VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Oedipus the King evoke the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Additionally, Sophocles presents man as both unable to choose their path while liable to harsh punishment, drawing…
Additionally, Sophocles presents man as both unable to choose their path while liable to harsh punishment, drawing Thebes’ observers to pity and terrorising them with the implications. In the fulfilment of the oracles’ ‘future great with pain, terror [and] disaster’ in their divinely-ordained prophecies, Sophocles dismisses the notion of free will, emphasising the control the gods hold over man’s life. Sophocles uses dramatic irony - the audience’s understanding of the futility of Laius and Oedipus ‘running’ from their fate - to reinforce the powerlessness of the characters and encourage the audience to pity the characters’ terrible outcomes while also proposing they too lack meaningful control. In a deterministic world, Sophocles explores the notion of ambiguous responsibility, suggesting that man must face consequences for their actions even without choice. He posits the gods as enforcers of justice, with Apollo
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sophocles use ‘Oedipus the King’…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Within his 429 B.C.E. play, ‘Oedipus the King’, Sophocles explores the tension between human capability and divine…
Within his 429 B.C.E. play, ‘Oedipus the King’, Sophocles explores the tension between human capability and divine omniscience, suggesting that while humanly virtues are important in the search for life’s meanings, there is an ultimate limit to such mortal understanding. Sophocles suggests that only the gods can truly understand the mysteries of human existence.
Within ‘Oedipus the King’, Sophocles explores the capabilities of human virtue, extolling mortal intellect, perseverance and compassion as the key drivers in an unrelenting search for meaning. From the play’s outset, Sophocles constructs the titular character of the play, Oedipus, as the admirable embodiment of mortal intellect, leadership and civic responsibility. The play’s Prologue opens with the suffering Theban people, represented by the play’s chorus, “huddling at [Oedipus’] altar”, begging for their king’s help with relieving them from the suffering of the plague’s “red waves of death” – the suffering of “that fiery god of fever.” The area outside “the royal house of Thebes” where they congregate, acts as the bridge between the Theban polis and oikos, a space where the people rely on Oedipus’ civic duty and depend on his mortal capability. Sophocles’ image of their crowding around his altar further portrays Oedipus with the power and worship of a proxy god, highlighting his people’s immense love and dedication towards him. Here, Oedipus reminds his people that he has in fact been “labouring over many paths of thought”, and has already “acted at once” – their cries “haven’t wakened him”, demonstrating his proactive nature as a leader. Further, his immediate pledge of devotion to solving the mystery of Laius’ murder to relieve his people from the plague suggests Sophocles’ championing of Oedipus’ compassion and care for his people. Oedipus’ intellect is illustrated through his having solved the riddle of “that harsh, brutal singer” purely from his own intelligence as he states: “with no help from the birds, the flight of my own intelligence hit the mark.” This only grants him further love and devotion from his people. Within ‘Oedipus the King’, the chorus acts as the vocalised embodiment of the intended thoughts and emotions of the Athenian audience. As such, here, Sophocles’ portrayal of the chorus’ admiration for Oedipus celebrates the capability of man in catalysing the search for the truth of the world.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Rather than viewing Oedipus as a victim,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: In his play, ‘Oedipus the King’, Sophocles explores both the dangers of relentless truth seeking and its…
In his play, ‘Oedipus the King’, Sophocles explores both the dangers of relentless truth seeking and its importance in allowing one to attain true self-realisation. Sophocles suggests that although one can be celebrated for exemplifying moral values and attempting to shed light on the truth, such intentions are fallible in the face of their pre-ordained fate and often lead only to suffering. Although illustrating that persistent truth seeking leads to pain, Sophocles champions the attainment of knowledge as the only true way to truly understand oneself.
Within ‘Oedipus the King’, Sophocles explores the capabilities of human virtue, extolling Oedipus for his relentless perseverance and proactivity in seeking the truth. From the outset of the play, Sophocles constructs Oedipus as the admirable embodiment of compassion, leadership and proactivity, acting as both the now king and the once saviour of Thebes from “that harsh, brutal singer.” Within the prologue, the stage directions outlining Oedipus’ suppliants “bending at [his] altar” and begging him for his help with the plague’s “red waves of death”, imply his people’s faith and trust in Oedipus, portraying him as a proxy-god. Oedipus reminds his people that he has been “labouring over many paths of thought” and already “acted at once”, highlighting his proactive and caring nature – the people’s cries “haven’t wakened [him].” Further, Oedipus’ unrelenting need to “bring it all to light [himself]” illustrates his overriding empathy for “[his children]”, indicating that he acts as not just a leader, but also a paternal figure for the Theban people. In the eyes of both the Theban chorus and the Athenian audience, Oedipus acts as the paragon of distinguished human capability, named the “first of men” and praised for his immense intellect as “with no help from the birds, [his] own intelligence hit the mark.” Throughout the play, Sophocles constructs the Theban chorus as the voice representing the supposed thoughts of audiences. As such, their dedicated love and loyalty to Oedipus at this point in the play, implies Sophocles’ championing of his mortal capability. Through this, Sophocles celebrates the power of undying commitment to the betterment of the community, in the form of truth seeking.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘In High Ground, it is impossible for…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: Stephen Johnson’s 2020 ‘meat pie western’, High Ground, sets forth to reveal unacknowledged and shameful elements…
Stephen Johnson’s 2020 ‘meat pie western’, High Ground, sets forth to reveal unacknowledged and shameful elements of Australia’s colonial past. Set in the Northern Territory, it depicts the cultural, racial and political conflict between its First Nations inhabitants and the colonisers bent on their subjugation. In casting this light on the past, High Ground seeks to establish a shared understanding upon which reconciliation can be built. Johnson’s film is crowded with characters influenced and even governed by their pasts. On the one hand, Johnson examines the destructive impacts of the traumas we suffer, and laments the human inability to discard or modify our flawed ideologies. But on the other, he makes assertion that one’s connection to country and culture, has the power to save us. Johnson is clear that we cannot escape our past. But while its ruinous impact can lock individuals in a cycle of disaster and woe, the traditions of the past offer hope for healing.
