Le Bilingue 2023 03 March

LE BILINGUE

EcoleJeannineManuelParis’studentnewspaper

Letter from the editors

Dearreaders,Cherslecteurs,

Ihopethisissuefindsyouwell-restedandreadytofaceanewterm.

Youhavemostcertainlyheardofthedeadlyearthquakeofmagnitude7.8whichhitTurkey andSyriaon6February.Thisearthquakecausedmorethan30thousanddeathsinTurkey alone,countlesscasualties,andmorethanamillionhavebeenlefthomeless.

Cependant,lesexpertsmontrentqu'unegrandepartiedeladestructionmassiveauraitpuêtre évitée.Bienquelesnormesdesécuritédel'architectureturquesoientparmilesmeilleuresau mondesurpapieretsoientrégulièrementmisesàjour,lesgéologues,urbanistes,architecteset spécialistesturcsdel'interventionencasdetremblementdeterreontavertilegouvernementet lesentreprisesdeconstructionpendantdesannéesquedenombreusesstructuresmodernes construitesétaientdes«décombresenattente»carlescodesdubâtimentétaientsouvent enfreints,cequientraînaitdesstructuresdangereuses.Cesviolationsn'ontpasétésuffisamment réprimandéesetontsouventétéignoréescaryremédierseraitnonseulementcoûteuxmais aussilong.Lenombredemortsauraitpuêtreconsidérablementinférieursilesinfrastructures avaientétéconstruitesconformémentauxcodesdubâtiment,carellesseraientbeaucoupplus solidesetcapablesderésisteràdestremblementsdeterredegrandemagnitude.

ÖvgünAhmetErcan,amemberoftheTurkishchamberofgeophysicalengineers’earthquake advisoryboard,saidthat"Itistruethatwewerenotexpectinganearthquakeofthisscale,in thisarea,soitwasunforeseeninthatrespect.Butitisalsoclearthatmostofthedestructionisa result of human failures." It is apparent that greater emphasis must be placed on the enforcementofbuildingcodes.Negligenceandunsafepracticescanhavedeadlyconsequences andintermsofarchitecture,canmeanthedifferencebetweenlifeanddeath.

Cesévénementstragiquesnousrappellentquenousnedevonspastenirnotresécuritéetnotre santépouracquises.Nousespéronsquevouspourrezfairevotrepartpouraiderlespeuplesde TurquieetdeSyrieàseremettresurpiedalorsqueleurspayssereconstruisentetserétablissent lentement.Ilexistedenombreusesvoiesenlignepourfaireundon,tellesquelaCroix-Rouge britannique,leCroissant-RougeturcetlaFondationdelaSociétémédicaleaméricaine syrienne.

Nousvoussouhaitonsunetrèsbonnelecture!

Sincerely,

TheeditorialteamofLeBilingue

History of Feminism

- Clementine S.

AsMarch1stmarksthebeginningofwomen'shistorymonth,youmaystarthearingmoreabout feminismandwomen’srightsasawhole.Youmaynoticepeoplereferringtothefourwavesof feminism,the#MeToomovement,andwomen’ssuffrage,etc.Becausesomeofthesetopicsare unfortunatelydivisiveoneswithmanymisconceptionssurroundingthem,itisimportanttodefineand understandthisterminology,aswellasthehistorybehindit.

What is feminism?

Feminismrefersto“theadvocacyofwomen’s rightsonthebasisoftheequalityofthesexes.” Despite what some say, feminism does not advocateforthesuperiorityordominanceof womeninsociety;itsimplyaimstolevelthe playingfieldbetweenmenandwomen.That beingsaid,therearemultipletypesoffeminism. Therearethreemainsubdivisionsoffeminism: liberal/mainstream feminism, radical feminism, and socialist / Marxist feminism. Liberal/mainstreamfeminismis,youguessedit, themostwell-knownor“mainstream”form;it strivesforgenderequalitythroughpoliticaland legal reform, but has been criticized as a movement that simply makes feminism more “palatable”tomen.Furthermore,manysaythat thismovementhasbecomecommercializedand ignorestherolesthatrace,class,andsexuality playingenderoppression.Radicalfeminism,on theotherhand,ismoreextremeinitsapproachas itfollowsthebeliefthatsocietyhasstrongroots inthepatriarchy(whichwewilldefinelater)and thattheonlywaytoachievetrueequalityis throughtheupheavalandreconstructionofthe system.Lastly,socialist/Marxistfeminismfollows Marx’s belief that gender oppression would followtheeliminationofclassexploitation;under this form of feminism, prostitution, domestic work,childcare,andmarriageareseenasameans todevaluewomen’sworkandsuppressthem. Thelattertwoformsoffeminismoftenfallunder whatisreferredtoas“intersectionalfeminism,”

orfeminismthatacknowledgesthesignificant impactthatclass,race,sexuality,andother factorsplayinmisogyny.

What is the “patriarchy”?

Inpoliticalandfeministdiscourse,theword “patriarchy”isoftenthrownaroundlightly, butmanydon’tknowwhatthetermactually refersto.Theword‘patriarchy’comesfrom theGreekword‘patriarkhēs’whichliterally means‘father/chiefofarace.’Inanthropology, thistermreferstoasysteminwhichamale holdstheleadingpowerinafamilyorclan.In the context of feminism, the patriarchy designatesasocialstructureinwhichmen hold legal, economic, and/or social power overwomen.Thepopularphrasecallingto “abolishthepatriarchy”wishestoeliminate thismaledominanceinsociety.

Feminism before the nineteenth century

Althoughrarelytalkedabout,feminismandgender theorists did exist before the first organized movement.InAncientGreece,Platoarguedthat womenandmenshouldreceivethesameeducation andbelievedthatwomenshouldbeabletohold politicalpositionsofpower.Sappho,aGreeklyric poetbornaround630B.C.E.whooftenwroteof herattractionandlovetowardswomen,represents an important pillar of feminism that calls for women’srighttofreelysharetheirthoughtsoflove, lust,andsexuality.(Funfact:Sapphoisfromthe IslandofLesbos,whichistherootoftheword 'lesbian').ChristinedePizan,bornin1364,wrote aboutsexismandwomen’sroleinmedievalsociety, andevendirectlycalledoutandcombattedthe misogynisticremarksmadeinliteraryworksby men.MargaretCavendish,anEnglishphilosopher oftheEnlightenment,rosetoprominenceinatime when there were virtually no women in such scholarlyenvironments.Shearguedforwomen’s education and combatted the idea that women wereinherentlyinferiortomen,becomingthefirst womantoattendameetingattheRoyalSocietyof London,wheresheconversedandarguedwith philosophersandtheoristslikeThomasHobbes, ReneDescartes,andRobertBoyle.Thesewomen, among many others, paved the way for the organizedmovementweknowasfeminismtoday.

