VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "While the Christians in the play preach…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Written in 1598, William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ demonstrates how during the Elizabethan era,…
Written in 1598, William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ demonstrates how during the Elizabethan era, although the Christians reveal that it is good to have mercy, they do not often show it themselves. Through Portia telling Shylock to have mercy then later mercilessly oppressing against him in the courtroom, as well as the Venetian citizens constantly discriminating against Shylock, it is mostly shown that Christians often do not show compassion to others. Ultimately, Shakespeare uses his play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ to criticise Venetian Christians’ for not displaying core values which they preach that one should show.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Arrogance is ultimately punished with…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Sophocles’ Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, explores the importance of humility in a society that condemns…
Sophocles’ Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, explores the importance of humility in a society that condemns egotistical disposition. The punishments of hubris are exemplified through Oedipus’ magnified fulfilment of his prophesied downfall, as well as intellectual blindness that exposes personal flaws and prevents individuals from true understanding of the world, which in conjunction, serves as root of shame in the Ancient Greek setting. Thus, while Sophocles warns that excessive pride ultimately dismantles social standing and facilitates one’s own self-destruction, he invites readers to sympathise with victims of both their hamartias and their unavoidable fate.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Shakespeare use characters…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Written in 1598, William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ demonstrates that in such Venetian societies,…
Written in 1598, William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ demonstrates that in such Venetian societies, appearances are presented as unreliable as people and objects often hide their real intentions behind clothes and words. Through the caskets deceiving suitors by its appearance and Portia dressing up as a judge to benefit her side, it is revealed that appearances cannot be trusted. Ultimately, Shakespeare uses ‘Merchant of Venice’ to criticise how prejudice, materialism and false appearances distort justice and human relationships.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Text analysis on the Hunger Games
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: The Hunger Games — Text Response Essay “In The Hunger Games, survival is not achieved through strength alone, but…
The Hunger Games — Text Response Essay
“In The Hunger Games, survival is not achieved through strength alone, but through the preservation of humanity. Discuss.”
Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games presents survival as a complex battle between physical endurance and moral resistance, revealing that the greatest threat within an oppressive society is not merely death, but the destruction of human identity. Through Katniss Everdeen’s experience in the arena, Collins exposes how authoritarian power relies upon forcing individuals to abandon compassion, trust and individuality. However, the novel ultimately suggests that preserving one’s humanity becomes the most powerful form of rebellion. Katniss’ survival is not defined by her ability to defeat others, but by her refusal to fully become the violent symbol that the Capitol attempts to create.
From the beginning of the novel, Collins establishes that the Capitol’s greatest weapon is not simply violence, but the manipulation of human relationships. The Hunger Games are presented as a form of entertainment, transforming suffering into a spectacle for privileged citizens. By forcing children to fight for public amusement, the Capitol demonstrates how power can corrupt society’s understanding of morality. The arena becomes a microcosm of Panem itself, where individuals are encouraged to view each other as enemies rather than victims of the same system. Katniss recognises this cruelty when she understands that the Games are designed not only to eliminate tributes physically, but to psychologically destroy them by making them participate in their own oppression. Therefore, Collins suggests that survival within an unjust society requires resistance against the values imposed by those in power.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: text analysis on miracles by lucy corin
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Text Analysis: “Miracles” by Lucy Corin Lucy Corin’s short story “Miracles” examines the fragile relationship…
Text Analysis: “Miracles” by Lucy Corin
Lucy Corin’s short story “Miracles” examines the fragile relationship between wonder, memory, and catastrophe, questioning whether moments of beauty can exist alongside violence and loss. Through its compressed structure, unsettling imagery, and unreliable retrospective narration, Corin transforms an ordinary childhood memory into a meditation on how human beings attempt to understand trauma. The story’s title becomes deliberately ironic: the “miracle” of life is presented not as purely magical, but as something entangled with fear, destruction, and the uncertainty of human experience.
Corin’s use of first-person plural narration creates a complex relationship between individual memory and collective identity. The narrator repeatedly speaks through “we,” representing the shared perspective of siblings who experienced the event together. This collective voice suggests childhood unity, as the children observe the world with curiosity and dependence on their father’s guidance. However, the narration also creates distance, because the adult narrator is reconstructing a memory rather than directly experiencing it. The story therefore highlights the unreliability of memory: the past is not preserved exactly, but reshaped by later knowledge and emotional understanding. The final shift toward “after the apocalypse” disrupts the innocence of the earlier scene, forcing the reader to reconsider what appeared to be a simple childhood observation.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Text analysis on Pride and prejudice
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Text Analysis Essay: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice explores the complexity…
Text Analysis Essay: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice explores the complexity of human judgement, social expectations, and personal growth within the restrictive environment of Regency-era England. Through the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy, Austen challenges the values of a society that prioritises wealth, reputation, and social status over genuine character. By using irony, character development, and contrasting perspectives, Austen reveals that prejudice and pride often prevent individuals from understanding themselves and others.
