Service Analysis 11/29

The Parallels of The Twelfth Night and Service

In the play, The Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare many scenes are parallels to my service experience. The play depicts the life of a woman named Olivia who is bugged by the leader of Illyria, Orsino. She wants nothing to do with him but she falls for his servant, Cesario who is actually a woman dressed up as a man. There are many love stories intertwined in this play along with jokes. While I was reading I was able to make connections to my service experience and the play.

First, when Sir Andrew and Sit Toby Belch are making fun of the fool and his ways, I paralleled this to how boys at service sometimes pick on others in the group. Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew were being drunken fools themselves but making fun of the fool. The fool is known to sing and dance and the two ask him to sing and dance for them. The fool of course does not appreciate this tormenting. In service at times two or more of the boys will gang up on another boy in the group. Just how Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew were not physical with the fool but only used harsh words. this is the same in service. Young boys can get physical but from being involved in service I have actually learned that words hurt the boys even more than getting into a fight. One time two of the boys were making fun of another boy for the way he smelled. They said he never showered and they could smell him from across the room. I could tell the other boy heard and I knew his feelings were hurt. I tried to calm down the two and tell them to treat others the way they want to be treated.

Next, another similar situation but with more involvement is when Maria, Sir Toby Belch, and Sir Andrew plot to embarrass Malvolio by writing a fake letter from Olivia saying how much she loves him and his “yellow crossed stockings”, which she hates. In service sometimes the boys during homework time will go farther than just words and maybe write on each others homework and or push making fun of another student. In the end I have to bring them back to why we are at Acts for Youth. Also when the clan tries to get Cesario, Viola and Sir Andrew to duel this is cruel. This is not necessary but of course happens. In service the boys at times will try to cause fights and the service leader usually just calms them down and they realize what they are doing is silly. The climax of the story also can relate to service.

Lastly, not knowing who someone really is or thinking you knew them when you didn’t all along is not a good feeling, but in some cases a blessing in disguise. For Viola, who is Cesario is confronted by Olivia who confesses her love for him, Viola is so caught off guard and rejects Olivia because Viola is not really who Olivia thinks she is. Then Sebastian appears in Orsino’s city and Olivia thinks Sebastian, who is Viola’s brother, is Cesario because they are twins and look alike. There is so much confusion by the end of the play. When all the characters are revealed everyone in the end is happy. Sebastian ends up with Olivia and Orsino ends up with Viola. The pranksters reveal what they have done and everyone seems to be happy. In service I can relate this to learning about the boys. As the program has progressed I learn more and more about the boys every week. At first when I met them I did not know who the really were and now I have learned their background and true colors in a positive light just like the characters learned the truth of each other in the play. 
The part of the course that surprised me the most was most definitely service. I always wanted to get involved in service at school but I felt so consumed freshman year and felt lost in where to find help that I never had the chance to. Being able to do service through this class has helped me out a lot. I love going and it is something to shake up my day and ground me in a way if I am having a bad day. I can look at others lives and see that my life is actually amazing and I am very blessed.