Johnson seems fascinated by the destructive impulses which stem from the worst experiences of our past. In this, he serves a warning that people have limits and that those pushed beyond them will become a danger to themselves and others. Gulwirri, High Ground’s female protagonist, has had her heart hardened by sickening violence and exploitation. Raped and her family murdered by whites at a local station, she is an avenging angel on Gutjuk’s shoulder, urging him towards action. “That’s why you have to keep fighting,” she tells him, “Your anger is all you have.” When Grandfather Daarpa seeks negotiation, Gulwirri is furious, accusing the men of cowardice. Shot from below as she stands on the brow of a hill, she shouts her contempt: “You don’t speak for me”. Johnson’s character has claimed the moral high ground, rejecting the presumption of any to dictate what is good for her, let alone her entire people. But while the director’s treatment of her position is sympathetic, it is equally clear that she stands as a barrier to peace.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: I'm trying to do you a favour. I'm trying…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Billy Wilder's 1950's theatrical masterpiece 'Sunset Boulevard', is a film noir set in the post World War 2 film…
Billy Wilder's 1950's theatrical masterpiece 'Sunset Boulevard', is a film noir set in the post World War 2 film industry. Sunset Boulevard critiques the film industry for its marginalisation of women in Hollywood, illustrating them as mere "commodities" that can be discarded more frequently and easily in contrast to men who aren't held up to such high standards and ideals. Through the film’s Norma Desmond, the true extent of Hollywood's exploitation is revealed, and she struggles to cope with rejection. The film further backs this up through Betty and her initial struggles to enter the studio system. However, Wilder also contends that this not the case for all men, using Joe as a symbol to represent how men can also "suffer" as much, if not more than women.
Wilder posits that Hollywood's unforgiving and fraught nature, takes advantage of women and subjects them to unrealistic norms and standards, stripping them of their identity. The film presents Norma as the pinnacle of all suffering. She is portrayed to have frozen herself in time through her mausoleum of a mansion, decorated with "more, and more Norma Desmonds", symbolising her reluctance to admit she is no longer a star like she once was. Mirrors are reoccurring motif, representing Norma's loss of identity and how years of exploitation have forced her to have the belief that stars like her are 'eternal'. Wilder frames the mirrors to implicate the audience in Norma's loss of sanity, to emphasise her undying belief that she is still young and presentable as a coping mechanism. When Joe packs up to leave, Norma looks at herself in the mirror, finally succumbing to the fact that she cannot pretend to be "25", but as the scene progresses, her inability to accept that she is no longer 'big' takes over and her identity begins to fragment. Norma, whose suffering is mostly caused by her inability to accept that she is no longer relevant, can be directly juxtaposed to Cecile B. DeMille, who has due to been able to move on and has adapted to the transition of the talkies, representing how the ability to adapt can help minimise the impacts of the 'heartless monster' that Hollywood is presented as.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: I'm trying to do you a favour. I'm trying…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Billy Wilder's 1950's theatrical masterpiece 'Sunset Boulevard', is a film noir set in the post World War 2 film…
Billy Wilder's 1950's theatrical masterpiece 'Sunset Boulevard', is a film noir set in the post World War 2 film industry. Sunset Boulevard critiques the film industry for its marginalisation of women in Hollywood, illustrating them as mere "commodities" that can be discarded more frequently and easily in contrast to men who aren't held up to such high standards and ideals. Through the film’s Norma Desmond, the true extent of Hollywood's exploitation is revealed, and she struggles to cope with rejection. The film further backs this up through Betty and her initial struggles to enter the studio system. However, Wilder also contends that this not the case for all men, using Joe as a symbol to represent how men can also "suffer" as much, if not more than women.
Wilder posits that Hollywood's unforgiving and fraught nature, takes advantage of women and subjects them to unrealistic norms and standards, stripping them of their identity. The film presents Norma as the pinnacle of all suffering. She is portrayed to have frozen herself in time through her mausoleum of a mansion, decorated with "more, and more Norma Desmonds", symbolising her reluctance to admit she is no longer a star like she once was. Mirrors are reoccurring motif, representing Norma's loss of identity and how years of exploitation have forced her to have the belief that stars like her are 'eternal'. Wilder frames the mirrors to implicate the audience in Norma's loss of sanity, to emphasise her undying belief that she is still young and presentable as a coping mechanism. When Joe packs up to leave, Norma looks at herself in the mirror, finally succumbing to the fact that she cannot pretend to be "25", but as the scene progresses, her inability to accept that she is no longer 'big' takes over and her identity begins to fragment. Norma, whose suffering is mostly caused by her inability to accept that she is no longer relevant, can be directly juxtaposed to Cecile B. DeMille, who has due to been able to move on and has adapted to the transition of the talkies, representing how the ability to adapt can help minimise the impacts of the 'heartless monster' that Hollywood is presented as.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: I'm trying to do you a favour. I'm trying…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Billy Wilder's 1950's theatrical masterpiece 'Sunset Boulevard', is a film noir set in the post World War 2 film…
Billy Wilder's 1950's theatrical masterpiece 'Sunset Boulevard', is a film noir set in the post World War 2 film industry. Sunset Boulevard critiques the film industry for its marginalisation of women in Hollywood, illustrating them as mere "commodities" that can be discarded more frequently and easily in contrast to men who aren't held up to such high standards and ideals. Through the film’s Norma Desmond, the true extent of Hollywood's exploitation is revealed, and she struggles to cope with rejection. The film further backs this up through Betty and her initial struggles to enter the studio system. However, Wilder also contends that this not the case for all men, using Joe as a symbol to represent how men can also "suffer" as much, if not more than women.
