Following my previous article on Freud’s different theories surrounding dreams, other of his many theories also make up the essence of a book I have recently read: The Lord of the Flies. The novel by William Golding serves as a profound exploration of human nature, particularly if analysed through a psychoanalytical lens. This article will explore Freud's model of the psyche (id, ego, superego), the dynamics of power and control, the concept of trauma, and the implications of

Personally, I listen to music everyday for most of the day. Any chance I get I put my AirPods in and play my favourite songs, whether it be to help me concentrate and feel inspired or to take my mind off of things, I jump at. In fact, I am listening to music as I write this. Music is incredible, and looking at my Spotify Wrapped is definitely one of the highlights of my year. From Beethoven to Bruno Mars to Charli XCX, music has several benefits for us. Music elevates your mo

In A-Level English Literature, we have been working on Mark Twain’s ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’. As a creative writing task, we wrote pieces of writing from the perspective of Huck 15 years after the end of the story. Some students wrote journal entries while others wrote letters: here are a few examples of what we wrote. Fifteen years today since me and Jim had our adventure and I’ll be dammed if it ain’t feel like it was last week . Ain’t much changed ‘bout me. My hair

Madeline Miller’s Circe doesn’t simply bring to life the figure of the ancient Greek enchantress; it delves deep into her solitude, her resilience, and her power. This novel is a reimagining of Homer’s myths, yet it is ultimately a story of human connection, alienation, and the struggle to live freely. Miller reshapes Circe, a minor character from the Odyssey, as a profound, complex woman—a nymph whose defiance sets her on a path that’s both timeless and entirely modern. Unli

María Vallejo-Nágera, is a Spanish author, wrote ´Un Mensajero en la Noche’ in 2003, along with many other inspirational and touching novels. She has a degree in Philosophy and Educational Sciences from Complutense University of Madrid, along with a fellowship in Advanced Leadership from Harvard University, where she studied Advanced Biblical Studies. Due to ´Un Mensajero en la Noche´s immense success, it was eventually translated into English: A Messenger in the Night. The n

In the vast kingdom of electronic music, one name stands out as a revolutionary force that changed genres and defined an era - Daft Punk. Comprised of the enigmatic duo, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Daft Punk not only shaped the landscape of electronic music but left an indelible mark on the global music scene. Let's explore the robotic brilliance and sonic innovation that defines Daft Punk and their remarkable musical legacy. The Birth of Machine Hailing

La La Land has been one of the most critically acclaimed films of recent years in Hollywood, and with its 265 nominations and 112 awards, as well as a record-tying 6 Oscar awards, the movie has truly swept the public off its feet. Many critics have discussed why this film has received all this fame while others on social media have called it their favourite ‘horror movie’. And yet, no one seems to answer the question: Why is La La Land considered a masterpiece? The movie has

Glee is an extremely well-known TV show about a group of high schoolers who join a show choir in their school while they deal with their own problems and navigate through teenage life. The show tries to tackle many important problems that are prominent in adolescence. From eating disorders, to teenage pregnancies to school shootings, this show often deals with most problems in a constructive way. With that being said, there are some plotlines in Glee that not only make zero s

The queen herself has never been in a movie. However, she does appear in a few short videos she made. For the 2012 olympics, which were held in London, she made an action video. She was filmed parachuting with James Bond from a helicopter! They landed where the Olympics were taking place. And for her Platinum Jubilee, she was filmed having tea with Paddington. She, that is to say an actress who is playing her, has appeared in 100 films! Many of these are children films, for e

Released in 1989 originally in Billy Joel’s album ‘Storm Front’, but later on released as a single in Europe only. The song “Leningrad” derives its title from the contemporary name of the city of St. Petersburg, Russia. The song is a postcard of Billy Joel’s time and tour there. In 1987, Billy Joel toured the Soviet Union as tensions between the two countries decreased. The tour was a great success and was filmed for a documentary (Billy Joel: A Matter Of Trust - The Bridge t

Alex Rider: Ark Angel By Anthony Horowitz Ark Angel is a fascinating adventure book that I'd recommend to every Year 6 moving in to Year 7. It's genius. This book excels at everything, but one of the best things about it are the way it builds suspense and keeps you thinking, as well as the way in which it is able to describe the characters feelings. Apart from that, the unimaginable series of events that occur to the main character to keep himself and the world alive will lea

The myth of Oedipus the king of Thebes, who killed his father and married his mother, is one of the most famous stories of classical mythology. However, it is impossible to imagine Oedipus without his mother and wife, Jocasta —the most rational and objective perspective from the cycle of theban tragedies—. But she, incredibly, has remained unsung. One of the characteristics of myths is variability. Myths always have different versions. Authors repeat them, omitting or adding

Camille Saint Saëns was a french composer, born on October 9, 1835. He is known worldwide for composing his outstanding symphonic poems, operas and works. Throughout his life, he was also an organist, conductor, a music critique, and pianist! His best known works are the Danse Macabre; a magnificent 7 minute long symphonic poem, and The Swan, which belonged to the Carnival of Animals. In his early life, he was captivated by music- he started playing the piano at two and a hal

Tick, Tick... Boom! is an amazing musical directed by Lin Manuel Miranda, (who even made a cameo in the movie). It tells the story of Jonathan Larson, creator of musicals like ‘Rent’. Jon is a man about to be 30 years old, which understandably makes him very anxious. It makes him think he’s running out of time to be the great theatre composer he has always dreamed of. The film narrates his struggles trying to juggle dating, with friendship, with writing songs for his musical

The King’s Daughter: January 21 Starring Pierce Brosnan and Kayla Scodelario King Louis XIV's quest for immortality leads him to capture a mermaid's life force, but his immovable will is challenged when his long-hidden illegitimate daughter forms a bond with the magical creature. Uncharted: February 11 Starring Tom Holland and Mark Whalberg Based on the prequel storyline from the ‘Naughty Dog’ video game for PlayStation, the story is focused on the young thief, Drake, a

2021 has been a year full of new beginnings and returns to reality. With this, the film industry returns with many Oscar-winning movies. Best films of 2021: In 10th place this year is The Father, a film by Florian Zeller about dementia. It’s both a deeply frightening and moving movie which subtly places you in the main character’s head where dementia is presented through different techniques, really showing the audience how it is to live with this terrible disease. At number

To My Nine-Year-Old Self Everything changes. Don’t stop and think, just go with the flow, spread your wings, fly through fields of sunflowers, balance on the tightrope that is life. Plant hope in your heart, and wait for love to grow, never stop skipping, touch every rose. Do you remember each spring, when you spoke the language of the flowers, watched the caterpillars turn into butterflies? Don’t wait for the day to come, when you blossom too, all time does is take, it never

“To design is much more than simply to assemble, to order, or even to edit; it is to add value and meaning, to illuminate, to simplify, to clarify, to modify, to dignify, to dramatise, to persuade, and perhaps even to amuse.” - Paul Rand Over previous years, several new aspects of design have emerged and experienced a greater weight of importance. These are wide-ranging: graphic design, speculative design, interior design, transition design and social design, amongst many mo

Art is an important part of being human. We have the ability to create, to design, modifying our surroundings but also having the curiosity to make everything seem appealing. There are many possible reasons and explanations as to why humans make art. Thinking about it, we have adopted the word “art” and given it its own meaning, which means something different to everyone. For me, art is everything. Oxford defines it as being “the expression or application of human creative s