We acknowledge that the land on which this magazine was created is the traditional land of the Anaiwan people. We wish to pay respect to the elderspast,present,andemerging.
Hello and welcome to the College Kaleidoscope's sixth edition - the Fantasy Issue! This issue boasts so much creativity that we almost couldn’t fit everything in, but we did, and we couldn’t be prouder of all the amazing contributionsfromthirtyhard-workingstudents.Workingwithdeadlineswas tough at times, with assessments to finish, musicals to perform, and COVID-19 to overcome, but our talent team persevered and came out the othersidetopresentamagazinepackedfullofflair.
Thisissue’sthemeisunlikeanybeforeit.Initially,wehadworrieditwouldbe toobroad,ormaybenotbroadenough,butultimatelydecided‘fantasy’was such a beloved concept to the student body that many would be encouraged to participate in the Scope for the first time. This turned out to betrue,astheFantasyIssuehasarecordnumberofparticipants.Wechose this theme in order to tap into the creativity of PLC Armidale’s students, unlocking their full potential through a broad and appealing theme. When it comes to fantasy, there is something for everyone - whether you like rewritten fairy tales, exciting mythical creatures, or the Marvel Cinematic Universe,fantasyisagenrelovedbyall.PLC’smostrecentmusical-Wicked - played an important role in the decision of the theme and the creation of the magazine itself. Students across all year groups participated in Wicked andmanychosetorepresentthisintheScope,withWickedart,quizzes,and even a behind-the-scenes vlog created specifically for this issue. Our team had fun interpreting ‘fantasy’ in their own creative ways, leading to a wide rangeofinterpretiveartworks,poems,andstories.
We would love to thank everyone who helped pull this issue together: from the participants submitting their own creative works to the illustrators willingly creating art for them, to our advisors Mr Clendinning and Mrs Clynch, and to anyone who featured in the Wicked vlog. We would also like to make a special mention to last year’s editors Sarah Waters and Zari Jones, as they were always keen to assist us with advice when things got tough. Without these people the Scope could not exist - the success of the magazinecomesfromthestrengthofthecommunitysupportingit.
Overall, we are super excited to share this issue with you, and we hope you enjoyreadingit!
Addie Astra has walked the halls of PLC Armidale for many years. No-one understands the needs of the PLC students like him. With so many girls away due to COVID-19 and exams, Addie has been lonely, and what better to do with his time than predict the future of each year group?
WRITTEN BY HATTIE GILPIN, SERAPHINA KATTA, AND MAKENZIE ROBERTSON (ILLUSTRATED BY HATTIE GILPIN)
This year group will be rewarded with astonishing financial successes in the near future. Maybe they will spend their newly-found riches on snacks for peer support parties.
Members in this most creative year group will soon discover a new passion. Addie believes this year harbours a future movie star or two.
Year 9 students will be extra lucky in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for four leaf clovers and empty spots in the 7-9 toasters.
Year 11 will be gifted Louis the Locker Bay Lion every week for the rest of the year. An amazing reward for an amazing
Year 12 will take a surprise group gap year somewhere unique. 2023 will be a good year for them as they each find jobs that suit their
Ukraine.
By December, more than a hundred thousand troops were in place on the Russian-Ukrainian border. In mid-December, Russia’s foreign ministry set a rule of demands askingtheUnitedStatesandNATO
to cease any military activity in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to prevent NATO’s expansion and its allegiancewithUkraine.
Earlier this year, the US intelligence officials warned that Russia may plan to invade, and in early February, the United States President Joe Biden ordered three thousand troops to deploy to Poland and Romania — countries aligned with NATO that border Ukraine. While Russia released a statement claiming to have reduced the number of troops, reports published an increase in these troops present at the border. In late February2022,theUnitedStates
warnedthatRussiaintendedto invade Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin then ordered troops to Luhansk and Donetsk, regions in EasternUkrainepartlycontrolledby Russian-backed separatists, claiming this served a “peacekeeping” purpose. The US responded by imposing sanctions on these regions and the Nord Stream2gaspipelines.
On February 24th 2022, a UN Security Council meeting was organised to dissuade Russia from attacking Ukraine. Then, the invasion happened. Putin had declared a “special military operation” would take place to “demilitarise and denazify” Ukraine. Many believe the reason for this was that Russia wanted Ukraine to be considered a part of their country even though Ukraine is an independent country on its own. But minutes later after Putin’s announcement,itwasrecordedthat Ukraine was hit by missiles and airstrikes.Thisincludedthecapital
Kyiv, shortly followed by a large ground invasion from multiple directions. The fighting has caused over nine hundred civilian deaths and has pushed millions to flee Ukraine to neighbouring countries. Themajorityoftheserefugeeshave gone to Poland, a North Atlantic TreatyOrganisation(NATO)country where United States troops are assistingthem,forthemeantime.
Biden declared this attack “unprovoked and unjustified” and has since issued severe sanctions across Russia’s manufacturing industries. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is not recent and has been reportedly going on since August 2014. The Ukrainian Revolution was followed by Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, and due to Russia's backing for the separatist fighters of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic in war, there have been more and more casualties causedbyconflictinthearea.
The clock began to ring. The first of its deep, mellow strikes ran through the palace courtyards; I knew it was time to go. I ran down the stone steps, my feet aching from toe to heelasIboundedfromglassslipper to glass slipper. I heard him call out, "Wait! Where are you going?" I didn't want to answer him, let alone look at him. He was vile. I used to think that a prince couldn't be anything but perfect, but this prince was anything but perfect, and he didn'tcare.Hedidn’tlistentome,he didn’t listen to what I wanted. So I ran, with my great baby blue dress sending waves of wind rushing behind me as I tried to escape the castle, free from this prince that I once thought would treat me like a lady,not‘Cinderella’.
