VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “Poor strangers….they have so much to be…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Shirely Jackson's novel, ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’ written in 1962, explores the justification of one's…
Shirely Jackson's novel, ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’ written in 1962, explores the justification of one's fear as a result of the patriarchal and cruel social norms. The novel signifies the strict, conformist, and patriarchal, and consumerist culture of 1950s America. Therefore, Jackson endorses individuals who use their fears as a means of protection, rather than others who dwell upon their fears out of envy and resentment. To begin with, Jackson demonstrates that individuals used their fear as a disguise for their jealousy and greed, critiquing that it is unreasonable for those who acted out of envy due their fear of the other. In continuation, Jackson embodies those who use their sense of unease as a means of protection against the patriarchal society. In addition, justifying those who seclude themselves from the insular community is a means of protection against the cruel society. Ultimately, the novel warns individuals of the dangers of harboring their fear.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard shows that the pursuit of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Billy Wilder’s 1950’s noir film, Sunset Boulevard, paints a cautionary tale of the perilous journey of upholding…
Billy Wilder’s 1950’s noir film, Sunset Boulevard, paints a cautionary tale of the perilous journey of upholding Hollywood’s facade of perfection and eternal stardom. This is explored through Hollywood deceiving stars entrapping stars into an illusion of ageless success, the moral destruction that arises from pursuing sold dreams of success and wealth, and the extensive lengths stars go to in order to reach Hollywood’s unattainable expectations. Wilder disdains the destructive and delusive world that Hollywood constructs by veristically showcasing the costs of fame that Hollywood masks from audiences.
Wilder explores how Hollywood deceives people into an illusion of eternal fame, even if ones’ time has passed. Furthermore, Norma is presented in a mid-body shot of herself surrounded by portraits from the days of her silent film glory, being “afraid that it would remind her that her time had passed”. This reveals how Norma is lured into a fantasy that she is still in the spotlight, even though the world had moved on from “yesterday’s glamour queen” and Norma is rather, living in the shadow of a version of herself that no longer exists, as indicated by the portraits being placed on a higher level than Norma. This alludes to Max “feeding her lies” whilst she is not looking “too closely at the postmarks” and truly believing that she still receives “fan letters every day”, providing Norma with a false sense of hope that she is still living in a time of success and youth. Hollywood figures like Max are presented to be ‘protecting’ Norma, by curating the illusion-driven world that she is entrapped in, however this poses consequences of completely disconnecting with reality. Throughout Joe’s stay at Norma’s self-museum, the mansion is demonstrated as decaying, through a close-up shot of the deteriorating ceiling and a rat-infested pool that had been “stricken with a kind of creeping paralysis” and is “crumbling apart in slow motion”. Wilder's depiction of Norma’s mansion symbolises her refusal to accept that her time of fame has passed, alongside the consequences of mental and emotional destruction like her mansion. Throughout Sunset Boulevard, Wilder exposes the gap between promise and reality by Hollywood feeding into misconceptions of eternal fame, whilst supposed success is blindly fading into emotional and mental decay.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "You are the curse, the corruption of the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Oedipus the King, a tragic play written by Sophocles, illustrates the religious and moral beliefs of Ancient Greek…
Oedipus the King, a tragic play written by Sophocles, illustrates the religious and moral beliefs of Ancient Greek society, exploring how divine authority, fate and human limitation shape suffering within a tragic world governed by the gods. Sophocles positions the audience to reflect on justice and punishment throughout the play. This is evident through how fate brings justice and punishment upon characters inevitably. As well how the truth becomes a punishment in itself. Additionally, how justice can lead to self-punishment and responsibility.
Sophocles highlights how the destiny of Oedipus is predetermined, which leads to the king being punished for his wrongdoings. In the play, once Oedipus found the truth, he cried out, exclaiming how “Apollo ordained [his] agonies”. This positions Apollo as a powerful God who set this path out for Oedipus through fate. Sophocles conveys how Oedipus was led through his destiny to kill his father and marry his mother, which allows the audience to question whether the justice and punishment were deserved. Additionally, once Oedipus learned about his fate in Corinth, as soon as he “heard all that, [he] ran”. This conveys how Oedipus’ destiny was already pre-arranged, and no matter his attempts, he would always end up falling into the lines of fate. Thus, Sophocles illustrates to the audience the attempt of Oedipus to flee Corinth to run away from his destiny and therefore the fairness of his punishment. Finally, in the play, the king shows his worries about the “prophecies [he] feared” when talking to Polybus. This highlights the lingering worry for Oedipus because of the prophecies that were told to him. Therefore, the writer portrays that Oedipus did not want to fulfil his destiny, which encourages the audience to query the validity of the justice served against him. Sophocles provides an opportunity for the audience to reflect on the punishment of Oedipus because of the his willingness to escape his fate and the penalties that were bound to occur.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “High Ground argues that knowing one’s…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Intro – The film High Ground by Stephen Johnson, released in 2020 and set in 1930’s Arnhem Land criticizes the…
Intro –
The film High Ground by Stephen Johnson, released in 2020 and set in 1930’s Arnhem Land criticizes the mutual cultural disconnection between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Johnson explores this through characters who undergo personal transformation. Furthermore, Johnson suggests that characters must recognise and remain connected to their culture in order to reclaim their identity. Lastly, High Ground enforces multiple elements of conflicts between belonging, culture and identity. Johnson comments on and dissuades the still prevalent form of racism and loss of culture within today’s modern society. He aims to raise awareness in order to fight this level of disinformation and ignorance.
