Kavita's Blog

  Snape is my friend Marie’s favourite character and it is not hard to deduce as to why. His unrequited love for Lily Potter (nee Evans) which was revealed in my favourite chapter of ‘The Deathly Hallows’ (chapter 33, I believe) is what ultimately saved the wizarding world. The reader learns that Snape had been in love with Lily since they had met as eleven-year-old children. Although she never knew of this love and rejected his friendship after he regretfully called her a ‘Mudblood’, it was his love that had ultimately saved Harry. This was as a result of the fact that upon learning that Voldemort had planned to track the Potters down and murder them all, he went to Voldemort and begged him to save Lily. This what caused Voldemort to ask Lily to step aside; however, for her son, she refused to, choosing death to save the life of her son. The love that Lily had left Harry was so powerful that it overcame the killing curse that Voldemort tried to put on Harry and instead backfired o...

 On the 10th April 1998, the 30 years troubles that affected the island of Ireland (both north and south) and the UK had come to an end, by a single piece of legislation. This piece of legislation helped to cement the fact that Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom; however, it allowed the Irish minority to believe that the north of Ireland was a part of Ireland if they so desire. Citizens of Northern Ireland can now choose to be Irish or British (or both) and the lack of any border (which was crucial to the Irish backstop) was essential in creating the perception of a United Ireland to Nationalists/Catholics. More importantly, the fact that a new government was established where Nationalists and Unionists had to share power - they had to work together and peacefully. I personally think the GFA 1998 (which Brexit puts at risk especially with the border in the Irish Sea) is the best piece of legislation the UK (with help from the EU and the US) has produced. 

 Philomena Lee became pregnant outside marriage in 1951. Her father was so outraged with her that he sent her to a Laundry. She gave birth to a baby boy named Anthony (who was later renamed Michael) and cared for him for three years. During her time at the laundry, Philomena endured three years of unpaid work by doing manual labour. One day Anthony was sold to a wealthy American couple. She never saw him again as Anthony (now Michael) died in 1995 at the age of 43. The laundry was in Roscrea and later Anthony, who had remembered his mother even though he was 3-years-old when he last saw her, was buried there. If you haven't watched the film 'Philomena' (starring Judi Dench) then I would definitely suggest this to watch! 

  The Magdalene Laundries are barely talked about in Britain and I hope I can create awareness of what they were through this blog post. They occurred in Ireland from the eighteenth century to the twentieth century – crucially, and unbelievably, with help from the state. Over 30,000 ‘fallen’ (so unconventional women from that time – e.g. if they became pregnant outside of marriage like Philomena Lee) women were in a laundry. If you had fallen pregnant outside of marriage and weren't rich you were not allowed to keep your baby; instead, they were sold to the highest bidder, often from the USA. A lot of the women were traumatised at what had happened to them. In 2013, Ireland publicly apologised for what those women went through and established a compensation scheme. However, there has been no apology from the Church at Vatican City or from the Irish Church. These nuns were said to be acting according to God’s laws but they showed relentless unkindness to these poor women. Hopefully ...

 I start my volunteering journey with the Hospice of St. Francis today and I'm so excited! My mum sadly passed away at the hospice from lung cancer at the age of 54. They looked after her wonderfully and cared for every member of her family (there were 10 of us who visited every day including my aunt's dog Oscar and my cat Tiffany). I've always wanted to give something back and now I have the chance!

  This film was lambasted by Conservative politicians when it first came out on the basis it was too intrusive in its depiction of dementia-stricken Margaret Thatcher. However, I disagree. I think it is about time that society portrays Thatcher as to who she really was: a human being who faced adversity as well as celebration. Too many of critics of Thatcher dehumanise her and too many followers of hers idolised her to titanic heights. The Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep (who won an Oscar for this performance and deservedly so), focuses on Thatcher in 2011 as she struggles with her dementia battle, as she believes that her husband Denis (played excellently by Jim Broadbent) is still alive. The film then goes onto showcase her achievements as Educational Secretary and Prime Minister, including how she dealt with the Brighton bomb in October 1984. It also focused on her fall from power brought about by Lord Heseltine (who, to this day, remains one of my favourite correspondents) and...

  As someone who is addicted to both politics and Harry Potter this chapter is a sheer delight to read as Downing Street becomes interlinked with magic. The reader is immediately introduced to the Muggle Prime Minister as he reflects on an emotionally exhausting week, which, as it soon becomes apparent, is the fault of the Death Eaters and Voldemort who were causing havoc on the country. This chapter has some humorous moments especially when learning that the former Prime Minister (perhaps Margaret Thatcher?) tried to throw Fudge out, believing he was a prank planted by the opposition. Moreover, there perhaps is a sense of justice felt by the reader upon learning that Fudge, who had treated Harry in OOTP so badly, was sacked as a result of an inability to keep control of the country. This chapter ends with the new Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, meeting and updating the Prime Minister of the new developments. In short, this is an entertaining and concise read to what is a fant...