Austen presents Elizabeth Bennet as an intelligent and independent character who initially believes she can accurately judge others. However, her confidence becomes flawed when her own prejudice influences her perception of Mr Darcy. After Darcy’s first proposal, Elizabeth criticises him for his arrogance, stating that she has “never desired your good opinion” and rejects his feelings. This moment demonstrates Elizabeth’s belief that her judgement is morally superior, yet Austen uses this conflict to expose Elizabeth’s own pride. Her refusal to consider Darcy’s perspective reflects the same narrow thinking she condemns in him. Through Elizabeth’s journey, Austen suggests that true maturity requires self-reflection and the willingness to challenge personal assumptions.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Merchant of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ emphasises the idea that one’s appearance does not always match…
Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ emphasises the idea that one’s appearance does not always match reality. Discuss.
Appearances can often be misleading. William Shakespeare explores this in his 1598 play ‘The Merchant of Venice’. Shakespeare contends that whilst superficial looks usually don’t reflect the truth, there are exceptions. This is discussed through characters masking their appearance to make them seem more appealing to society or to gain wealth or power. However, some characters are shown to be true to their surface impression.
From the outset of the play, Shakespeare demonstrates how people will often alter their appearance to appear more appealing to those around them. Characters are shown trying to present themselves as better than they are to impress others or make themselves seem superior. Bassanio clearly demonstrates this in the first scene of the play by borrowing money to gain servants and ‘furnish [himself to win] fair Portia’. By getting Bassanio to borrow money, Shakespeare highlights how his wealthy appearance is merely for show. Shakespeare furthers this with the first suitor, the prince of Morrocco, who bids Portia to not judge ‘[him] for [his] complexion’ but proceeds to base his guess in the casket lottery on the most appealing casket, gold. This irony highlights how characters can appear and intend to be a certain way but be another. The author finalises this at the climax of the play where the Christians plead for Shylock to be merciful as they argue it is a ‘divine quality’ that is better than justice. However, when they are in power over Shylock, they strip Shylock of his religion, wealth. By taking away his religion, the Christians effectively take away his identity showing their double standards. Shakespeare uses this to express how although the Christians in the play present themselves as people valuing mercy, they are not as inclined to show mercy. This ultimately shows how characters will alter their outward appearance to make them seem more attractive.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Sleep no more: Macbeth does murder…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: In the tragedy of “Macbeth”, written by William Shakespeare, the experience of guilt is depicted in many forms.…
In the tragedy of “Macbeth”, written by William Shakespeare, the experience of guilt is depicted in many forms. The feeling of remorse is strongly interlinked with the internal struggles and intrinsic sourses within the character. The remorse that stems from within the self also materialises into extrinsic and supernatural experiences. The tragedian further conveying the experience of guilt by conteplating the meaning of life, and the purpose of enduring guilt.
Shakespeare demonstrates the journey of feeling guilty by using intrinsic sources of self remorse. Macbeth's regicide of king Duncan is the source of his guilt. Right after committing the heinous crime, he “could not say Amen” nor could he sleep. This signifies his religious morals as a part of his remorse. In both the era of Shakespeare and “Macbeth”, society was deeply entangled with the church and religion. The disconnect between Macbeth and his religion allows Shakespeare to convey the audience, the extent to which his guilt is. Additionally, Macbeth could not “sleep [anymore]… he hath murdered sleep,” in response to murdering Duncan. In the play, the symbol of sleep is often related to innocence and peace. In later scenes, Lady Macbeth experiences similar troubles with sleep where she is seen sleep walking. The two examples of the two perpetrators of the regicide who are losing the ability to sleep exposes Shakespeare’s intentions. He aims to show the inability to sleep to be a torturous depiction of the experience of guilt. Furthermore, blood is a strong symbol of guilt and the psychomania that follows the two Macbeths. “Neptune oceans” were not able to “clean the blood” off of Macbeths hands, neither were “all the perfumes of Arabia” able to “sweeten” Lady Macbeth’s “little hand”. The hyperbolic statements from the couple show the permanence of guilt and the haunting and heavy burden it has on their soul. Lady Macbeth was not able to get the “damn spot…out” of her hand. Clearly, a simple hand wash could not rid her of this physical stain, but in this instance she was referring to the blood on her soul. The impossibility of ridding herself from the guilt is the root of her psychomania. Shakespeare uses the symbol and motifs of sleep and blood to illustrate the heavy burden of remore.
The playwright shifts from intrinsic sources of guilt to the extrinsic and supernatural source. The supernatural is intertwined with the plot of this play and makes significant contributions. The hallucinatory “false” dagger created by the “heat-oppressed mind” is ambiguous in its sources. Whether it is a supernatural sign sent by the witches or a vision created by Macbeth out of anxiousness in anticipation of killing Duncan, Shakespeare leaves this detail to the discretion of the audience. The interconnected origin of this dagger that symbolises guilt allows Shakespeare to express how different forms and manifestations of guilt can work together to create a terrifying hallucinatory vision. Additionally, the topic of the supernatural in the context of Shakespeare's time allows his message to resonate deeply with his audience. Their King James had published a journal called “Daemonology”, causing the altitude towards the supernatural to turn sour. Shakespeare decision in using the supernatural to depict the experience of guilt has allowed him to appease his king, by validating his published book. The audience also understood the severity of the guilt Macbeth was enduring by how Shakespeare juxtaposed the internal and supernatural sorces of guilt. Furthermore, Macbeth ordered his close friend Banquo to be murdered. Banquo had “promised to be [at the banquet]” however he was murdered before he had the chance to attend. Shakespeare rights this line as an equovocation and foreshadowing to the arrival of Banquo’s ghost at the Banquet. This comes as a warning to ‘be careful what you wish for’. Macbeth duplicitously invites Banquo to the feast, knowing he would be dead. His conscience does not let him rest and sends Banquo as a ghost, as a manifestation of his remorse. In this scene Shakespeare demonstrates that one’s guilt can not easily dissapear and it will always find a way to haunt you.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “In High Ground, good intentions can be as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Throughout history, individuals have often justified their actions through noble intentions, believing that good…
Throughout history, individuals have often justified their actions through noble intentions, believing that good motives inevitably lead to positive outcomes. However, intentions alone do not determine the consequences of actions, particularly when they exist within systems of violence, prejudice and inequality. While evil intentions are overtly destructive, well-meaning actions can also inflict significant harm when they are misguided, naïve or complicit in broader injustices. Set amid the violent frontier conflicts of 1930s Arnhem Land, Stephen Johnson’s film High Ground explores the devastating consequences of both malicious and benevolent actions in colonial Australia. Through Travis’ attempts to protect Indigenous communities, Gutjuk’s desire to bridge two cultures and Moran’s ruthless pursuit of colonial order, Johnson reveals that good intentions can indeed cause harm when they fail to challenge oppressive systems. Nevertheless, he ultimately suggests that destructive consequences arise not merely from good intentions themselves, but from the failure to accompany those intentions with moral courage and genuine understanding. In doing so, Johnson encourages Australian audiences to critically examine the legacy of colonialism and recognise that meaningful change requires more than simply good intentions.
There is no doubt that Johnson initially presents Travis’ good intentions as deeply destructive because his attempts to protect Indigenous Australians remain entangled within the colonial system responsible for their suffering. By positioning Travis as both a former perpetrator and reluctant protector, Johnson illustrates how benevolent motives cannot easily erase the consequences of past wrongdoing. Following the frontier massacre, Travis seeks redemption by helping Gutjuk and preventing further violence; however, his efforts repeatedly fail to shield Indigenous communities from harm. This moral tension is evident when Travis insists, “I’m not a tracker. I’m a soldier,” revealing his continuing struggle between duty and conscience. While Travis wishes to distance himself from colonial brutality, Johnson suggests that he remains shaped by the very institution he seeks to resist. Significantly, Johnson’s frequent use of sweeping aerial shots positions the Arnhem Land landscape as an ancient witness to human conflict, diminishing the significance of individual intentions against the enduring impact of colonial violence. In contrast to Travis’ desire to act honourably, the land itself symbolises the lasting consequences of European invasion. Furthermore, the juxtaposition between Travis’ protective actions and the repeated suffering experienced by Indigenous characters reinforces the limitations of individual goodwill within an unjust system. Johnson thereby compels Australian audiences to recognise that good intentions alone cannot undo historical injustice when systemic oppression remains unchallenged. Consequently, Travis’ well-meaning actions become destructive because they fail to fully confront the colonial structures that continue to cause harm.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "In The Merchant of Venice, the law is not…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Written in 1598, William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ reveals that the law can be both a tool for…
Written in 1598, William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ reveals that the law can be both a tool for justice and a weapon that is used to establish power. Shakespeare exposes how the courtroom functions simultaneously as a decider of fairness and an instrument of power. Ultimately, Shakespeare uses his play ‘Merchant of Venice’ to reveal that in such Venetian societies, in the Elizabethan era, the law is ultimately used to legalise the oppression of others.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does William Shakespeare explore the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet presents love as a profoundly complex and destructive force shaped by conflict,…
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet presents love as a profoundly complex and destructive force shaped by conflict, violence, and human impulsivity. Rather than idealising love, Shakespeare explores how it is restricted by society, intertwining with hatred and influenced by both fate and personal choice. Through the tragic relationship between Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare reveals that love can inspire emotional connection and individuality, while simultaneously leading to chaos, suffering, and death. Ultimately, the play suggests that love becomes most dangerous when it exists within a world governed by violence, patriarchal control, and uncontrollable destiny.
