English Society 1718 Literary Magazine Winter Edition

ST. PAUL'S CO-EDUCATIONAL COLLEGE

E N G L I S H S O C I E T Y 1 7 1 8

L I T E R A R Y M A G A Z I N E W I N T E R E D I T I O N

WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING AGAINST YOU, REMEMBER THAT AIRPLANE THAT TAKES OFF AGAINST THE WIND, NOT WITH IT. Â - HENRY FORD

English Horror Story Writing: The Doll Marcus Wu 1G 17 “Oh, look at you! You’re the cutest doll I’ve ever seen! I’m bringing you home.” It was just another regular Sunday, when Tabitha and her friends went for a hike in Mount Redwood. Tabitha found a cute American Girl doll by the hedges, and since she had always craved for one of them, she decided to bring the lovely doll home. Little did she know that it was no ordinary American Girl doll…

“Hey mom! I’m home!” Tabitha exclaimed as she clutched her new doll tightly. “Guess what I found? An American Girl doll which was abandoned by someone! I am going to take good care of her!” exclaimed Tabitha.

“Wow! I am so happy for you,” Tabitha’s mom said halfheartedly as she came out of the kitchen. Tabitha’s mom did not really want her to get a doll as she was already 16 and she thought Tabitha was too old by now to play with one.

“Well, I finished all my homework at the library earlier so I’m going to bed now…it’s been a tiring day!” Tabitha said with a big yawn.

“Goodnight darling,” her mom hummed.

Tabitha quickly brushed her teeth and leaped onto her bed. “Yes! It’s play time! I can now play with my new doll!” Tabitha thought. But just when Tabitha was going to tie the doll’s hair, the doll’s eyes turned glowing red. Tabitha freaked out, but she thought to herself that she must have been having some sort of illusion. With her heart still thumping hard, she decided to go to bed as it was getting quite late already.

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The next night, she took out the doll from her drawer again. This time, when she tried to play makeup with it, she heard a soft voice mummuring “Seven… seven…seven.” Tabitha knew something was wrong. She was determined to tell her mom that the doll was up to something. Tabitha stormed into her mother’s bedroom and told her about the red eyes and the voice, but her mom did not believe her words at all.

Her mom simply demanded, “Go to sleep! I’m sick of your imagination.

A doll with red glowing eyes and a talking mouth? Give me a break!”

Feeling upset and scared, Tabitha dragged her feet back into her bedroom, and she scrambled to find a pair of ear plugs in her drawer and quickly put them on.

Since Tabitha wanted to have a good night’s sleep, she didn’t take her doll out and just left it in the closet. But as she was reading a novel in bed, she started hearing a knocking sound from her closet! Tabitha decided to report to her mom once again.

“When are you going to stop being this immature ? Just go back to sleep.” Her mom said as she rolled her eyes.

“Seriously, mom! Come with me! The doll is banging on my closet door, and I think she is trying to get out!” Tabitha persuaded.

“Fine, just this once! If I don’t see anything strange, I will not come again.” Strangely, the doll didn’t do anything, it was just lying there inside the closet. “Tabitha, it’s late now and I’m tired. It still hasn’t moved a muscle, so I’m out of here.” Tabitha’s mom scowled.

“What should I do? The doll just won’t do anything when anybody else is here…” And so Tabitha gave up once again and went to sleep.

The next evening before she went to bed, Tabitha turned on the TV and caught the breaking news from CNN. “This is Jim Acosta, and right now I’m in Mount Redwood. Police are currently trying to figure out who stabbed 7 innocent kids with a knife behind a hedge. But strangely, there are no fingerprints on the knife! According to Joe Johnston, the park ranger, he recalled hearing screaming noises of a group of children a few days ago. However, he thought the kids were just playing and did not further investigate. ” Tabitha was gobsmacked after hearing the news. Her hands were so shaky that she could not even turn the TV off. “Could this have something to do with what my doll is saying? The number 7?” Tabitha mumbled to herself. However, after a long busy day, Tabitha didn’t want to worry anymore and she forced herself to sleep.

