Introduction Published in 1845, “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe was met instantly with acclaim from critics and the public alike. Over 170 years after its initial release it still stands as one of the most widely read and analysed works of gothic horror. But what is it exactly that makes this one poem special in its ability to frighten and haunt so many generations of readers? The answer lies in its structure, diction, and use of symbolism. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poe

What is the first thing you associate with October? I reckon it could be hot tea, cinnamon pastries, rain, and a warm blanket with a good film to watch in the evening. But another thing worth mentioning is Halloween. The celebration of death, commonly linked with costumes, along with the trick or treat custom. In fact, the most significant aspect of this festive gathering is to commemorate and cherish those whose time on earth has passed. Nonetheless, many people still think

Imagine you’re playing an association game. The word is vampire. Be quick. You say: Dracula (or if you’re slightly cooler: Carmilla). And there is nothing wrong with that, obviously. The two books have become somewhat of a pattern and an archetype to copy if you ever wanted to write a vampire book that is in any way accurate to the traditional beliefs of what the vampires were and what they represented. Illustration by Michael Fitzgerald for the first installment of Carmilla

Author: Anita Konstantynowicz Petrov, R. (2024, September 6). A black and white photo of a man’s eye. Unsplash. Unsplash.Com. https://unsplash.com/photos/a-black-and-white-photo-of-a-mans-eye-WTUg6scGpm4 Why would anyone willingly enter a haunted house, scare neighbors or dress up as a terrifying character? Fear is usually something people try to avoid, however, on Halloween many individuals deliberately look for frightening experiences. The question is: why do they find it

Author: Sofija Apansiewicz What is all the fun about? “Shock of the Old: Halloween When It Was Actually Scary – in Pictures.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 31 Oct. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/oct/31/shock-of-the-old-halloween-when-it-was-actually-scary-in-pictures. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026. The first Halloween costume appeared more than 2000 years ago as a costume for a ritual known as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated from the e

Buttons, Blue eyes, Roaches, Fog. Halloween’s not so far away. Inevitably, we’ll reach for some good Halloween movies. The one I personally can’t let out of my thoughts is ‘Coraline’. Now, if you know anything about the movie mentioned before, it’s the peculiar atmosphere, the horrifying monster Beldam and the mysterious black cat. Numerous theories arise each Halloween… in this article, we’ll dive into the world of ‘Coraline’, taking a look at it from both the cozy, autumn

Once, there lived a companionate community in Salty Lake- a humble village in the heart of Ireland. Its residents would always hold together, notwithstanding the circumstances. The familial atmosphere among them was floating in the air day in day out; everyone supported one another in their ups and downs. The willingness to sacrifice oneself in the name of others’ good was a paramount value there. Not less significant was the tradition maintenance. This inconspicuous group of

Halloween is usually associated with dressing up in scary costumes, such as witches, spiders or some characters from horrors and going around your neighborhood to collect sweets. It’s a game called “Trick or treat” that most children around the world enjoy playing with their family or friends. But some people have found more creative ways to spend Halloween which became world records. The Island of the Dead Dolls – La Isla de las Muñecas, thenotsoinnocentabroad.com, Accessed

These days Halloween is getting more popular due to being depicted in many American films and books. However, there are still people especially in Poland who don't support or even hate this night. They believe that this is the night when people celebrate and honour Satan. Many of them say that it's against Catholicism and makes fun of death. But how did it all start? Burns, Robert. Halloween. Wikimedia Commons, 1785. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026 At first it was a Celtic celebrati

One final party In a 2021 article for British Vogue, Yomi Adegoke posed the striking question “Has the internet killed subcultures?” The question, taken at face value, may seem strange or simply ridiculous. It seems that, in fact, the growing inter-connectedness of people around the globe would trigger an explosion of new subcultures being formed, with notable examples like emo or scene coming to mind. However, there is merit to the argument that the subcultures of the 2000s