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents love as complex by depicting the conflict between individual desire and society’s set expectations. Verona is portrayed as a society governed by patriarchal authority, violence, and family honour, where personal happiness is sacrificed for social order. From the opening scene, the feud between the Montagues and Capulets dominates public life, as the servants engage in aggressive, misogynistic behaviour, with Sampson referring to women as “the weaker vessels” and threatening to “thrust the maids to the wall.” Shakespeare constructs a hyper-masculine culture through Sampson’s crude, performative language, using sexual violence to reduce women to objects, which would provoke discomfort in the audience and expose the moral corruption underpinning Verona. Romeo initially conforms to these expectations through his obsession with Rosaline. However, after meeting Juliet, he begins to reject this social pressure, choosing love over conflict when he refuses to fight Tybalt as they are now family. Despite this, Verona’s violent culture overrides his personal desires, resulting in Mercutio’s death and Romeo’s banishment. Juliet is positioned as the ideal daughter, expected to marry Paris to strengthen her family’s status rather than for love. However, Shakespeare complicates this by portraying Juliet as intelligent, mature, and defiant. When she asks, “What’s in a name?”, Juliet rejects the importance of family identity and social division in favour of personal choice. Through Romeo and Juliet’s resistance to societal norms, Shakespeare reinforces that love becomes both liberating and destructive when individuals attempt to challenge the rigid structure that controls their lives.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Illegal. In America, this is illegal"…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: “Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The…
“Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The Farewell,” critiquing the major lie in the film as morally unjust. This sets the stage for a meditation on the subjective nature of truth, and the ambiguity of lies. This dubiety is underscored through Billi, whose western view of life belonging to an individual conflicts with her familial obligation to maintain the deceit. Wang highlights the profound grief that occurs as a result of the lie, with repressed emotions and sustained guilt causing an individual experience in the suffering of the collective “emotional burden”. Yet at its core, Wang’s film is a reflection of love, highlighting a selfless love that grows as the film progresses, asserting Wang’s key takeaway that all actions as a result of love are moral.
Chinese dialogue left untranslated in the film, allows Wang to emphasise the role of one’s cultural and familial obligations in their motives to lie. This is done through Billi facing cultural disconnection through her “Chinese [not being] so good,” aligning us with Billi’s alienation, thus understanding her cultural responsibility to tell Nai Nai the truth. Cinematographer, Anna Franquesca Solano uses a wide aspect ratio to frame the family as a landscape, symbolising the collective effort every member must put in to maintain the lie. Haibin’s belief that he will “always be Chinese. No matter where [he] lives,” signifies the cultural obligations one experiences towards their home country, with Haiyan, maintaining his view that “in the East, you life is part of a whole, a family, and a society,” despite living in America for a large portion of his life. Billi’s unique cultural perspective - that life belongs to the “individual” - causes her to “feel guilty,” yet her familial obligation to maintain the performance overcomes this cultural tension. Billi is often framed away from her family and others, symbolising her isolation from the family unit due to her conflicting view of life, seen in the subway scene. Her clothing, which is often plain compared to the traditional clothing of others, further emphasises the cultural isolation she feels as her family believes she “[wants] to tell Nai Nai the truth because [she’s] afraid to take responsibility for her.” Wang explores how cultural obligations come with great sacrifice, with the wedding scene highlighting Little Nai Nai’s selflessness to leave her husband in “Shenzhen” to maintain both her familial and cultural obligation to her older sister. This altruism signifies the good-hearted nature of the lie, separating the ethical dilemma from the well intended motive. Yet the Wangs’ obligation to both the beloved matriarch and China overcomes any consequences and acts as the major catalyst in the lie.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Illegal. In America, this is illegal"…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: “Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The…
“Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The Farewell,” critiquing the major lie in the film as morally unjust. This sets the stage for a meditation on the subjective nature of truth, and the ambiguity of lies. This dubiety is underscored through Billi, whose western view of life belonging to an individual conflicts with her familial obligation to maintain the deceit. Wang highlights the profound grief that occurs as a result of the lie, with repressed emotions and sustained guilt causing an individual experience of suffering the collective “emotional burden”.” Yet at its core, Wang’s film is a reflection of love, highlighting a selfless love that grows as the film progresses, asserting Wang’s key takeaway that all actions as a result of love are moral.
Chinese dialogue left untranslated in the film allows Wang to highlight the cultural disconnection Billi, whose “Chinese isn’t so good,” experienced towards her family and China, aligning us with Billi’s alienation. This emphasises lying as a result of cultural and familial obligations. Cinematographer, Anna Franquesca Solano uses a wide aspect ratio to frame the family as a landscape, symbolising the collective effort every member must put in to maintain the lie. Haibin’s belief that he will “always be Chinese. No matter where [he] lives,” signifies the cultural obligations one experiences towards their home country, with Haiyan, maintaining his view that “in the East, you life is part of a whole, a family, and a society,” despite living in America for a large portion of his life. Billi’s unique cultural perspective - that life belongs to the “individual” - causes her to “feel guilty,” yet her familial obligation to maintain the performance overcomes this cultural tension. Billi is often framed outside the shot, with her clothing, often plain compared to the traditional clothing of others, further emphasising the cultural isolation she feels as her family believes she “[wants] to tell Nai Nai the truth because [she’s] afraid to take responsibility for her.” Wang explores how cultural obligations come with great sacrifice, with the wedding scene highlighting Little Nai Nai’s selflessness to leave her husband in “Shenzhen” to maintain both her familial and cultural obligation to her older sister. This altruism signifies the good-hearted nature of the lie, separating the ethical dilemma from the well intended motive. Yet the Wangs’ obligation to both the beloved matriarch and China overcomes any consequences and acts as the major catalyst in the lie.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Illegal. In America, this is illegal"…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: “Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The…
“Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The Farewell,” critiquing the major lie in the film as morally unjust. This sets the stage for a meditation on the subjective nature of truth, and the ambiguity of lies. This dubiety is underscored through Billi, whose western view of life belonging to an individual conflicts with her familial obligation to maintain the deceit. Wang highlights the profound grief that occurs as a result of the lie, with repressed emotions and sustained guilt causing an individual experience of suffering the collective “emotional burden”.” Yet at its core, Wang’s film is a reflection of love, highlighting a selfless love that grows as the film progresses, asserting Wang’s key takeaway that all actions as a result of love are moral.
