Blog Feed

Nell Hornsby
Ms. Pahomov
College English
September 26, 2025

In my artwork, I portray the tourism scene from Chapter 5 of The Handmaid’s Tale. I chose this scene from the book because it stuck out to me as one really formative moment in the reader’s understanding of the story. This scene is one of the few times we see people within Gilead interacting with people outside, and it gives us more context on this society and its relation to our world. It’s also a self-reflective moment for Offred as she realizes how much she’s changed while being here. I remember feeling engaged in the class discussion and excited to dig deeper into my interpretation of this moment, which is why I chose it for my first Lit Log.

One of the first elements I knew I wanted to include in my artwork was the portrayal of the Handmaids as animals in a cage. During our discussion on chapters 5-7, it was mentioned that there was “a curiosity, like a zoo” between the narrator and the tourists. I really clung to this idea as I was drafting out this project because I thought there were some really interesting elements to it. First, I think the society of Gilead makes it easy to compare the Handmaids to animals in a zoo. They have little to no choice, but are fed and exercised, and, in this scene, are on display for the tourists, similar to zoo animals. Second, there is a really big theme around the “protection” of the Handmaid’s body. The Aunts tell the Handmaids early on that, “What you must be, girls, is impenetrable.” (28). They wear large cloaks and wings covering their faces to restrict the contact they can have with other people. The idea of the Handmaids being caged in these ways can deepen the simile of zoo-like curiosity in this scene.

There was a lot of thought that went into choosing which animal I wanted the Handmaids to be in my drawing. In the end, I chose to portray them as parrots because while parrots have the ability to talk, they can only repeat things that they hear. This was inspired by the end of Chapter 5, when the tourists ask Offred and her walking partner if they are happy. Offred knows she has to respond because saying nothing is dangerous, but there seems to be only a few acceptable things that she can say. She is equally as scared to say the wrong thing as she is to say nothing at all. Her response is “Yes, we are very happy,” and the chapter ends with the line, “I have to say something. What else can I say?” (29). Both Offred and the parrots have a limited vocabulary that is influenced by what their higher-ups tell them.

There are some other smaller elements to my artwork, like the “revealing” clothing the tourists wear, the shiny hair that the narrator describes, the camera, and–even though it’s not directly in this scene–I added a Martha cleaning the Handmaid’s cage to represent their dynamic throughout the book. The final thing I wanted to emphasize in my reflection, though, was the eye. The idea of the Eye comes up many times throughout The Handmaid’s Tale, but it has an important role in the tourism scene when Offred thinks, “I know better than to look the interpreter in the face. Most of the interpreters are Eyes, or so it’s said.” (28). This serves as a reminder to both the narrator and the reader that in Gilead, they are always being watched. Every word has to be calculated, and a wrong move can be dangerous. By putting a big focus on the eye, I want to remind the viewer of the pressure of this situation.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fmJXuu8rD6Dqs-dnxEx934uersouhuUE6MhYTKTKRD8/edit?usp=sharing

Lit Log #1 - Close Reading - Confiscated Identity

I.

In chapter 6, on page 32 of The Handmaid’s Tale, the narrator, Offred, describes a scene where there are six corpses being displayed on “the Wall”. It’s quite unsettling how casually she speaks of their deaths and the way in which she describes the corpses, especially their heads. Offred could even be considered unfazed by a sight which would leave the average person fearful, shocked, and appalled. Her thoughts immediately travel beyond the expected fearfulness to analyze the purpose of these corpses and their presentations.

“Though if you look and look, as we are doing, you can see the outlines of the features under the white cloth, like gray shadows” (32).

Her lack of reaction makes the scene more scary than if she had screamed and ran because it shows the reader that this is a normal occurrence in Gilead.

II.

Not only are Offred’s feelings toward the scene strange, but her descriptions of it even more so. It was interesting that she describes the obfuscation of the corpses’ faces in multiple different ways, as if to place emphasis on their anonymity.

She describes them as “dolls on which the faces have not yet been painted”, “as if their heads are sacks, stuffed with some undifferentiated material, like flour or dough”, “the heads are zeros”, “are the heads of snowmen…The heads are melting” (32).

Through these descriptors, Offred repeatedly highlights the unimportance of these heads and the people they belong to. Dolls, which are left to the control of others; flour and dough, powdery and easily spilled; zeros, nothingness and lack of value; and snowmen, temporary.

III.

A similar scene is presented at the start of chapter 8, on page 43: “There are three new bodies on the Wall. One is a priest, still wearing the black cassock…The two others have purple placards hung around their necks: Gender Treachery. Their bodies still wear the Guardian uniforms” (43).

