strathcona

“Catherine crept further under her bedclothes, her blood chilled, a cold sweat on her forehead; she was unable to forget the horrible thoughts the day had brought her. What had begun as an innocent walk through the gardens, a pleasurable tour through the Abbey, had rapidly become a day of terror and suspicion.” An excerpt from Sarah Adam’s year 12 Literature Creative Response. The accompanying artwork is by Year 11 student Sophie Neil, Narrative Mixed Media. Read on below.

“Anna Funder’s literary non-fiction novel Stasiland and Kazuo Ishiguro’s elegiac dystopian novel Never Let Me Go both consider the necessity and desire for human connection that people experience no matter the situation they may find themselves in.” An excerpt from Dominique Banjac’s Year 12 English Comparative Essay. The artwork is by Jacy Lu, Tonal Treasures photography. Read the full piece below.

“Central to her work as a confessional poet, Plath’s painfully honest poetry explores the idea of the self and seeks to highlight those persistent threats, through which a woman’s identity is questioned.” An excerpt from Elizabeth O’Sullivan’s Year 11 Literature Focus Analysis. The accompanying artwork is by Lara Venema, Dreams and Nightmares Acrylic on Canvas.

The stage is fully lit. A civil rights meeting is being held in Guildhall Square and is being addressed by a WOMAN. She is holding an old loudhailer in one hand and has been caught by a watercannon – her hair is drenched. An excerpt from Saskia Heng’s Creative Response to The Freedom of the City in Year 11 Literature. The accompanying artwork is by Tabitha Marsland, Year 7, an Observational Hand Sketch Pastel on Black. Read the full piece below.

“One stroke. Two strokes. Three strokes. Breathe.” An excerpt from Isabelle Schenck’s Year 11 English Creative Response to the film Gattaca directed by Andrew Niccol. Read on below. The artwork is by Amy Savenake, Dreams and Nightmares Acrylic on Canvas.

“The pandemic has taken a lot from our young people, but it’s important we also take the time to consider what they’ve gained.” writes Principal Marise McConaghy in The Australian.

“It’s very hard to keep personal prejudice out of a thing like this.” An excerpt from Isabella Ciardulli’s Year 10 English Comparitive Essay. Read on below. The artwork is by Shanny Xu, Environmental Sculpture Photography.

“Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel The Complete Maus tells the life and survival story of his father, Vladek Spiegelman. Despite many of Vladek’s traits being condemned in The Complete Maus, the novel is a fundamentally empathetic account of his life and experiences during the Holocaust.” An excerpt from Babette Ben Meir’s Year 9 English Analytical Essay. Read the essay below. The artwork is by Shreya Khanna, Environmental Sculpture Photography.

“Dear Diary, Have you ever thought about thunderstorms? The strange phenomenon they are. It like the sky puts on a firework display but instead of playing laughing from joy, they squirm with fear. Thunderstorms are quite a peculiar thing to like. The funny thing about thunderstorms is that there is always a rainbow after them. That wasn’t the case that time.” An excerpt from Lara Munro’s, Creative Response in Year 8 English. The artwork is by Zoe Sipos, Narrative Mixed Media.

“’Annie!’ my voice croaks. I’ve been calling for ages. I can hear them, but they can’t hear me. There’s no point yelling, the storm is just pulling my voice out to sea.” An excerpt from Saloni Gunasekera’s Year 7 English Creative Monologue Task. Read the full piece below. The artwork is by Alice Freeman, Folio Photography and Photoshop.