First-wave feminism

First-wavefeminismreferstothefirstorganized movementfocusedonfightingforwomen’srights, takingplaceinthemid-nineteenthtotheearly twentiethcentury.TheSenecaFallsConventionof 1848,inwhich300menandwomengatheredto fightforwomen’srightsincludingsuffrage,marked thebeginningofthismovement.Interestingly,the women’s suffrage clause of this convention’s declaration was the only resolution to not be acceptedbyeverymember,foreshadowingthe70year-longfightthatwouldfinallyendwiththe 19thamendment,proclaimingwomen’srightsto vote.First-wavefeminism,mostlytakingplacein theU.S.,U.K.,andCanada,notonlycalledfor women’ssuffrage,butalsoforotherlegalrights regardingproperty,education,andtheworkforce. This movement went hand-in-hand with the abolitionistmovement,andwecanseehowcertain activists like Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglasswerekeyfiguresinboth.Thatbeingsaid, othersignificantfeministslikeSusanB.Anthony andElizabethCadyStantonfailedtorecognizethe importanceofBlackwomeninthemovement, evenexcludingthemfromcertainmeetingsand gatherings.Theyfoughtfortherightsofwhite womenandwantedtobeequaltowhitemen, worsening the gap between Black and white women.SojournerTruth’s1851“Ain’tIaWoman” speechhelpedreformedrights,yetthefightfor women’sequalitywasfarfromover.

Sojourner Truth viaLibraryofCongress

Sappho viaWikipediaCommons

Second-wave feminism

Afterthebabyboomofthelate1940s,women returnedtodomesticlife,givingupworkand economicopportunitiestocareforthehomeand children. As a result of this, the feminist movementwasreignitedinthe1960s,continuing the fight for social and political equality, in additiontoreproductiverights.In1949,duringa moremutedperiodforfeminism,Frenchwriter andphilosopherSimonedeBeauvoirpublished Le Deuxième Sexe (TheSecondSexinEnglish),a bookinwhichsheexploresthequestionofwhatit means to be a woman and women’s role in society. In this literary work she reaches the conclusionthat“wearen’tbornawoman,we become one” (“on ne naît pas femme, on le devient”), marking the beginning of a more theoreticalapproachtotheissueofwomanhood and the female experience. Le Deuxième Sexe inspiredBettyFriemantowriteher1963book, TheFeminineMystique,whichnotonlydiscussed feminismthroughaphilosophicallens,butalso incorporatedanecdotesfromherown viaGallimard

lifeandwomensheinterviewed,inadditionto statisticsandresearch.Thisiswidelyacceptedto have started the second wave of feminism, motivatingwomentovoicetheirdissatisfaction withthesocialrealitytheywerefacedwith.This movementledtonumeroussignificantlawsand decisionsincluding(butnotlimitedto)TitleVII oftheCivilRightsActof1964,whichprevented employersfromdiscriminatingonthebasisof race,religion,sex,ororigin; theGriswold v. Connecticut Supreme Court decision which preventedthelimitationofwomen’saccessto contraceptives and birth control; and Roe v. Wadein1973,whichguaranteedwomen’sright toabortion.Furthermore,thismovementfocused more on topics like race and sexuality, even resultinginBlackwomen,likeAngelaDavis, formingtheirownorganizationstobringlighton theissuestheyfaced.

viaPenguinBooks

Third-wave feminism

Aftersecond-wavefeminismsloweddowninthe1980s,thethirdwavebeganinthe1990s.This movementissaidtohavebegunwithAnitaHill’s1991testimonyagainstSupremeCourtnominee ClarenceThomas,accusinghimofsexualharassment.Theriseof“RiotGrrrl''groups,punkbandswho combinedtheirmusicwithfeminismandpolitics,likeBikiniKill,alsoledtothestartofthisnewwave. RebeccaWalker,daughterofsecond-wavefeministAliceWalker,wroteanarticletitled“Becoming ThirdWave''inresponsetoClarenceThomas’confirmationtotheSupremecourtinspiteofHill’s accusations,callingforwomentocontinuetofightforsocialequality.In1989,KimberléCrenshaw introducedthetheoryof“intersectionality”,aconceptthatacknowledgesthelayersofoppressionthat womenfaceinaccordancewiththeirrace,culture,sexuality,socio-economicclass,orotherfactors. Thisbecameanimportantpartofthethirdwave,yetthisnewformoffeminismfacedalotofbacklash fromthosewhoclaimedthatfirstandsecond-wavefeministshadachievedfullequality.Thatbeing said,thismovementfoughtagainstsexualassaultandabusefacedbywomen,leadingtothefeminism thatweknowtoday.

Fourth-wave feminism

Fourth-wavefeminismisonethatweallknowof:itisthemodernformoffeminism.Itissaidtohave startedwiththe#MeToomovementin2012,againfocusedonsexualassaultandmorebroadly“rape culture”,inadditiontobodypositivity.Intersectionalityremainsanimportantaspectoffeminism, althoughmainstreamfeminismisoftencriticizedforoverlookingitandfocusingmoresoonwhat someviewasless-pressingissueswhileignoringtheoppressionandviolencethatwomenfaceinother countries.Thismovementisstillforminganddefiningitself,splittingupintoevenmoresubmovementsthatfocusonspecificissues.

Whetherfeministornot,itisimportantto educate oneself on these movements to understand their histories and objectives to makeawell-informeddecisiononourpositions.

Via The Guardian, Riot Grrrl

"To understand how any society functions you must understand the relationship between the men and the women.

"

Mois de l'histoire des femmes : Mary Poppins

-Isabella S.

