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By EDITH KITCHEL
8-18 Media
Special to the Journal
"I would rather die than revoke what God has made me do", Joan of Arc fearlessly announced this in a trial that would decide her fate. Joan of Arc was the daughter of Isabelle Rami and Jacques D’Arc, and was the savior of France. A childhood that was quite uneventful, a life like none other, an unreasonable death, who does this add up to? Joan of Arc.
Joan of Arc had a very normal childhood, but her life was a different story. Joan of Arc was born in Domremy. Her span of a heroic lifetime lasted from 1412 to 1431. Her name, Joan, later known as Joan of Arc, is pronounced as Jeanne d'Arc in French. Jones’ parents were very strict with their five kids. Jones’ family house, which was not very big, had stone walls and a dirt floor. It also had no bathroom, so no one was probably very clean. When Joan was 13, she reported that she saw angels. Later, she realized that they were Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret! John was alone in the garden, and Catherine and Saint Margaret appeared! They told Joan, " Go save France," so she did.
Joan of Arc had an incredible life but also a dangerous one. After the angels told her to go save France, she cut her hair into a boy’s haircut. Then Joan changed into boys’ clothes and left. Joan went to the king to help him save France. She needed to help him win the war. Rumors spread, so the king quickly knew that she was coming. When the majestic king heard of Joan coming, he changed his appearance and put Joan to the test. She would have to find him at a party where he was dressed like everybody else. He propped someone up as the king and told him to welcome Joan into the party, as the king. Joan was not deceived by this and quickly found the real king. She found him with her connections to the spirits. The king gave Joan a flag armor and a sword. Joan inspired people everywhere she went. Someone fought many battles, private and public. She was always a symbol of Hope... for the French!
Joan of Arc had a very unjust ending. There are many stories about how Joan died, but only she knows the truth. One of the stories of how she died is that she was wounded and could not fight anymore, and in 1430, Joan went to a town to save them from the English. On the way there, Joan had a vision that on June 24th, she would be captured. Ironically, her troop got to the town on June 24th, but she was eager to fight, so she foolishly ignored it. Wrong decision. They were enormously outnumbered. Just like in her vision, Joan was captured and put in prison. She went on trial because she was a woman fighting in the war, had led her people to fight the English, and was thought to be lying about seeing god. She was found guilty by the bishop, who was paid by the government to kill her! On May 30th, 1431, at 19 years age of Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Her ashes were thrown into a rushing river and washed down the stream. 25 years later, she was declared innocent. In 1920, she was declared a saint. People wonder what would have happened if Joan of Arc hadn’t had such an untimely death.
The most memorable event in the life of Joan of Arc is that she saved the French from the 100 Years’ War, was captured by the English, and despite her loyalty, the French chose not to save her from death. Joan of Arc changed history. Joan of Arc inspires me greatly in her way of seeing something wrong and fixing it. She stood up to the English, even though it was dangerous. She inspires me to stand up to my own fears. Hopefully, after reading this, she will inspire you too!
Edith Kitchel is 11 years old and loves creative writing and art.
Their favorite food is gnocchi and pierogies. They want you to know they do not like sports.