Wilder posits that Hollywood's unforgiving and fraught nature, takes advantage of women and subjects them to unrealistic norms and standards, stripping them of their identity. The film presents Norma as the pinnacle of all suffering. She is portrayed to have frozen herself in time through her masoleum of a mansion, decorated with "more, and more Norma Desmonds", symbolising her reluctance to admit she is no longer a star like she once was. Mirrors are reoccurring motif, representing Norma's loss of identity and how years of exploitation have forced her to have the belief that stars like her are 'eternal'. Wilder frames the mirrors to implicate the audience in Norma's loss of sanity, to emphasise her undying belief that she is still young and presentable as a coping mechanism. When Joe packs up to leave, Norma looks at herself in the mirror, finally succumbing to the fact that she cannot pretend to be "25", but as the scene progresses, her inability to accept that she is no longer 'big' takes over and her identify begins to fragment. Norma, whose suffering is mostly caused by her inability to accept that she is no longer relevant, can be directly juxtaposed to Cecile B. DeMille, who has due to been able to move on and has adapted to the transition of the talkies, representing how the ability to adapt can help minimise the impacts of the 'heartless monster' that Hollywood is presented as.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: I'm trying to do you a favour. I'm trying…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: 2 Topic Number Billy Wilder's 1950's theatrical masterpiece 'Sunset Boulevard', is a film noir set in the post…
2 Topic Number
Billy Wilder's 1950's theatrical masterpiece 'Sunset Boulevard', is a film noir set in the post World War 2 film industry, continued on last page Wilder critiques the film industry for its marginalisation of women in Hollywood, illustrating them as mere "commodities" that can be discarded more frequently and easily in contrast to men who aren't held up to such high standards and ideals. Through the film's Norma Desmond, the true extent of Hollywood's exploitation is revealed, and she struggles to cope with rejection. The film further backs this up through Betty and her initial struggles to enter the studio system. However, Wilder also contends that this not the case for all men, using Joe as a symbol to represent how men can also "suffer" as much, if not more than women.
Wilder posits that Hollywood's unforgiving and exploitative nature, takes advantage of women and subjects them to unrealistic norms and standards, stripping them of their identity. The film presents Norma as the pinnacle of all suffering. She is portrayed to have frozen herself in time through her masoleum of a mansion, decorated with "more, and more Norma Desmonds", symbolising her reluctance to admit she is no longer a star like she once was. Mirrors are reoccuring motif, representing Norma's loss of identity and how years of exploitation have forced her to have the belief that stars like her are 'eternal'. Wilder frames the mirrors to implicate
the audience in Norma's loss of sanity, to emphasise she uses her undying belief that she is still young and presentable as a coping mechanism. When Joe packs up to leave, Norma looks at herself in the mirror, finally sucombing to the fact that she cannot pretend to be "25", but as the scene progresses, her inability to accept that she is no longer 'big' takes over and her identify begins to fragment. Wilder juxtaposes this to Cecile B. DeMille, who Norma, whose suffering is mostly caused by her inability to accept that she is no longer relevant, can be directly contrasted to Cecile B. DeMille, who has due to been able to move on and has adapted to the transition of the talkies, represents how the ability to adapt can help minimize the impacts of the 'heartless monster' that Hollywood is presented as.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Blind, lost in the night, endless night…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Aristotelian tragic literature explores the ways in which ignorance and knowledge grant power to individuals. In…
Aristotelian tragic literature explores the ways in which ignorance and knowledge grant power to individuals.
In Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King,” metaphorical blindness only serve to reinforce false reasoning and security, while knowledge exposes the lack of control one truly has. Literal blindness thus functions as a symbol of acceptance, and a return of power to those who accept truth.
Sophocles condemns the ways ignorance masks truths, waning against false reasoning that serve to perpetuate the illusion of power.
The name Oedipus recalls the greek word ‘oida’, meaning “to know”; ironically, Oedipus’ name promises his wisdom, as reinforced through his relentless search for knowledge and truths, yet his inability to accept these uncomfortable ideas that oppose his own sense of identity is what ultimately lead to his downfall. This is further exemplified through his stichomythic exchange with Tiresias, in which Sophocles employs a mocking, arrogant tone as Oedipus insults Tiresias. His rejection and inability to accept the truths that Tiresias plainly lays out for him thus expose his true motives. Oedipus is positioned as a contradictory, disingenuous figure, aiming only to portray himself as truth searching, while simultaneously selectively accepting ideas that reinforce his own false narrative. For an Athenian audience, Oedipus stands as a cautionary figure, warning against false reasoning with the intent of upholding illusions of power.
Similarly, Jocasta’s blasphemous exclamation to “free yourself [Oedipus] of very charge!” illustrate her impiety in favour of her own authority. Her willful ignorance of the prophecy, believing that she has outsmarted fate inflates her confidence to the point of arrogance. Jocasta’s inability to not only see but confront and accept truths in order to maintain her illusion of control is what ultimately leads to her suicide; she cannot bear to grapple with the magnitude of her actions, and even as she sees the impending truth looming ahead, Jocasta, rather than telling Oedipus the truth herself, begs him to “Stop… call off this search!”. Through this, Sophocles illustrates the ways in which metaphorical blindness to truths, particularly ones that perpetuate delusions of power, only result in one's downfall.