BP1 –
Johnson argues that Travis’s journey demonstrates that understanding one’s moral identity is essential for redemption. He rejects the ideals and actions of the white police, stating that, “I won’t make the same mistake twice,” when asked about his priorities between Eddy and Gutjuk. Through this, Johnson expresses approval of Travis’s rejection of colonial violence. Johnson highlights the regret that Travis exhibits from the massacre, criticizing the colonial ideologies of others. Moran tells Eddy, “Travis has no sense of duty, no sense of loyalty. That’s a problem.” Travis’s deserting the police force paints him as unloyal and disregarding, however he only states this regarding the colonial settlers. This acts as a stark contrast between Moran (and Eddy’s) ideologies and values to Travis. He holds the guilt from the 1919 massacre and through this comparison, Johnson both persuades the audience to connect to Travis while also encouraging the audience to despise Moran and those sharing his ideologies. A key symbol of Travis acting in pursuit of redemption is giving his gun to Gutjuk. It signifies a transfer of power from colonial powers to the Indigenous people while acting adversely to the violent colonial standards. The final act of redemption for Travis is his death. In the final standoff, Travis sacrifices himself, taking a bullet meant for Gutjuk. This sacrifice represents Travis reclaiming his moral identity, reinforcing Johnson’s argument that identity is shaped through conscious moral choices. This supports Johnson’s overall message of identity being fluid and changing throughout the film and positions the audience against the disconnection between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
BP2 –
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Oliver sees nature as a way to connect…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: Through her portrayal of the overlooked aspects of nature, Oliver celebrates the ‘simple phenomena’ of the world…
Through her portrayal of the overlooked aspects of nature, Oliver celebrates the ‘simple phenomena’ of the world by inviting the audience to look past the appearance of the vivid landscape and find the true beauty veiled within it. In her poem, ‘The Sunflowers’, Oliver explores the notion of beauty in the natural world, by expressing that in order to find beauty, one must draw wisdom from nature and root themselves in community. Oliver’s invitation to “Come with [her]” in the starting line and throughout the poem suggests that the search for beauty is not a solo mission, but instead requires a guide to pave the way and help us look beyond the inherent limitations of individualism. Her use of personification when describing the visible form and underlying essence of the sunflowers as “burnished disks”, “dry spines” and “modest faces” further endorses the relationships we are compelled to cultivate and preserve by depicting the connection between humanity and nature. The sunflowers which are willing to “listen” and “talk” encourage readers to take the initial steps forward, engaging with nature, to reveal the deeper insights concealed beneath its surface, reinforcing when inviting the reader to “come with [them]” that finding beauty is a communal act and we need each
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘But no one ever complains.’ In The Memory…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: The preservation of the human essence is contingent upon an active refusal to surrender one’s inner truth to the…
The preservation of the human essence is contingent upon an active refusal to surrender one’s inner truth to the encroaching void of silence. In Yoko Ogawa’s dystopian novel The Memory Police, the author suggests that while the islanders’ psychological habit of accepting loss without protest functions as a desperate mechanism for physical survival, this internalized passivity ultimately poses the greatest threat to humanity by facilitating the state’s systematic dismantling of the soul. Initially, Ogawa depicts the clinical brutality of the regime, demonstrating that state power relies upon the dazed compliance of a population that has forgotten how to complain. Furthermore, the narrative portrays resignation as a vital survival tactic, suggesting that adaptation to an empty sea is a tragic necessity for those facing an inescapable fate. Finally, the author critiques the hollowing out of individual identity, warning that a society that accepts its own vanishing is an organism reduced to total nothingness. Ultimately, Ogawa issues a stern reminder to humanity that a life without the connection to one's history is not a life at all, but merely a slow descent into a state where even the most precious memories signify nothing.
Ogawa highlights the insidious nature of internalized passivity, demonstrating that the islanders' resignation facilitates the state’s quest to achieve a total dismantling of human identity. By establishing a society where "no one ever complains" about the decay of intellectual spaces, the author suggests that when a population stops questioning the loss of their reality, they become complicit in their own erasure. The Memory Police move with a "terrible efficiency" to purge the island, but they rely entirely on the inhabitants' habit of making "no much of a fuss" about their losses. This lack of resistance is a symptom of a deeper "hollowing out" of the human spirit, where the heart becomes a series of "voids" devoid of the external cues necessary for self-awareness. When objects disappear, the characters find that the remaining artifacts are merely "empty boxes" that "signify nothing," eventually leading them to accept the "vanishing" of their own bodies with the same "dazed" compliance they once showed toward ribbons or birds. By showing how the narrator becomes a "simple creature" who is "unable to elicit any feeling," Ogawa illustrates that passivity is the primary catalyst for an existential collapse that leaves the island as "nothing but absences and holes". Consequently, Ogawa reveals that the greatest threat to humanity is the psychological surrender that allows an individual to "leave things to fate," thereby granting the state the power to "force it to disappear with their own hands". Thus, the author warns that while passivity allows for immediate physical endurance, it guarantees the ultimate destruction of the human soul by rendering it a "totally empty" space
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “Count no man happy ‘till he dies.” To…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Sophocles’ play Oedipus The King is one that is vividly naturalistic in its characters, yet presents a world that…
Sophocles’ play Oedipus The King is one that is vividly naturalistic in its characters, yet presents a world that is rigorously deterministic. Still, Sophocles, while wholly presenting a pessimistic vision of life’s stability, affirms how moral worth may transcend an uncertainty that is beyond the control of mere mortals. The gods’ will is presented as a mechanism in which tragedy occurs; no individual is able to master their destiny despite their struggle, both a hubristic and futile action. As a judge on the events of the tragedy, the Chorus are not only a representation of Greek societal views, but also provide a window into Sophecles’ own beliefs. Ultimately, Sophocles asserts that maintaining dignity in the face of catastrophe allows humans to rise above tragedy.