Through these two scenes, it’s clear that the government uses this wall as a way to set an example for anyone who may harbor any ideas that don’t go along with Gilead’s expectations. Offred herself admits that “they [the bodies] are meant to scare” (32). It’s important that Offred also notes the outfits worn by each of the corpses. The six corpses on page 32 wear white coats, each with “a placard hung around his neck to show why he has been executed: a drawing of a human fetus” (32). The three mentioned on page 43 wear a black cassock and Guardian uniforms. This shows that the bodies are stripped of their identities and reduced only to their societal role. It shows that Gilead as a whole does not value anyone, even those that might have been considered on their own side. The doctors, because they had performed abortions in the past and therefore did not fit the ideals of the regime. The priests, who, though are Christian, still are not spared. The Guardians, an important role in the enforcement of Gilead’s policies, executed for being gay.

These two scenes together symbolise the fear that everyone in Gilead lives under, whether that be Handmaids, Guardians, or even Commanders. It’s an attempt to make everyone afraid because anyone, regardless of position, can and will be subjected to the ire of the government.

“They have committed atrocities and must be made into examples, for the rest” (33).

IV.

The entirety of The Handmaid’s Tale is from the first-person perspective of Offred, and her nonchalance in this scene on page 32 shows just how quickly someone’s thinking can be altered. It’s clear throughout the story that Gilead is a fairly new government. Offred remembers various scenes from both her childhood and adulthood that occurred before the establishment of Gilead. That means comparatively, Gilead is only a small fraction of the life she has led thus far. Yet the perspective of the story allows us to see that even though Offred tries to keep her mind separate from her physical situation, Gilead’s ideology has managed to seep into her thoughts. She’s been robbed of the way she thinks.

When she suspects the Handmaid alongside her in this scene to be crying at the sight of the six corpses, she thinks, “In what way could it make her look good? I can’t afford to know” (33). Whereas we might find it normal or even expected that someone would cry or otherwise show distress at such a public display of violence, Offred’s first thought is that the other Handmaid’s tears are an act. To her, there’s no way that the other Handmaid could just genuinely feel sad over these deaths; she must have an ulterior motive. This is a result of Gilead influencing her thoughts. Even though Gilead has not existed for long, it has already drastically altered her way of life and penetrated the privacy of her own mind, which is perhaps more frightening than the actual policies they put in place because you might not even realize when you become one of them.

“This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will become ordinary” (33).

V.

Throughout the text, there is a theme of the loss of identity. Identity is obviously an integral part of the human experience, and Offred is consistently denied an identity. All the Handmaids are. They are not allowed to keep the names that make them unique, but are instead subject to Gilead’s naming conventions. This motif is also present in the aforementioned scenes. All the corpses on the walls have obscured faces and therefore are deprived of their identities. This move is probably so that passerby can be sufficiently cowed by the scene while feeling minimal pity or attachment to the corpses that could lead to resentment of the government.

It’s much harder to establish a resistance if no one knows who anyone is.

The Envious Market: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vgz4i1LCgOEOcWLxGvYz3revpn2dUVCdCqhvcvRHNQU/edit?tab=t.0

This is a sample Lit Log post!

This is a sample post for your Handmaid’s Tale Lit Log. Copy and paste the text into the editor to share your work!

Welcome Back to School!

To kick off the 2025-2026 school year, we’re beginning with modified schedule days on Monday and Tuesday. We will start following our usual schedule on Wednesday, but with an additional Advisory session after classes.

MONDAY, 8/25 – Have a wonderful first day!

08:15-10:20 Advisory

10:25-11:15 A1 Band

11:20-12:10 X1 Band (first lunch)

12:10-01:00 Y1 Band (second lunch)

01:05-01:55 B1 Band

02:00-02:50 C1 Band

02:55-03:45 D1 Band

TUESDAY, 8/26

08:15-08:45 Advisory

08:50-09:40 E1 Band

09:45-10:45 A2 Band

10:50-11:50 Y2 Band

11:55-12:55 X2 Band

01:00-02:00 B2 Band

02:05-03:05 C2 Band

WEDNESDAY, 8/27

08:15-09:20 D2 Band

09:25-10:30 E2 Band

10:35-11:40 A1 Band

11:45-12:50 B1 Band

12:50-01:25 Lunch

01:30-03:00 Advisory (12th in auditorium)

The traditional SLA schedule (linked below) resumes on Thursday, 8/28.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MRks1HBB2_-X9QcBWCQreroVYcnXShal/view?usp=sharing

Hey guys!!!!! Ready to get artistic!!!! Like and reply if you’re excited for advanced art with my homies!!!!!

Hey guys!!! So excited to have algebra with my algebros!!!!!! Reply if this made you cry, it made me!!!

Agreeing with joseph here!! see you all there on the 25th!!! 😉

Hey guys!!!!! So exited for our first day of school!!!!!!

POV: me and ale after seeing our super duper cool class!!!