Sophocles suggest that true knowledge exposes the lack of control one holds.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: We Have Always Lived in the Castle…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Shirley Jackson's 1962 female gothic novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, captures the societal regime of…
Shirley Jackson's 1962 female gothic novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, captures the societal regime of 1950s and 60s America, whereby deviation from the norm faced immense persecution and outcasting. Jackson's text examines exclusion and prejudice as correlated entities, criticising that they each hold damaging implications for both the persecuted and the persecutor. Ultimately, while Jackson uncovers exclusion and prejudice as the characteristics of inhumanity that inflict damage on those targeted, she also posits that the relationship between bias and ostracism is inherent in humankind.
Jackson interrogates fear and psychological damage as consequences of othering for those targeted. Merricat claims she was "afraid of [the villagers]" which is accompanied by the disturbing simile that the women would come at her "like a flock of taloned hawks". Here, Jackson's predatory imagery punctuates Merricat's fearful perception of the environment outside her home. Her meticulous and routine safety measures, such as attending to the fence "every Wednesday" to ensure its security that allows them to be "safe for another week" amplifies the internalised fear; deeply ingrained within her identity. Indeed, unease is normalised within the Blackwood mansion - the house itself a representative of the damaged state of its inhabitants. The family have "[a]lways [l]ived in the [c]astle"; a title that suggests entrapment within the past and the traditions of this time. This is solidified by the imagery personifying the house, where Merricat takes comfort in knowing there was always "a solid foundation of stable possessions weighting it, and keeping it steady against the world". Hence, Jackson crystallises that ostracism has forced the sisters into the shackles of their former family's existence; haunted by the murder and the gender roles that persist in its wake. Uncle Julian has "never been well since" the familicide and remains fixated on his "notes" documenting the fatal day. His unsettling repetition in inquiring to Constance about the events, such as whether John Blackwood "took his cigar in the garden that morning" is a gothic element wielded by Jackson to engulf the reader in the psychological breakdown of the remaining family. His subversion of objective truth, claiming he will commence with "an exaggeration and henceforth continue into an outright lie" magnifies that trauma breeds reality distortion; compounding the disturbing consequences of prejudice. Further, Constance carries the burden of her sister's murder; becoming the physical target of the villager's hatred, a violence so severe that it becomes embedded within her sense of self. Indeed, Merricat notices that Constance believing "it's all [her] fault" has become "her new way of thinking", epitomising the notion that shame has been adopted through incessant prejudicial violence. So, Jackson exposes the repercussions of bigotry on those who are the victims of it.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ii. ‘Who was it, Max? What is it?’…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Set against the backdrop of Hollywood's transition to talkies, a period that relegated silent-era icons to…
Set against the backdrop of Hollywood's transition to talkies, a period that relegated silent-era icons to obscurity, Billy Wilder’s film noir 'Sunset Boulevard' explores the stark contrast between Hollywood glamour and cynical reality. Ultimately, Wilder suggests people in Hollywood are enticed to obscure reality in an attempt to escape the grasp of a callous industry. Henceforth examining the factors that cause characters to fabricate reality, the effect it has on their humanity, and the triumph of delusion fed by lies, resulting in tragedy.
B1:
Initially, Wilder demonstrates how Hollywood's pressures compel individuals to conceal and warp reality. Wilder highlights the economic hardship for aspiring successors in the industry, through the claustrophobic depiction of Joe Gillis’ apartment, captured by a cramming of mis-en-scene. Wilder portrays Joe’s financial difficulty in order to suggest his eventual participation in Norma’s fantasy does not come from a state of genuine immorality, rather is driven by desperation to evade economic disparity. Therefore his dishonesty is presented as a product of Hollywood's pressures rather than simple immorality.
This desperation is furthered by illustrating the industry's preference of systematic formulas for success over genuine creativity. When Joe’s ‘Bases Loaded’ is tossed aside in a whip-pan cut, the scene highlights how Hollywood disregards writing that risks failure, with the director proclaiming he would’ve rejected ‘Gone with the Wind’, another creative piece of writing. Instead, suggesting a hysterical ‘Story of the Woman’ piece to capture eyes, Wilder introduces the appeal of shortcuts to attain success. Therefore providing reason for Joe’s decision to affirm Norma’s script as good when it wasn’t in order to attain employment.
Broadening this idea, Wilder adopts a different angle to contend Hollywood stars warp the truth about themselves in order to preserve their sanctity through the meta-casting of former silent-films stars like Buster Keaton. Choosing to have the silent stars sit around the poker table like ‘waxworks’, almost lifeless in their stature, Wilder expresses the consequence of a callous industry that disregards previous stars in the pursuit of innovation and youth. Thereby Wilder suggests silent stars like Norma Desmond have reason to warp the truth about their own identity, in a desperation to remain lively, confident, and relevant, fearing that an acceptance of their bleak reality will lead to the dull fate of her surrounding peers. By exposing the pressures that leave individuals vulnerable within Hollywood, Wilder reveals why they resort to distorting reality to protect themselves.
B2:
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: otk suggests that reason plays a limited…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, reason is presented as a valuable but limited force in human life. Oedipus’…
In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, reason is presented as a valuable but limited force in human life. Oedipus’ intelligence allows him to solve problems and pursue truth, yet his reasoning cannot overcome fate or the limits of human knowledge. Sophocles ultimately suggests that reason is necessary for understanding the world, but becomes dangerous when humans assume it gives them complete control over their lives.
