Chloe Rimkus, Abby Weitkamp, Tessa Poskitt

King
English 1 Honors
1 December 2015
Expository Essay
Gerard Way once said. I was more addicted to self destruction then to the drugs
themselves ... something very romantic about it Self destruction is a fate caused by the cultural
identity of a person. This relates to Romeo and Juliet, because their love was both romantic and
destructive since it ended with both of their deaths. By creating this connection between Romeo
and Juliet and Gerard Ways quote, the 80s was a time of hope or a time of pure happiness. The
cultural identity that makes up a person decides their fate, as shown in Romeo and Juliet and
drug use in the 80s.
Michael Jackson still influences todays society. He was part of a unique culture full of
new exciting ideas and activities, as well as dangerous, such as drug use. Although this time
period was said to be the overall turning point in history because of new technology and
advancements, STDs and inappropriate drug use rates increased. There was more convenience
and access to drugs and alcohol in the 80s. This relates to Romeo and Juliet because of the drug
use involved to ensure one would never have to live without the other.
In the story, the friar gives Juliet a potion to make her sleep and look dead, just as the
drug Tetrodotoxin does. So what this drug does is it slows down your pulse and lowers the body's
temperature, creating an artificial coma. It makes the person look dead as Juliet looked to her
family. Also earlier Juliets nurse mentions using a herd named wormwood, to wean her baby.
As well as when lady capulet was telling Juliet that she wanted to poison or kill Romeo. Michael

Jackson and Shakespeare's characters, Romeo and Juliet are all connected together by the use of
drugs.
Michael Jackson was, and still is an influential part of society. He was known for his
music which dominated the charts in the 1980s. (Hurwitz, Zev, and Rachel Uda
http://ucsdguardian.org/) The culture of the time was innovative and at the same time bad. The
economy grew and with that the level of technology increased. However, the 1980s were also a
time where STDs and drug use was common. Many people died from STDs and inappropriate
drug use. (U.S. History ushistory.org) In fact, part of the reason Michael Jackson died was drug
usage. (The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum rockhall.com) All of this connects to
Romeo and Juliet because in Lines 74-120 of Act 5, Scene 3 where Romeo takes the drug the
apothecary gave him and commits suicide. (Shakespeare, William folgerdigitaltexts.org) In the
end, the culture of the time period not only affected Michael Jacksons fate, but also Romeos.
Drugs were common in both of their lives and helped to form their cultural identity. However,
the cultures of each time were also full of happiness.
Matthews long lasting effect on the 80s reminded me of they way that Juliet made
Romeo feel when they were `together. His mood was lightened and in the 80s most people had
the idea of being happy together. In Ferris Buellers Day Off ferris was very carefree as shown
when he was able to fake being sick to his parents. How carefree he was, was also how carefree
Romeo should have been, Since they are close in ages they should have been. Instead he was
moping around, blinded from happiness. Romeo was waiting for fate and love to show him the
way, Ferris, would create his own fate, he did not want to wait around for love.
Michael Jordans time period affected his fate because the 80s was all about finding new,
fun things to be interested in. He was a new, interesting, and talented player in the NBA so

many people liked him and were fascinated by his abilities and basketball skills. This time period
was the overall turning point in America, so Michael Jordan acquired many fans as he became
more popular. He ultimately ended up being very successful. His basketball career went very
well for him. The main positive mood of the 80s and Michael Jordans career relates to Romeo
and Juliet because when Romeo and Juliet met, it was love at first sight. They were both very
happy together. Also, both his career, and their lives ended early. Michael Jordan retired at age
30, similar to how Romeo and Juliet died as teenagers, which is very young. Both Shakespeares
dramas and Michael Jordan are both still relevant and a part of our culture.
Carrie Bradshaw said. Maybe our mistakes are what make our fate. Fate is like the
ever-changing ocean. No one knows what will actually happen until it happens. The world
around a person influences their cultural identity and, therefore, their fate. The 1980s were a time
of innovation and happiness but they also marked the death of many, similar to the many deaths
in Romeo and Juliet. However, the big picture is that the world around someone influences
everything he/she does. People in the 1980s did drugs because it was popular and was what
everyone was doing at the time. Romeo and Juliet decided to keep their relationship a secret
because of their families. It all connects. The culture of the time created problems and simply the
fate of a person. Everything a person does is the caused by the culture around them that
ultimately is the definition of his/her life.

Works Cited
Hurwitz, Zed, and Rachel Uda. "1980s: Pop Culture in Excess." UCSD Guardian. University of
California, San Diego, 14 Mar. 2002. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.
<http://ucsdguardian.org/2002/03/14/1980s-pop-culture-in-excess/>.
Peterson, Andy. The Math Behind Michael Jordans Legendary Hang Time. TED-Ed. Zack
Patterson, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. N.p.: Folger Shakespeare Library, n.d.
Folgerdigitaltexts.org. Folger Digital Texts, 1595. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.folgerdigitaltexts.org/html/Rom.html>
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum."
Michael Jackson Biography. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 2015. Web.
25 Nov. 2015. <https://rockhall.com/inductees/michael-jackson/bio/>.
Ushistory.org. "Life in the 1980s." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, 2015. Web.
25 Nov. 2015. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/59d.asp>.