The world is filled with many subcultures that are focused on different aspects of life, ranging from music and fashion to specific values or behaviours. In this article, I will focus on a country that is often a source of inspiration amongst young people - Japan. The “Land of the Rising Sun” is a place where many modern trends, which usually focus mostly on fashion, entertainment and lifestyle, stem from. Japan is the place where lots of modern media comes from due to the fa

Subculture does not ask for permission before it starts shaping you, as it simply operates rather like neural rewriting than conscious choice. It arrives and embeds itself through repetition, whether it is sound, language, or gesture. However, where does that shift actually happen? At what point does subculture classify as a part of our identity that is rooted within the brain? But the thought that interests me most is not whether this influence exists, just when it stops bei

Ever since I can remember everyone wanted to belong somewhere. Find their path to rule one’s life which was usually destined by their parents. This is the moment where subcultures came in. They allowed one to cease the insufferable loneliness felt by being misunderstood and, consequently, alienated. Subculture is the way of living, distinct from the prevalent customs followed by society. It is a group of individuals who believe in the same principles. Throughout the years, su

What is love, if not something we spend our whole lives trying to understand? What is love, if not the most romantic lie we tell ourselves? Something we chase, something we crave, something we fear. Painted in red, wrapped in ribbons, sold in heart-shaped boxes as if love itself could be that simple. As if it could be bought. As if it could be held. But is it ever? How often do we fall in love with the idea of love, rather than the reality of it? We imagine it to be perfect,

“Please, in all this muddle of life, continue to be a bright and constant star. Just a few things remain as beacons: poetry, and you, and solitude.” ― Vita Sackville-West, Love Letters: Vita and Virginia . Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West, two prolific writers of 20th century England. What unique and intimate feelings existed between the literary geniuses and how it impacted their work? It was December 1922, a dinner party where the spark between the two women would i

You probably know one of the most famous (if not the most famous) paintings in the world - Mona Lisa. But… have you ever thought about why it is so popular? It may seem like a normal, ordinary portrait that every artist should be able to replicate. So why is it everywhere? What’s so special about that painting? Da Vinci, Leonardo. The Mona Lisa. Oil on poplar panel, 1505, upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Mona_Lisa%2C_by_Leonardo_da_Vinci%2C_from_C2RMF_retouch

Author: Karolina Niewiadomska ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ (2019), dir. by Céline Sciamma “Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019).”IMDb,2019, www.imdb.com/title/tt8613070/mediaviewer/rm2604053249/?ref_=ttmi_mi_28_1 . Accessed 15 Feb. 2026 I remember when a few months ago one of my friends kept recommending a film called ‘Portrait of a Lady on fire’(2019) to - it seemed to me - literally everyone and one of the response she got was ‘I watched it and it was really nice and artsy but

When most students think about learning, they picture boring textbooks, rereading notes countless times as if that could magically cure their struggle to focus and memorise. They probably also imagine a cup of coffee which they trust to keep them awake during their all-nighter. Art doesn’t usually pop into the minds even if it definitely should, especially when attention span is not sufficient. Whether you’re into drawing, music, or just doodling in the margins of your notes

There is no denying that “why art speaks when words fail” is not a poetic exaggeration, but a universal truth. Language may feel insufficient and unable to capture the whole weight of what we feel. How is it even possible that words which are something we rely on constantly, can suddenly seem so inadequate when our emotions run deep? Why do words feel too rigid, too narrow, or too limited to fully capture what we are enduring? For instance, grief does not arrive in neat sente

Introduction Just a few weeks ago, the biggest event in the American sports calendar lit up the screens of fans around the world. The Super Bowl draws millions of viewers each year, but not all of them tune in for the game itself. In fact, unless one talks to dedicated fans of American football, they are probably more likely to encounter someone who knows the latest halftime performer than the competing teams. This year's show, headlined by Bad Bunny, contained multitudes: