'I incite this meeting to rebellion!'


I am currently revising for part 2 As History: The Changing Role of Women. The story goes a little bit like this: women treated badly, some women initiate a campaign to stop women being treated badly, men don't like the campaign - they think it's silly, women continue with campaign despite fierce opposition, SOME women get impatient and create an alternative organisation, for a while the two campaigns work harmoniously, new organisation decide they hate men, new organisation gets bitchy, men don't like bitchy women...and so on, and so on, and so on. All this feminism has yet to entice me, although I am happy to be considered as a man-loving-feminist if a feminist at all, but what has really inspired me is this idea of rebellion! Which is a little bit crazy because I have NEVER been a rebel. I am the biggest suck-up/goody-two-shoes you will ever meet. However, there is something about the combination of being an 'adult' in my last year of a school-sixth form and studying Suffragettes/The French Revolution/Italian Unification (revolution!) that has inspired me to revolt.

Firstly, the new Kendrick uniform rule of no 'leggings'/'jeggings' etc. Before I go any further, I would like to applaud my friend Jenni, who, in a superb and wonderful act of rebellion adopted the role of Kendrick Sixth-Form's 'mystery poet'. She posted a number of rhymes, based on famous poems by Chaucer, Wilfred Owen and Kipling protesting against this ridiculous new rule and challenging the diminishing power of the Student Voice. Consequently, the Student Voice was a major feature in this years' pantomime and was portrayed, very accurately, as opinionated (in a good way) yet ignored (truth.) Head Girl Team antics provide even more evidence to suggest that Kendrick girls are leading the way to revolution; just the other week Alice, the Head Girl, stole blue tack from the library and I, Deputy Head Girl, moved the Chess Board posters to give us more space to put up our beautiful photos. Alice also suggested that she wear some smart, purple trousers to a 'do' with Marsha (our headmistress) PURPLE trousers!!?? Do you know what purple is the symbol of? Royalty, yes, but also the WSPU (bitchy suffragettes!) CRAZY right!?

My rebellion extends beyond the school gates. For instance, I never pay full price for coffee anymore (well until the end of January!). Only this afternoon did I pay £1. 55 for a tall, skinny latte with an extra espresso shot and caramel syrup, rather than £2.60. (This is the part where I fail to mention that I am the owner of a registered Starbucks card, which not only gives me FREE extras but also provides me with 50p-off vouchers for every day in January...) IT IS REBELLION.

The Revolt continues. Today whilst walking back to the station, I refused to walk on the pavement. Yes, I marched down the hill asserting (rather loudly): ' I am going to rebel against the rules of the world (woops, I mean ROAD) and walk straight down the middle' to which Charlotte replied 'That's how you die Ellie' and at that moment a large 4 by 4 came up behind and chased me down the end of the road as I ran screaming to the safety of the pavement. Yes it was all VERY eventful, but the good news is that your Revolutionary is safe and well enough to write this blog. WOOPEEEE.

Reading back over this, I really am the most pathetic rebel. I clearly have no idea what it means to oppose the 'norm'...or do I?! Maybe I'm not 'normal' I mean I drink a ridiculous amount of coffee, I ENJOY doing my homework (on most days), I can't possibly get through the week without my Gilmore Girls fix, I cannot switch pens whilst writing, I ALWAYS carry teabags with me, I am currently going through a 'Russian Literature' phase, I really enjoyed being single and most importantly I love Jesus. The latter reason is probably my biggest act of rebellion. I may not be 'rebelling' in the sense of sex, drugs and rock n' roll but is that really contemporary rebellion? Rebellion is the concept of going against everything society stands for, and today our society certainly stands for sex (with everyone and everything), the rock n'roll party culture and even though hard drugs are still pretty taboo, alcohol is the God of most teenagers and adults alike. Therefore, I am a rebel in its purest form. Though I doubt I'll be waging a full scale revolution anytime soon, so rest easy!

1 comment :

  1. Ellie... I don't know what to say. I wouldn't quite define all that as rebellion! It is very amusing though, and your voice is reading it all to me again, which is a SUCCESS as a blogger. I really liked the finish. "I am a rebel in its purest form"... very elegant!

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