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Shanthi Sivaram / October 01, 2020 Posted by : editor

The movie, “Little Women,” directed by Greta Gerwig released on 25th December 2019. It is based on the books “Little Women” and “Good Wives” written by Louisa May Alcott, which were published in the nineteenth and the twentieth century.

 The story follows the March sisters – Margaret, Josephine, Amy, and Elizabeth March, who go by the names Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth, and live a life of poverty while their father is fighting as a chaplain in the American Civil War. The heroine of the movie, however, is Jo March. The four sisters befriend their neighbor, Theodore Lawrence, or Laurie.

Jo, who was a tomboy with a short temper, was always passionate about writing. As a teenager, she wrote many plays, which she and her sisters used to enact in front of the other children of the neighborhood. She goes on to write a book about her sisters and their domestic struggles. Amy, much younger than Jo, wanted to be the greatest artist of all time. Meg, a great actor, had no great wishes in life, but she disliked her life of poverty. Beth, the best of them and great at the piano, catches scarlet fever, as a teenager and later as an adult, which becomes the reason for her death.

The story goes back to the past of the sisters, where they are shown as adolescents, and compares it with the present, where each of the girls is more mature and grown.

The younger selves of Jo and Amy had many fights and later we see that they learn to not be angry at one another. Meg always played her role of the elder sister perfectly, correcting her sisters when they went wrong. Beth, on the other hand, was always a quiet girl who kept the family together and reminded them not to fret over trivial things, and to always be grateful.

As the girls grow up, Meg marries John Brooke, Laurie’s tutor. Amy marries Laurie, who had been turned down by Jo, who ended up marrying Professor Friedrick Bhaer. Beth, unfortunately, gives up to scarlet fever. The bond between the four March sisters is, however, summed up very well when Jo says “Life is too short to be angry at one’s sisters.”

The sisters stick together through fights, bleak winters without Mr. and Mrs. March, and find solace in their sisterhood, without fretting over being poor. Each of the characters is perfectly portrayed and none of the important parts of the bond between the sisters has been excluded from the screenplay. I’d highly recommend the movie to anyone looking for a movie with strong female lead characters, who break stereotypes and learn to laugh in the darkest of times.

Each actor has enhanced the movie with their natural and outstanding performance. Jo was played by Saoirse Ronan, who has expressed every emotion perfectly. Amy was played by Florence Pugh, and although Amy wasn’t supposed to have a big role being the younger sister, Pugh has certainly promoted her character to being the second heroine of the film with excellent dialog delivery, voice modulation, and acting to go with it. We can see how she matures as she grows up, and how her acting fits her character perfectly. Meg was played by Emma Watson, which was a good try, but not a performance that stood out. Beth was played by Eliza Scanlen, who does justice to the character and her performance was satisfactory. The other characters like Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, Meryl Streep, James Norton, and Louis Garrel certainly did not let me down. The casting of this movie was one of those which I greatly appreciate.

All in all, the screenplay was very well written, the direction and acting were very well carried out, and most importantly, it did justice to the book. Little Women includes various aspects of sisterhood, friendship, love, and heartbreak and is one of our family must-watch movies.

By

Urja Srivastava,

Grade 10

Ekya School, JP Nagar

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Shanthi Sivaram / March 26, 2024