Sophocles presents a world in which human control is merely an illusion, and thus individuals who are destined for catastrophe struggle in vain. From the play’s protasis, a series of recurring nautical, ship-of-state metaphors is employed that immediately equates Oedipus with a captain of Thebes. In this way, Sophocles from the outset immediately imparts to us the notion that Oedipus, the “good helmsman”, seems to have the capacity to control the direction of his fate. However, this semblance of authority is transient; Sophocles quickly makes it apparent through a subtle dramatic irony that Oedipus is far from a master of his own destiny. His ship, the city of Thebes itself, “pitches wildly,” reinforcing a sense of uncertainty that all but affirms the ineptitude of mortals. His destiny has been ordained from the beginning, a divine decree that he has hubristically assumed he has escaped. Asserting that he had “abandoned Corinth” and confident in his own power as he had “solved the riddle of the Sphinx”, Oedipus assumes that human agency can allow one to master their future. Yet, this merely serves to entangle him further within the prophecy; his flight from Corinth is the mechanism by which his fate is fulfilled. Oedipus’ hamartia however, is not by essence his hubris or a wavering belief that one can supplant the gods’ will, but rather lies in his interactions with fate. A sense of Oedipus’ actual helplessness is conveyed by the staging, whereby Oedipus is constantly centre stage, floundering as he tries to unravel things while other characters arrive and leave with facts unknown until now. As Oedipus is condemned regardless of what he does, Sophocles demonstrates how human suffering does not stem from feebleness, but rather an unavoidable subjection to divine order.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Oedipus the King, there is always…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: In Oedipus the King, there is always someone to blame for suffering. Discuss. Sophocles’ Oedipus the King…
In Oedipus the King, there is always someone to blame for suffering. Discuss.
Sophocles’ Oedipus the King explores the notion of culpability as individuals navigate a world ruled by the Gods. The playwright delinates that whilst the Gods determine one’s final resolution, it is ultimately up to the individual to behave morally just in times of conflict and crisis to avoid suffering. The playwright posits that individuals in the play are victims of cosmic injustice as their fate is pre-ordained by higher powers. Despite this, Sophocles argues that excessive pride and hubris will only amplify the tragic outcomes of one’s life. Furthermore, a lack of piety will again lead to further pain and agony in an individual’s life.
Sophocles highlights how the characters are prisoners of the fate placed upon them by higher powers. When recounting Lauis’ death, Oedipus claims that “fate swooped down at his head and cut him short”. The intentional personification pf fate illustrates the perceived power the Gods have over moral humans as they can “cut down lives”. This personification is utilised by Sophocles to demonstrate the futility of their situation – how the Gods continue to rule over their lives. This is especially true of Ancient Greek society where it was highly believed that the Gods such as Apollo were able to decide the trajectory of one’s life. Hence, it is implied that the fault lies not with the individual but powers outside of their control. Likewise, the symbol of the “triple crossroads [that] all comes back” emphasises the inevitability of fate. It is used to ironically symbolise the stagnance of destiny and convey the illusion of free will. The playwright uses such symbolism to further advocate for the existence of fate and the idea that there is no one to blame for any misfortunes that occur as everything is preordained. This positions the audience to recognise the extent of their responsibility in shaping their final resolutions. They are likely to realise their lack of agency in the face of governing powers and attempt to rethink any behaviours that could defy the Gods. The Chorus is a group of men used to embody the shared views and values of Ancient Greek society. They claim that “all your lives […] have come to nothing.” Through the use of absolute language with the words “all” and “nothing”, Sophocles continues to reinforce the stagnance of destiny and illusion of free will. This language choice partnered with the characterisation of the Chorus as a caricature of views and values allows the author to clearly convey such a message to the audience viewing the play at the Dionysius festival. The audience are brought to undergo their own anagnorisis as they realise the own meekness as a society worshipping the Gods. Therefore, the playwright suggests that suffering largely is out of one’s control and the fault rests with no mortal being.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Sunset Boulevard’ reveals the dark side…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Exposing the powerlessness of naïve ‘dream[s]’ of fulfilment against the toxicity of celebrity which has ‘seized…
Exposing the powerlessness of naïve ‘dream[s]’ of fulfilment against the toxicity of celebrity which has ‘seized [their] heart[s]’, Billy Wilder’s quintessentially American film ‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950) poignantly unveils the dark side of fame that is inextricable from Hollywood’s allure. Compounded by the skilful overlaying of a gothic lens, this noir mystery performs as a deep meditation on the brutality of this business, and a sardonic, yet subtly sympathetic, depiction of the victims of its endless cycle of sadism. Through his intelligent blend of fiction and meta-cinema , Wilder’s iconoclastic opus emerges as a powerful vivisection of the dangerous illusions of stardom.
