The Expression Hub

  • A journey of growth and challenge…

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Genre: Drama

    Number of episodes:16

    Presented by: MBC

    ” A teacher’s job is to take a bunch of live wires and see that they are well-groomed.”

    -Darwin D. Martin

    Since the end of the month is near, let’s wrap up the series dedicated to the ones who shape the future of human beings in a style. And this week’s pick,I personally feel is a great pick to conclude about the same. So, let’s dive in without any delay and try to find out more. After all, it will be after a year that we will be exploring these wonderful yet impactful human beings. And who knows the picks for the next year will be more interesting? If you have any picks, you want me to explore, you can recommend me about the same in the comments section. I would definitely love to take time to explore the same and end up writing about the same.

    What would you do if you encountered a person who is trying to shape you into a better person but does it by putting a stern system in place? Will you rebel against the same or will you give in to the demands of the person?

    Synopsis: Queen’s Classroom revolves around the lives of students of the sixth grade students and their newly hired class teacher Ma Yeo Jin whom the students refer to as the Witch. The reason she is referred to as the Witch is because she is strict about everything she does from the way she dresses to the way she interacts with her students which makes her appear cold and intimidating . It is not only the students who find her weird but also her fellow teachers. There is however only one exception who appreciates her personality as well as her unique way of teaching and that is the principal of the school who hired her. She has a unique way of teaching which is her way to prepare her students to face the real world. She gives concessions to the students who score well on their tests while the students that are bad in their tests are given punishments as well as elected the Class Presidents. The students get the shock of their lives when they get to know that their parents instead of disapproving of their class teacher appreciate the way she functions. But will the so-called Witch get her way and be able to teach her students real-world skills? Or will the students end up having another teacher ? Also, will the students be able to conform to the techniques of the witch teacher?Or will they end up rebelling against her ?

    Assessment: This is a show that deals with a lot of topics which children tend to face in their school lives. For instance, the show showcases the issue of bullying which is a very serious problem faced by students in the school. It also highlights issues like of how some students manipulate other students to assert their dominance or how some students are treated as outcasts which can lead to children facing issues of inferiority complex or give them anxiety attacks for life. It also showcases how parents consider their children as their assets and put pressure on them to perform better for a better future. I , as a person thought that such a system existed in our country but it did give me a bit of shock that it existed in other parts of the world, especially in a country like South Korea. It also highlights the social disparity that existed between the rich and the poor sections of society and how some people are exploited by others. Corruption in the education sector is another topic which has been highlighted in the show.

    Teacher Ma could have intervened in the problems faced by the students of her class as she is a person who loves to keep things in control. But instead, she allows the students to find solutions for their own problems thus teaching them how whatever actions one undertakes has its own consequences. Apart from this, she also teaches them why it is important to study and why students should not end up wasting their time on matters which seem attractive but do not have any value to them. Fantastic acting by Go Hyun Jung who portrays the role of Teacher Ma as well as the four main characters of the show who act as rebels against the teacher. Apart from this, the show through the four characters tries to give various messages like that of hope, resilience, optimism and how one should stand for what they believe is right even though the person in front of them tries to prove them wrong.

    Though, you do feel a lot of anger for Teacher Ma a lot of times especially when she metes out her punishment but when you look at the big picture, there always seems to be a lesson hidden beneath it.

    The only drawback is that the duration of the show is too long with each episode being 1 hour long which makes it difficult for people who are short on time really feel annoyed a lot of times as they have to literally squeeze time out of their busy schedules to finish the show.

    The View: Though it can be a bit disturbing a lot of times, this one is a show that actually gives you a lot of lessons. Along with that, it also has great acting chops, a great story line and some harsh realities which one faces in life. But it also provides a silver lining by underlining the fact that no matter how tough times are there is always a solution to the problem or challenge faced. You do feel that there is a need of such teachers in today’s time who do love their students from the bottom of their hearts but do not show the same on their faces.

    Baap Dialogue: “Pure curiosity about the world, that every human has the process of resolving that curiosity, is what studying is. You may think that studying is an obligation you don’t like to do, but studying  the highest privilege only humans are entitled to.” ( Teacher Ma to her students).