Suddenly, those dastardly 'slippers’ failed me. I tripped over the toe of myglassshoes;theglassshoesthat ‘sparkled like stars’ and were as ‘comfortable as a slipper’. I felt myselfflythroughtheair,passinga few extra stairs on the way, which was a plus. I landed not so gracefully on my delicate gown, ripping it at my knees. I heard the prince again. "What is your name?" he called as he trotted down the stairs at an odd angle, his steel-bottomed boots clicking on thesandstonebricksofthestairs.
I picked myself up from the stone, coughing and spluttering through the aftermath of falling straight on my face. I noticed one of my glass shoes had fallen off my foot, lying on its side with little to no damage. I sawitsparkle,rainbowstwinklingon its crisp, sharp edges. For a split second,Icontemplatedturningback for it, but a moment later, the idea seemed stupid and I carried on with my escape. I limped down the last few stairs, as fast as I could, mind you."Ihavetogo..."Icalled,myface angledtohidetheeffectsofthefall; I swear I saw him smile. "You don’t have to leave,” he said, his pace quickening as mine decreased by thesecond.“Iwillfindyou!”
I’msureyouknowtherest.Mystory was written down, but not correctly, not from my point of view, not accurately. In the story that you will have read, I was gentle, kind, docile, and loved the prince. My story is seen as magical in the way that it would have been read to you. But for me, it was real, and harsh and horrid. It was unpleasant and the Prince later became King, a cruel King, to say the least. I became his Queen. I lived my life mostly in mystery. The perfect life that so many wanted was certainly not fit for me. I was Cinderella and my life wasnotafairytale.
12:30amaboardtheTitanic
Thecoldseaairpiercesmybodyas I shiver. Hundreds of people are hystericallypushingtheirwaytothe lifeboats, the only way to survive. Father pushes us forward but I stop suddenly. He senses my caution, and quietly whispers, “Don’t worry, Evelyn. I’ll be right behind you. I promise.”
“But,whatif-”
“That won’t happen, I promise. Look after your baby sister Lizzie for me, willyou?”
Before I can say another word, the lifeboat descends with a jolt. I hold on to Lizzie tightly, as we are lowered down and down until we were are a couple of metres from the ocean. Suddenly, half the boat jerks upwards, sending Lizzie and I crashingintotheicecoldwater.The water feels like a thousand knives being driven into my body. I lift Lizzie out of the water. She is coughing and spluttering but, to my relief, she is still alive. Holding Lizzie high in the air, I start yelling to our boat. “HELP! PLEASE!” But the boat is moving further and further away, not hearing my pleas for help. My arms begin to ache but I don’t stop holding Lizzie. I know I have to keep mysisteralive.
Deep down in the Atlantic Ocean, theLittleMermaidhasfinallyturned 16.Shecannowventureuptothe surface.Shehaslongedtogotothe exciting and beautiful world above foraslongasshecanremember. Her grandmother told her, “Remember,nevergonearortouch a human or you will perish.” The LittleMermaidjustsmiledandswam uptothesurface.Herheadbroke thewater.Toherhorror,shesawa large ship sinking. Many humans were scattered across the ocean near the boat, sinking into the depths.
Before she could stop herself, she swambackunderthewatertosee the Sea Witch. Then the Little Mermaid broke the surface yet again.Herbeautifulhairwasshaved off;thepriceshehadtopaytosave justonehuman.TheLittleMermaid heard soft singing. Enchanted, she quickly swims towards it. There beforeherwasagirlholdingupa babyintheair,tryingtocalmher with her voice. She immediately knewwhotosave.
The Little Mermaid disobeyed the rule of saving only one human. Happy tears filled her eyes seeing the selfless sister alive, as she turned into seafoam - the punishmentforsavingtwoinnocent humans.Butlookingatthegirl,she knewitwasworthit.
The distinct smell of tobacco floated gently around the room. A great, barrel-shaped man sat across from Jennifer. Her legs dangled off the stiff bar stool, while his feet sat firmly on the sticky, beer-stainedfloor.Twoglassesfilled with whiskey and ice condensed as they rested upon the thick, wooden table. One glass barely skimmed Jennifer's lips, and the other touched an auburn moustache multipletimes.Themanallowedthe last of the bitter liquid to fall down his throat. “How are you, Jen? It feels like forever since we last talked.”
Jennifer inhaled slowly. “I’m well, Mr Kegg,consideringI'vebeenworking on a dreadful farm for the last 6 months,” she retorted. This remark made the man burst his mouth open and let out a broad cackle, putting his hands over his ridiculouslylargestomach.“You'llbe pleased to know we have a new mission for you: New York City. We suspect there will be an import of exotic animals coming in sometime around the 15th. We need you to go undercoverandgetinformation.”
A forced smile appeared on Jennifer's face, as her heart began to run. Her whiskey was then drunk inagulp.
~
The moonlight struck brilliantly as Jennifer walked around the lively but lonely streets of New York City. Ashershoesgentlycollidedwiththe footpath, the wind nipped through the air sharply. She looked up into the sunless, dark blanket with scattered stars that covered her, and a dull ache began to form in her head. In a sudden realisation, her eyes began darting about in different directions, trying to make sense of where she was. “Can someone help me, where am I?” Jennifer mouthed the words, but no noise escaped. Bright, flashing lights deprived her of sense, and strange figures danced around her now kneeling body. The numbing and hardconcretebruisedherkneecaps, herearscoveredbyshakingfingers. Jennifer stood up, trying to not let the madness trickle into her now fragilemind.