L'impact de Mary Poppins sur la culture populaire ne peut être surestimé. Depuis sa premièrepublicationen1934etsasortieenfilm Disneyen1964,l'histoiredeMaryPoppinsa continuéd'inspireretd'émouvoirlesgénérations suivantes.L'œuvreaégalementétéunesource d'inspirationpourdenombreusespersonnes,en particulierpourlesjeunesfillesquicherchentà trouverleurplacedanslemonde.

L'histoire de Mary Poppins a été racontée à travers de nombreux médias différents, notamment dans des films, des livres et des comédiesmusicalesChacunedecesadaptationsa contribuéàmaintenirl'histoiredeMaryPoppins dans l'esprit des gens et à continuer de transmettre les idéaux féministes à travers les générations.Enparticulier,larécentesuitede films"MaryPoppinsReturns"de2018aprésenté despersonnagesfémininsfortsetdesmessages importantssurl'indépendanceetl'autonomiedes femmes.

L'histoire de Mary Poppins a également été importante pour l'exposition des jeunes générationsauxidéesféministes.Lesenfantsqui ontgrandienregardantMaryPoppinsontété exposés à des messages de solidarité et d'émancipationàtraversl'histoiredeMrs.Banks, lamèredesenfantsBanks.Lesenfantsontappris quelesfemmesontlepouvoirdesemobiliseret de changer leur destin, et que l'unité et la solidaritésontdesélémentscléspouratteindre leursobjectifscommuns.

LepersonnagedeMaryPoppinselle-mêmeest égalementimportantpourlesjeunesgénérations. Elleestunefemmeforteetindépendantequi

viaGettyImages

encourage les enfants à être curieux et imaginatifs,etàremettreenquestionlesrôlesde genretraditionnels.Elleainspirédenombreuses jeunesfillesàpoursuivreleursrêvesetàchercher l'indépendanceetl'autonomie.

Le personnage de Mrs. Banks, la mère des enfants,estunautreexempledelamanièredont lefilmmontredesfemmesfortesetinspirantes quiluttentpourleurlibertéetleurautonomie. Mrs. Banks est elle-même une suffragette passionnée, ce qui la rend importante pour l'histoireduféminismeetdelaculturepopulaire. Elle est représentée comme une femme énergique,engagéeetdéterminée,quicroit fermementenlacausedel'égalitédessexesetqui estprêteàtoutfairepouratteindrecetobjectif. Elle chante une chanson appelée "Sister Suffragette",danslaquelleellecélèbrelesfemmes quisebattentpourleurdroitdevoteetexhorte lesautresàlesrejoindre.Cettechansonmontre quelesfemmesontlacapacitédesemobiliseret dechangerleurdestin,etqu'ellesdoivents'unir pouratteindreleursobjectifscommuns.

viaDisney

Cependant,lepersonnagedeMrs.Banksincarne égalementlestensionsetlesconflitsqu'infligece mouvement des suffragettes. Bien qu'elle soit passionnéeparlacause,elleestsouventabsente danslaviedesesenfants,cequientraîneune relationtendueavecsonmarietunsentimentde culpabilitéfaceàsanégligencedesesdevoirsde mère. Ce conflit reflète la véritable lutte des suffragettes, qui essayent tant bien que mal d’équilibrerleuractivismeaveclesattentesetles demandesdeleurfamilleainsiquecellesdeleur communauté.Néanmoins,sonpersonnageaeu unimpactsignificatifsurlesfemmesdel'époque etsurlesgénérationsfutures,carelleestune figureforteetinspirantepourtouteslesfemmes quiluttentpourleurautonomieetleurliberté.En montrantdesfemmescommeMrs.Banks,"Mary Poppins"aaidéànormaliserl'idéed'unefemme forteetindépendante,capabledepoursuivreses rêvesetsesaspirations,toutenrestantunebonne mèreetuneépouseaimante.

Enfin,l'histoiredeMaryPoppinsillustreaussi quelaluttepourl'égalitédessexesestuncombat continu,etquelesfemmesdoiventresterunies pouratteindreleursobjectifs.C'estunmessage important qui continue d'être transmis aux générationsfuturesgrâceàlapopularitéetà l'influencedel'œuvre.

Enoutre,MaryPoppinsestuneœuvrequiaeu unimpactsignificatifsurlaculturepopulaire,en particulierencequiconcernelesidéesféministes. Lespersonnagesfortsetlesmessagesimportants ont inspiré de nombreuses jeunes filles à poursuivre leurs rêves et à chercher l'indépendanceetl'autonomie.Àtraversl'histoire deMaryPoppins,lesgénérationsfuturesontété exposéesàdesidéesimportantessurlasolidarité, l'émancipation et l'importance de rester unies danslaluttepourl'égalité.

viaDisney

Historical Women Quiz

-Luisa G.

Dearreaders,inhonorofwomen’shistorymonthIhaveputtogetherthisquizabouthistoricalwomen whohaveshapedtheworldinwhichwelivetoday.Althoughtheirnamesoftengounspokenandtheir storiesuntold,theimpacttheyhavemadegoesfarbeyondanywhichwecouldfathom.Thesewomen don’tneedaspecificmonthtoberememberedin,theyshouldberememberedgloballyeveryday.So openyourmindsoutsidethehistoryclassroomtolearnaboutthesefemalepioneerswhodeserveas muchrecognitionasanyothermanintheirposition.Itisthankstothesewomenthatwegirlsnow haverightsandthatiswhyweneedtoalwaysrememberthem.Sospreadtheirnamesandspreadtheir stories,forinthisman-madeworldherstoryisasimportantasanyhistory.

1.Whatauthorhaswrittentheworld’sbestsellingseriesandwasaskedbyapublishertouseherinitials insteadofhername(tonotbeidentifiableasawomanstraightaway)inordertosellmorecopies?

2.WhatU.S.firstladysavedseveralofficialpapersandahistoricalpaintingfromtheBritishArmy burningoftheWhiteHousein1814?

3.WhatFrenchauthorisfamouslyknownbyhermalepen-nameofGeorgeSand?

4.WhatfamoussuffragettewaskilledbytheKing’shorsewhileshewasprotestingforwomen's suffrage?

5.Whoisthelongest-servingfemaleU.S.senator,electedin1986?

6.Whowasthefirstwomantopilotaplane?