Watch the Class of 2025 Graduation, June 12th, 2025 at 5:00 pm! Enjoy the stream run by the SLA Digital Video Program! Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/1eMMlYLCKIA

For my Capstone Project, I designed a 6 week mini course focused on outdoor education. The goal was to help students at SLA Center City gain better access to green spaces in Philadelphia and provide them with tools and resources to explore the natural environment surrounding them more often. I wanted to give SLA students better opportunities to learn more about the environment around them and understand the benefits of spending time outdoors — especially for their mental and physical health. I learned so much from doing this project, it not only inspired me to become more active in getting city kids access to the outdoors, it sparked my interest in a potential career in teaching. I hope this Mini Course can continue on in future years of SLA because getting these students outside of the classroom is so beneficial.

I chose this project because I’ve always been passionate about outdoor education. For two years, I interned with the outdoor education program at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, which deepened my commitment to helping young people connect with nature. Going to school in the middle of Philadelphia, I’ve seen how difficult it can be for students to access green spaces, yet spending time in nature has clear benefits for both mental and physical health. With this project, I wanted to give SLA students the opportunity to explore and learn more about the natural environment around them—no matter where they live in the city.

At first, the idea of planning multiple two-hour lessons for a class of freshmen felt overwhelming, but the experience went by much faster than I expected. A key part of the process was implementing the lesson plans I created each week. I prepared weekly slideshows that outlined the topic, provided a clear structure for the session, and included lots of activities to keep students engaged.

Fashion waste is a massive modern problem. It is a very avoidable contributor to a lot of Earth’s climate issues. A great way to avoid this issue is by thrifting. I recently discovered my love for thrifting and realized the importance of second-hand clothing. This reminded me of a capstone that promoted sustainable fashion practices through thrifting called the SLA Drop N Shop. This project involved getting donations of second-hand clothing from the community and putting it out for free to show how simply passing something on can do a lot. So I took this project and expanded. First, I started by reaching out to my community, both in my neighborhood and at SLA. After a few weeks of donations, I got everything ready to set up. Persevering through a few roadblocks, I was able to get clothing racks and hangers from school and set up. At first, things were slow, but as I advertised myself, I could see more and more attention. I started noticing regulars stopping by, lots of empty hangers, and people wearing thrifted clothing around school. A few highlights included one of my friends getting their prom shoes from the shop and another student finding formal clothing for an interview. In the final week, I took whatever was left and donated it all to those in need. In the end, I created a project that brought together different people and brought out the community’s generosity. I learned a lot about planning and promoting a call to action.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jb9EBFHaSUwx4Qpb2Gg57sVWvsg-1bNCiCUxg7QdxOA/edit?tab=t.0

For my Capstone, I created and ran an eight-week mini-course about sharks and ocean conservation for the Class of 2028. I’ve always been passionate about marine life, so I wanted to share that with younger students in a way that was both educational and fun. Each week, I taught a lesson on topics like shark biology, ocean pollution, and how humans affect the environment, followed by a game or activity to help reinforce what we talked about. One of my favorite parts was teaming up with the Photography mini-course for a creative lesson that brought the two subjects together. I worked closely with my mentor, Ms. Bradley, and asked for advice from other students who had led mini-courses before. There were definitely challenges—especially with keeping students focused and balancing everything with my other responsibilities—but I learned how to adapt and improve with each class. This project helped me grow in leadership, time management, and communication. I’m proud that I was able to create a space where students could learn something new and have fun doing it. I hope my mini-course left them more curious about the world and more aware of how important it is to protect the ocean.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IcM_-4RBrIcWZm0Gd7uXBKZgz84QJkljnzeibYZvlaQ/edit?usp=sharing

For my Capstone project, I restarted and ran the chess club on Fridays. I also made a poster to put in the advisory memo to get more people to hear about it. In the chess club, I had a few lessons that I made and geared toward beginner players to teach them the basics of chess.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZOCwc5W2Fsg-X8ozKaFXSe6XFEpBVsISxWMXcvMG6Ys/edit?usp=sharing

At the beginning of this year, during the brainstorming process of capstones, I thought a lot about what kind of project I wanted to submit — one that I would be able to enjoy creating, and that I valued personally. After having spent lots of time on the terrace, I noticed how it lacked color and warmth. To combat this, I decided I wanted to create a vibrant and intricate piece on one of the walls that would make the space more inviting for the SLA community. The project is inspired mainly by Claude Monet’s depictions of the earth, as well as the fine line works of Japanese botanical art. By combining the two, I was able to create a design that reflected my artistic style and goals. In addition to this, I collaborated with Aviva Boix to create a cohesive design of a Philadelphia skyline mosaic, blended with a naturalistic mural.