~
In the vibrant café, Michael Kegg gave an innocent smile. “How have you liked New York, Jen? Haven’t been in any dark alleyways, have you?”. Jennifer turned to Michael. Sudden flashbacks of the scene in the alleyway were conceived in her mind. How did he know? Paranoid thoughtsinsideherbrainturnedinto whispers. Enemy!Hewasfollowing you,Jennifer!You’renotsafe! She knewnow:itwasatrap.
What is the warlock cooking up?
WRITTEN BY TILLY ALMOND (ILLUSTRATED BY GRACE ROBERTSON)Aclearingdeepintheforest,surroundedbythethicktrunksofancient grumphotreesrevealsthewarlockpossessingthespaceaboveadark stonecauldron.
Thecontentsoftheinkybowltwitchandsquirmwithinitsconfinement. Hungry,thegooswallowsasitswardentossesitbitandbobs,
Astringofredberriesonathornytwig, Frogseggspulledafoggyswamp, Thebrownfurpluckedfromamotherbear, Thebarkofadragon'sbloodtree, Andlastly,thefirstegglaidbyaboobrie.
Thewarlockthenstirredhiscreationtwicereachingoverthecauldron, Hotsteammadehiseyeswaterandgreenlightfloodedupwards,further skewinghisvision.
Thegoothenbegantospeakinitstwistedlanguage Glob!Gupple!Gabber!Glumph!
Whilethewarlockspokehisown: Humtartay,Vartay,splitter,splum,Shroom!
Risemycreation,rise!
Thegoobegantoreachuptowardsthecanopyofthegrumphotrees, stackinghigherandhigherandhigher, formingintosomethingunimaginable!
Somethinginconceivable!
Unspeakable,untold,unutterable!
Fromthecauldrontoweredafantasticalbeing shapedintheformofaman!
Itwiggledandwobbled,strugglingto finditsbalance,andallatoncefell inaheap.
Thewarlocktookhismagicalwooden spoonandscoopedthegreengooup holdingittowardsthesky, andsimplyplaceditinhisbowl.
Hehadmadehislunchjustthewayhe likedit.
Theorchestraofbirdsluredmeinto their melody, as the sun gleamed downfromtheheavens,illuminating the vast lush greenery. The Amazon River glistened my reflection back to me, as the water greeted me like an old friend. Adjusting my pith helmet, hitching my khaki knickerbockers and pulling up my straps onto my blue striped shirt, I was fully prepared for the dangers thatlaybeyond.
“Okay Lottie, pass over the map so we can examine it,’’ Father proclaimed, switching into his archaeologist mode. I carefully reachedintomysatchelandplaced the ancient map onto the nearby tree stump. The frail paper was inscribed with the ancient Aztec pictographsfromlongago.“Tellme everything, Father,” I asked him, as butterflies of excitement fluttered insideme.
“The legend states that Anacaona, thedaughterofaTlatoani,
abandoned her role in society and fled to the Amazon rainforest. She started a sanctuary for refugees and outsiders. Recently, I have unlocked some new information, that Anacaona stole the Feathered Serpent Mosaic Mask when she ran away. It was only amonthagothatIfoundthemapthat leads straight to the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, where she is said to have built the temple protecting the artefact inside!” recalled my Father excitedly. I was enthralled by every wordhehadsaid,andtheanticipation grew like a sunflower. I was pondering this when I felt someone or something’spresence.
Two beady mustard eyes glared back at me. My heart skipped a beat as the majestic beast held my gaze, captivatingmyattentionuntilshetook a step forwards, razor teeth snarling. I heard my father take a sharp intake of breath, as I looked down towards the fifty-metre drop into a raging river. The jaguar was only a few metres behind. Every part of me argued about what I was going to say next.Ibellowed,“JUMP!”
I opened my tired eyes to find myself tied with rope against a palm tree. Confusion edged across myface,asIrecalledthelastthingI rememberedwhichwasjumpingoff the cliff into the Amazon river. “Father, where are you?” I fired at him. “Why are we here? What’s goingon?’’
I heard him sigh deeply as he explained. “I'm on the other side of the tree, Lottie. After we jumped off the cliff and went to shore, we were knocked out and got brought here,’’ he responded. “Now Lottie, I haven’t been completely honest with you,’’ revealedFather.“Iusedtoworkwith an old friend, William Carlton, and everything was working out perfectly,untilhedecidedtousethe artefact to receive money and fame. So, I decided that I would work alone. He hasn’t forgiven me since. This is his revenge, stealing themapandtakingthetreasurefor himself.”
“Don't worry, I made a copy of the map on the plane and it's in my pocket,” I reassured him, fully gratefulformyearlieractions.“Now grab my pocket knife in my left pocket and cut us free!’’And in no
“Lottie, I am so proud of you!”’ Father said,tearsinhiseyes.
“We need to find the Temple before he does, so let’s go!’’ I replied determinedly.
Finding the temple took only a few hours because of our sheer will to find the artefact before William Carlton. My breath was taken away as I looked at the magnificent crumbling stone pyramid before me. There was no time to play tourist. Just as we took our first step, the stairs transformed into a steep slide.
‘’Aahhh!’’ I yelled, as we slid down in pitch black until we spurted out into a flame lit corridor. Quickly, we turned the handle of an aged door to find a tall, lean man, eyes glued to the antiquated artefact that was within arm’sreach.