7.WhatfemalediscoveredNuclearFissionbutwasnotawardedtheNobelPrizeandrecognitionher malelabpartnersreceived?

8.WhatPolishscientisthelpedcuremanycancerswithherdiscoveries?

9.Whostartedthe#MeToomovementin2006?

10.Whichfeministandeducationactivistfamouslysaid“Ifonemancandestroyeverything,whycan't onegirlchangeit?”and“Wecannotallsucceedwhenhalfofusareheldback.”?

Histoire et popularité de la WNBA

Dans quelques mois, le WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) commencerasavingt-septièmesaison.Leséquipesvontjouer40matchscettesaison,ce quiestunnouveaurecord,unehaussedelasaisonprécédentequandellesontjoué seulement36matchs.Lefaitquelaligueexisteencoreestquelquechosequepersonne n’attendait,mêmeprobablementpaslecommissaireduNBAen1996(DavidStern). Maisaprèsdemultiplestentativespourcréeruneliguedebasketballféminin,ilparaîtque leNBAaenfintrouvéuneliguequiresterapourtoujours..

En1978,leWBL(Women’sBasketballLeague)aétécréée;celle-ciétaitlapremière ligueprofessionnelledansl’histoiredubasketféminin.Durantlesdeuxpremièresannées deleurexistence,leWBLs’estbiendérouléaveclesHoustonAngelsetlesNewYork Stars,remportantlechampionnaten1979et1980respectivement.Maistouts’est effondrépendantlasaisonde1980et1981quandlaligueannonçaitqu’elleperdait14 millionsdedollarsaucoursdesestroisansd'existence,etleWBLadécidédedissoudre. Onze ans plus tard, le WBA (Women’s Basketball Association) a été créé, avec l’espérance que cette ligue pourrait être maintenue pour les années à venir. Malheureusementlaligues’estdissouteaprèsseulementtroisannées,laissantplusde doutequantàsavoirsiuneliguedebasket-ballfémininepourraitréussir.

Justeunanplustard,leNBAacrééleWNBApourcréerdesopportunitéspourles femmesdejoueraubasket.InitialementleWNBAdevaitpartagerlavedetteavecleABL maisaprèslasaisonde1998à1999,leWNBAavaitladistinctiond'êtrelaseuleligue fémininedebasket.Grâceàl’aidedelaNBA,leWNBApouvaitseconcentrersurla commercialisationdesesmeilleuresjoueusesafind’inciterdavantagedefansàregarder leursmatchs.DurantlesprochainesannéesleWNBAacrééplusd'équipes,avecle présidentexpliquantque“ceneserapaslafin.Nousprévoyonsdecontinuerà développerlaligue.”.Etc’estexactementcequelaWNBAafait.Elleamaintenant douzeéquipescomparéàhuiten1996,etlemeilleursalaired’unejoueuseWNBAest passéde50,000dollarsen1996à250,000dollarsen2020.

LapopularitédelaWNBAaégalementaugmentégrâceàdesjoueusestalentueuses commeSueBird,DianaTaurasi,LisaLeslie,etCandaceParker.Cependant,celane signifiepasquelaliguen’apasdûfairefaceàdesmomentsdifficiles.Parexemple,la WNBAadûfairefaceaustéréotypedenombreusespersonnesselonlesquellesles femmesnepeuventpasjouerunbonbasket.Cesjoueusesontinspirédenombreuses jeunesfillesàjoueraubasketetàessayerderéaliserleursrêvessportifs.

Literary Critics’ Corner: An Exploration of Two Female Protagonists Stories

-Emmanouil L

DeliaOwens, Where The Crawdads Sing,2018

In Where The Crawdads Sing, DeliaOwensskillfullyunravelsKya’s equallyheartwarmingandtragicstory,acoming-of-agejourneyseton thecoastalmarshlandsofNorthCarolina.

Borninapoorfamilylivingaloneinthemarshsurroundingthefictional townofBarkleyCove,CatherineDanielleClark,calledKya,experiences achildhoodbalancingbetweenthefearofherviolentfatherandthe happinesshermotherbrings.In1952,atonlyagesix,shewitnessesher mother’sdeparture,escapingfromherhusband’sabusivebehavior;Kya seesherworldcrumbleandthebeginningofanewlifeinwhichshecan onlyrelyonherself.

ThroughthesubsequentdeparturesofKya’sfoursiblings,leavingherbehindwithherfather,Owens conveysapoignantsenseofabandonmentandsadness-filledloneliness,accompaniedbyahaunting hopeforhermother’sreturn.Thenovel'sfirstpartfocusesontheinspiring,dreadful,andrelentless struggleofKya’schildhoodandteenageyears.Discriminatedagainstandmadefunofbythe townspeople,nicknamedthe‘MarshGirl’,Kyafledschool,soldshellstomeetherneeds,hadnofriends, andlivedwithanalcoholicfather.Thisbeautifullyconstructednarrativetakesusthroughherfirstloves andheartbreaks,herattachmentissuesandallherdeepestemotions,herexperiences,andherloveforthe marsh.

Becausethisnovelalsoservesasagracefulodetonature,atableaufilledwithlifeanddetailsonly Owens’biologist’seyescansoelegantlydepict.Thelivelinessofthemarshpermeatesboththenoveland Kya’slife,anditopensawholenewworldofpossibilitiesandmarvels.

Forthosewhomightbediscouragedbytheromance-soundingplot,DeliaOwnesalsomasterfully incorporatesamurdermysterywhoseunexpectedturnscansurpriseyouuntiltheveryend.Intertwined withKya’sstoryfromtheverystart,theinvestigationintoChaseAndrews’murderculminatesinanailbitingtrialduringwhicheverynewrevelationbringsaplottwist.Owens’abilitytosustainsuspenseup totheverylastpagecanonlybepraised,foritisingeniousandrefreshing.

Where The Crawdads Sing plungesthereaderintoafullyimmersivejourneyalongsideKya’sstruggles andgrowth,buildingamovingnarrativeoflove,betrayal,isolation,andself-understanding.Inaddition, DeliaOwensfaithfullydepictsthediscriminatorysocietyofthetime,whileeulogizingthebreathtaking beautyofnature,makingitaninvitationto“Goasfaras[we]can–wayoutyonderwherethe crawdadssing”.