Chinese dialogue left untranslated in the film allows Wang to highlight the cultural disconnection Billi, whose “Chinese isn’t so good,” experienced towards her family and China, aligning us with Billi’s alienation. This emphasises lying as a result of cultural and familial obligations. Cinematographer, Anna Franquesca Solano uses a wide aspect ratio to frame the family as a landscape, symbolising the collective effort every member must put in to maintain the lie. Haibin’s belief that he will “always be Chinese. No matter where [he] lives,” signifies the cultural obligations one experiences towards their home country, with Haiyan, maintaining his view that “in the East, you life is part of a whole, a family, and a society,” despite living in America for a large portion of his life. Billi’s unique cultural perspective - that life belongs to the “individual” - causes her to “feel guilty,” yet her familial obligation to maintain the performance overcomes this cultural tension. Billi is often framed outside the shot, with her clothing, often plain compared to the traditional clothing of others, further emphasising the cultural isolation she feels as her family believes she “[wants] to tell Nai Nai the truth because [she’s] afraid to take responsibility for her.” Wang explores how cultural obligations come with great sacrifice, with the wedding scene highlighting Little Nai Nai’s selflessness to leave her husband in “Shenzhen” to maintain both her familial and cultural obligation to her older sister. This altruism signifies the good-hearted nature of the lie, separating the ethical dilemma from the well intended motive. Yet the Wangs’ obligation to both the beloved matriarch and China overcomes any consequences and acts as the major catalyst in the lie.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Characters in Twelfth Night misunderstand…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: In Shakespeare’s 1602 romantic comedy Twelfth Night he explores consequences of characters who misunderstand…
In Shakespeare’s 1602 romantic comedy Twelfth Night he explores consequences of characters who misunderstand themselves more so than though than those around them. As Elizabethan society was governed by rigid expectations surrounding gender, hierarchy and appearance, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night constructs a world in which identity is unstable and genuine self-knowledge becomes increasingly difficult to sustain. Therefore, Shakespeare presents self- misunderstanding as more pervasive and consequential than misunderstanding others through revealing how characters misreadings of the external world emerge from deeper failures of self-knowledge, desire and identity. Within theatrical world of Illyria governed by disguise, hierarchy and emotional excess, Shakespeare insinuates self-deception is not merely temporary or an individual flaw, but a structural condition of a world governed by performance and illusion that prevents genuine self-knowledge or transformation. Thus, he encourages Elizabethan audiences to reflect on their self-awareness and limitations in rigid world around them that prohibit truth and authenticity.
Shakespeare reveals how character misunderstand themselves more deeply than others because of the socially performative world of Illyria that facilitates illusion. Orsino’s internalised performative deception – shaped by Petrarchan love conventions dominant in the period - reveal how he misunderstands the nature of his own emotions as he treats love as an aesthetic performance to be enjoyed rather than a genuine connection with Olivia. Through the implied allusion to Narcissus “if music be the food of love, play on” that frames love as something to be enjoyed or prolonged, rather than acted upon serves to further critique aristocratic culture that rewarded performative love over genuine emotional awareness. Consequentially, his lack of understanding of Olivia throughout the play originates in his inability to recognise he is in love with the idea of Olivia rather than Olivia herself. This is emphasised by metonymy point in Feste’s song “come away, come away death” to represent Orsino – the object of desire that is replaced by the desiring object. Shakespeare also depicts Olivia participating in figurative disguises through her excessive mourning as she vows to “abjure the company and sight of men” for 7 years. Whilst this performance aligns with early modern expectations of female chastity and virtue, Feste verbally unmasks Olivia to undermine her authenticity. As Feste repeatedly address Olivia as “Madonna”, he ironically invokes her as the virgin Mary, and in doing so exposes her supposed virtue as exaggerated and performative. By reframing her sorrow as irrational rather than virtuous, Feste dismantles the moral authority of her self-presentation, revealing it as an emotional disguise sustained for social recognition rather than genuine feeling. Consequentially, when she falls in love with Cesario – a non-existent identity – Shakespeare suggests her misunderstanding of Cesario stems form her inability to recognise her own emotional instability. This is exemplified to portray her love for Cesario that has been “caught” so “quickly might catch the plague” as an uncontrollable sickness that strikes people, hence emphasising her desire as a projection rather than perception of Cesario. Moreover, Malvolio’s fantasy of becoming “count Malvolio” reveals how his greatest deception is self-generated. His instant belief in Maria’s letter that “I could marry this wench for this device” exposes the extent to which he misunderstands Olivia not because of her actions, but from misunderstanding of his own position, character and real desire. Thus, Shakespeare critiques the rigid social hierarchies that encourage individuals to define their worth through status, ambition and social expectations, highlighting how self-deception is a structural feature of human consciousness made visible through the play’s comic apparatus that leads to misunderstanding of others.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Illegal. In America, this is illegal"…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: “Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The…
“Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The Farewell,” critiquing the major lie in the film as morally unjust. This sets the stage for a meditation on the subjective nature of truth, and the ambiguity of lies. This dubiety is underscored through Billi, whose western view of life belonging to an individual conflicts with her familial obligation to maintain the deceit. Wang highlights the profound grief that occurs as a result of the lie, with repressed emotions and sustained guilt causing an individual experience of suffering the collective “emotional burden”.” Yet at its core, Wang’s film is a reflection of love, highlighting a selfless love that grows as the film progresses, asserting Wang’s key takeaway that all actions as a result of love are moral.