Personifying this complex world as a dystopian nightmare, Wilder satirically contextualises the hidden horrors of Hollywood. Immediately referencing a classic trope of film noir, a disturbing amalgamation of fantasy and sobering realism is established through the eerie posthumous narration of this ‘poor dope’, with this non-linear structure exposing this inevitable tragedy from the outset. Heightening this strange sense of unease, the foreboding non-diegetic string music of Franz Waxman’s pertinent score warns the audience of this ensuing horror. Indeed, ‘Sunset Boulevard’ itself can no longer be hopefully associated with fame and luxury; rather, its disconcerting introduction in a gutter with ‘dead leaves’ and ‘scraps of paper’ alludes to its burgeoning corruption, as literally emphasised by the titular finiteness of ‘sunset’. Ominously towering over this decrepit street, the silhouetted palm trees embody personified judges of the ‘distorted’ and ‘blown out’ stories that ‘Hollywood columnists’ weave, as fortified by the intense chiaroscuro lighting. Similarly, although swimming pools were an iconic image of glamour, the floating corpse ironically exposes that this perpetual chase of fame is a deadly enterprise. As a poignant reflection of this danger, the toxic relationship between Joe Gillis – our cynical antihero – and Norma Desmond – the stereotypical antagonist of a femme fatale – is inherently doomed. This Gothic synthesis of old and new Hollywood thematically foreshadows their demise, as both are dangerously delusional: one is confined by their obsolescence, the other ensnared in the shallowness of the present. Symbolising the subordination that defines their affair, the loss of Joe’s car is a ‘matter of life and death’ that resolutely deforms him into an item of Norma’s possession, as fame is too often synonymous with prostitution. Subverting the traditional gender stereotypes of their time, Edith Head’s pertinent costumes of shared leopard print – a predominant motif of Norma’s wardrobe, which is also reminiscent of her silent-era glamour – illuminates the oppression that this pursuit of celebrity has manufactured. In a house with no locks, Joe is already irreparably caught in the predatory grip of Norma’s atrophic talons, and thus, by extension, trapped by the noxious allure of Hollywood. Functioning as a provocateur to brazenly ‘bite the hand that feeds him’ (Mayer) Wilder controversially deplores the deceptive façade of fame through his pioneering direction.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: all the characters in Malouf's stories are…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: In his collection The Complete Stories, David Malouf explores the delicate tension between human agency and the…
In his collection The Complete Stories, David Malouf explores the delicate tension between human agency and the uncontrollable forces of nature, time, and society. While it is often argued that all characters are driven by a search for control, Malouf’s narratives suggest that this pursuit is frequently a defensive response to existential anxiety. Characters like Charlie Dowd in ‘War Baby’ and Stuart in ‘Valley of the Lagoons’ utilize public roles and social rituals to manufacture a sense of security and identity. However, Malouf illustrates that an obsessive grip on control often results in a hollowed-out existence or profound isolation. Ultimately, by challenging the "absolute" nature of this search, Malouf positions characters such as the narrator of ‘Towards Midnight’ to find a deeper, more authentic peace through the acceptance of life’s inherent unpredictability and the surrender of the ego.
Malouf posits that the search for control often stems from a fundamental need for warmth and security against the vast anxieties of life. For many of his protagonists, control acts as a "veneer" of order in an otherwise chaotic world. In ‘Valley of the Lagoons’, Stuart attempts to exert emotional and social control over his family, particularly Katie and Braden, to shield himself from the "disorder" of the natural world. By dictating the rituals of the hunt and social interactions, Stuart creates a world he can understand, yet he struggles when human emotions defy his rigid structures. Similarly, in ‘War Baby’, Charlie Dowd’s "parading" in his uniform represents a search for control over a previously neglected identity. To Charlie, the war is not a political conflict but a way to "find purpose" and escape being the town "natural." By donning the military archetype, he attempts to control how the community perceives him, transforming from an overlooked boy into a visible hero. This search for agency is also evident in ‘Towards Midnight’, where the narrator initially seeks control over her own life by excluding her sons, viewing their presence as an intrusion on her carefully curated solitude. In each instance, Malouf shows that the desire for control is a primary human instinct used to navigate the uncertainty of one’s place in the world.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does WIlder present a world in which…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Underpinning the ostensibly idyllic world of Hollywood in Billy Wilder's 1950 post-World War II film noir Sunset…
Underpinning the ostensibly idyllic world of Hollywood in Billy Wilder's 1950 post-World War II film noir Sunset Boulevard is a society that isolates the creatives who contributed to its rise. Wilder portrays individuals' psychological and physical isolation despite being surrounded by others through film noir conventions, intelligent meta-casting, character dialogue, and camera techniques. Wilder explores aspirants' loneliness due to being undervalued and left behind by the industry, resulting in individuals surrounding themselves with others for material and psychological comfort, however, notwithstanding interpersonal surroundings, isolation breeds tragic consequences.
Wilder presents that in Hollywood, creatives feel alone due to being valued only for professional output and not personal character. In the exposition, Wilder immediately foreshadows isolation through the implementation of Gillis's non-diegetic voiceover narration, "Yes, this is Sunset Boulevard", layered over Waxman's swelling cacophony and the diegetic sound of police sirens. The juxtaposition between the diegesis of the sirens and the lack of diegesis of Gillis's narration creates a gap between him and the reality that the world of the film takes place in, crystallising his separation in Hollywood society. Concurrently, the downshot of Gillis lying face down in the middle of the pool, surrounded by reporters, emphasises the physical space between creatives and the perpetrators of stardom in Hollywood, foreshadowing to the audience Wilder's concern about Hollywood's isolation even while others are physically near. In a similar vein, Sheldrake's offhand incorrect name-calling of Betty Schaefer in his office as "Miss Kramer" establishes that within the studio system, creatives are only valued for their output, not recognised as individual humans, delineating the isolation of those who work in an industry surrounded by countless actors and screenwriters who feel alone and undervalued. Thus, Wilder portrays the loneliness of aspirants in Hollywood, despite social surrounding.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard both challenges and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Billy Wilder's 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) is a noir melodrama that explores the intricacies of 1940s Hollywood. Set…
Billy Wilder's 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) is a noir melodrama that explores the intricacies of 1940s Hollywood. Set in the famous 'Sunset Boulevard' neighbourhood of Los Angeles, the film follows struggling screenwriter 'Joe Gillis' as he meets former silent film star 'Norma Desmond'. Quickly becoming ensconced in a world of fame, power and wealth, Joe loses his autonomy to the manipulative and controlling Norma, subsequently leading to his murder. This provides a stark contrast to the gender ideals of the 1940s and 50s, which expected women to be perfect homemakers who cared for their husbands and children without complaint. Wilder portrays the dynamic gender expectations for both men and women arising from a rapidly changing, post-war society. Although Wilder challenges the unrealistic expectations placed on the physical appearances of women, ultimately he reinforces traditional gender expectations in a subtle way that reflects long established cultural views of women.