Clare Mackintosh, Hostage, 2021

InHostage,ClareMackintoshbuildsasuspensefulnarrativethatwisely useselementsofagoodthrillerwhileinvitingthereadertodeeply considerthecurrentenvironmentalchallengesandalltherisksthey entail.

Theexpositionofthispage-turningexperienceseemsprettysimpleand ordinaryatfirst.Wemeetthemiddle-agedprotagonistMinainthe contextofhereverydaylife:workingasaflightattendant,havingfailed tobecomeapilot,andbeingseparatedfromherhusband,Adam,whom shesuspectsofhavinganaffair.Together,theyraisetheiryoung adopteddaughter,whostruggleswithattachmentissuesbecauseofher pre-adoption trauma, explaining her unstable behavior toward her parents.

However,theplot’sapparentsimplicityisthecoreofthenail-bitingsequenceofeventsthatfollowsas soonasMinaembarksontheinaugural20-hourflightfromLondontoSydney.Thetake-offmarksthe beginningofarollercoasterofemotions.ThedoublenarrationbyMinaandAdamallowsusto simultaneouslyfollowtheeventshighupintheskyanddowntoearth(orcellars),creatingunparalleled tension.Mackintoshfurthersucceedsinusingclosed,narrowplacestothefullestoftheirpotential, embeddingacuteclaustrophobicoppressionintotheunpredictableplottwists.Thestoryalsoheavilyrelies oninterpersonalsecretsandmisunderstandingstoweaveacomplexwebofinterlinkedeventsand characters.

Thedeepdiveintothecharacters’psychegrantsahighlyrealisticaspecttothenovel,thoughitcangeta bittiringattimes.Mina’sthoughtspermeatethenarration,whichextendsintoapsychologicalthriller. Traumatizedfromherpilot-trainingyears;conflictedinherfeelingsforherhusband;frustratedbyher daughter’sinabilitytolovefreely;Minaappearsasarelatablecharacterwhichcouldbeanyofus.Itonly increasesthegravityoftheethicaldilemmashefaces.Howcanonechoosebetween“hundredsoflives [and]theonethatmattersmost”?

Theanswermightappearsimpletosome,butMackintoshexplorestheambiguitiesandimportanceof motherhoodandtheundyingdedicationofamothertoherchild,insuchawaythatnocourseofaction seemsbetterintheend.Theresultisagrippingandtouchingplotduringwhichwefindourselvesunsure abouttheoutcomewehopefor.Inaddition,theeventsofthenovelpavethewaytoreflectnotonlyon theenvironmentalcrisis,onclimatechangeanditsconsequences,butalsoonthemeasurestaken,however extremetheymightbe.

Ifyouarelookingforathrillingreading, Hostage promisesasuspensefulplotthatwillkeepthereader hanginguntiltheveryend(don’tskiptheepilogue!);italsoservesasapowerfulwake-upcallfor environmentalaction.

Ladies and gentlemen, we will now start boarding…

Frida Kahlo

- Eunbi H

Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907–July 13, 1954) is a Mexicanpainterwhoheavilyimpactedtheshape andcourseofarthistory.Herbrilliantauto-portrait artworksdelvedintothemessuchasidentity,death, andthehumanbody.

A serious incident in Frida Kahlo’s early life impactedherwayofthinking,visualising,and expressingherselfthroughtheartofpainting.In 1925,shebecameavictimofabusaccident,which severelydamagedherbody,leavinghertoundergo approximately 30 different surgeries. As she recovered,shetaughtherselftopaint,whichis largelywhysomanyofherpaintingsstrongly suggestbothpainandresilience.Aroundthistime,

shecreatedsomeofhermostbrilliantpiecesincludingtheSelf-PortraitWearingaVelvet Dress(1926).Althoughitwasadevastatingaccident,FridaKahlowasabletotakeadvantage ofitinawaythatchangedherlifeforever.AstheperformerVanessaSeverosaid,“The lonelinessledhertostartexpressinginawaythatshewasn'tdoingbefore[...]Shewastelling herstorybypaintingit.”

Oneofthemostbeautifulthingsabouther artworks and her life in general is that althoughshewentthroughseveralexperiences thatledhertofeelpainandsuffering,shedid nottrytohideit.Instead,sheexpresseditfully and freely through her powerful tool of painting,whichultimatelyactedasasourceof inspiration for thousands to come. One exampleisTheBus(1929),whichdepictsa youngwomanresemblingKahlosittingonthe seatofapublicbus,asceneresemblingthelast momentsbeforeherbusaccident.

FridaKahlo, Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress, 1926

Frida Kahlo, The Broken Column,1944

FridaKahlo’sdirectandbrutallytruthfulwayofdemonstratinghersufferingswastruly unconventionalforhertime.Aswomenwereheavilymarginalisedintheearly20th century,Kahlo’sbraveryofputtingherowntraumasinherartinfluencednotonlythe artisticbutalsothepoliticalcourseofdevelopment,changingthewaywomenwere viewedbythesociety

FridaKahlowas,andwillalwaysbe,atrulyadmirablesourceofinspirationtoberespected bygenerationstocome.

AnotherexampleistheHenryFordHospital(1932),inwhichsheportraysherphysical d hl i l i f i i h h h i fh lfbl di d i

Frida Kahlo, Henry Ford Hospital, 1932

Question Column

Hithere!Doyouhaveanyquestionsthatyouneedadviceorhelptosolve? Well,looknofurther.Introducing Le Bilingue's newmonthlyQuestion Column,whereourteamwillgiveyousoundadviceonanythingthatmight bebotheringyou.

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Susie's Banana Bread

Ingredients:

2-3 ripe bananas (the riper, thebetter!)

¼cup/57gofbutter,melted

1cup/200gsugar

2eggs

¼ cup/61g of sour cream

(yogurtworksaswell)

1tspbakingsoda

1tspbakingpowder

Pinchofsalt

1½cups/180gofflour

1tspvanillaextract

Preheattheovento350ºF/175ºC

Mashthebananasinamediumbowl.

Addbutter,sugar,andeggs,andwhiskuntilwellcombined. Whiskinthesourcream.

Addinthebakingsoda,bakingpowder,salt,andflour,andmixuntiljustcombined (don’tovermix.)