“NO!’’ I shrieked at who I presumed wastheinfamousWilliamCarlton.
“Ahh,ifitisn’tthetraitorswhowereso close to stopping my dream of being richandfamous,’’sneeredWilliam.
“William! No, don’t do it!’’ begged my Father, as William lunged forward grabbingthemosaicartefact.
“Yes, I did it!’’ roared William madly, when suddenly the floor beneath him gave way. He flung the artefact into the air as he sunk into the earth below, never to be seen again. I jumped into the air, catching the Aztec artefact before it suffered the same fate as William. Catching my breath, I looked at my Father, knowing that this wouldn’t be the last adventure that we would face together.
Thenightairwhisperssoothingly, fillingmywings,outstretchedtocatch askyfullofstars.
Coolandalive,theforestbelow dancesinathousandtongues, shifting likeranksuponranksofsoldiers marchinguptothesnow-cappedpeaksofthemountains fromwhereIwatch. Fromapeakjuttingoutabovetheothers, belowonlythemoonlesssky, Icansee everything.
Likethespinesofanetherealcreature, themountainsdwindleintothedistance oneithersideofme, eachraggedpeakismoremagisterialthanthelast. Beyondtheseaofgreenspreadoutbeforemelietheplacidmoors andbeyondthat, theoceanitself.
Alightbreezeliftsmefrommypromontory,andIsaileverhigher, beyondthewispycirrusclouds,theworldspread likeapatchworkquiltbelow. Theairwhipsmyfacenow, whistlingaboutmyearsandacrossmyface.
Theworld,ablurofprimordialsoup,seemstofallaway. Iseerivers,valleys,deserts, lakes,towns,cities allbustlingwithlifeandflowinginmovement beneaththecloudsandthesky.
OnlythestarsaboveremainmotionlessasIwheelcomfortably, bolsteredalongbythebillowyclouds onstarlitwings.
sunlight untilhertrailturnspearlescent underneaththecrescentmoon.
WRITTEN BY KAYLEE SWICK (PHOTOGRAPHED BY KAITLIN MUNGALL)
Myeyesclosedshut, Iturnacrosstheconcretepath intodimshelvesofleather-boundstories abooksitswaiting,magictobediscovered...
Swayingeucalyptsofhumidwinds dewycloudslingeringinthevalleys cloudyshowerswashawaydullscenery greentendrilsglitteringwithsparklingdiamonds
Footprintsetchedinthegrainy,smoothsand andsaltytongueslickthebeach moontucksasilverysheenoverthedunes shadowsdancinginthetwilight
Iescapefrombougainvillaea-linedbuildings anenchantingforestnestledwithin colourfulpetalsdroopoveracurvedbrickpath linedwithlushsilkyrollsofspongygrass
Emeraldleavesclingtomistybranches drippingwithglitteringcrystals freshglassywaterovermossybeds rainbowsreflectedinwispycascadesofjewels
Iopenmyeyestothepresent. Anopenedbooklaysflat reflectionsofemotion-filledpages warmmemoriesflickedthrough
Onmycheekrollsthesingletear thatdampensthecrinkledpages thin,flaky,andteastained crumblingatonetouch,
BY KAITLIN MUNGALL
Everyday,Iamaliveandliving butonlyinthebluehourdoIfeelalive. WhenIwalkonthegrass, Ihearanorchestrawarmup, asingleinsectmusicianbegins thenaccompanistsbeginoncue. Istepcloser,asthemusicbuildstoacrescendo thenarestinthemusic.
Iliftmygazetothesky oncearichbluelitteredwithwhitecottonballs; now?Theyellowglobelightstheheavenswithcolours yellowintoblueintopurpleintothenavynightsky allonasinglecanvas.
Thecottonballsarenowthecolourofpeaches,fuzzyandscattered. Duringtheworkingday,thefloraisdefined, butastheflameweakens,thatdefinitionisless. Slowly,thecoloursandtexturesblenduntil asilhouettetakestheirplace.
Mosquitoesandmothsjointhelivelyenvironmentthatonly Imakeup,
Idancetothemusic,thecoolairgivesmegoosebumps butIdon’tcare.Thisismyhour.
Itsoundslikesomethingoutofafairytale,sure; autopianchildren’sdreamaboutafterarainyday yethereIam,feelinglikeaprincessthatdoesn’tneedaprince.
Inmyutopia.Asarealist
A range of art from our talented artists
ILLUSTRATED BY AUDREY TIGHE, ELLA JENKINS, AND ZOE KELLY
An artwork based on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
ILLUSTRATED BY DAISY DONALDSON
Everything you need to know!
You all know our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, and for those who surprisingly don't, here's a summary. Before we get started here are some things you should know.
Firstly,hisnameisPeterParker,and he is the youngest member of the Avengers, a team of super heroes from the Marvel franchise. Peter Parker is a high school student who possessesspider-likeabilitiesdueto getting bitten by a radioactive spider.Hemadeanameforhimself in New York City and became very well known as a local neighbourhoodhero.
After defeating a villain called ‘the Vulture’ in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter discovers the true responsibilities of a hero. A few years later, when Thanos, a powerful warlord, attacked New York in search of a powerful stone, Peter helped the Avengers fend off the invaders. He was then knighted asamemberoftheAvengers.
Later, Thanos found all of the stones, and half of the universe, including Peter, were turned to dust withjustasnapofThanos’sfingers.