    Rating: ****

    Que: What is the name of Oh Dong Gu’s mother?

    a. Miss Emily

    b. Miss Choi

    c. Miss Rosa

    d. Miss Hana

    Continue reading →: A journey of growth and challenge…

  • A prodigy or a brat?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Author: Roald Dahl

    Genre: Children’s literature/ fantasy

    “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”

    -Angela Schwindt

    My sincerest apologies for posting this one a week late. But sometimes life becomes too busy especially when you have a festival around and you are busy enjoying it in order to take a little break from your daily routine. However, now that the festivities are over, I can assure you that there will be updates posted consistently unless and until some piece of literature or something is really taking a time. I generally have the habit of completing something and then posting it. So, that is the reason sometimes the posts are a bit delayed. But I appreciate the patience and the support shown by my readers and subscribers. And for that, I will be grateful forever from the bottom of my heart. Maybe it is your love and encouragement that keeps me going even when I don’t feel like writing.

    Okay, so returning to the pick of the week, this one too revolves around a relationship which is shared by a student and a teacher. After all, a bond between a teacher and a student is special. Especially, if the teacher appreciates us for allowing us to be the person we are. This is because to put it in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “to be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

    About the book: Matilda revolves around the girl of the same name who lives in a dysfunctional family. She is a prodigy by nature who shows some extraordinary abilities like learning to speak at the age of one and read at the age of three and a half. However, her abilities are not appreciated by her family as she is considered as a brat especially by her father. This fact annoys her that she is always undermined by her family due to which she ends up playing pranks on her family members which satisfies her.

    At the age of five and a half years, she is admitted to school. She finds support in her teacher Jennifer who is astounded by her intellectual abilities. Jennifer feels that Matilda should be moved to a higher class. However, the same is refused by the headmistress of the school Miss Trunchbull who is a tyrant by nature. Jennifer also tries to communicate the same with her parents. But her parents dismiss about the same.

    While Miss Trunchbull terrorizes the students with her creative yet over-the-top punishments and her parents continue to dismiss her, Matilda develops a strong bond with her teacher. The teacher too finds an ally in her and starts revealing her thoughts to her. But will the bond between the two sustain? Or will some circumstances force them to break apart?

    Analysis: This is a book that explores a lot of themes like how it is to be raised in a family which always looks down upon your abilities, of how people take benefit especially if you are obligated under them, of how people treat other in a cruel manner , of how people think that they can fool others and consider themselves as smart.

    Though the book is considered as a piece of children’s literature, there are some instances which cannot be considered child-friendly. They are pretty violent by nature. The parts which involve punishments given by Miss Trunchbull to her students if they dare to defy her orders are pretty violent. Or the treatment which Miss Trunchbull metes out to Miss Jennifer which forces Miss Jennifer to be under her obligation always. However, the parts where Matilda plays pranks when her parents annoy her or her bonding with Miss Jennifer are the parts which are fun to read. This is because it highlights the resilience which Matilda portrays while dealing with her parents as well as the feeling of empathy and admiration that she has for her teacher. The book also deals with the theme of telekinesis which is an extraordinary ability that Matilda possess and which she uses to serve justice to Miss Honey.

    Verdict: A book with varied themes which offers various insights into how a human being deals with the surroundings he or she has. In the above case, it gives a sneak peek into how it is to be brought up in a family which always looks down upon you. This book will be deeply resonated by people who have been brought up in dysfunctional families. It also highlights the fact that how someone’s empathy and care can heal the deepest of the wounds. Though termed as a child literature, this is a book which cannot be read to children even though it deals with children. So, do practice caution about the same when making this a choice for your child. This is because of some violent parts in the book. As far as adults are concerned, they do somewhat have the maturity to deal with such topics. However, if you are an adult who has faced such situations in your childhood, it is best to avoid this book. The reason is that the book can act as a trigger to certain situations.

    Cite Bite: “Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable.”

    Que: Where do the Wormwoods escape?

    a. England

    b. United States of America

    c. Spain

    d. Australia

    Continue reading →: A prodigy or a brat?

  • A groundbreaking teacher?

    Published by

    Roshani Patil

    on

    Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Mridul Thakur, Aditya Srivastava,Nandish Singh Sandhu, Virendra Saxena, Amit Sadh, Pankaj Tripathi, Vijay Verma

    Directed by: Vikas Bahl

    Genre: Drama-Comedy

    “Teachers can change lives with just the right mix of chalk and challenges.”

    -Joyce Meyer

    Well, its September and what do you associate the month of September with generally? For, me the month of September always is associated with the people who transform the lives of other people- the teachers. Teachers though, they are not appreciated for the work they undertake are responsible for bringing all the other professions to life. And it is not just human beings who are responsible for imparting knowledge. Knowledge can come from any source. And any source which imparts knowledge is a teacher according to me. So, who are your teachers ? Do tell me in the comments section. Would love to hear about the same as to what or whom do you consider your teachers.

