McCloy 1

Rebekah McCloy

Dr. Ian Nolte and Dr. Meghan Marshall

ENG 402

8 Sept. 2020

Zero Draft

Long ago, in March of 2009, my pap took me, my mother, my grandmother, my aunt, one

of his sisters, and two of my cousins on a two week trip to Italy. I was only nine years old at the

time, but I remember much of the trip, as it was exciting and extraordinary. Pap had decided,

once he started having grandkids, that he would one day take each one of them to Europe at least

once, paying for the airfare, lodging, and any train travel expenses. One part of the trip that

remains clear in my memory is the day that we went to Vatican City, a separate country from

Italy. While in the area, we went to St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museum,

and we saw a section of the Tomb of the Popes, which is located underneath St. Peter’s Basilica.

The major highlight of these sights was going to the Sistine Chapel and viewing the stunning

ceiling, painted by Michelangelo. It is easy to recall all the detail that went into that painting, and

having seen it in person, it is not hard to believe that it took multiple years to complete. I often

wonder what it must have been like for Michelangelo to paint that ceiling. I can imagine that it

would definitely be a high-pressure commission, as it was commissioned by the Pope. What

must it have been like for Michelangelo to come in day after day, get up on scaffolding, and

paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? I’d imagine that one would be covered in paint by the end

of the day.
 McCloy 2

The ceiling of the chapel is most certainly gorgeous, and it definitely draws in the

crowds. There were so many people in the chapel that it was reminiscent of sardines in a sardine

can. As a short, nine-year-old kid, I got bumped into several times by loud, noisy adults focused

on the amazing artistry above them. Many of the people were even taking pictures of the ceiling

and the back wall, titled The Last Judgment, causing the security guards to shout across the room

that picture taking was not permitted in the room, as it could damage Michelangelo’s work.

Interestingly enough, Pap told me that The Last Judgment does not appear quite as it did when

Michelangelo first painted it. It was painted during the renaissance period, a time when people in

paintings and sculptures were often portrayed naked. At the time, it was a way for the artists to

show more detail, so they would often study cadavers to get a better idea of what the human

body looked like. Many of the figures in this painting were painted to be nude. In later years, an

artist was commissioned to cover up some of the nudity by painting draperies over several

figures private parts. As a young kid, I was blown away by the great amount of detail in the

paintings, and even more blown away by the manner in which the paintings conveyed Biblical

circumstances.

Once we had finished touring in Vatican City, we ventured off for dinner and, of course,

some gelato. A big proponent of gelato, I actually tried seven different flavors in one day. I was

in competition to try and eat more gelato than my cousin, Joey, but that particular instance was

later on, when we were in Florence. This particular day, I only had one serving of gelato. Mom

bought me a small cup of chocolate gelato, and it was the best thing I have ever tasted. It was so

alive with flavor! I, and the others, ate our gelato as we walked to the metro station. Pap, who

cannot stand cigarette smoke, would try to avoid the many Italians who were smoking. He spent

much of the walk to the metro, crossing the street to avoid the smokers. Eventually, we returned
 McCloy 3

back to The Hotel Aphrodite, played a game of Rook in Pap and Joey’s room, and turned in for

the night.

I used “See with the Seven Senses” technique for this draft. It is located on pages 183 and 184 of

the book, and includes sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, memory, and imagination.