Read the following excerpt from the article "vision, voice and the power of creation: an author speaks out," by t. a. barron, and answer the question that follows: another way to tap the power of imagination is through place. my own background as a writer is rooted in nature, having grown up reading henry david thoreau, rachel carson, and john muir long before i ever dipped into madeleine l'engle, lloyd alexander, ursula le guin, e. b. white, or j. r.r. tolkien. my early writings were really nature journals; at nine, i wrote a complete biography—of a tree. (it was a once-majestic chestnut tree not far from my home.) so it should come as no surprise that i view place as much more than just a setting for a story. it is, in truth, another form of character, no less alive and complex, mysterious and contradictory, than the richest character in human form. the author writes that he "wrote a complete biography—of a tree." what message is implied about the tree with this statement? (10 points) the author couldn't think of any other subject for a biography. the author didn't think a partial biography was enough. the author didn't want to speak for the tree. the author believed the tree had a life story, like a person.

Activity construct an argument about a topic, theme, or idea that you read about in william shakespeare's romeo and juliet, act ii or act iii. make sure you create a central claim for your argument that is debatable. provide textual evidence from the play to support your argument. here are some ideas for your essay. notice how each topic is focused and specific. you may write about one of these topics or choose your own focused and specific topic: discuss juliet's level of maturity and compare it to romeo's. compare how the two characters react to the events after their marriage, when romeo is banished from verona. discuss the balcony scene. does the knowledge of romeo and juliet's final fate influence the meaning of the balcony scene or the audience's interpretation of it? discuss the characters of tybalt and romeo as they relate to the theme of family and the theme of love. explain how the character of tybalt develops the theme of family and how the character of romeo develops the theme of romantic love. discuss the character of friar laurence. what motivates him to romeo and juliet to defy their parents? part a choose a topic based on what you read in act ii or act iii of romeo and juliet. then write a thesis statement. part b identify two or three short excerpts from the play as textual evidence to support your thesis statement. part c write a 300-word essay arguing the thesis of your analysis. (i mainly need on part b and c)