In the second term, we dedicated several classes to read the story ¨The Destructors¨. We started to read it all together and debating about literary devices, which appeared all along the story. We continued reading the story in class and some at home, but always discussing what was happening and how characters were affected with the development of the story.

The story was situated in London, after war had taken place and the consequences had been left. Everytjing was destroyed, every building and street, except for one house. The story shows how war left the society broke apart, with everything and everyone destroyed, physically and psychollogically. This is also shown by the acts done and taken by Trevor and his gang. The write shows how the gang needs to destroy the last house that was left for the war, to start all over again and begin from cero. With Pato, we discussed three conflicts. The first one is that one, called construction VS destruction, showing they had to demolish the last house remianing for the society to start all over again and build everything from cero again. The second conflict was the problems on who directe the gang, as Blackie was the leader of the gang, commanding every activity and plan of the gang, until Trevor arrived and proposed the demolishment of Old Misery´s house, acquiring leadership. The last conflict which we discussed was the one of Trevor with his one self. He belonged to a wealthy and well-educated family and as he belonged to this gang, he wanted to do things improper of him, showing this internal conlflict he had with himself, with his history and his wish of belonging to the gang. After discusing these conflicts and the story, we had to answer five questions in pairs. This is the work I did with Tomás Braun.

I really enjoyed reading this stroy as it was very catching. As we were reading the story, it became more catching and interesting, as each class one of this three conflicts appeared. Moreover, the fact that we discussed the story all together, exchanging opinions and points of view, helped a lot to understand even more the story and each confclit. In addition, all along the story, the writer is constantly adding suspense, causing intrigue and will to keep reading. This is another reason why I enjoyed reading this story. Finally, the fact that the questions were answered in pairs, helped me both in the questionnaire and for the term test, as I understood thanks to my partner, things I maybe wouldn´t have.

I could connect the conflict of constructions VS destruction with something that happens to me, and I do belive tha to many people in our lives. They needed to destroy Old Misery´s house, the last standing house, for the society to be built from cero again, and to start it development as one. I do belive that this happens to me. When we are sad or aren´t undergoing a great moment, in order to start al over again and begin to recover and feel better, sometimes we need to unload and discharge what we have left, as the gang did with the house. I felt identified with this conflict as its common that people after maybe crying a lot or discharging all the anger or sadness can overcome a difficult situation, similar to what happened to the society, which had been destroyed by the war.

About two weeks ago, Pato told us to look for an image we had taken and that we liked. Based on this image, we should first look for five nouns, five adjectives and five verbs which could be seen or could be related to this image. After doing this, we should make two literary devices about this image. With the literary devices, the nouns, adjectives and verbs, we should make our own poem, as we liked. Although it was a very open activity, with plenty of choices and options to do, it was a little bit complex and difficult, but much more entertaining and fun, for myself. I chose a picture I had taken one week before in Independiente´s stadium. After selecting everything Pato told us to, I wrote the following poem, showing and trying to show in it how passionate I and every Independiente fan is for the club, and how every match is lived in the LDA.

I really enjoyed performing this activity. To begin with, I liked the fact that I could do it individually, as I could express and write whatever I wanted about, without needing to consult and ask someone else if they agreed. Although sometimes writing essays or doing works in pairs helps to exchange ideas and complement each other, I´m really glad this activity was individual, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to express fully as I wished. Moreover, the fact the option and task was so open and free to choose was also great, as I could write about my passion and however I wanted to. I really enjoyed writing this poem and didn’t see it like a task or a work, but as a way of putting in words something I really enjoyed doing every weekend. Also, changing and doing different activities is always nice instead of doing always the same things. Having the chance of varying is enjoyable and fun, and even more if we are able to use things we have learnt to express ourselves about whatever we like or want. 

This is my work.

I could relate and connect this activity with two things. On the one hand, the most obvious one is my passion, football and Independiente. As it was about what my poem was about, a lot of memories and moments came to my head when writing the poem. I had plenty of things to connect and express about and this is thanks to how much I love playing football and going to this stadium. When I was writing the poem I felt as if I was in the stadium, chanting and cheering up the players, feeling the atmosphere and climate. 

On the other hand, I could also relate this with an activity we did with our Art teacher in the first term. In this one, we had to choose a picture we liked of ourselves doing something that we liked, draw it and finally develop why we had picked that picture and why we liked what we were doing. It made me remember about this activity, as first we were free to choose a picture we liked or something we enjoyed doing, and also the freedom to do whatever we wanted was the same in both activities. Finally, both in the literature and art activity we had to describe in some way why we liked this picture o why we chose it.

One of the activities I enjoyed the most was when we read and analysed the story “The Lady in the looking glass: a reflection”, by Virginia Woolf. First of all, we did research about the author and the context and background of the story. She fought for women’s rights and was a courageous woman, and very revolutionary for that time. This research allowed us to know the context and background of the story and the author’s biography. The story has a really interesting development and plot twist. The main character is Isabella, who appears to hide her true inside by showing through the outside another side and many layers who hide her true self. From the outside, she appeared to be someone who was cared for, with many letters from friends and appreciated her. However, as we reach the end, we realize that those “letters” turned out to be bills. This showed Isabella’s two sides. The one from the outside, which was the one she showed to everyone,to hide her other and true self, from the inside. She was lonely and had many debts, which she wanted know about, hiding them behind these layers of life. Virginia Woolf uses metaphors, comparisons and similes to show these two sides of Isabella, throughout the house’s appearances. As well as Isabella, the inside of the house was creepy, dark and messy, but from the outside, you could see a colourful garden with many flowers and hiding this darkness with a lot of brightness and positivity.

       I really liked this activity for several reasons. First of all, the story was incredible and fascinating from every aspect. The amount of comparisons and diverse metaphors to represent one thing used by Woolf was really impressive. Moreover, the use of symbols such as the mirror and how it reflected someone’s inside and outside also caught my attention a lot. In addition, the way message given by Woolf is very true and worth to think about. Isabella is very unhappy as she hides her true self with layers filled with lies, and with this Wool wants to transmit that we need to accept how we are, and love ourselves as we are. We don’t have to be afraid of what we like, what we do, or how we are, and begin to love ourselves with our good and bad things, no matter what others may think or say.

          This activity is connected to our everyday life. At least I felt really identified with Woolf’s message. I sometimes hide what I like to do or act in a different way according to who I am with, fearing what people may think or say. Everyone has sometimes experienced this and mainly adolescents have. Although I might keep doing it sometimes without realizing, the poem and message given by Virginia helped me to understand that I have to stop hiding my true self, and be how I really am. I don’t need to be afraid to show my true self, as I have good things and bad things, which is good to accept them. It’s true, as Virginia shows, that by loving yourself and liking how you are with your good and bad things you will be happier, as hiding your true self like Isabella leads to loneliness and unhappiness. You have to be proud of who you are, accept your positive and negative aspects and love yourself, letting everyone to know your true self.