Chinese dialogue left untranslated in the film allows Wang to highlight the cultural disconnection Billi, whose “Chinese isn’t so good,” experienced towards her family and China, aligning us with Billi’s alienation. Emphasising lying as a result of cultural and familial obligations. Cinematographer, Anna Franquesca Solano uses a wide aspect ratio to frame the family as a landscape, symbolising the collective effort every member must put in to maintain the lie. Haibin’s belief that he will “always be Chinese. No matter where [he] lives,” signifies the cultural obligations one experiences towards their home country, with Haiyan, maintaining his view that “in the East, you life is part of a whole, a family, and a society,” despite living in America for a large portion of his life. Billi’s unique cultural perspective - that life belongs to the “individual” - causes her to “feel guilty,” yet her familial obligation to maintain the performance overcomes this cultural tension. Billi is often framed outside the shot, with her clothing, often plain compared to the traditional clothing of others, further emphasising the cultural isolation she feels as her family believes she “[wants] to tell Nai Nai the truth because [she’s] afraid to take responsibility for her.” Wang explores how cultural obligations come with great sacrifice, with the wedding scene highlighting Little Nai Nai’s selflessness to leave her husband in “Shenzhen” to maintain both her familial and cultural obligation to her older sister. This altruism signifies the good-hearted nature of the lie, separating the ethical dilemma from the well intended motive. Yet the Wangs’ obligation to both the beloved matriarch and China overcomes any consequences and acts as the major catalyst in the lie.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Illegal. In America, this is illegal"…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: “Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The…
“Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The Farewell,” critiquing the major lie in the film as morally unjust. Setting the stage for a mediation on the subjective nature of truth, and the ambiguity of lies. This dubiety is underscored through Billi, whose western view of life belonging to an individual conflicts with her familial obligation to maintain the deceit. Wang highlights the profound grief that occurs as a result of the lie, with repressed emotions and sustained guilt causing an individual experience of suffering the collective “emotional burden”.” Yet at its core, Wang’s film is a reflection of love, highlighting a selfless love that grows as the film progresses, asserting Wang’s key takeaway that all actions as a result of love are moral.
Chinese dialogue left untranslated in the film allows Wang to highlight the cultural disconnection Billi, whose “Chinese isn’t so good,” experienced towards her family and China. Emphasising lying as a result of cultural and familial obligations. Cinematographer, Anna Franquesca Solano uses a wide aspect ratio to frame the family as a landscape, symbolising the collective effort every member must put in to maintain the lie. Haibin’s belief that he will “always be Chinese. No matter where [he] lives,” signifies the cultural obligations one experiences towards their home country, with Haiyan, maintaining his view that “in the East, you life is part of a whole, a family, and a society,” despite living in America for a large portion of his life. Billi is unique in the film, such that her cultural view of life belonging to an “individual” causes her to “feel guilty,” yet her familial obligation to maintain the performance overcomes this cultural tension. Billi is often framed outside the shot, with her clothing, often plain compared to the traditional clothing of others, further emphasising the cultural isolation she feels as her family believes she “[wants] to tell Nai Nai the truth because [she’s] afraid to take responsibility for her.” Wang explores how cultural obligations come with great sacrifice, with the wedding scene highlighting Little Nai Nai’s selflessness to leave her husband in “Shenzhen” to maintain both her familial and cultural obligation to her older sister. Yet the Wangs’ obligation to both the beloved matriarch and China overcomes any consequences and acts as the major catalyst in the lie.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Hadley suggests everyday experiences lead…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Individuals are in a constant state of evolution, continually gaining new perceptions on themselves and the world…
Individuals are in a constant state of evolution, continually gaining new perceptions on themselves and the world during the unremarkable rhythms of everyday life. Tessa Hadley’s ‘Bad Dreams and Other Stories’ offers insight into how meaningful introspection is often triggered by intimate moments of solitude rather than overtly dramatic events. Hadley ultimately displays how seemingly mundane experiences can be a catalyst for deeper change.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Systemic racism is evident and thriving in…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Chloe Hooper‘s expository text, “The Tall Man“ examines the death of Cameron Doomadgee and the events that…
Chloe Hooper‘s expository text, “The Tall Man“ examines the death of Cameron Doomadgee and the events that preceded and followed his passing, shedding light on the systemic injustice and neglect experienced by Indigenous Australians. Throughout the text, Chloe Hooper contends that systemic racism is not only an integral aspect of “The Tall Man”, but an amalgamation of socio-economic disadvantage entrenched historical racism experienced by the Palm Islanders. Chloe Hooper first illuminates the colonial foundation Palm Island was built upon, and then how it has prevailed into Palm Islander then explains how these injustices manifest into systemic racism. Thus, Chloe Hooper constructs abroad or societal comment on how the injustice of the past still impact Indigenous Australians today.