Sophocles initially presents reason as an important source of human power. Oedipus’ ability to solve the Sphinx’s riddle establishes him as an intelligent and capable leader, allowing him to become king of Thebes. His reputation as a rational problem-solver continues when he investigates the murder of Laius after learning that the city’s plague will only end when the murderer is found. His determination to “bring all to light” demonstrates his belief that careful investigation can restore order. Oedipus’ reasoning is therefore shown to have genuine value, allowing him to protect his people and pursue justice. However, Sophocles gradually reveals that intelligence cannot guarantee control over human circumstances.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Rainbow's End, discrimination has…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Rainbow’s End (2005), a historical drama by Jane Harrison, compels the audience to confront the lives of three…
Rainbow’s End (2005), a historical drama by Jane Harrison, compels the audience to confront the lives of three Indigenous ‘women who fought the good fight’ as they face struggles of racial hardships in the 1950’s. While Harrison explores discrimination of the Indigenous community, she expands on how generational and constant discrimination affects individual and cultural identity, while showcasing racism as a motive to hope more. Through exploring government control over the Indigenous community, how discrimination shapes a growing identity, and presenting a hopeful perspective from discrimination, Harrison exposes the profound effects of discrimination in realistic experiences.
The constant surveillance and control held by the government diminishes cultural identity and freedom. When the Dear family was visited by the inspector, the act of the inspector ‘writing notes’ visually represents the objectification of the family’s culture and lives. The act of noting points while in the humpy shows the surveilling nature of authorial figures in the 1950’s. This elicits a sense that assumes the Indigenous culture, home, and lifestyle are objects that are deemed as incorrect, and required to be handled by authority. The act of writing down notes was proceeded with the inspector claiming that ‘things must change’ allows Harrison to emphasise the discriminative power the authority possesses, as the directive encapsulates condescending attitudes towards the culture lived and maintained by the Dear family. A tension is created, as the characters are tied between living a life in struggle and constantly pestered to fix their culture, or assimilate to the standardised way of living and lose their identity. Harrison was able to emphasise the method of erasure intended, and the agency lost by the Dear family. Further on, this elimination of culture and identity was showcased to be permanently lost, as the ‘sound of bulldozers’ were heard in an emotionally tragic scene. The auditory element of bulldozers initially confronts the audience towards a destructive and disturbing atmosphere of the humpy’s demolishing. Beyond a physical setting, Harrison uses the bulldozers as a powerful image of displacement, as history and memories of culture and identity are lost. The loss of the humpy signifies a loss of culture and freedom that was found in the humpy, relating back to the modernisation in the 1950’s that was caused by government discrimination actions. Hence, the government power and intent causes profound effects on Indigenous culture and heritage loss when motivated by discrimination.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In his play, Sophocles portrays both the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Addressing and written for an Athenian audience undergoing an intellectual revolution, Sophocles’ perennial 5th…
Addressing and written for an Athenian audience undergoing an intellectual revolution, Sophocles’ perennial 5th century Greek tragedy Oedipus the King extends an erudite yet theistical exploration of the inherent tragedy of the human condition. Sophocles examines how the grief which amounts as a result of divine retribution causes individuals to enact senseless punishment on themselves. Furthermore, the playwright exposes how compassion towards others heightens sympathetic grief, driving leaders to undertake honourable, yet tragically fated, efforts to alleviate suffering. However, he nevertheless celebrates grief as offering opportunities for growth, by revealing the primacy of divine rule and the necessity for piety. Ultimately, Sophocles deems that sorrow and anguish champion excellence and fruitless agony alike.
Sophocles delineates how, when confronted by the grief of their fate, individuals inevitably and pointlessly direct this pain inwards. Despite her efforts to remain ignorant to it, the eventual exposition of the truth is punctuated by Jocasta’s paroxysmic outburst ‘Aieeeeee’ followed by the tricolonic repetition of ‘ever’. This emotional purging reflects the deep grief evoked by her revelation. The violence which follows is epitomised by the description of the queen ‘dangling in a woven noose’. Here the specific terminology of the material reflects the convergence of external and internal factors propelling her demise, catalysed by the instigation of grief through knowledge. Sophocles thereby evinces the extreme harm which grief enacts, driving fruitless self-punishment. Furthermore Oedipus’ grief similarly translates into punishment of himself. The chorus asserts the many ‘griefs… doom, death, disgrace’ which accompany the realisation of the king’s prophecy. The use of the plosive ‘d’ carries an abruptness which creates a hard, heavy sound, mirroring his interminable sorrow. Indeed, Sophocles extends this impact by detailing the ‘black hail of blood’ which ‘puls[es], gushing down’ following Oedipus’ auto-enucleation. The playwright’s use of visceral morbid imagery evokes terror and pity alike from his Athenian audience, exemplifying the capacity for grief to propel individuals toward absolute and self-destructive measures. The futility of these efforts is emphasised in Oedipus’ assertion that he ‘simply did not know’, illuminating how the fatalistic structure of the play inevitably leaves individuals incapable of determining the outcome of their lives. The monarch’s actions in response to his anguish thus become an assumption of responsibility for events beyond his control. The playwright thereby asserts the senselessness of punishing oneself for a destiny determined by divine orchestration. Sophocles examines how the emotional torment evoked by the truth and one’s destiny manifests in aimless self-harm.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Barker suggests that societal expectations…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: The values and beliefs of society often pressure people into behaving a certain way, intensifying any underlying or…
The values and beliefs of society often pressure people into behaving a certain way, intensifying any underlying or pre-existing issues. Pat Barker’s 1991 historical fiction novel ‘Regeneration’ explores this issue through the intricacies of the lives of various shell-shocked soldiers receiving psychiatric treatment during World War One. By weaving together elements of fiction and reality, Barker explores how societal expectation of duty and service can reinforce the trauma of war through reshaping one’s identity. Additionally, Barker expresses how the societal expectation of emotional repression fortifies the traumatic experiences of war-scarred men, fundamentally injuring an entire generation of men and by consequence, society as a whole. However, Barker demonstrates how the expectations of society may not always negatively solidify the effects of war but can momentarily provide liberation and joy for some. Ultimately, Barker exposes how trauma catalysed by war is intensified by societal expectations, however Barker additionally reveals how those who have a strong sense of humanity are able to find joys in life that would have otherwise been impossible.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Orbital shows that nature always has more…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: In Samantha Harvey’s novel Orbital, nature exerts a power far greater than that of humanity, primarily through its…
In Samantha Harvey’s novel Orbital, nature exerts a power far greater than that of humanity, primarily through its reminder of mortal fragility and space’s absolute control over time. While nature is portrayed as authoritative and all-encompassing, Harvey complicates this view by suggesting that humans, despite their perceived insignificance, still exert a grave and lasting impact on the planet. Ultimately, the novel illustrates that although humanity is dwarfed by the vastness of the natural world, our collective actions remain consequential and deeply destructive.