Wilder supports equal opportunities for men and women in the film industry specifically, denouncing the cultural pressure on women to retain youthful perfection regardless of age. Betty Schaefer's creative partnership with Joe Gillis is presented as refreshing, and collaborative, with balanced two-shots of Joe and Betty working in paramount studios. Wilder celebrates Betty's ambition, highlighting her hardworking nature through her understated wardrobe, hairstyle, and dialogue where she tells Joe that she can work 'in the evenings?’ or ‘weekends’ or ‘at your place?'. Wilder depicts Betty's role as a reader as being central to the film industry, providing industry executives such as 'Sheldrake' with necessary advice. Dialogue where Betty describes Joe's writing as a 'rehash of something that wasn't very good to begin with' illustrates her honesty within a fraudulent film industry. Thus, Wilder portrays women’s voices as necessary to the success of the film industry, therefore deeming women worthy of equal opportunity in Hollywood. Simultaneously, Wilder portrays the film industry as holding toxic power over beauty standards, particularly for women. Norma Desmond is merely 50 years old, yet people think of her as being for older, considering her to be 'a million years old'. In contrast, CB DeMille, who is 'old enough to be her father' is still treated as a younger man, respected for his creative output rather than his physical appearance. Norma's thick, bold makeup, face coverings and beauty treatment montage illustrate her pursuit of youthful perfection, and her unwillingness to reveal her aging features. This symbolises the film industry’s values of female beauty and youth rather than intellect, driving film stars like Norma to obsessive lengths to retain both beauty and relevance. Wilder communicates the inequality of women in the film industry to the audience, encouraging viewers to support female professionality and reject unrealistic beauty ideals placed on women.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “No one ever leaves a star. That's what…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: In his 1950 film noir picture, Sunset Boulevard, director Billy Wilder contends that fame is an addictive illusion…
In his 1950 film noir picture, Sunset Boulevard, director Billy Wilder contends that fame is an addictive illusion which ultimately operates as a destructive force, exploiting vulnerability and isolating those who become dependent upon it. Initially, Wilder examines the allure of stardom, revealing how fame seduces individuals into constructing fantasies of permanence and admiration. He then critiques the intoxicating nature of celebrity, exposing how it corrodes personal integrity and fosters exploitation. Ultimately, Wilder portrays fame as psychologically ruinous, demonstrating how the relentless pursuit of relevance within Hollywood culminates in isolation and mental torment. Through this progression, Wilder reveals fame as a seductive construct that manufactures identity while simultaneously orchestrating self-destruction.
Firstly, Wilder opens by exploring the allure of stardom and revealing how fame seduces people into constructing illusions of permanence. Joe characterises Norma’s mansion as a “white elephant” upon first seeing it, establishing it as a useless vanity item and a physical manifestation of ego within Hollywood culture. The mansion is presented as an extravagant art-deco palace, a product of the roaring twenties, initially framed in a suspenseful long shot that positions it as an object of awe. When Wilder shifts to a high angle of Joe at the bottom of the staircase, gazing upward, the mansion becomes visually aligned with celebrity itself — distant, elevated, and revered. However, as the camera moves closer, a revealing pan exposes the overgrown gardens and empty pool, dismantling the façade and exposing decay beneath glamour. Through this visual contradiction, Wilder critiques the artificial permanence promised by fame, suggesting that its grandeur is sustained only through illusion. Norma’s presentation as arrogant and egotistical further exposes the self-mythologising tendencies of those consumed by celebrity. When Joe identifies her as a forgotten star, she dismissively insists she is “big, it was the pictures that got small,” her emphasis on “big” and appalled expression revealing a desperate preservation of identity. This defensive correction exposes fame not merely as vanity but as psychological dependency. Norma’s film room crystallises her self-imposed myth of permanence, transforming nostalgia into a mechanism of entrapment. Wilder’s mise-en-scène — decaying furniture contrasted with her elaborate 1920s costume — functions as a visible collision between past and present, particularly against the backdrop of a modern, post-war America increasingly driven by consumerism and cultural change. John F. Seitz’s chiaroscuro lighting reinforces this tension, evoking the aesthetic of silent cinema while visually imprisoning Norma within stark shadows, symbolising the suffocating grip of her constructed stardom.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Sunset Boulevard, Wilder suggests that…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: 1940’s Hollywood is the backdrop for the shifting, superficial studio ‘dream machine’ system, which creates stars…
1940’s Hollywood is the backdrop for the shifting, superficial studio ‘dream machine’ system, which creates stars with ambition as a damaging, toxic force that breeds greed and delusion. Billy Wilder’s seminal film Noir Sunset Boulevard is a scathing critique of Hollywood that presents ambition not as a virtue, but as a destructive force that ruins individuals’ lives, corrupts artistic integrity, and fosters fatal delusions. The film illustrates this through the tragic downfall of characters who sacrifice their sanity, moral compass, and lives for fame or security. Ultimately, Wilder warns his audience, when ambition is untethered from reality and integrity, it heads towards moral degradation, emotional imprisonment and can lead to physical death.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “No one ever leaves a star. That's what…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: In his 1950 film noir picture, Sunset Boulevard, Director Billy Wilder contends that fame is an addicting…
In his 1950 film noir picture, Sunset Boulevard, Director Billy Wilder contends that fame is an addicting illusion yet ultimately operates as a destructive force which exploits vulnerability and isolates those that become dependent on it. Firstly, Wilder opens by exploring the allure of stardom and revealing how fame seduces people into constructing illusions of permanence. Then, Wilder critiques how the addicting nature of fame corrupts personal integrity and creates exploitation. Ultimately, Wilder concludes by portraying fame as psychologically destructive, demonstrating how the pursuit of relevance in Hollywood leads to isolation and mental torment. Wilder demonstrates how fame operates as a seductive illusion that generates destruction, leading to the exploitation of the vulnerable and isolating those that depend on it.