But in the middle of the night, she suddenly woke up and realized that the doll was the murderer as an old man told her in her dreams. So Tabitha got up and took her scissors as she knew it was time to destroy the doll. Just when she was about to stab the doll, the doll leaped up and grabbed the scissors quickly, hissing, ”Don’t you dare mess with me…” And with one furious stab in the throat, Tabitha was killed before she even got a chance to scream for help.

That very morning when Tabitha’s mom came in to wake her up for school, she saw the doll sitting on Tabitha’s bed with its eyes glowing red, saying, “Eight, eight, eight…”

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Why Wonder Woman isn't Wonder Woman

by Catherine Lam 4B(11) Wonder Woman is a triumph for feminism advocates in the Hollywood. Featuring multiple female characters of different races, especially Israeli actress Gal Gadot’s portrayal of Wonder Woman, the movie embraces the masculinity, strength and athleticism of women, opposing the conventional patriarchal ideologies commonly found in other Hollywood action movies. It has been showered with positive feedback for promoting the empowerment of females, but it has also been chastised for political reasons. Palestinian sympathizers denounce the inhuman irony that Wonder Woman, an iconic promoter of peace, is played by a callous advocate of war who condones the atrocities of Israel over the years.

The ongoing struggles between Israelis and Palestinians is considered one of the world’s most controversial conflicts. The prolonged Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has resulted in the transformation of Palestine into an Apartheid state. Gadot served in the Israel Defense Force (IDF) before she began her career as a Hollywood actress. During the period of bloody intifadas and the brutal bombings of Israel in the Gaza Strip, when thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians lost their lives, Gadot posted a photograph of herself praying with her daughter about her country, captioned: “I am sending my love and prayers to my fellow Israeli citizens. Especially to all the boys and girls who are risking their lives protecting my country against the horrific acts conducted by Hamas, who are hiding like cowards behind women and children…We shall overcome!!! Shabbat Shalom! #weareright #freegazafromhamas #stopterror #coexistance #loveidf” Beneath the superficial message of protecting the women and children of her country, her Pro-IDF stance and aggressive support for the Israeli military is also shown.

The post immediately garnered support from Pro-IDF parties, but was also met with immense backlash, accusing the elements of racism and Zionism (an extreme form of Israeli patriotism, approving the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, including the military actions and war crimes committed by Israel) in her words.

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The contradiction between Wonder Woman’s character and Gadot’s stand on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has aroused heated debates. As Wonder Woman, Gadot actively and passionately reiterates the importance of protecting women and children from harm. However, she has been ridiculed for her Pro-IDF stance and claims of Zionism, opposing her portrayal of Wonder Woman as a heroine and advocate of peace. She trivialises the agony brought by the era of depression as the Israeli Military suppresses the Palestinians by occupying the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the mass killings of innocent civilians in wars and intifadas. She refuses to address accusations of racism and Zionism, and even remains unapologetic and indifferent when faced with questions and interviews regarding her post. The benevolence and brutality of the Israeli Military towards Palestine starkly juxtaposes the courage and justice portrayed by Wonder Woman. The core values of the character are not found in the heart of Gadot, which explains why it is simply ironic for the character to be played by someone supporting war and violence.

While feminists see how the masculine body build of Wonder Women resemble the empowerment of women, they must realise while they concur with the film’s feminist advocacy, they are also agreeing with the Pro-IDF stance. They must not be oblivious to the fact that Gadot supports the benevolent acts of the Israeli Military, leaving Palestine in despair. They must acknowledge the fact that Wonder Woman is no longer the heroine who brings peace to the world, but someone indifferent to how her country has suppressed the women and children of Palestine for more than half a century.

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’Tis Better to Give written by Jennifer Yardley Barney provided by Lucinda Ku 4G(14) A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.

—Tenneva Jordan

I knew I was not supposed to be quite so excited. I was too old for that. At age eleven, the oldest and my mom’s “grown up” girl, I had to keep my cool. I was in middle school after all. But every chance I got, when I was alone, I checked each present under the tree. I read every tag and felt every package, guessing at the contents within. I had examined each gift so often that I could tell which present went to which person without even looking at the tags.

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It had been a tough year for my family.