Harvey displays the power of the natural world to remind humans of their mortality. While the astronauts orbit the Earth to observe the existence of life, they bear witness to the catastrophic formation of a typhoon. Harvey uses this storm as a symbol to illustrate the immense scale of nature. Throughout each orbit, the astronauts face a constant reminder of the typhoon’s “destructive” capacity; though it is described as beautiful, it is also cataclysmic. They are forced to observe the damage, unable to do anything but watch as the “typhoon will roll out of sight and their vigil will end.” The idea that the storm will simply “roll out of sight” reiterates that humans cannot prevent the repercussions that threaten the planet. By admitting that “their vigil will end,” the astronauts acknowledge that they remain inferior to nature's power. This inability to intervene underscores their helplessness, proving that the storm's consequences are entirely beyond their control. Amidst this journey, Nell observes the storm with the detached precision of a scientist, yet her conversation with Pietro shifts the moment away from pure analysis. When Pietro recalls his time in the Philippines, noting, “I made friends with a fisherman, my wife and I had dinner with his family,” he transforms the storm from a meteorological event into something deeply personal. Their discussion of diving and marine life contrasts the destructive force of the typhoon with the delicate beauty of the ocean below, reflecting how climate disasters disproportionately affect the vulnerable. Through this, Harvey demonstrates that humans remain fragile against the scale and unpredictability of the natural world.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In his novella, the characters’ inaction…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s crime fiction novella “chronicle of a death foretold” pivots on the brutal murder of…
Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s crime fiction novella “chronicle of a death foretold” pivots on the brutal murder of Santiago Nasar, raising questions around collective responsibility and moral inaction. The author emphasises that the lack of moral action taken by the villagers was tied to the belief that the death was bound to happen. However, the author complicates this idea by also suggesting that the moral inaction was linked to the protagonist’s outsider status and the need for women to protect their honour.
Marquez highlights that the lack of moral choices made by the townspeople was due to the perception that the death was inevitable. Through the use of symbolism, Marquez demonstrates that the villagers moral inaction was tied to this belief. For instance, pura vicario, had a “good reputation” of interpreting dreams. However, her misinterpretation of her son’s dream of being a “good sign of health” and ignoring the “drizzle of rain” and the “grove of timber trees’ creates an illusion that his death was bound to happen. Marquez uses the misinterpretation to highlight the dramatic irony as the protagonist’s own mother failed to understand his dream and it foreshadowed the circumstances surrounding Santiago's death as “many agreed” that there was a “drizzle” of rain at the time of the misfortune. Through this, Marquez suggests that the missed warning created an illusion of the inevitable nature of the tragedy. Marquez ties this missed warning to the town’s belief that “no one could understand such fatal coincidences” to highlight the way villagers excused themselves from taking accountability and moral action by justifying that the tragedy was “assigned to us by fate.” Through this, Marquez illustrates the way the townspeople used “fate” as an excuse to avoid responsibility although they had many opportunities to intervene. Marquez leaves readers questioning whether the death was actually inevitable as he highlights the way the town believed it was “Fate” that led to the tragedy but also questions their lack of attempts to prevent the crime. Thus, marquez reinforces the notion that the characters’ inaction was tied to the belief the tragedy was bound to happen.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sunset Boulevard explore the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 97.5%: Set amidst the Golden Age of Hollywood and the studio system, Billy Wilder’s film noir Sunset Boulevard (1950)…
Set amidst the Golden Age of Hollywood and the studio system, Billy Wilder’s film noir Sunset Boulevard (1950) exposes the deep underbelly of Tinseltown, where the promise of success conceals a culture built upon exploitation and obsolescence. Wilder presents decline and decay as both personal and institutional, revealing how Hollywood’s relentless pursuit of success corrupts individuals, conceals profound emptiness beneath glamour, and ultimately discards those who lose their commercial value. Through Joe Gillis’s moral deterioration, Norma Desmond’s delusional attachment to her former fame, and Hollywood’s abandonment of its ageing stars, Wilder demonstrates that decline is not merely an inevitable consequence of time, but is intensified by an industry that commodifies identity and replaces people when they cease to be profitable. Ultimately, Wilder warns that when ambition, appearance and commercial value become measures of human worth, the pursuit of success becomes inherently destructive, transforming the very people who seek recognition into casualties of the industry that promises to elevate them.
