Edward Hopper Winners A2

We received thousands and thousands of fabulous entries to our Edward Hopper creative-writing contest. Here are our favourite texts entered as A2 and those who chose the 100-word limit. 

And the winners are, in no particular order:

Amandine and Amélie from Mme Parigot’s class, Collège Jean Racine, Viroflay
Maya, Manon and Lilou from Mme Hérault’s class, Collège Léon Huet, La Roche Posay
Benjamin from Mme Liponne’s class, Collège La Sidoine, Trevoux
Marie, Anouk and Jules from Mrs Drouaud’s class, Collège Notre-Dame Le Ménimur, VannesRami from Mme Robb’s class, Lycée Français de Jérusalem
Chloé from Collège Fabre d'Eglantine, La Rochelle. A project led by Mme Bonnet and Mme Poiraud
Salma from Mme Mazurek’s class, St Pierre Fourier, Paris
Giovanni from Mme. Boisroux’s class, Collège Georges Seurat, Courbevoie
Céline, Juliette and Alexandrine from Mme Baour’s class, La Maison des Loges, St Germain-en-Laye

Scroll down to discover their amazing texts!

Amandine and Amélie from Mme Parigot’s class, Collège Jean Racine, Viroflay

Morning Sun, 1952

I was nine years old when you first showed me ballet. I didn’t like it at first, and your way of teaching wasn’t the best.

One day, you finally told me that something wasn’t going great in your body. I knew that you were getting a bit more tired every day, but you still wanted to teach me ballet. A week later, when you came into the living room, you suddenly fainted. Panicked I took you to the hospital. Even though the doctors were always on your side, you weren’t getting better and one day you died. I was 19 at this time.

Today, it’s been four years since you went and today I am entering your dream ballet school.

Are you proud of me, Mom?

Maya, Manon and Lilou from Mme Hérault’s class, Collège Léon Huet, La Roche Posay

Young Woman in a Studio, 1906.

The Story of Tuesday

Her name is Tuesday. She is Wednesday’s cousin. She was born on a Friday, on November 13th. She is a hat maker. She really wants to find love, she uses an app called “TinDark”.

In her life, she was rejected a lot. So she is single at 29 years old.

One of her love stories lasted 7 months, 3 days and 2 hours. His name was Mister Rochester. He was a Goth, just like her, but he didn’t like hats, so it didn’t work.

She was depressed for 4 months and she made even more beautiful hats. She became famous thanks to her hats.

Mister Rochester must be really jealous now…

 

Benjamin from Mme Liponne’s class, Collège La Sidoine, Trevoux

Rooms by the Sea, 1951

There was once a man who wanted a new house next to the sea, but the engineer of the house was quite stupid and built it in the middle of the sea. His excuse was “But it's next to the sea.” Next, the second day, the man wanted to go to the market but he forgot that the sea was just next to his door! So, he opened it... and he fell...

for a long time... maybe keeps on falling even now.

But the house isn't dilapidated because it's a magic house. And it remained like that: with its “rooms by the sea”.

Marie, Anouk and Jules from Mme Drouaud’s class, Collège Notre-Dame Le Ménimur, Vannes

Groundswell, 1939

We are in 1980, in the north Pacific Ocean. We live in Polowat island. Today, we have decided to take a short excursion in boat. The weather is beautiful. We have been sailing for several hours when we see a mooring buoy. Strangely, the water was transparent at this place, and you could see the bottom. We decide to dive to explore the bottom. After a few minutes, Mika’s diving mask begins to fill with water. By wanting to go back, Marie gives him a kick who pushes him to the bottom. He panics and touches a metal object. He comes back and tells us about his discovery. Intrigued, we decide to return at the bottom.

We discover a military airplane! It is very big! Inside, there are a lot of multi-coloured fish. Marie comes back with a military jacket. It is in decomposition, but a pocket resists more. It is waterproof. We put the pocket in the boat. Inside, we discover a photo of a woman with a date behind: 1942. There is also a medal with a name: Willy Brown. Who is it? Mystery... Probably, it’s an American soldier who died in the Second World War. The woman is his wife... We decide to honor him by burying the photo and the medal on the island. We cover the hole with rose petals and put up a sign indicating: "Willy Brown, died for France."