    The reason why I am talking about teachers so much is that as I said above the month of September reminds me of only one thing and that is teachers. Also, since, Teacher’s Day is a few days away in my country, so maybe this is the right time to raise a toast to the most underappreciated yet inspiring people of our lives. Thus, dedicating this month to these underappreciated people.

    This week’s pick revolves around the life of one such teacher who dedicated his life to learning and teaching . A word of disclaimer however, I am personally not a big fan of Bollywood movies due to lack of creativity and original thought. However, there are certain movies which do stand out and it is these movies which bring a light of hope to lovers of art like me and inspire me to write about them .

    Story Line: Super 30 is a biographical fiction movie which is loosely based on the life of mathematician Anand Kumar. It narrates the story of how Anand Kumar initiated the initiative and what all problems he faced while setting it up and how it kind of revolutionized the Indian education which is kind of messed up lets say due to a lot of reasons. If you are interested in knowing the reasons, I give you the homework to research about the reasons to find out about the same🤓. Maybe this will awaken the nerd in you and maybe enlighten you with something new. And the state of education is not only messed up in my country but also in other countries. However, there are some special scenarios for the mess up in my country. So, how does Anand Kumar try to bring a revolution in the Indian education system? Does he succeed or is his attempt to revolutionize the education system a failure? Also, what are the challenges that Anand Kumar faces in his journey? Does he rise up to them ?Or will he crumble?

    Scrutiny: This is a movie which takes a look into the education system of India. It is said that education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world . But does everyone has the right to equal opportunities in the field of education? Education is supposed to be a universal right of everyone yet a majority of the people are denied the right to education because they do not have the sufficient resources available for funding their education. Though this might sound like a grave situation, yet there are people who are fighting for the educational rights of the children who are denied access. This movie tries to highlight the efforts taken by one such individual.

    This movie also highlights the grave differences one has while accessing education. The rich can afford the best of all the facilities while the poor who try to struggle to meet their basic needs cannot afford the same. The only thing that keeps a poor person going is the fuel of struggle and hard work and sometimes brains. It also highlights the ills which an education system in a country faces.

    Hrithik Roshan shines as the main protagonist so does Nandish Singh Sandhu as his brother along with Aditya Srivastava and Amit Sadh in their respective roles. Mrunal Thakur could have been utilized better and could have been given a better screen timing .

    Sentiment: This is a movie which is an eye-opener and a heartwarming tale of how hard work can beat the best of talents. It also reflects the grave yet harsh realities one has to face while pursuing his or her dreams. But it serves as a great motivational boost as well as a reminder of how privileged we can be. It also makes us realize one thing that the battles which we fight everyday are very small as compared to the battles fought by people who have the misfortune of being born into a poor family. So, if you think that you are the one that is grappled with a lot of problems in life , wait until you encounter a person who is struggling to make his or her ends meet . You will feel pretty humbled when you witness the magnitude of the problems faced by them. It reiterates one fact that the problem is not the lack of resources one possesses but it is often the lack of will. Lack of will to make a positive change in the society even though we have the resources. And maybe those who do make a change or attempt to make a change they are known as revolutionaries. And it is to such people,this movie tries to pay a tribute.

    Quote-unquote : “Baatne se gyaan do ka chaar ho jaata hai … aur na baatne se do ka zero”(When you distribute knowledge, it multiplies four fold and if you do not share, it becomes 0).

    Que: What is the name of the magazine in which Anand publishes his solution?

    a. Mathematics Standard

    b. Mathopedia

    c. Encylopedia of Mathematics

    d. The Mathematical Gazette

    Continue reading →: A groundbreaking teacher?

Hello,

I’m Roshani

Welcome to The Expression Hub! I’m Roshani, who loves to express herself through the medium of writing. This blog is my little corner of the internet where I dive deep into the world of movies, books, and web series—reviewing, analyzing, and sometimes just ranting about the stories that make us laugh, cry, and question everything.

Beyond reviews, you’ll also find my personal musings—random thoughts, life reflections, and the occasional deep dive into the things that inspire me. Think of this as a space where art meets emotion, and where honest opinions matter more than star ratings.

Join me as we explore incredible stories together, one post at a time. Have a recommendation? Let’s talk—I’m always up for discovering something new!

Let’s connect

    Join the fun!

    Stay updated with my latest thoughts and ideas by joining me .

    Join the community
    Design a site like this with WordPress.com
    Get started