Stirinvanillaextractalongwithchocolatechipsornuts,ifdesired. Pourbatterintoagreasedloafpanandbakefor45-55minutesoruntilatoothpick insertedinthecentercomesoutwithlittletonomoistcrumbsattached.

Enjoy!

I raise up my voice not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.

Interview with Yilin Wang -Eleni.T

YilinWangisamathematicianworkingasa JuniorprofessoratIHES,theInstitutdesHautes ÉtudesScientifiques,amathematicalresearch institute.Herworkfocusesontopicsatthe intersectionofComplexanalysisandProbability theory.Weinterviewedhertoseewhatledher tochooseacareerinmathematics,andhowshe knewthejobwasbestsuitedforheraswellas whatadviceshewouldgivetostudents.

MsWangexplainedthatafterfinishinghigh school,shecontinuedherstudiesina‘classe prèparatoire’inmathandphysics.Latershe obtainedamaster'sdegreeinmathematicsatthe Pierre and Marie Curie University while simultaneouslystudyingintheEcolenormale supérieure. In 2014 she studied Probability theoryforayearattheUniversityofParisSaclay.Finally,MsWangspentfouryearsin ZurichstudyingatETHZurich.

ForMsWang,mathematicsisaverybroad subject,whereonecantakeagreatvarietyof directions.Becauseofthis,shehadtotrymany different aspects of the subject in order to eventuallyendupintheonesshefocuseson now. During the interview she shared her anecdotalexperienceworkingatapastryshop, whereafteraday,sherealizedthejobwas simplynotforher.

Ms Wang explained that a great deal of communicationwithothermathematiciansis needed.Visitinganddiscussingwithothersisa centralcomponentofthejob,asisparticipation inseminarswhereaspeakerisinvitedtopresent theirresults.Shealsodescribedherjobas“quite free”.Theworkinghoursarenotasstrict,sheis free to choose a topic that interests her, deadlinesareflexibleandshecanadaptthejob toherpersonalpreference.

Inresponsetothequestion:“Howdidyou knowyourjobwasmostsuitedtoyou?”,she explainedthatshehadaveryvagueideaof whatshewantedtodo,andlargelyfocused onwhattypeofjobshewantedandhowit wouldbestructured.Sheunderstoodthata jobwhereoneisinstructedonwhattodo wouldnotbethebestfitforher,aswoulda fairlyrepetitivejobinwhich,afterawhile, onebecomesanexpert.Shepointedoutthat thechallengesofajobwereappealingrather thanoff-puttingtoher.Furthermore, she recognisedthateveninlittlesuccess,shevery much enjoyed the satisfaction of deep understandingofaparticularsubject.

Lastly,sheofferedseveralpiecesofadvice formiddleandhighschoolstudents.She expressedtheimportanceofthreefactors: perseverance, honesty and curiosity. Perseveranceiscrucialbecausechallengesare inevitableandprogressisslowandsteady. Honestyiskeytoadmittingwhatyouknow andwhatyoudon’t.Andlastly,curiosityis importantbecauseitcanbeeasilylostandis crucialinordertomakeknowledgeyour own.Finally,sheexplainedthattakinga randomandnotentirelyutilitariandirection canalsobebeneficial,andthatoneshouldn’t beafraidtomakemistakes.

A huge thank you to Yilin Wang for allowing us the opportunity to interview her, and to Mr Bultman for having the original idea to conduct this interview.

HMUN 2023

-Adele.C

Onthe25thofJanuary,agroupof9EcoleJeannineManuelstudentsleftfromParisto Bostonforatriptheywouldneverforget,HarvardModelUnitedNations2023.HMUN 2023waswhereschooldelegations,largeandsmall,camefromallovertheworldtocompete inanintense4-dayconference,todiscussadiverserangeofissueswithauniquestancebased ontheopinionsoftheirattributedcountryandtopassresolutions,essentiallysolutionpapers.

The9premiereandterminalestudentswereallrepresentingSwedenintheircommittees, andwereeitheradoubledelegation(inteamsof2)oralone.Wewereindifferent committees,whichincludedtheEconomicandFinancialcommittee(ECOFIN),theLegal committee,theSpecialPoliticalandDecolonizationcommittee(SPECPOL),theSocial, HumanitarianandCulturalcommittee(SOCHUM)andDisarmamentandInternational Securitycommittee(DISEC).Thetopicswerealldifferent;thoseinECOFINdebated sanctions,Legaldebatedcyberwarfareandcybercrimes,SPECPOLwasaboutunexploded ordnances,SOCHUMwasaboutUyghurMuslims,andDISECNuclearProliferationandthe ViabilityoftheNPT.

IwaspartofSPECPOLasadoubledelegationandhadtopushforaworldwithout unexplodedordinances,remnantsofwarincludingbombsandmunitionswhichdidnot explodeduringconflict.Swedenwasnotaffectedbytheissue,norwasresponsibleforleaving UXOsinothercountriesandsomypartnerandIhadtofinddifferentwaystomakeourselves relevanttothetopicathand.Welobbiedforhoursonend,beforecommittee,after committee,duringlunch,breakfast,dinner,inpersonandonline,at8AMorat1AM. Eventually,weformedablocwithnationsliketheUSA,Japan,LatviaandNewZealand. Sadly,ourcommitteewasquitedividedanddespite4daysofhardwork,noresolutionwas passed.

HMUN2023wasintenseinhowcommittedtoawardscertaindelegateswere.Professional businesscardswerehandedout,contactinformationwasairdropped,discussionscouldpick upinhotellobbiesallthewaytothecorridorsinwhichthebedroomswerelocated.Yetthose whoprevailedattheendweredelegateswhoweregenuineandkind,dolingouticonic speechestoberememberedforyearstocome.

Throughoutthe4days,intenseconversationswereheld,hoursofresearchbubbledtothe surface,multiplebackstabbingstookplace.AndIenjoyedeverymoment.Notonlywas HMUNintellectuallystimulating,butalsoallowedmetoforgefriendshipswithpeopleI wouldhavenevermetotherwise,fromVenezuelatoMiami,andofcourse,withmyfellow EcoleJeannineManueldelegates.Duringourmomentsofrest,weindulgedinpeakamerican culture,fromCheesecakefactorytoChick-fil-a.