After being snapped away for 5 years, Peter comes back to help the Avengers fight Thanos again. Eventually, Tony - or Iron Mangains all 6 stones and snaps his fingers to kill Thanos. Tony, sadly, ends up dying after this. Peter is the first to run up to him and be by his sidewhilehedies.
After this, Peter continued to be your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man,doinghisbesttoliveup to Tony. To try and get rid of some stress, Peter signed up to go on a trip to Europe with his best friends Ned and MJ and the rest of his class. While they were in Europe there had been several attacks by another villain, Mysterio, so Peter had to try and balance hiding his identity while leaving his class and fighting elemental monsters. During the trip, MJ figures out that Peter is Spider-Man! But soon enough Peter defeats Mysterio and MJ confesses herfeelingsforPeter.
Once Peter and his friends get back from Europe, Peter notices that the news report is talking about how Spider-Man murdered Mysterio, and that's not all… they then put up a videothatMysteriohadmade
before being defeated by Peter“Spider-Man's name is Peter Parker!”
This brings us into Spider-Man:No Way Home. Peter was suddenly swarmed by reporters, federal agents and normal citizens, all of whom were on Mysterio's side! But this didn’t just affect Peter, it also affected Ned and MJ. Desperate to reverse the change that Mysterio has made in their lives, Peter decides to go to someone named Doctor Strange with the hope that he could make it so that it never happened. Strange had the amazing idea of making everyone forget who Spider-Man was, and Peter eagerly agreed to this idea. But the spell went so wrong that it opened several rifts in the universe, though Strange stitched these shut andcontainedthecorruptedspellin asmallmagicalbox.
Whilst Peter was trying to let him and his friends into school, his spider senses started to tingle. As he looked around he noticed that people were getting out of their cars and running for their lives. Then Peter saw a strange man with robotic tentacles. Little did he know that this was a villain from another multiverse. After capturing the villain, Peter was told by Strange to go and find other villains from the multiverse.
After Peter had captured all of the villains, he tried to save them by somehow curing them of their cruelty.ButPeter'ssensesstart
going off again. Green Goblin attacked him and hurt his aunt May, intending to kill her. May tells Peter that “with great power comes great responsibility,” and falls to the ground. Peter looks at her side - he can see the bloody wound that the Goblin has made. May's breathing stops, with Peter by her side. The onlyfamilyPeterhadleftwasgone.
Peter was forced to flee as the agentsclosedin.Itwas MJandNed that introduced Peter to the other Peters from different timelines. The three Peters worked together to defeat the villains, but they soon foundthattherewasabombhidden in the magical box that contained the spell. The box exploded, releasing the spell. The fabric of the universe was tearing and all of the villains and heroes from other timelines started to come through. PeterthenapproachedStrange-he could change the spell so that everyone forgot who he was, what he meant to everyone, and what theyhadbeenthroughtogether.His relationships with MJ and Ned would all be erased, but the spell would be stopped. Peter stated that it is what has to be done, and ordered Strange to complete the spell.
Strange advised him to say his goodbyes while he could, and Peter did so, vowing to MJ and Ned that he would find them again and remind them of what they had all been through together. Spider-Man: No Way Home is my favourite movie,soIwouldhighlyrecommend watchingit!
"Whateverlifeholdsinstoreforme,I willneverforgetthesewords:'with greatpowercomesgreat responsibility.'Thisismygift,my curse.WhoamI?I'mSpider-Man.”
- PeterParker,Spider-Man,2002
One of the general ideas of Spider-Man is the distinction between the normal appearance and demeanour of somebody, comparedtotherealityofsomeone beneath their outward perception, meaning that someone as shy and nerdy as Peter Parker has depth of character and is not what he may seem. It's when you finally delve under the surface that you may see what is really there; something beautiful and incredible and inspiring. People can be judgemental and superficial, but it doesn’t mean that you should changeyouridentitytosuitthem.
While there’s no denying they’re for entertainment, there are also some real moral lessons buried within the Spider-Man movies. These movies taught audiences that it’s okay to need and accept help and that somesecretsarebetterleftuntold,
for you never know who they might hurt. They taught people to always look out for the little guy, and that it does nothing to judge a book by its cover.
There is much controversy regarding which of the three Spider-Men takes out the top prize. Each actor took on and established a different facet that made their character portrayal memorable. So, who is the best Spider-Man?
Arguably, the response in question depends on your personal opinion of what makes Peter Parker, well, Peter Parker, and what makes Spider-Man, Spider-Man. Is it the brilliant, nerdy side of Peter shown by Tobey Maguire, the confident, cool Spiderman portrayed by Andrew Garfield, or is it the modern, awkward teenager vibes we get fromTomHolland?
It is also arguably each character’s female colleagues that influence certain favouritism - Mary Jane (MJ) played by Kirsten Dunst; Gwen Stacy by Emma Stone; and Michelle Jones (also MJ) portrayed by the iconicZendaya.
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is plausibly the most modernised and themostconnectedtootherheroes, with a mentor in Tony Stark, a best friend in Ned, and a motherly figure in a young Aunt May. We are given Spider-Man in a new and technologicallyadvancedsociety,in a world that’s built on power, leadership, and social connection. Tom Holland shows endearing and youthful charisma and personality and displays a character with goals and responsibilities that helped bring Spider-Man back into the MCU.
There’s no doubt that Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man was bold and confident, with a desire to help all people. It almost seemed like his Spider-Man persona was a way to remove himself from the intelligent, science-loving mind of Peter Parker and into the body of a beloved superhero. It certainly showed such a stark contrast between the personalities of both sides of AndrewGarfield’scharacter.
