size and lightness, then surprised and amused at its plot twist at the end -warning! spoiler alert- I never thought it possible for every character to die in a book as an acceptable ending.