HMUN2023wasincredible.LookingforwardtoHMUN2024.

A special thanks to Ms. Harvey and Ms. Swann for bringing us to HMUN 2023, and congratulations to our fellow terminale students for winning Outstanding delegate!

Living with AI

-Chengyou J

Artificialintelligence,orAI,mayseemlikea newconcept.However,thefirstrealresearchinto AIcameasearlyasaroundWW2.AlanTuring, who decoded Enigma, suggested a way to test whetheranentityishumanornot,asthepossibility ofmakingacomputerthatcanthinkonitsown becametangible.Today,theworldisboundedby AI. From youtube algorithms to surveillance cameras,AIisthere.Dependingonthewayone seestheworld,AIcanbehereforthebetterorfor theworse.

Nowadays,AI,despitestillbeinginitsearly stages,hasbroughtamultitudeofbenefitsthatwe takeforgranted.Rememberthelasttimeyoutooka photoofyourfriend?Yourphoneautomatically uses the facial recognition function to spot the personintheframeandadjustittofocusonhimor her. AI models are also used to make weather forecastsmoreaccurate.AsAIkeepsadvancing, moreandmoreaspectsofourlifewillbefacilitated byAI.ThemostrecentexamplewouldbetheChat GPT which using AI, mimics an all-knowing humanasitisabletorespondtoallquestions.

AsAIholdsalotofpromises,companieswill continuetoinvestinAIpromptingitscontinual growth.Inthefuture,AIwillnolongerbelurking inthebackgroundbutcontributingactivelytodaily life.It’sprojectedthatmorethan46%ofjobswillbe eliminatedby2030accordingtoForbes.Ifwelook atthebrightsideofthisfact,thismeansthatAI wouldbecontributingtomoreandmoreofglobal production. The idea of automation is to end humandrudgery.Afterall,it'sthegoalofhumanity toreplacehumansufferingwithhappiness.The increasedAIpresencemeansthathumansarefreeto domorecomplexworkwhichAIisn'tsophisticated enoughtodo.Itwillalsomeanmorefreetimejust ashowtheindustrialrevolutionbroughtmorefree timeforthepeopleoverall.

Butwithpromises,therearealsodrawbacks. Byeliminatingthejobs,therewillbeareal chancethatpeoplewon’tfindajobintime andendupunemployed.Manymoviesalso portrayedadystopianfuturewhereAIrobots, havingfreewill,becomecynicalordoactions thatnohumanbeingcancomprehend.In addition, robots will lack the morals of humansandthereforemightcommitactsof cold-bloodedviolence.Thereareamultitude of other concerns surrounding AI which explainswhytherearevoicesspeakingagainst them, a recognized groundbreaking technology.

However,AI,likeothertechnologiesthat changedhumansocietypriortoit,willlikely haveitsdrawbackssolvedormitigated.For example,withmoremoneygenerated,more can be given to the unemployed as unemploymentbecomeslessandlessofaskill issue.Optimally,companiesmighthiremore managerstomanageanarmyofAIrobots bringingthewholeworlduptothemiddle class.Intheend,oneshouldn’tbeafraidofa newunknown.Instead,oneshoulddigintoit tomakethemostofitspotential.

An ordinary day

Anoriginalworkofstudentfiction

Triggerwarning:suicide

-Ilya R.

Shewasn’taparticularlysadwoman,infactshewasveryaccomplishedinherfieldShewasaprofessoratthe SorbonneinParisteachingacourseonsocialsciences.Shehadbuiltasmalllifeafterherstudiesabroadin Franceasastudent,fallinginlovewiththecountryanddecidingtosettleinParis.Shenowlivedalone, almosthalfacenturylater,inasmallapartmentintheoutskirtsofthecityoflights.

Everymorning,sixdaysaweek,for23years,heralarmclockwouldmelodicallywakeherupat5:45andshe wouldmakeherselfasimplebreakfastconsistingofascrambledeggandsometeainhertinygraykitchen. Sittingatthesmallwoodentablesomehowhiddenawayinthecornerofherkitchen,herfeettappingonthe coldlinoleumfloor,shewouldlookoutthewindowandlistentothebirdsspeaktheirfirstthoughtsofthe morning Shewouldthenheadtothebathroomandslowlysqueezetoothpasteontoherfadedpink toothbrushShewouldcountherbrushstrokeswhilewatchingherfaceinthemirrornoticingthebeginnings ofwrinklesformingonherforehead,onherhands.Shewouldscowlatthesightofthemnotinghowthey madeherskinfeellikeitwascrumplingupintoanoldcarcasssurroundingherinsides.Shewouldspitouther toothpaste,washhermouthandfacewithafewcoldsplashesofwater,anddryoffherhandswiththeragged oldbabybluetowelthatshehadmeanttoreplacesinceshefirstmovedintotheapartment

By6:45shewouldbedressedinherdarkgreencrochetedsweater,herkhakijeans,andshoesthatherdoctor hadrecommendedwouldbeeasyonherfeet.Shewouldwalkoutthedoor,taketheelevatordown8floors andwalkoutsideintothefreshair.Shewouldalwaysstopandtakeadeepbreathbeforeheadingdowninto themetroShefelttheoxygenmadeherfeelgroundedtotheworldOnceinthemetro,shewouldfindaseat farawayfromanyoneelse,andsitstaringblanklyaheadofher,lettingthejoltsofthetrainplaywithher body.Memorieswouldcomefloodingbacktoherofatimewhenshewasyoungerandmaybehadsomeone tokeephercompanyonherlongjourney.Butnow,shedeemedthatlettingsomeonethatclosecouldonly causeharm,andanywaystherewasnoneedtoatthispointinherlife.Itwasbetternottotrustothers,notto followsomeoneelsedownapathofridiculousness