Initially, Hooper reveals that the systemic racism at the heart of The Tall Man stems from the entrenched historical racism embedded in Palm Island’s colonial foundations. Hooper notes how Palm Island was a place where “40 different groups [were] forced to co-exist,” highlighting how Indigenous Australians were stripped of their distinct cultural identities. The colonial mindset adopted by non-Indigenous authorities, which forced diverse Indigenous groups into one controlled space, reflects a blatant disregard for their cultural differences and autonomy, demonstrating how control and assimilation were embedded within institutional structures rather than being isolated acts of prejudice. This notion of historical racism is furthered when Hooper describes early Palm Island as an “open-air jail”. The words “open air" connote a sense of freedom and liberty, juxtaposed with the word “jail”, emphasising the oxymoronic nature of the island as a place designed to confine and control Indigenous Australians, reinforcing how this marginalisation was systemically enforced through government policy and surveillance. Additionally, Hooper reveals to readers that the Palm Islanders were assigned an “Aboriginal Protector”, and that they were not “always upstanding”. Here, the concept of a white saviour complex is imparted on the community and serves as a way to surveil them, while also reflecting how authority figures were institutionally empowered to control Indigenous lives. When Hooper adds that they were not always upstanding, readers are compelled to infer that these “protectors” were perpetrators of mistreatment and abuses of power, highlighting how systemic racism operates through institutions that both enable and protect such behaviour. Thus, Hooper ultimately reveals that the historical foundations of Palm Island are not merely reflective of past racism, but form the structural basis of the systemic injustices that continue to marginalise Indigenous Australians in the present.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Shakespeare presents marriage as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: In life, humans have a natural tendency to keep secrets, which hinders both relationships and self-understanding.…
In life, humans have a natural tendency to keep secrets, which hinders both relationships and self-understanding. Throughout Tessa Hadley’s anthology ‘Bad Dreams and Other Short Stories’, she explores the 20th century and modern day Britain’s stance on secrecy and gender roles. Her stories can be read as a cautionary tale that warns against the deteriorating effect that secrecy has on relationships with others. She uses secretive characters to portray how restricting self-expression can limit one’s individuality and freedom, uncovering a patriarchal society’s expectation for women to keep their individualism hidden while remaining silent and subservient to men. Additionally, keeping secrets from oneself limits self-understanding, where a refusal to acknowledge their secrets leads to the neglect of an individual’s identity. But ultimately, Hadley empowers individuals to accept their secrets and confide in others to maintain a healthy relationship.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How is imagery used to explore the nature…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Linda Pastan’s Poem The Happiest Day explores her thoughts about the fleeting nature of happiness. Specifically,…
Linda Pastan’s Poem The Happiest Day explores her thoughts about the fleeting nature of happiness. Specifically, the speaker laments not cherishing the joyful moments with her parents, her children, and her partner, and reflects upon cherishing small moments of happiness amidst turmoil in the world. Therefore, through the use of familial imagery, recurring naturalistic imagery, as well as cinematic imagery, the speaker creates a reflective, melancholic tone to highlight the ephemeral, volatile and relative nature of happiness, and that one should cherish it more, even though it may seem insignificant.
Firstly, in lines 1-15, the speaker introduces the recurring imagery of nature and familial imagery in a retrospective perspective to highlight the tranquility of the earlier days with her parents and children, illustrating the transient nature of happiness. The speaker begins in an optimistic tone, using colorful naturalistic imagery in “a moment of lilac or dogwood”. She also uses juxtaposition and enjambment in “so many promises are made/” with “it doesn’t matter if a few are broken” to highlight her reflective string of thoughts about her carefree past, which deepens the loss of these happy memories. She then utilises a retrospective perspective to describe her parents “hover(ing)” in the background”, further enhancing her reflective tone. Then, she likens her parents to “the houses I have grown up in” in a metaphor, but hints at their growing age through the kinetic imagery of “torn down later”, reflecting the ephemerality of her happiness. She focuses on her children, comparing them to “the new smell of lilac”. The recurring imagery of nature is used to show her children’s innocence and youth, which is then contrasted as she describes their growing up through “their roots were shallow” and “would be easily transported”, reflecting the transience of her children’s naivety. The somber, melancholic tone from “how could I have guessed” and “that was something I knew but didn’t believe” hints that she has regrets on not treasuring the familial memories when her children “were asleep/ or playing”. Thus, through the use of naturalistic imagery and familial imagery, the speaker describes the tranquility of her earlier days with her parents and children, highlighting the fleeting nature of happiness.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Shakespeare presents marriage as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: ] Cost-of-Living Crisis Oral Presentation “How much more are we supposed to take?” I’m tired of hearing that this…
] Cost-of-Living Crisis Oral Presentation
“How much more are we supposed to take?”
I’m tired of hearing that this is just “part of life” when people around me are living paycheck to paycheck, skipping meals, working multiple jobs, and still struggling to survive.