The Hot Garlic Soup Inspired by ‘The Last Leaf’ by O. Henry

Sue and Johnsy, two young artists, shared a small flat on the third storey of an old house.
Johnsy fell ill in November. She was diagnosed with pneumonia. She would lie in her bed, gazing out of the window. Sue sent for the doctor. The doctor said to Sue, “Johnsy’s condition is not so serious yet. It seems she is unable to recover because she has lost the will to live.”
Sue became extremely worried for Johnsy’s well-being and mental health. She tried to make Johnsy interested in the things around her, but Johnsy never replied with more than a noncommittal hum.
One day, Sue was painting when she heard Johnsy counting backwards. Sue looked out of the window and saw an old ivy creeper climbing on the brick wall. The ivy was shedding its leaves in the strong gust of the wind.
“They are falling faster now,” whispered Johnsy. “Three days ago there were so many leaves. Only five are left now.”
“It is autumn,” said Sue, “and the leaves will fall.”
“When the last leaf falls, I will die” said Johnsy with finality. “I have felt this for the last three days.”
“Oh, that’s nonsense,” replied Sue. “Why do you believe your fate is tied to those old ivy leaves?”
“Human life is fleeting, just like those ivy leaves,” said Johnsy. “I got sick just as the ivy started shedding its leaves. It must be an omen. The last leaf will fall, and I will slip into slumber forever.”
Sue sat on Johnsy’s bed, kissed her and said, “You are not going to die. Plenty of people fall sick in autumn, and they recover soon enough. Do you want some soup?”
“I don’t want any soup. My time is almost up, I’m sure of it,” murmured Johnsy.
Sue decided to change tactics. She was not going to give up on Johnsy.
“It is true that human life is somewhat fleeting, but that’s exactly what makes life valuable. Do you not want to see what life has to offer before you slip into slumber? Will you not miss the cool breeze waking you up, the warm embrace of sunlight? Do you want to give up the feeling of the paintbrush gliding over the canvas?” Sue quavered.
“Look beyond the ivy to that tree over there,” Sue continued. “Even that tree is shedding its leaves, but it is also growing new leaves. It is going to live for many more years, just like you.”
Johnsy contemplated for a while. Then, she looked out of the window and smiled.
“Perhaps I will have some hot garlic soup. You made me realise that life is worth living after all.”
Written by Aahana,
from grade 9A

Shanthi Sivaram / March 22, 2024

Importance of Literature in a Classroom.

"Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity" - P.T.Barnum

We as humans are social beings. We can't imagine our lives to be solitary. Literature facilitates us to understand and communicate with one another in society. It helps us explore the world around us and is a medium to express our views and experiences. So it is of vital importance that the students are introduced to literature at a young age.

Literature is necessary for students as it helps them to develop imagination, improves vocabulary and language skills and even enhances creativity. Literature helps them understand the world outside their home and school.

It is disheartening to see that literature is often not put on the same pedestal as other technical subjects like Math or Science. where it shouldn't be the case.

Literature includes different types of texts like stories and fables, myths

and legends, poetry and drama or even informational texts that help them explore other subjects. It prepares students to read and understand the real world.

There are one too many benefits of including literature at a young age. It is like an exercise for the brain, keeping an individual mentally active and stimulated.

Exposure to cultures from different countries brings in a sense of respect and tolerance, a feat possible through literature. It motivates one to appreciate different lives and their ways and also to graciously disagree with something that may not be right. The different characters the students are introduced to become a source of inspiration. They start to imagine themselves in varied situations. they learn different solutions to problems they come across.

More importantly, reading is fun and literature develops an inclination toward reading and makes them self-learners.

It can be concluded that literature is a gateway to nurturing a child’s life skills more than any assignment or task

can ever do.

Written By:

Shruthi Prakash

English Educator - Primary

Ekya Schools BTM Layout

Shanthi Sivaram / March 22, 2024

A Day to Remember: Juniors Bid Goodbye to Seniors with a Spectacular Farewell Party.

As the academic year draws to a close, emotions run high at our beloved school. The time has come for the juniors to express their gratitude, love, and affection for their departing seniors.

And what better way to do this than by throwing an unforgettable farewell party?

The air was buzzing with excitement as the juniors meticulously planned every detail to make it a night that their seniors would cherish forever.

The audio-visual room was transformed into a place of nostalgia and celebration, adorned with decorations to welcome the seniors. Each performance was filled with energy, enthusiasm, and dedication. Each video played, spoke volumes about the memories shared and the bonds formed throughout their academic journey, blanketing the atmosphere with a mix of joy, laughter, and a hint of bittersweet anticipation.

Our seniors were all dressed up to the nines for the occasion with the girls in a blue and white saree and the boys in black suits.

But how did all of this come to be? I am a grade 11 student and let me take you through behind the scenes of this event and how we prepared for this event.

  • Many girls formed a group and decided to dance to “Paint It Red” and “All Is Well”. Everyone’s efforts are to be appreciated as they come up with new steps and formations. Well-coordinated teamwork led to an amazing performance that got everyone cheering.

  • Meanwhile, my batchmate, Lara,  and a few teachers were preparing to sing songs dedicated to the seniors. Lara sang a melodious rendition of “When You Believe” and the teachers sang a medley of songs which got the seniors singing along as well!