From the outset, Wilder explores decline as a consequence of individuals becoming consumed by the pursuit of Hollywood success, as ambition gradually erodes morality, relationships and independence. This is demonstrated through Gillis’s retrospective first-person narration, “I was always a writer” which establishes Joe’s original artistic identity before contrasting it with the compromises that follow. His aspiration to become a writer initially represents independence and creative integrity; however, his financial desperation makes him susceptible to Hollywood’s promise of material security. This deterioration is visualised through mise-en-scene as Joe exchanges his “lousy apartment” for Norma’s extravagant mansion, with the decadent tuxedo and luxurious interiors symbolising his increasing dependence upon her wealth. Crucially, Joe’s physical movement from modest independence into Norma’s opulence mirrors his moral movement towards complicity. Although he initially recognises Norma’s delusions, he willingly accepts her money, clothing and lifestyle because they offer the success he cannot achieve independently. Wilder therefore establishes a paradox at the heart of Hollywood ambition: the pursuit of success that promises freedom instead produces dependence. Joe’s retrospective narration further intensifies this irony, as his cynical posthumous narration transforms his pursuit of material security into a bitter reflection on his own downfall, allowing the audience to view his compromises through the fatal knowledge of their consequences. Thus, personal decline emerges not simply from failure, but from the compromises individuals make when success becomes more valuable than integrity.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'while I lay on the rocks, reaching into…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Analytical response: Shade the box of the question that you are responding to: 1. How does Mary Oliver define…
Analytical response:
Shade the box of the question that you are responding to:
1. How does Mary Oliver define what it means to live a meaningful life?
OR
2. 'while I lay on the rocks, reaching into the darkness, learning little by little to love our only world.'
In New and Selected Poems, the struggle of living is overcome with inner strength. To what extent do you agree?
Mary Oliver's "New and Selected Poems: Volume 1" is an exposition of nature's comforts, life's hardships, and internal determination. While her poetry dissects the struggles of life, and the inner strength needed to endure them, Oliver suggests that it is not only ourselves but also the natural world that supports and comforts us through tribulations. Alongside this, Oliver further expands that hardship is not an obstacle to be overcome, but rather a lesson to be lived through.
Oliver exposes that internal fortitude is necessary in order to endure struggle. In 'The Journey', the speaker tells the reader that when they leave the voices of
Analytical response:
Shade the box of the question that you are responding to:
1. How does Mary Oliver define what it means to live a meaningful life?
OR
2. 'while I lay on the rocks, reaching into the darkness, learning little by little to love our only world.'
In New and Selected Poems, the struggle of living is overcome with inner strength. To what extent do you agree?
Mary Oliver's "New and Selected Poems: volume 1" is an exposition of nature's comforts, life's hardships, and internal determination. While her poetry dissects the struggles of life, and the inner strength needed to endure them, Oliver suggests that it is not only ourselves but also the natural world that supports and comforts us through tribulations. Alongside this, Oliver further expands that hardship is not an obstacle to be overcome, but rather a lesson to be lived through.
Oliver exposes that internal fortitude is necessary in order to endure struggle. In 'The Journey', the speaker tells the reader that when they leave the voices of
society behind, there will be a voice which they recognise "as [their] own" to guide them. This is supported by imagery of the 'stars [burning] through the sheets of clouds', indicating a spiritual and heavenly presence. This alludes to religious ideas of some greater power providing strength and guidance through periods of challenge, however, Oliver instead frames by this voice as the reader's own. This positions the reader to understand that the greatest strength to endure hardship will come from within oneself. This value is furthered through the anaphoric "you knew what you had to do". Oliver's specific use of second person throughout this poem causes the reader to understand that only they know what they must do. In the context of the hardships Oliver's speaker outlines, the reader is able to comprehend that in order to look past struggle, they must turn inward, as only they know what they must do. This concept is supported in 'Dogfish' where the speaker reflects that the little fish must dash "themselves"
away from the difficult situation they are in. The particular use of "themselves" indicates that only the fish can take action and find strength to swim away. The overall motif throughout this poem of the fish as humanity and the dogfish as difficulties of life supports this, suggesting that Oliver is asking the reader to look within "themselves" for strength in times of struggle. The reader is able to conclude that they must look for internal fortitude in order to live through inevitable struggles. Oliver thus portrays that inner strength is used to overcome life's hardships.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: The characters in Rainbow’s End are driven…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Indigenous Australians have witnessed the devastating ramifications of colonial dominance that disrupted…
Indigenous Australians have witnessed the devastating ramifications of colonial dominance that disrupted families, opportunity and rendered their vast inequalities. Depriving First Nations people of dignity, independence and power, lasting impacts of intergenerational trauma remains a barrier for growth and improvements. The play Rainbow’s End, written by playwright Jane Harrison, set in the Yorta Yorta lands, serves as a critique of the corruption embedded in the systemic practices of the 1950s Australia. Despite white hegemony and dominance of Eurocentric views, Harrison applauds profound connection to Indigenous identity as a form of resistance against colonial views. Empowerment from the will to rectify corruptions encourages First Nations Australians to fight for aspiration and not succumb to the will of authoritative power. However, Harrison exposes the lasting impacts of intergenerational trauma as a barrier for reform, prompting continuation of impoverished lifestyles.