I’m so exhausted of watching families stress over rent, parents sacrifice their own needs for their children, and Australian youth gradually lose hope for their future.
The cost-of-living crisis isn’t just a headline or a statistic. It’s something people like me are living through every single day.
How much more are we supposed to take?
Well today, I'm done staying silent.
Good afternoon everyone,
"I stand here today as a casual retail worker, someone who works hard every week but still struggles to get ahead. When I look at the news and see that the median rent in this country is now $650 a week, I don't see a 'statistic'—I see the $120 I have left in my bank account after my landlord takes his cut."
I stand here not just as one person experiencing this crisis, but as a voice for millions of Australians being crushed under the weight of rising living costs. I am speaking directly to our government and national decision-makers, the people responsible for forming our economy as well as to every Australian who is witnessing this crisis unfold and feels powerless to share their opinion on it.
The cost-of-living crisis is one of the most serious and detrimental challenges facing Australia today. While many politicians discuss economic figures and statistics, ordinary Australians are facing a very different reality: a reality where necessities are becoming increasingly difficult to afford.
The first thing we need to understand is why this crisis is happening.
The cost-of-living crisis did not appear overnight. Rising inflation, global supply chain disruptions, the ongoing economic effects of COVID-19, international conflicts affecting energy prices, and a shortage of affordable housing have all contributed to making everyday essentials more expensive.
People ask me all the time at work: "Why is this happening?" We hear the same buzzwords on the news every night—inflation, supply chain issues, global conflicts. But I don't need a news anchor to tell me things are changing. I see it every shift I work. I see the price tags on the milk and bread being swapped out for higher ones week after week. I see the "out of stock" signs for the cheap staples.
The experts at the Bureau of Statistics say food prices rose by about 3.4% last year. But standing at that register, watching a parent’s face fall when the total comes up, or seeing them quietly ask me to put the fruit back because they’ve hit their limit? That 3.4% feels like a lie. It feels like a mountain that’s getting steeper every single day, while our wages are stuck at the base camp. Knowing why the price of fuel is up doesn't make it any easier to choose between filling the tank or filling the fridge.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Shakespeare presents marriage as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Whether it is Beatrice's ascetic disdain of saccharin romance, Claudio's fickle romantic affections or even Don…
Whether it is Beatrice's ascetic disdain of saccharin romance, Claudio's fickle romantic affections or even Don John's brazen malevolence, Shakespeare's 16th century tragicomedy, Much Ado About Nothing illuminates the importance of marriage within Elizabethan society and explores the profundity that all characters see within it. Regardless of their initial view, be it of arrogant aversion or gracious acceptance, the cast all come to see the value that it can provide, for some are 'too wise to woo peaceably' and others who simply 'suffer love'. Accepted as almost a universal truth, marriage is seen as the natural end goal within the progression of a person's life. Marriage is often linked directly to one's social status, as marrying another binds their image with one's own. One can even use marriage as a tool to further one's own ideals, by feeding ones hubris or destroying another's reputation, asserting the influence that it holds upon social acceptance.
In spite of initial reluctance to participate in marriage due to various matters of pride, all characters eventually come to accept the value and inevitability of it. By the conclusion of the all play, Benedict and Beatrice overcome different obstacles in order to reach the happy ending, looking 'pale with love.' Don Pedro's predication that, 'the savage bull doth bear the yoke,' demonstrates Shakespeare's use of foreshadowing to allude to the merry conclusion. Benedick does eventually 'think upon the savage bull,' with Claudio to 'to tip thy (Benedick's) horns with gold', manifesting this augury in a way which completely undermines his initial assertion that 'if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns and set them in my forehead.' Don Pedro's declaration that 'I shall thee, 'ere I die, look pale with love,' denoting that he wishes nothing more than to see Benedick fall in love, overtly illustrates the effect of being in love to the people around oneself, as Don Pedro believes that marriage would greatly add to his image of Benedick, and that it is all but guaranteed to happen. In doing so, Shakespeare intends to portray the notion of marriage as one that's consistent with every man and women, regardless of their hubris and stubbornness. The two marriages conclude the play on a positive, upbeat note where Don John is 'ta'en in flight' and that they 'have a dance 'ere we are married.' Unequivocally, a successful marriage is displayed as being synonymous to achieving true happiness and receiving social praise and an event that is emblematic of the final stages of a person's development.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Social pressure can influence people's…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: O’Brien highlights how a combination of trauma and societal pressure results in an individual facing severe…
O’Brien highlights how a combination of trauma and societal pressure results in an individual facing severe psychological torment, which negatively influences their decisions. Through his collection of short stories, particularly “Speaking of Courage” and “Notes”, O’Brien explores how 20th century America’s views on the mental health of veterans prompted profound psychological trauma for countless individuals. In “Speaking of Courage”, Norman Bowker is shown to be driving around his hometown after the Vietnam War as there was “no place in particular to go”. This symbolises the crushing weight the war, particularly Kiowa’s death, had on Bowker’s mental health, as he also had no internal direction on how to recover from his moral injuries. O’Brien’s revelation of how Bowker had his mind preoccupied with the significant guilt he experienced from Kiowa’s death is used to highlight the idea of how veterans become completely occupied by the