Firstly, Wilder opens by exploring the allure of stardom and revealing how fame seduces people into constructing illusions of permanence. Joe characterises Norma’s mansion as a “white elephant” upon first seeing it, establishing it as a useless vanity item, a physical manifestation of ego in Hollywood. Norma’s mansion is presented as an extravagant art-deco style palace, a product of the roaring twenties. However, as the camera gets closer to the mansion, the audience finds it decaying and dishevelled. Wilder combines the suspenseful initial long shot of Norma’s mansion with a high angle when Joe is at the bottom of the stairs, to establish the allure of the property in Joe’s eyes, with him looking up at it as someone would a celebrity, connecting the mansion with fame. Norma’s presentation to the audience as arrogant and egotistical exposes the self-illusioned nature of those consumed by fame. When Joe identifies her as a forgotten star, she dismissively corrects him saying how she is “big, it was the pictures that got small”. The word “big” combined with Norma’s dismissive, almost appalled expression to Joe’s remark underscores the already established facade of decaying fame, with Norma’s repeated dismissal of Joe revealing the seductive nature of fame and how it forces people to create illusions to protect it. Norma’s film room serves as a perfect depiction of her illusion. Her fond recollection of her past stardom demonstrates the illusion that Norma has created for herself by effectively trapping herself in physical manifestations of her past stardom. This notion is substantiated through Wilder’s use of mise-en-scene such as the decaying furniture and Norma’s elaborate 1920’s style dress, functioning as visible links between the past and present, contrasting previous scenes of the realistic and modern, post-WW2 America. Additionally, John F Seitz’s chiaroscuro lighting reinforces the 20’s aesthetic through using stark black and white contrasts like those found in silent films, representing Norma’s illusion of continued fame.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Jackson use the town's attitude…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Jackson utilises the village’s pervasive hostility toward the Blackwood family to expose a society that prioritises…
Jackson utilises the village’s pervasive hostility toward the Blackwood family to expose a society that prioritises rigid conformity and surface-level normalcy over the acceptance of those who exist outside the traditional social order. Throughout the novel, rigid communal orthodoxies surrounding gender, normality and productivity position the sisters as aberrations, rendering the sisters as ‘outsiders’ and the possibility of genuine coexistence impossible. In response, Jackson depicts the communal animosity through Merricat's visceral descriptions of the village as a ‘dingy’ place teeming with ‘rot,’ leeching the colour and life from the world, a stark contrast to the ‘fine china’ and vibrant order of the Blackwood estate. The very existence of the Blackwood house is an insult to the villagers, as it represents a wealth that the ‘rotten’ villagers do not have. Jackson utilises the physical barriers surrounding the Blackwood house to depict their anger and the creation of otherness, which is also rooted in class. The villagers are fearful of the Blackwoods as their wealth makes them untouchable, mirroring how society often hates and envies what it cannot possess. Jackson's use of binary language separates the village, creating a psychological distinction between the Blackwoods and the villagers. By constructing the Blackwoods as entirely ‘other,’ the
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Las Leyes químicas
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Siendo honesto, la química no es exactamente mi materia favorita. A veces parece que solo se trata de memorizar…
Siendo honesto, la química no es exactamente mi materia favorita. A veces parece que solo se trata de memorizar tablas y hacer cuentas sin sentido. Sin embargo, después de revisar el material para este trabajo, me di cuenta de que en el fondo todo se trata de seguir reglas. Al igual que en un videojuego o en el fútbol, si no conoces las reglas, no puedes ganar. En el caso de la química, esas reglas son las leyes ponderales. Este ensayo explica básicamente qué son las leyes de Lavoisier, Proust y Dalton, y por qué, aunque sea un poco tedioso, es importante entenderlas para no reprobar el año.
Primero está la Ley de Conservación de la Masa, propuesta por Antoine Lavoisier. Básicamente, lo que dice es que "la materia no se crea ni se destruye, solo se transforma" (Chang & Goldsby, 2013, p. 89). Suena a frase de camiseta, pero en el laboratorio es serio. Significa que si quemo un papel, la ceniza y el humo que salen pesan lo mismo que el papel original más el oxígeno que usó para quemarse. Para un estudiante como yo, esto es útil porque significa que en los ejercicios de estequiometría, lo que entra tiene que ser igual a lo que sale. Si no cuadra la ecuación, está mal y punto.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "In Rainbow’s End, the characters’ dreams…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Jane Harrison's Rainbow's End is a play that showcases the immense struggles of the Aboriginal community in a…
Jane Harrison's Rainbow's End is a play that showcases the immense struggles of the Aboriginal community in a post-colonial Australia. Set amidst the backdrop of 1950s Victoria, Rainbow's End portrays the characters as survivalists battling against institutionalised racism and shows how their struggle to keep their aspirations alive defines them. Through the physical fragility of the Flats, the exclusionary nature of white institutional gatekeeping, and the divergent generational responses to trauma, Harrison demonstrates that for the Dear family, dreaming is a form of resistance in a world designed to undermine their very existence.