Harrison applauds identity as a source of empowerment that overcomes the indoc[trinated] influence of Western hegemony. Nan’s characterisation recognises her grit and profound connection to home through her adamant claim to go back to “Murray River” and “die there”. Exhibiting her resistance amid the corruption of Western policies promoting cultural erosion, Harrison reveals the importance of remaining grounded to culture and traditions. Moreover, through her scepticism and reluctance to accept Western practices and society, portrayed as she cynically labels Errol a “gubba fella” and critiques Gladys’ “obsession” with British monarchy, Harrison exposes the deeply rooted consequence of intergenerational trauma that shaped views and perceptions. Emphasising Nan’s disapproval as not solely fulfilled by anger but rather an act of defiance to remain in control of her own life, Harrison demonstrates the need for Indigenous society to not abandon connection to home or identity. Harrison suggests that Indigenous Australians [need to] adopt immense connection to culture to ensure culture is preserved and passed along generations, resisting cultural genocide.Similarly, through the love interest of Errol and Polly, Harrison reveals the need for acknowledgement and acceptance of cultures and traditions. Despite Errol’s innocent yet ignorant aspiration to provide Polly a “better life”, he ironically disrupts their relationship through his inability to account for the values and traditions of First Nations Australians. His goal to provide Polly “the world” becomes futile by failing to respect Indigenous lifestyles and their significance in fighting oppression. Polly’s strong characterisation reinforces her as a hopeful and admirable figure for Indigenous women by not succumbing to temptations of comfort and convenience to remain grounded to her identity. Depicting Indigenous women’s strength and power as stemming from the negligence to be consumed by Eurocentric views, Harrison emphasises control and autonomy as empowerment in a prejudiced society.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does We Have Always Lived in the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 92.5%: In the 1962 Gothic novella, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson constructs an unsettling world in…
In the 1962 Gothic novella, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson constructs an unsettling world in which boundaries between sanctuary and confinement, innocence and violence, and normality and deviance are persistently destabilised. Through Merricat’s unreliable and deeply subjective narration, Jackson positions the reader within the isolated Blackwood estate, where the sisters’ withdrawal from society appears simultaneously protective and destructive. Against the hostility of the village and the lingering influence of social conventions and past trauma, Jackson exposes how prolonged isolation distorts characters’ perceptions of themselves, others and reality. Ultimately, Jackson suggests that isolation offers refuge from a hostile environment, yet increasingly confines the Blackwood sisters within their own constructed sanctuary.
Initially, Jackson presents prolonged ostracism as a psychological refuge, allowing the Blackwood sisters to seek security from the hostility and judgement of outside society. The villagers’ treatment of Merricat and Constance demonstrates how social hostility drives alienated individuals towards isolation. The townspeople’s depiction of the Blackwoods as monstrous culminates in the taunt, “Merricat, said Constance, would you like a cup of tea”, rendering their hostility as a nursery rhyme and transforming their belittlement into communal entertainment derived from a traumatic experience. Jackson’s use of a childish verse form exposes how the townspeople’s cruelty has become normalised rather than recognised as shameful. Their treatment of Merricat develops into a form of communal surveillance, intensifying her anxiety during her weekly shopping trips. Merricat’s confession that she “was afraid of going past that house” depicts the village as a space of observation and hostility, where the unseen judgement of others threatens her autonomy. In response, Merricat’s rituals and imaginative projections replace conventional social norms, allowing the sisters to construct security within their isolated reality. Her “new magical safeguards” reinforce her child-like mentality, enabling her to impose a sense of control over the external world she perceives as destructive. Likewise, Merricat’s fractured imagination fuels her fantasies of self-exile, revealing how sustained cruelty has conditioned her to equate security with detachment from reality. Her belief that “everything’s safe on the moon” transforms the moon’s remoteness into a symbol of psychological refuge, illustrating her child-like conviction that extreme separation from society offers ultimate safety. Jackson therefore suggests that when conventional society becomes threatening, isolation can appear to be the only means of preserving security and autonomy.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: explore the significance of honour in the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 1981 novella "Chronicle of a death foretold" is set within the 1950s Colombian society…
Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 1981 novella "Chronicle of a death foretold" is set within the 1950s Colombian society paralysed by patriarchal-honour codes, illuminating the institutional failure and moral hypocrisy. Marquez exposes how rigid patriarchal-honour codes relied on by the community, ultimately legitimising sanctioned violence due to the obsession of purity. Marquez illustrates transgression is possible, and the murder is a result of institutional failure and individual choice, highlighting the community's complicity. Marquez presents the novella through a past friend of Santiago Nasar, returning to understand the murder. Marquez elucidates how institutional failure role model morality, results in distorted mores that rationalise violence as gender expectations, consequently highlighting complicity through other's ability to subverse.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “This year i’m trying to make a living”…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Wilder presents a Hollywood culture of utility-based valuation, commodifying individuals and compelling them to…
Wilder presents a Hollywood culture of utility-based valuation, commodifying individuals and compelling them to compromise their authenticity in order to maintain professional survival. He makes a self-reflexive critique of the industry, uncovering the ways in which those within it are forced into moral erosion as a result of an exploitative corporate hierachy that is the studio system. Wilder depicts how writers like Joe, are reduced to a tool of film creation, exemplified by Sheldrake's dismissive opening address "OK Gillis you have 5 minutes". In Sheldrake, who is representative of higher-up authorities in Hollywood, even going so far as to alter Joe's work entirely and "make it a musical", Joe realises that "to make a living", he must abandon the writer he wants to be and instead become the utility that Hollywood demands. In knowing "just a story won't do", Joe becomes willing to forgo his honest character, reflected in his "bases loaded"
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “This year i’m trying to make a living”…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Wilder presents a Hollywood culture of utility-based valuation, commodifying individuals and compelling them to…
Wilder presents a Hollywood culture of utility-based valuation, commodifying individuals and compelling them to compromise their authenticity in order to maintain professional survival. He makes a self-reflexive critique of the industry, uncovering the ways in which those within it are forced into moral erosion as a result of an exploitative corporate hierachy that is the studio system. Wilded depicts how, writers like Joe, are reduced to a tool of film creation, exemplified by Sheldrake's dismissive opening address "OK Gillis you have 5 minutes". In Sheldrake, who is representative of higher-up authorities in Hollywood, even going so far as to alter Joe's work entirely and "make it a musical", Joe realises that "to make a living", he must abandon the writer he wants to be and instead become the utility that Hollywood demands. In knowing "just a story won't do", Joe becomes willing to forgo his honest character, reflected in his "bases