After12stops,shewouldwalkoutofthetrain,andslowlyclimbupthestairsgrippingtherailingmaking sureshewouldn’tfall.Shewouldstopatthetopofthestairscatchingherbreath,squintinginthebright sunlight,herarmsheavy.Shewouldthenarriveatherschool,greetthesecurityguardsstandingoutinthe coldinheraccentedFrench,andwalkupthelargemainstaircasemadeofshiningmarbledulledfromthe dirtyshoemarksofstudents.Shewouldarriveatherfirstlecturehalltenminutesearly,allowingherselfthe timetoplaceherbooksdownandgetthehugeprojectorworkingwhichalwaystooktime.Shemissedthe dayswhenshehadamorehands-onexperiencewithstudents,jokingaroundwiththem,understandingtheir thoughtsandfeelings,feelingherselfclosertothestudentsasifshewereone.Now,standinginthefrontof theroomwiththerowsandrowsofemptyseatswaitingtobefilledinfrontofher,shefeltshecouldnever rememberanyone’sname,muchlessthinkingaboutanyoftheirpersonallives.Drovesofstudentswould walkintalkingamongsteachother,theirfeetshufflingalongthewoodenfloorsandtheirchairscreakingas theyslowlysatdown,takingouttheirnotebooksandlaptops.Shewouldnoticethespecificgroupsof studentsthatwouldalwayssticktogether,whisperingintoeachother'sears,gigglingsoftlyamongst themselves Shewouldneversmileduringherlectures,insteadshewouldremainverysolemnabouther teaching,relayingkeyconceptsthatshehadlearnedmanyyearsago.Shebelievedthatitwasunnecessaryto investherselfintheseclasses,shedidn’tparticularlycareaboutwhatthestudentsthoughtofher.Sheletthem imaginewhatevertheywantedwhenitcametoherownpersonallife.

Atlunchtime,shewouldeataloneasmalllunchshehadpackedforherselfthatshewouldbarelyfinish,sitting inthelibrarywhereshefeltmostathome.Inallheryears,shehadexploredeverynookandcrannyofthe immensehouseofknowledge,andfoundherselfmostcomfortablesurroundedbythehundredsofstories, biographies,andstudies,mostofwhichshehadread.Onceherthirdandfinallecturewasfinished,shewould wanderbacktothelibraryandchooseanewbooktoreadShefinishedatleastoneeverysingleweekOnceit gotdarkoutside,shewouldstartheadinghome

Todaywasdifferenthowever.Today,shewouldwakeupalittletoolatenothavingsetheralarmclockthe previousnight.Today,shewouldrushtomakehersimplebreakfast,herfeettappingmoreaggressivelyonthe linoleumfloorShewouldbrushherteeth,notcountingeachandeverystroke,spitouthertoothpaste,missing thesink,notbotheringtowipeherhandsandfaceofthecoldwaterShewouldhastilyputonhercrocheted sweaterandsliponhershoes,neglectingtobendoveranddouble-knotthem.Shewouldrunoutofher building,notstoppingtotakeherdeepbreathandhustledownthestairsofthemetro.Herbreathingwasrapid bythetimeshegotontothecrowdedtrain,andsheheldontothepolesqueezedbetweenaburlyblack-bearded manwhostunkofcigarettesandastrollerwithacryingchildinsideThelargescreechofthetrainbrakinginto herstationcausedhertotoppleover,herhandsdashingoutinfrontofhertobreakthefallShequicklygotback upshakingherheadembarrassedandpushedherwayoutofthemetrocar.Shepoundedupthestairsofthe station,herlegscryingoutasshepushedthemfurtherthanshehadeverneededtodoso.Sheignoredherbody's willtoinhaleandshemarchedontowardsherschool,hercalvesonfirebythetimeshegottothemaingates. Shepassedbytheguardswithoutasmileorhello,andslowlyranupherfinalstaircaseShegottoherlecture room,thestudentsinafrenzyofconversations,andsetherbagdownonthetable.Shebarkedatthestudent closesttohertoilluminatetheprojector,causingtheentireroomtogoquiet.Irritatedbythesuddenauthority sheheld,herclasswentbyagonizinglyslowandsherushedoutofthelecturehallheadingtothelibraryfor lunch.Onceshesatdownandtookadeepbreath,sherealizedthatshehadn’tpackedherfoodfortheday.She satinthelibrary,starvingherself,herstomachfeelinglikeaholethatwaseatingitselffromtheinsideoutOnce herthirdandfinalclasswasover,shedecidednottogobacktothelibrary,insteadwalkingthroughthemain gatesapologizingtotheguardsonherwayout.

Asshewalkedtowardshermetrostation,hermindwaselsewhere,notfocusingonthebustlingstreetsinfront ofherShewasdistractedbytheconstantgroansofherstomachbeggingtobefilledwithsomekindofformof food.Shestoodattheredlightwatchingthecarszipbyher,waitingforthelittleredmantoturngreen.The loudwhiningnoisesofthemotorcyclesfilledherears,thesunglintedoffofrearviewmirrorssendingsparksof lightintohereyes.Sheawkwardlybreathedinthefumesofgasoline,herheartraterisingfornoapparent reason Shebeganfidgetingwithherhands,flickinghernailsagainsteachotherasoneofherfeetstarted tappingagainstthepavementHereyeskeptscrunchingupasshebecamemoreandmoreanguished,thelight seeminglytakingforevertochangecolors.Shecouldn’ttakeitanymore,herpatiencehaddriedup,andasa largepassengerbuscamebarrelingdownthestreet,shetookafewstepsoutontotheasphalt.

Thebusdriverdidn’tseehercomingwiththesunlightinhiseyesThegrillonthefrontofthebussmashedinto her,herbonesbreakinginaninstant Severepainblastedthroughherentirebodyasshewasthrowntothe groundbytheforceofthebus.Heralreadyunconsciousbodyhitthefloorwithathudandthebus,notbeing abletoslowdownintime,skiddedrightoverherdeadcarcass.Darkredbloodwassplatteredontothe pavement,asicksyrup-likeliquidthatseepedintothecracksoftheground.Someonescreamed,someoneelse calledanambulance,andpeoplegotoutoftheircarstoseewhatwaswrongTheparamedicsannouncedher deadonarrivalOneofherstudentswhohadseentheaccidentwascrying,confused,andheartbrokenthather professorwouldhavedonesuchathing.Noonehadseenitcoming.

Isabelle C

Aya M

Adele C

Camila V

Sinchana R

Laia B

Anusha D

Clementine S

Chengyou J

Eunbi H

Eleni T

Emmanouil L

Ilya R

Isabella S

Jacob G

Luisa G

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