Harrison utilizes the physical environment of the Flats as a direct representation of the systemic neglect that threatens the Dear family's dignity and aspirations. The stage directions describe the family's dwelling as a ‘humpy’ constructed of ‘hessian’ and ‘scrap iron,’ a stark contrast to the brick-and-mortar stability of the ‘white’ town. When Gladys dreams of a home with ‘real windows’ and ‘floorboards,’ Harrison creates a painful dichotomy between her aspirations and her reality. The ‘dirt floors’ she stands on serve as a constant, visceral reminder that her hopes for a ‘proper’ life are being stymied by a world that refuses to provide the basic infrastructure of the ‘Australian Dream.’ Furthermore, the recurring symbol of the rising floodwaters represents the inescapable nature of their hardship; as the water threatens to ‘wash away’ their belongings, Harrison illustrates that even the characters' most basic efforts to maintain dignity are at the mercy of an environment—and a state—that remains indifferent to their survival. Ultimately, the physical, fragile appearance of the humpy as well as the lingering danger of inevitable floods serve as a reminder that the Dear family's aspirations are continuously deferred by the government's neglect.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "In Rainbow’s End, the characters’ dreams…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Jane Harrison's Rainbow's End is a play that showcases the immense struggles of the Aboriginal community in a…
Jane Harrison's Rainbow's End is a play that showcases the immense struggles of the Aboriginal community in a post-colonial Australia. Set amidst the backdrop of 1950s Victoria, Rainbow's End portrays the characters as survivalists battling against institutionalised racism and shows how their struggle to keep their aspirations alive defines them. Through the physical fragility of the Flats, the exclusionary nature of white institutional gatekeeping, and the divergent generational responses to trauma, Harrison demonstrates that for the Dear family, dreaming is a form of resistance in a world designed to undermine their very existence.
Harrison utilizes the physical environment of the Flats as a direct representation of the systemic neglect that threatens the Dear family's dignity and aspirations. The stage directions describe the family's dwelling as a ‘humpy’ constructed of ‘hessian’ and ‘scrap iron,’ a stark contrast to the brick-and-mortar stability of the ‘white’ town. When Gladys dreams of a home with ‘real windows’ and ‘floorboards,’ Harrison creates a painful dichotomy between her aspirations and her reality. The ‘dirt floors’ she stands on serve as a constant, visceral reminder that her hopes for a ‘proper’ life are being stymied by a world that refuses to provide the basic infrastructure of the ‘Australian Dream.’ Furthermore, the recurring symbol of the rising floodwaters represents the inescapable nature of their hardship; as the water threatens to ‘wash away’ their belongings, Harrison illustrates that even the characters' most basic efforts to maintain dignity are at the mercy of an environment—and a state—that remains indifferent to their survival. Ultimately, the physical, fragile appearance of the humpy as well as the lingering danger of inevitable floods serve as a reminder that the Dear family's aspirations are continuously deferred by the government's neglect.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "In Rainbow’s End, the characters’ dreams…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Jane Harrison's Rainbow's End is a play that showcases the immense struggles of the Aboriginal community in a…
Jane Harrison's Rainbow's End is a play that showcases the immense struggles of the Aboriginal community in a post-colonial Australia. Set amidst the backdrop of 1950s Victoria, Rainbow's End portrays the characters as survivalists battling against institutionalised racism and shows how their struggle to keep their aspirations alive defines them. Through the physical fragility of the Flats, the exclusionary nature of white institutional gatekeeping, and the divergent generational responses to trauma, Harrison demonstrates that for the Dear family, dreaming is a form of resistance in a world designed to undermine their very existence.
Harrison utilizes the physical environment of the Flats as a direct representation of the systemic neglect that threatens the Dear family's dignity and aspirations. The stage directions describe the family's dwelling as a ‘humpy’ constructed of ‘hessian’ and ‘scrap iron,’ a stark contrast to the brick-and-mortar stability of the ‘white’ town. When Gladys dreams of a home with ‘real windows’ and ‘floorboards,’ Harrison creates a painful dichotomy between her aspirations and her reality. The ‘dirt floors’ she stands on serve as a constant, visceral reminder that her hopes for a ‘proper’ life are being stymied by a world that refuses to provide the basic infrastructure of the ‘Australian Dream.’ Furthermore, the recurring symbol of the rising floodwaters represents the inescapable nature of their hardship; as the water threatens to ‘wash away’ their belongings, Harrison illustrates that even the characters' most basic efforts to maintain dignity are at the mercy of an environment—and a state—that remains indifferent to their survival. Ultimately, the physical, fragile appearance of the humpy as well as the lingering danger of inevitable floods serve as a reminder that the Dear family's aspirations are continuously deferred by the government's neglect.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "In Rainbow’s End, the characters’ dreams…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Jane Harrison's Rainbow's End is a play that showcases the immense struggles of the Aboriginal community in a…
Jane Harrison's Rainbow's End is a play that showcases the immense struggles of the Aboriginal community in a post-colonial Australia. Set amidst the backdrop of 1950s Victoria, Rainbow's End portrays the characters as survivalists battling against institutionalised racism and shows how their struggle to keep their aspirations alive defines them. Through the physical fragility of the Flats, the exclusionary nature of white institutional gatekeeping, and the divergent generational responses to trauma, Harrison demonstrates that for the Dear family, dreaming is a form of resistance in a world designed to undermine their very existence.
