A 10th-grade student has taken the internet by storm with her alternative ending to the novella *Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors*
A test essay by a tenth-grade student, in which she proposed her own version of the ending to Mykhailo Kotsyubynsky’s classic work, has gained considerable popularity on social media.
The student’s essay was published by teacher and writer Vira Balatska.
The student reimagined the tragic fate of Ivan and Marichka, giving the characters a chance at a happy life despite the established plotline of death and separation.
The original novella tells of a deep love set against the backdrop of an ancient feud between two Hutsul clans.
After Marichka’s death, the protagonist Ivan finds no solace, marries the unloved Palagna, and ultimately perishes, lured into an abyss by the treacherous voice of a nymph.
The student decided to change the ending, emphasizing the resolution of the feud between the families. In her version, Ivan saves his beloved; they marry and live in harmony until a ripe old age, and their union becomes a symbol of reconciliation for the feuding clans.
“I would have ended the story not with a tragic song of loss, but with a quiet legend of love’s victory,” the girl noted at the end of her work.
The text of the work was published by teacher and writer Vira Balatska, sparking a wave of discussion among users.
Most commenters expressed admiration for the student’s talent, predicting a successful future for her in Ukrainian literature.
Users advised the girl to develop her abilities and pursue a degree in philology, specifically at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.
“I read this alternative ending with great interest. She is a very talented girl. I wish her success, and I am certain she is the future of Ukrainian literature! We look forward to her own stories,” one reader shared her impressions.
At the same time, some readers suspected the use of modern technology in writing the text.
Attentive users noticed certain stylistic features that may indicate the involvement of neural networks, specifically the excessive use of certain conjunctions and specific linguistic constructions.
“The piece is wonderful, but there are three points that give away ChatGPT’s involvement. The first is a classic AI cliché. It inserts its ‘without’ everywhere. The other two points are also telling, but only someone who frequently uses AI will notice them,” noted one of the critics in the comments.
A strange cheat sheet was discovered at the NMT—the organizers were shocked
As a reminder, participants in the National Multisubject Test (NMT) will see preliminary results for each of the four subjects immediately after completing the test. But this is only the first stage in determining final scores.
We have also previously reported that Tetyana Vakulenko, director of the Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality Assessment, urged test-takers not to trust “leaks” of National Multidisciplinary Test (NMT) questions.