Rami from Mme Robb’s class, Lycée Français de Jérusalem

Jo Sketching in the Truro House,  1934-1938

Life on the Border

The past cannot be changed, only recollected, and that the future can be designed according to our choice. I live at the crossroads of different time periods, and the past is guiding me.

I am sitting alone in this lost and abandoned place, trying to draw my future, my dreams. I am imagining a city where people from different cultures, beliefs, traditions, languages, and feelings, will live next to each other; I am designing homes, green parks, an open school where we will study together outside in the fields, spend our weekends on the golden sand of the beach, run, laugh, talk and keep dreaming.

We cannot just keep imagining; we need to believe that dreams come true.

Hopefully, at some point, a real peace will be achieved and kept. Until then, I will be patient and will try to make the best our reality.

Chloé from Collège Fabre d'Eglantine, La Rochelle. A project led by Mme Bonnet and Mme Poiraud

Compartment C, Car 293, 1938

On the 3rd March 1938, the love of my life passed away, from cancer. On that day, I cried all the tears I had. Everyone told me: “You’re gonna be okay.” But no! My best friend, my soulmate died that day! I could never be happy again. And because nobody can understand, I decided to leave. I took the first train, and I sat here, compartment C, car 293. I needed a long break. My husband, before he died, told me: “Take this book and open it after my death.” So, when I left, I just took this book. I think it’s the good moment to open it. So, I opened it, and I stopped breathing when I saw the first page. It was my husband, with another woman. And I knew she was not just a friend of his.

Salma from Mme Mazurek’s class, St Pierre Fourier, Paris

Folly Beach, 1929

They were all there when the tragedy happened. When a huge wave in golfed, 100 holiday makers, young and old, who were all enjoying the bright sun. No one suspected that later in the day the beach would be empty.

We all know the cause of this wave: global global warming. Every year, tons of glass years melt and give life to huge waves that engulfed the golden sand beaches. The only survivors of this natural disaster are these trees. Thanks to the huge roots, they are able to resist the current and are the only survivors.

The trees were the only survivors, and still stand, despite this disaster. It shows that nature has not said it’s last word, and remain standing like trees.

Giovanni from Mme. Boisroux’s class, Collège Georges Seurat, Courbevoie

Sunlight on Brownstones, 1954

Kevin and Dotty were recently wed, and everything was going smoothly, Kevin had gotten a job and Dotty recently started volunteering at the local church. The couple truly represented the "American Dream" of the 50’s. As they stood outside of their new house, looking at the safe neighborhood of Brownstone. Both sat in perfect silence and peace, as they sipped their coffee they both looked forward to the upcoming Monday. Dotty was going to serve at her first communion whereas Kevin was going into his first day at the office as a car salesman at the newly opened Ford dealership.

In a few hours they would be hosting a housewarming party with their neighbors. They had finished setting it all up from plates to food and drinks to silverware. Many of the guests would be bringing a variety of snacks and drinks, so Kevin and Dotty made sure to lay the minimum. The town of Brownstone was recognized for its polite people, so the young couple had little to worry about. Kevin and Dotty were a happy couple whose marriage would be long and healthy.

Céline, Juliette and Alexandrine from Mme Baour’s class, La Maison des Loges, St Germain-en-Laye

Soir bleu, 1914

The crowd was cheating him, and he felt like the king of the stage. His name was Antoine, his father was French for the immigrated to England during World War II. Antoine was a little boy with autism, and since he had been born, he had always felt apart. He was never very good at school, so he started theater, and it was meant for him.

Over the years, he became the most popular clown in the world, but there was always something wrong: he felt terribly lonely, and he started to ask himself a lot of questions about his life.

His career was ruined, he didn’t know why, but every time he would come across someone, they would start crying. He no longer wanted to go out and suffered with his pain.

So, he went back to his native country. He was relieved and often went to a little Cathy. He fell in love with the mood, and he felt at home.

One night, he realized that everyone was sad, no one would pay attention to the others.

The blue of the sky was wonderful, and he started crying. He understood that everyone was different, and that we had to accept the week we were.