Of course, there can be no going past the original Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire. It is from here that the base was created and from which newstemsweregrown.
His character continually puts others before himself and takes on heavy responsibilities. Tobey’s Spider-Man showed real-life struggles and made mistakes that he had to learn from. His spirit and driving force are iconic to his characterportrayal.
Itiswithoutadoubtthatpeoplelove Spider-Man, whichever one he may be, because of his relatability, genuineness, curiosity, and both life and identity struggles. He makes a well-rounded character, without an overbearingpowerforce.
So, who, in the end, is the best Spider-Man? Well,that’suptoyou.
There’s no doubt that you have read or watched at least one text that comes under the genre of fantasy. Fantasy writing holds an unrivalled,unmistakableappealand elegance. The attraction to fantasy is often put down to viewers enjoying the ability to escape to unexplored and unknown worlds. These captivating new worlds allow people to build the skills needed to fill the gaps between knowledge, realityandexperience.
Fantasy writers have a particularly uniquestyleofwritingandthereare several subgenres to accompany this style. Epic, dark, contemporary, and urban are the most popular subgenres. Different types of fantasy allow for the non-realistic elements of the story to be communicated in a variety of ways. There are also various elements weaved into the writing which make it so special. Magic is a key element which allows authors and writers to influenceandaltertheeventsofthe story in a way other genres cannot. Theelementofadventureispresent within most genres, however, in fantasy, it introduces audiences to settings that appear far from everydaylifebutarefullofamazing discoveries.
The possibilities are endless in the fantasy genre of writing: supernatural powers, mythical creatures, mystical characters, magic, castles. That’s only the beginning! Not only are there endless possibilities for what elements can be added to these pieces of writing, there are endless possibilities when it comes to how these elements are written. Each novel depicts aspects of creatures, characters, and magic differently from one another. This allows for never ending creativity when authors are writing and means readers are constantly entering uniqueworlds.
Fantasy characters are also unique and differ from those of other genres. The characters are always willing to pursue their dreams no matter the circumstances. They’re willing to put themselves in harm’s way if it means they can protect theirfriends,family,andtheworldin which they live. The protagonists of this genre are often flawed. They often fail horribly when trying to achieve their goals and pay the consequences for their actions. However, this doesn’t make the audience adore them any less for these failures - it only makes them more loved as the audience follows themeverystepoftheway.
What is humour? And what makes us laugh?
WRITTEN BY SERAPHINA KATTA
So you're probably asking, "What exactly is this going to be?" Another dull piece written by another student? You're in luck, since that's precisely what it is. No, I'm joking. This article you're reading is more than just an article; it's a… HUMOROUSARTICLE!
Let us begin with the fundamental question,"Whatishumour?"
Humour is ‘the ability to be amused by something seen, heard, or thought about, sometimes causing you to smile or laugh, or the quality in something that causes such amusement,’ according to the Cambridge Dictionary. Now, what can you perceive in this definition? It's wordy and hard to read. The Cambridge Dictionary’s definition is near,butnotquitethereyet.WhenI think of humour, I think of… Mr Minter. That's all! Mr Matthew Minter is the ultimate definition of humour! That's some clever alliteration. Some may disagree with this definition, but that's ok because it's neitherwordynorhardtoread.
Aside from the idea of humour, what is the aim of fantasy and why does it make us laugh or relate?
Events in a fantasy operate outside the laws of the real universe and typically involve supernatural elements,likemagicormagical
creatures.Fantasyisareplicationof our world and it satires what the worldholdsandwetendtolaugh. It is a reaction to external or internal stimuli. Laughter can be elicited by actionssuchasbeingtickledandby hilarious stories or thoughts. It is most frequently seen as an audible manifestation of various pleasant emotions, such as pleasure, amusement,happiness,orrelief.
Another reason why we might find things funny is that they are relatable. Having relatable content allows our brains to switch on these neurotransmitters called dopamine which serves as a reward for the brain, creates a sense of euphoria, and plays a pivotal role in our motivation to continue the behaviour. So, when was the last time you saw a great meme or something relevant and humorous? Some memes are funny and may makeyougrin.However,whilethese memes are incredible, it's unclear why they're so humorous. While social media is a communication tool, memes are a technique of communicating a culturally relevant notion. A meme is a picture or video thatsymbolisesacertainaudience's thoughts and feelings. The majority of memes are captioned photographs meant to be humorous. And we love them becauseoftheirrelatability.
Can you find all 13 words?
CREATED AND ILLUSTRATED
BY HUNA MOGHADDAR
Read right to left (in the same style as classic Japanese Manga)!
WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY AUDREY TIGHE
From Usborne’s
WRITTEN BY LAUREN WILLIAMS (ILLUSTRATED BY HATTIE GILPIN AND LAUREN WILLIAMS
What you will need:
PLC’s 2022 production of Wicked was stunning! Here’s some creative contributions from our talented students.
Watchvia thislinkor scantheQR codebelow!
BOQ ELPHABA
GALINDA GREEN
MORRIBLE SCARECROW VILLAGERS
DOROTHY EMERALDCITY
GLINDA GUARDS
NESSAROSE
SHIZ
WICKED
DRDILLAMOND
FIYERO
GOODNESS
LION
OZ
TINMAN
WIZARD
Take this quiz to see which character you are from PLC’s latest musical
WRITTEN BY EMILY ADAMS (ILLUSTRATED BY EMILY ADAMS, ELLA JENKINS, GRACE ROBERTSON, AND AUDREY TIGHE)
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE WICKED SONG?