  • The boys planned on dancing to the song “Galti Se Mistake” and their performance was full of creativity and humour. The choreography was inspired by the original music video of the song and they worked hard together and taught each other the steps. This performance got everyone giggling and cheering so loud!

  • It did not end with the students, even the teachers chose to step into this grand celebration. They danced on a variety of songs and each song made the seniors hoot louder. Even though they had a very busy schedule they would still take time and dedicate it to the dance practice during after-school hours. Huge kudos for their coordination and effort!

  • Mohana and Arshia came up with a very engaging script which had the attention of the audience. A small game was organised for the students where they had to write something good about one of their batchmates. Everybody put their hands together and made 32 crowns of appreciation for their seniors. A video of the seniors was made including photos and videos of their dearest memories. Last but not least, our teachers also prepared a video message for the seniors bidding farewell and wishing them the best for their future endeavours.

The day finally came. The 10th of February came. It was the day - the day for which we had been preparing for days. The graduation.

The place was set, the background screen was ready, the mic was ready and the sound system was ready. Our seniors came one by one and the auditorium was filled with chatter until the anchors came in and the event started.

After a few minutes, the head boy gave a heartfelt speech, followed by the chit game of affirmations then Lara’s beautiful performance.

The girls donned black kurtis and sunglasses and danced to “Paint It Red”, which got a round of applause. The seniors loved the “Galti Se Mistake” dance by the boys for its creativity and comedic execution and what made it better was the shorts with shirt and tie combination. The dance finale was to the song “All Is Well” which got the audience cheering for the dancers with lots of enthusiasm.

Then a video filled with the memories of the seniors was shown which made most of them emotional. The dance which everybody was eagerly anticipating started - it was our beloved teachers who completely rocked the stage with their amazing performance.

Then a few teachers gave a very emotional message followed by songs dedicated to their students. The event came to an end with video messages by the teachers,  a crowning ceremony and high tea.

In conclusion, the event was successful, and enjoyed by all the students - juniors, seniors and teachers. It wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s contribution and teamwork. It was an emotional roller coaster for everyone and a day which will never be forgotten.

Written By:

Stutee Samantray

(Grade 11, Ekya BTM)

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#PoetsAtEkya: It’s not about me

I work tirelessly day and night

For freedom i will fight

I put others ahead of me

My country, it will be free

If it is war i will go

I will and i must move against my foe

If i must give my life, i will

My country is exploited and my foe will pay the bill

If peace is the answer

It is better for us, him and her

Billion is more than one,

I will fight for others, my family and son.

If i must stand alone i will willingly do

If i must fight alongside others i will do to

For it’s not about me

My country, it shall be free

I will run through the deserts

I won't be stopped by emotion opinions or hurts

With every step, there is only one goal  in my mind

My country, freedom it shall find

When i run my final race

I will with a smile on my face

For at the end of the day

I bought freedom closer to the bay

My actions are for my mother land

The one who shelters us in her hand

For it is not about me

My country, it shall be free

Grade 6

Ekya School, JP Nagar

#PoetsAtEkya: Nature and Human

Mixing five classic elements, different in feature,

God prepared a dish and named it nature.

He decorated it up from north pole to south pole,

Filled it with life, and blessed it with a soul.

The soul was named human really a wonder,

A body was granted so intricate and tender.

God bestowed on human a gift, nature,

To protect it in present, to preserve it for future.

Human enjoyed the macrocosm, and found solace,

Respected it, worshiped it as a sacred place.

He lived, procreated, and continued generations,

But loyalty to nature declined over successions.

Now human has reached the point of no return,

Destroying fellow creatures, playing satan.

Trying to gain control on everything around,

Being wise by penny, but foolish by pound.

Human never realized nature’s potential,

Living in delusion that his power is torrential.

If nature shows fury, causes natural calamities,

Human will suffer genocide, enormous fatalities.

Human has forgotten the lessons that God taught him,

Eventually, would pay price for his fancies and whim.

If human race is to survive, sustain, and see progress,

From responsibilities towards nature, it cannot digress

Its high time human learnt to maintain harmony

Between him and nature, to do away with agony

Respect to nature will earn humans ages to live

Nature has options, human has no alternative

Cooperation and coexistence if favored the most

Sure in human’s name will nature propose a toast.

By

Joshitha Rani,

Grade 10

Ekya School, JP Nagar

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