IGCSE results

The IGCSE results are out! Congratulations to our candidates!
Please check your emails.

Congratulations on the IGCSE

The results are out. Most of you did very well.  We are proud of you. Congratulations!

IGCSE Results

The IGCSE results for June 2015 are out.
Well done to all our former Seconde and soon-to-be Première for their IGCSE results.
You did it.
We're proud of you.
  Mrs. C, Mr L & L
ps: Individual email with grade coming up.

Kafka's "Metamorphosis"

I thought about doing an article about this great book when I heard my classmates' reactions after Mrs Choffrut mentioned it. So I'll try to be neutral in my description for everyone to have its own Idea of the book in case they read it !

The story is about Gregor Samsa, a young man that one morning wakes up turned into a giant insect ( beetle or coakroach according to translations) . He has to get familiar with his new body, and his feelings about it evolve. He finds himself unable to work, as his parents and his 17 year old sister were relying on him financially. His boss sends the office manager to see why he isn't at work, and when he finally opens his room door, everyone's reaction is fear and disgust. He is not understood anymore, even though he tries to talk to them, they can't perceive the fact that he is still able to think like them, and they gradually stop considering him as the human he was. From that moment, he is rejected by his family, although his sister continues to feed him reluctantly. Ashamed of himself and the weight he is for the others, he hides whenever they enter the room he is imprisoned in. Little by little, he gets to be more comfortable with his body, and moves away from humanity, he doesn't fight back against his tragic isolation any more.

Gregor Samsa is presented as an anti-hero, and is not only the tool of social criticism : the psychological aspect of the book is also an important part as Samsa is inspired from Kafka himself, that felt like the character. Some of the main themes are absurdity (of life),society pressure, unability to communicate, isolation, limits of sympathy, transformations. The metamorphosis of Gregor Samsa is also described as a deeper truth imposing itself on the outside.

I strongly recommend you to look for more precise informations of the book and to read it too !
 To learn more about the author, here's a short quizz :
http://www.theguardian.com/books/quiz/2014/jun/03/franz-kafka-quiz-knowledge-trial

How English ruined Indian literature

Dear Charlie,
Here's an opinion piece that you'll  surely find interesting in relation to  Fasting Feasting and Sujata Bhatt (IGCSE program) and post-colonial writing in general (OIB program)
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/opinion/sunday/how-english-ruined-indian-literature.html?emc=edit_ty_20150320&nl=opinion&nlid=69421750
It's definitely food for thought.
I'll be very interested to get your and the students' views on it.
Best,
Mrs.C

Fasting Feasting soundtrack

Dear Charlie,

As you know  Desai is great at writing VIVID* scenes for her readers. She uses many tools to do so, one of them being cultural and in particular musical references.

You may not  know  all the songs which are mentioned.

So,  here you go just in case...

Colonel Bogey's march  ( at Uma's wedding)

The Donkey Serenade ( at the Christmas bazaar) 

My darling Clementine  (at the Christmas bazaar) 

Rudolf the rednose reindeer  ( at the Christmas bazaar) 

Away in a manger ( at the Christmas bazaar) 

While on You tube I  also ran across  a trailer by students on Fasting Feasting which I thought might make you smile

Enjoy!

Mrs. C.

ps; This proves once again if it was necessay that working for the IGCSE can be LOTS OF fun!! ;p

First IGCSE results: You did it!