A)“DefyingGravity”
B)“Popular”
C)”DancingThroughLife”
D)Idon’tlikemusic
E)“Wonderful”
F)“NoGoodDeed”
G)“TheWickedWitchoftheEast”
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR?
A)Idon’treallyhaveafavourite
B)Pink
C)Noneofthese
D)Purple
E)Green
F)Silver
G)Red
WHAT DO YOU DO AT LUNCH?
A)Read
B)Chilloutandgossipwithmy friends
C)WhateverIfeellikeatthetime
D)Lunch?WhosaysItakeabreak?
E)Somethingelse
F)Awkwardlyhangaroundsome
WHICH PET WOULD YOU GET?
A)Fish
B)Dog
C)Beardeddragon
D)Nopetsformeplease
E)Frog
F)Bird
G)Cat
PICK AN ENSEMBLE SCENE:
A)TheOzdustBallroom
B)TheEmeraldCity
C)TranceDance
D)“No-oneMournstheWicked”
E)“ThankGoodness”
F)“MarchoftheWitchHunters”
G)“DearOldShiz”
YOUR DREAM HOUSE WOULD LOOK LIKE:
A)Adisusedfortress/castlewithlots ofsecretpassageways
B)Acleanlarge-ishapartment whereIcanhavelotsofpeopleover
C)Asmallbutcozyhutinthewoods
D)Whereverthepowerfulpeople
E)Ahugemansioninthecity
F)Anaveragehousenearalibrary
G)Thesame/similartotheoneI
A)Doit,isn’tthatwhatI’mmeantto do?
B)Procrastinate
C)Completelyignoreituntilthelast possibleminute
D)DoitasquicklyasIcan
E)Attemptit,buteventuallygiveup
andaskafriendfortheanswers
F)Franticallystudy
G)Takemytimeandworkthroughit
MOSTLY A’S
You’reElphaba-you’resetondoing what’sright,butsometimesthiscan makeotherpeopleseeyouasthe villain.Thisdoesn’tbotheryoutoo much,asyouprefertokeepto yourselfanyway.
MOSTLY C’S
You’reFiyero-moreofa go-with-the-flowtypeofpersonyoudon’tgetparticularlyupset whenthingsdon’tgoyourway,but youhatewhenpeoplethinkthey knowmoreaboutyouthanyoudo, andthiscanpushyoutodoreckless things.
MOSTLY E’S
You’retheWizard-youtrytodo good,butaremisguidedandeasily influenced.Youseetheworldina uniqueway,andareabletocharm peopleprettyeasily.
MOSTLY G’s
You’reNessarose-youhatebeing pitiedorseenasdifferent,butdon’t recognisewhenyouneedhelpuntil it’stoolate.Thiscanmakeyou seemarrogantordisrespectful,but it’sjustbecauseyouwanttofitin.
A)Innocentpeoplepayingtheprice forsomethingtheydidn’tdo
B)Trustingthewrongpeople
C)Beingstereotyped
D)Otherpeople’smistakes
E)Beingthreatened
F)Beingreplaced
G)Beingpitied
MOSTLY B’S
You’reGlinda-itcanseemlike youprioritiselittlethingslike popularity,butyoucareforyour closefriendsandhateseeing themhurt.Havinglotsof connectionscanhelpyouget ahead.
MOSTLY D’S
You’reMadameMorrible-youare drawntopower,andmakethe perfectsecondincommand.You don’ttrytohideyourintentions andhaveawayofgettingwhat youwant.
MOSTLY F’S
You’reBoq-peopleoften overlookyou,butyoucanbe reallyfunnyandhaveaunique personality.Youtrydesperatelyto beseenandthatcanmakeyou
Be sure to keep track of your answers!
WRITTEN BY SCARLETT LOXLEY (ILLUSTRATED BY EMILY ADAMS, HATTIE GILPIN, ELLA JENKINS, KATE LOXLEY, AND SCARLETT LOXLEY)
WHO DO YOU SAY HI TO IN THE CORRIDOR?
A)Literallyeveryone.
B)Abouthalfthepeoplewhowalk past?
C)3or4peoplemaybe.
D)Idon’tsayhitoothersbut peoplesayhitome(Idon’teven knowhowtheyknowmyname)
E)EhhI’mtoobusyI’llsayhiinclass oratrecess.
IF YOU WERE GIVEN AN ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DUE THE NEXT DAY YOU WOULD MOST LIKELY:
A)Doasmuchworkaspossiblebut knowthatnoteveryonecanget thingsdoneallthetime.
B)DoitATLUNCH.
C)Workonituntilyoufallasleepon yourdeskthatnightbuthey,at leastit’sdonenowright?
D)Askforanextensionbecause *coughcough*youdon’tfeeltoo well.
E)Run.
CATS OR DOGS?
A)Dogs!
B)Both(doyoureallyexpectmeto pick?)
C)Cats.
D)Idon’treallymind.
E)Goats.
HOW MESSY IS YOUR ROOM?
A)Nottoobad.There’sheapsof plantsinitthough…
B)It’smessybutIknowwhere everythingis.
C)Myroomisuh,“creatively messy”,thanks!(Prefernottosay…)
D)Myroom’sactuallyprettyclean!
E)Idon’trememberthelasttime myfloorsawthelightofday.