Whenever my mom looked over at the tree and scattered presents, she would sigh and warn us, “There won’t be as much for Christmas this year. Try not to be disappointed.” Christmas had traditionally been a time for my parents to spoil us. In years past, the presents would pile up and spill out from under the tree, taking over the living room. I had heard the phrase “giving is better than receiving,” but thought that whoever had said that must have been out of their mind. Getting presents was the whole point! It was the reason I couldn’t get to sleep on Christmas Eve. 7

On Christmas morning, we eagerly waited in the hallway until Dad told us everything was ready. We rushed into the living room and let the wrapping paper fly. We made weak attempts to wait and watch while other family members opened their presents, but as the time passed we lost our selfcontrol.

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“Here’s another one for you,” said Mom as she handed me a package. I looked at it, confused. Having spent so much time examining the presents before Christmas, I recognized this one. But it had not been mine. It was my mom’s. A new label had been put on it, with my name written in my mother’s handwriting.

“Mom, I can’t…”

I was stopped by my mother’s eager, joyful look—a look I could not really understand. “Let’s see what it is, honey. Hurry and open it.”

It was a blow dryer. Though this may seem but a simple gift, to me it was so much more. Being an eleven-year-old girl, I was stunned. In my world, where receiving outweighed giving by light years, my mom’s act of selflessness was incomprehensible. It was a huge act. Tears filled my eyes and I thought in disbelief about how much my mom must love me to give up her Christmas so I could have a few more presents.

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I have always remembered that Christmas fondly. It had such an impact on me. As an adult with children in my life whom I adore, I can now understand my mom’s actions. I see how she was not “giving up her Christmas” as I had thought, but was finding an even greater joy in her Christmas because giving truly is better than receiving.

My mom’s simple act meant the world to me

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Burial by a Steki Chung 5I(11) in this world we’ve imagined we fly even though our feet are buried it goes on endlessly i wonder if we’ll cry when we’re happy as you reach out and grab the sky stars breathe clouds blink i drop into history

we screamed screamed screamed love but it is high above the clouds we laughed laughed laughed and clapped our hands our heads roll off in this dance for stupidity let us turn away and leave leave yesterday a deep shade of blue flickering in my pocket is the promise you gave me

if you see the morning light rising from the darkness if you see it now you can believe the dream you’ve had isn’t meaningless and tomorrow we will change

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Imagine submitted by Michelle Chan 4I(10)

I want to wrap the earth around my fingers And see for myself how infinite the oceans are; Brush my cheek against the skies to see if it Is smooth.

I want to lean against the stars and bask in its touch, Moon dust rippling along my shirt and a Crescent dipping into the sea, Held by my trembling hand.

I want to draw a perfect mess across grass fields Using crayons that drip with honey gold syrup.

Syrup that springs into view as Sprightly dandelions.

I want to cup the universe in my palms And feel the heartbeat of life Thrum through my veins.

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Book recommendation

by Christine Lee 4H(11) A Tangled Mercy - a historical fiction

Told in alternating tales at once haunting and redemptive, A Tangled Mercy is a quintessentially American epic rooted in heartbreaking true events examining the harrowing depths of human brutality and betrayal, and our enduring hope for freedom and forgiveness.

After the sudden death of her troubled mother, struggling Harvard grad student Kate Drayton walks out on her lecture— and her entire New England life. Haunted by unanswered questions and her own uncertain future, she flees to Charleston, South Carolina, the place where her parents met, convinced it holds the key to understanding her fractured family and saving her career in academia. Kate is determined to unearth groundbreaking information on a failed 1822 slave revolt—the subject of her mother’s own research.

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Nearly two centuries earlier, Tom Russell, a gifted blacksmith and slave, grappled with a terrible choice: arm the uprising spearheaded by members of the fiercely independent African Methodist Episcopal Church or keep his own neck out of the noose and protect the woman he loves.

Kate’s attempts to discover what drove her mother’s dangerous obsession with Charleston’s tumultuous history are derailed by a horrific massacre in the very same landmark church. In the unimaginable aftermath, Kate discovers a family she never knew existed as the city unites with a powerful message of hope and forgiveness for the world.

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Crossword

Answer:1.Kazuo Ishiguro 2.Winston Churchill 3. Rabindranth Tagore 4. Mo Yan 5. John Steinbeck 6.Bob Dylan 7.Rudyard Kipling 8.Ernest Hemmingway

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