This project involved a lot of moving parts, including research for how to complete an artwork at this scale, pitching at Braskem to receive funding, purchasing materials, communicating with various building staff to discuss how to go about the project, and of course, painting the physical design. There were many setbacks in this project, mainly including communication issues and inconvenient weather. However, through this, we learned how important explicit communication is, and to define time constraints before beginning a complicated project such as this one. At this time, our project is not completed, however the evidence below shows our continued efforts of finishing the piece and being able to present a polished capstone.

For my capstone, I created a mosaic of city hall and its surrounding buildings on the terrace. My mosaic was inspired by Isaiah Zagar’s Philadelphia Magic Gardens and other mosaics of his. I wanted to emulate his use of mirrors and found objects in my piece. My mosaic was also inspired by Faith Ringgold’s vibrant quilts of Brooklyn’s skyline. I wanted to use color in the same joyful way that she did in her artwork. I worked with Darby on my project, and she did the mural of the sky and buildings that surround my mosaic. I chose to do my project on the terrace because it is one of the main spaces where students eat lunch and hang out, and it can be very dismal, especially during the winter months. I collaborated with SLA staff, Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia Magic Gardens, and friends at school to source materials for this project. Throughout this project, I practiced communicating with people in a professional setting, time management, and my overall artistic skills. My hope with this project is that it will liven up the terrace and will be a source of inspiration for future students to also challenge themselves to take on a large scale art project. Due to weather conditions and various other factors, Darby and I were not able to start creating our mural/mosaic until the week of capstone presentations. The image below reflects the progress we have made so far. We intend to finish by the end of this week.

For my Capstone, I created a video series to help people understand how to start an online business. I wanted to make something that felt clear and approachable, especially for other students at SLA who are creative and might want to turn their ideas into something real. The videos are organized into playlists that focus on different types of businesses, like selling physical products, digital products, or even just showcasing your work through a portfolio.

Throughout the process, I talked to real business owners, used my own experiences, and did a lot of research to figure out what beginners actually need to know. I spent time writing scripts, organizing ideas, and thinking about how to make the information helpful and easy to follow. My mentor gave me feedback along the way, and I made sure to stick to a schedule so I could stay on track and complete everything on time.

This project taught me how to take something big and break it down into pieces that make sense. I also learned how to communicate more clearly and plan long-term, which is something I know will help me in the future. Overall, my Capstone gave me a chance to do something meaningful while also helping others who might want to start their own business but aren’t sure where to begin.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsoTYNaKs0Ft_Dmy857PnAuNCgzLdZdwl&si=2o6f58u2ih3LwcvO

My Capstone is a highlight reel of the 2025 SLA Ultimate Team, and it is meant to bring attention and excitement to SLA’s Ultimate Frisbee team. I had to plan out every shot, determine which days I would film, actually film the shots, and then compile them all together into one product. The video is meant to show what the kids on the team do and why the sport matters to them. Each catch, throw, and huddle brought this team closer together. The players’ team became a family because of this sport, and so I highlighted the best moments of our year. I learned how to edit better, match clips, do motion tracking, and film in various environments. I hope this capstone brings you as much joy as it did for us.

• Side Note: I was originally going to create 3 separate reels (Ultimate, LAX, Baseball), but there was an issue where 50% of the Capstone was deleted too close to the deadline. In the end, I chose to focus on Ultimate.

Final Product: https://youtu.be/_xnZB-bwhwA?si=Mozz3JlpYTHtAQ2u

For my Capstone I talked about how music had evolved in the past century specify how jazz, rock and hip hop had evolved since they were first introduced but also what impact they had. The impact these genres had on the world were fashion, literature and civil rights like how rock influenced fashion jumpsuits, combat boots as well as unique fashion styles. An example of this is Elton John who used such dazzling fashion style mainly when it came to what he wore when he performed on stage. As a way to show what the music artists style that I talked about were I used some of their songs to show why people enjoyed their music.

At Science Leadership Academy, the core values of inquiry, research, collaboration, presentation, and reflection serve as a guide for every student’s education and experience. When senior year started and it came time to develop a capstone that represented who I am, it felt natural and inspiring. For my capstone project, I created an after-school program at SLA where students could learn how to produce music and gain basic knowledge of the business side of the music industry. Classes ranged from Q&As to complete walk-throughs of creating a beat. During the last class, I had a guest speaker come in to share his years of industry experience with the students, motivating and inspiring them to persevere.

 My Capstone is a recipe/memoir website. I give my favorite recipes that I developed myself and made multiple times throughout high school and I give corresponding stories/ explanation to each website. Cooking and baking were one of my favorite hobbies in high school. I feel like each recipe I use resonates with a person or a memory from my life so I wanted to include this in my website. i developed recipes individually and then I assigned a story or an important detail of my life to each recipe to represent how cooking has helped people.

Bibliography https://docs.google.com/document/d/1copCKxbEdncy-IkdV_7K3Dfx0ObX0ikXc1oiFq37Ydk/edit?usp=sharing