YOU’VE JUST DROPPED YOUR LUNCH ON THE GROUND. YOU:
A)Feedittothebirdsssss
B)Washitoff(ifpossible)andeatit
C)Gofindsomethingelse
D)Gopesteryourfriendsfortheir lunch
E)*Nom*
IF YOU HAD TO PICK A SPORT OR AN INSTRUMENT YOU HAD TO PLAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE IT WOULD BE:
A)Awind/stringsinstrument
B)Running
C)Piano
D)TeamsportsarefunIguess…
E)Anysportorinstrumentaslong asit’sout-of-the-ordinaryandno one’severheardofit.
A)Gettingpaintoffmyuniform
B)Ican’tpick
D)Beingabletotellifsomeone’sorderedpizza.
E)Beingabletomeltintoapuddleonthefloor
You’reanaturedragon-youhavenoattention span.Ifyouwereadragonyouwouldprobably mimicanysoundyouhear.Somepeoplethink you’retooenthusiasticbutyoujustfindlotsofstuff
You’reafiredragon-eitherreallychaoticorreally competitiveorboth.Thereisatleastonethingyou
You’reapolardragon-adragonwithfloof.May comeacrossascold(nopunintended)andaloof (alsonopunintended)butisreallyasupernice
You’reawaterdragon-mostlyprettycasualvibes. Youspendalotoftimeinthesunandyoumayor
You’reawyrm- seesall.Knowsall.Somepeople saythisdragonneverblinksbutnooneknowsfor
The Patronus Charm is a defensive spell that protects witches and wizards against dementors in the book Harry Potter. It is a very challenging and produces a magical creature specific to the one who casts it. Each individual's Patronus says a lot about their personality and who they are as a person.
WRITTEN BY INDIA SMITH AND AMELIE VAN DER WERF (ILLUSTRATEDBY DAISY DONALDSON)
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COMBINATION OF SUBJECTS?
A)Drama,music,languages
B)PDHPE,technology,agriculture
C)Science,maths
D)English,history
E)Geography,art
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
A)Listeningto/playingmusic
B)Sport
C)Reading
D)Hangingoutwithfriends
E)WatchingTV/playingvideo games
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIE?
A)EnolaHomes
B)ForrestGump
C)HiddenFigures
D)MeanGirls
E)Titanic
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FESTIVITY?
A)Christmas
B)Easter
C)NewYear’s
D)Yourbirthday
E)AprilFool’sDay
WHICH OF THESE WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS?
A)Loyal,strong,passionate
B)Spontaneous,optimistic, gentle
C)Brave,smart,curious
D)Friendly,kind,outgoing
E)Graceful,emotional, compassionate
HOW WOULD YOU SPEND YOUR IDEAL HOLIDAY?
A)Spendingtimewithfamily
B)Camping/hiking
C)Overseas
D)Beach
E)Stayingathome
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED TYPE OF CLOTHING?
A)Branded
B)Sports
C)Swimmers
D)Casual
E)PJ’s/Oodie
IN A CRISIS YOU’D BE:
A)Commanding
B)Hopeful
C)Brave
D)Nervous
E)Calm
IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE OF THESE POWERS, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
A)Togetanythingyouwant
B)Worldpeace
C)Tohavealltheknowledgeintheworld
D)Foreveryonetobefriends
E)Foreveryonetoloveyou
MOSTLY A’S
You’reahorse-youareloyal,passionateandcaring.Youarean individualisticpersonandcanalsobeabitstubborn.Youknowwhatyou wantandhowtoachieveitandyoualwaysputfamilyfirst.
MOSTLY B’S
You’rearabbit-youareoptimisticandcanseethegoodineverysituation. Youdon’tfollowthecrowd,youdowhatyouwant.Youarepeacefulandeasy tobefriendswith.Manyofyourpeerswoulddescribeyouasarayof sunshine.
MOSTLY C’S
You’reanotter-youareextremelysmartandcuriousabouttheworld aroundyou.Youarealsoverycourageousandwilldoanythingforthoseyou love.Youarebraveaboutthedepthsofwater,divingcompletelybeneaththe surface.Youareempathetic,veryplayful,andcurious.
MOSTLY D’S
You’readolphin-youarefriendly andsociable!Youlikegroups,and youareveryplayful.Youcanbe extrovertedandyouareeasilyloved. Youareintelligent,quick-wittedand expressive.
MOSTLY E’S
You’reaswan-youare compassionateandgraceful.You valuefriendshipandareagood friend.Youarededicatedtoyour friendgroupandarecaring.Youcan beemotional,butyoualsocanbe verystrongattimes.Youliketomake othershappy,especiallythoseyoulove.
HattieGilpin
SeraphinaKatta
MakenzieRobertson
EmilyAdams
TillyAlmond
ArlieBragg
ChloeClark
GabbyCotterell
DaisyDonaldson
HattieGilpin
NevadaGuiance
EllaJenkins
SeraphinaKatta
ZoeKelly
ScarlettLoxley
HunaMoghaddar
KaitlinMungall
RachelMungall
NatheaPingKee
MakenzieRobertson
DaisySheedy
HollySheedy
IndiaSmith
KayleeSwick
AudreyTighe
AmelievanderWerf
BellaWaters
LaurenWilliams
SmithaYarram
LucyYoung
HattieGilpin
EmilyAdams
ArlieBragg
EllaCoulton
DaisyDonaldson
HattieGilpin
NevadaGuiance
EllaJenkins
KateLoxley
ScarlettLoxley
HunaMoghaddar
GraceRobertson
PollyTurnbull
LaurenWilliams
MrMitchellClendinning
MrsKateClynch
A Fantastical Word Search, page 030
Wicked Word Search, page 035
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