Harrison utilizes the physical environment of the Flats as a direct representation of the systemic neglect that threatens the Dear family's dignity and aspirations. The stage directions describe the family's dwelling as a ‘humpy’ constructed of ‘hessian’ and ‘scrap iron,’ a stark contrast to the brick-and-mortar stability of the ‘white’ town. When Gladys dreams of a home with ‘real windows’ and ‘floorboards,’ Harrison creates a painful dichotomy between her aspirations and her reality. The ‘dirt floors’ she stands on serve as a constant, visceral reminder that her hopes for a ‘proper’ life are being stymied by a world that refuses to provide the basic infrastructure of the ‘Australian Dream.’ Furthermore, the recurring symbol of the rising floodwaters represents the inescapable nature of their hardship; as the water threatens to ‘wash away’ their belongings, Harrison illustrates that even the characters' most basic efforts to maintain dignity are at the mercy of an environment—and a state—that remains indifferent to their survival. Ultimately, the physical, fragile appearance of the humpy as well as the lingering danger of inevitable floods serve as a reminder that the Dear family's aspirations are continuously deferred by the government's neglect.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "In Rainbow’s End, the characters’ dreams…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Jane Harrison's Rainbow's End is a play that showcases the immense struggles of the Aboriginal community in a…
Jane Harrison's Rainbow's End is a play that showcases the immense struggles of the Aboriginal community in a post-colonial Australia. Set amidst the backdrop of 1950s Victoria, Rainbow's End portrays the characters as survivalists battling against institutionalised racism and shows how their struggle to keep their aspirations alive defines them. Through the physical fragility of the Flats, the exclusionary nature of white institutional gatekeeping, and the divergent generational responses to trauma, Harrison demonstrates that for the Dear family, dreaming is a form of resistance in a world designed to undermine their very existence.
Harrison utilizes the physical environment of the Flats as a direct representation of the systemic neglect that threatens the Dear family's dignity and aspirations. The stage directions describe the family's dwelling as a ‘humpy’ constructed of ‘hessian’ and ‘scrap iron,’ a stark contrast to the brick-and-mortar stability of the ‘white’ town. When Gladys dreams of a home with ‘real windows’ and ‘floorboards,’ Harrison creates a painful dichotomy between her aspirations and her reality. The ‘dirt floors’ she stands on serve as a constant, visceral reminder that her hopes for a ‘proper’ life are being stymied by a world that refuses to provide the basic infrastructure of the ‘Australian Dream.’ Furthermore, the recurring symbol of the rising floodwaters represents the inescapable nature of their hardship; as the water threatens to ‘wash away’ their belongings, Harrison illustrates that even the characters' most basic efforts to maintain dignity are at the mercy of an environment—and a state—that remains indifferent to their survival. Ultimately, the physical, fragile appearance of the humpy as well as the lingering danger of inevitable floods serve as a reminder that the Dear family's aspirations are continuously deferred by the government's neglect.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Wilder shows that the world of Hollywood,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Indeed, Billy Wilder’s 1950 film noir, Sunset Boulevard, exposes Hollywood as a self-perpetuating system of…
Indeed, Billy Wilder’s 1950 film noir, Sunset Boulevard, exposes Hollywood as a self-perpetuating system of illusion, where the value of human life directly correlates to one’s commercial viability, concealed by the intoxicating allure of prestige and wealth. Wilder initially exposes the industry’s superficial fixation on image and spectacle, illustrating the erosion of authentic identity which diminishes individuality. This occurs in conjunction with the film’s critique of Hollywood’s merciless and transactional hierarchy, which transforms artistic expression into a desperate struggle for financial survival. Wilder expounds that these concerns ultimately culminate in an indictment of the seductive fantasy of Hollywood’s stardom which masks emotional emptiness, isolating individuals within a hollow and destructive illusion.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Those who jump to conclusions may go…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: "Those who jump to conclusions may go wrong." How does Sophocles portray the poor judgement of characters?…
"Those who jump to conclusions may go wrong." How does Sophocles portray the poor judgement of characters?
Sophocles' Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, set in plague-ridden Thebes explores the mis-judgement of humans. Sophocles portrays how irrational decisions and suffering often arise from an inability to manage fear. Sophocles argues that fear of knowledge leads individuals to reject and distort the truth, choosing to be ignorant. Furthermore, emotional outbursts threaten the ability to make proper judgements, fueling conflict and paranoia. Finally, Sophocles warns of the limits of human understanding, suggesting that a disregard for moral restraint leads to an overinflated sense of worth. Ultimately, Sophocles emphasises that poor judgement is a choice that individuals should take agency over, not a consequence of fate.
Sophocles recognizes that fear of the truth and reality sparks avoidance, a maladaptive strategy that magnifies the problem over time. Characters in the play attempt to ease their own worries as well as the worries of others through the denial of knowledge, prompting poor decisions. The chorus' ambiguity when referring to Laius' murder signifies their inability to forget about their “king”. Following Tiresias' insight, they argue that 'his time has come' to escape fate and the curses Oedipus was made, being intentionally unclear whether they are referring to Oedipus himself or Creon. As Tiresias clearly state Oedipus' role in the murder, their resistance to admit this emphasises how their loyalty to their king prevents an unbiased view. This lack of acceptance fuels poor judgement later in the play when they believe Oedipus is a 'child' of the gods. The fear that their king is a murderer catalyses their denail as a form of comfort and consequently affects their cognitions. Furthermore, this is underscored when Oedipus receives many forms of reassurance that encourage his relentless pursuit for truth. The leader's comfort that Tiresias' words were 'by anger perhaps, not any firm conviction' also exhibit their inability to recognise the truth. Through this, the leader alleviates Oedipus' fears and worries, allowing him to continue with poor judgement. Jocasta's statement that Oedipus should ‘take such [prophecies] for shadows’ also encourages him. She projects her own disbelief in prophecies, ensuring he does not accept the truth in Tiresias’ words and consequently facilitates ignorance. However, this opinion not only impacts Oedipus' judgement, but her own. It sparks her irrational and violent act of suicide. Interestingly, she often alternates this belief, even when Jocasta offers a 'suppliants branch wound in wool' to the gods as a sacrifice to "‘set us free’ from uncertainty. This stage direction reveals that when Jocasta believes in the gods, she has good judgement as her word choice allows Oedipus to recognise his identity and saves Thebes from the plague and an immoral king. Thus, Sophocles emphasises that good judgement comes from confronting our beliefs rather than dismissing them. Sophocles argues that fear of the truth leads to ignorance and avoidance, making rash, illogical decisions.