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.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: What does Wilder suggest about the pursuit…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard offers a scathing indictment of the pursuit of fame, dismantling Hollywood’s…
Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard offers a scathing indictment of the pursuit of fame, dismantling Hollywood’s glamorous veneer to reveal a predatory system sustained by delusion, exploitation, and spectacle. Rather than presenting fame as the pinnacle of success, Wilder exposes it as a corrosive force that erodes morality and identity, rewarding performance over authenticity. Through the tragic trajectories of Joe Gillis and Norma Desmond, Wilder suggests that the relentless pursuit of external validation not only dehumanises individuals but also implicates the society that consumes their suffering as entertainment.
From its opening sequence, the film subverts conventional representations of Hollywood glamour. The camera descends into a murky gutter before revealing Joe’s lifeless body floating in a swimming pool, immediately associating the dream of stardom with decay and death. This inversion of expectation establishes fame not as aspiration, but as fatal delusion. The presence of a homicide squad “complete with newspaper men” because an “old-time star” is involved underscores society’s fascination with spectacle. Rather than mourning Joe, the reporters metaphorically “harpoon” his corpse, reducing him to an “item” of interest. Wilder thus reveals how tragedy itself becomes commodified, transformed into consumable entertainment for a voyeuristic public. Fame, in this world, is inseparable from exploitation.
Joe Gillis embodies the moral degradation induced by the pursuit of success. Introduced as a struggling screenwriter “grinding out” stories in a dressing gown, Joe is financially desperate and emotionally adrift. His car faces repossession; his scripts are dismissed as “dead as a doornail.” Yet rather than confront his failures, Joe adopts a sardonic, performative persona. He refers to bill collectors as his “fans,” clinging to the illusion of relevance. Wilder suggests that Joe’s ambition is less about artistic integrity than about validation—about being seen, recognised, and affirmed. His willingness to deceive Sheldrake by falsely claiming that “twentieth” is “hot” about his script exemplifies how the pursuit of fame normalises mendacity. Pride and opportunism become survival mechanisms in an industry that prizes image over substance.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard both challenges and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: Billy Wilder's 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) is a noir melodrama that explores the intricacies of 1940s Hollywood.…
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 subtly endorses traditional gender expectations of men being superior to women. Present throughout the film, Joe Gillis provides narration of the events of 'Sunset Boulevard' from his own perspective. Wilder characterises Joe as witty, intelligent and sarcastic, as reflected in dialogue where Joe describes menacing insurance collectors as saying 'the cutest things'. This positions the audience to perceive Joe as endearing, with his financial hardship and honesty making him a relatable character for both 1950s and contemporary audiences. Yet Joe's romantic relationship with Betty Schaefer is a clear example of his moral questionability. Joe describes Artie Green as a 'nicer guy' and thinks of him as a 'pal', but spends copious amounts of time with Artie's fiancee Betty, even kissing her with the knowledge that she and Artie are engaged. Wilder's swelling orchestral music, incandescant lighting and slow camera movements during romantic scenes between Joe and Betty present their relationship as intimate and positive, despite it being founded on disloyalty. Joe’s upright position in contrast to Betty’s seated stance symbolises Joe's masculinity and dominance over her. Additionally, Joe often gives Betty instructions on how to write their collaborative script, even telling her to walk a particular route to return to the office ‘via Washington Square'. This is evident of Joe's poor treatment of women, particularly younger women whom he may deem as less intelligent. Wilder's patriarchal storytelling via Joe prevents female characters (such as Norma Desmond) from being able to express their point of view of the events taking place during the film. Joe's lack of integrity is characteristic of noir films featuring morally ambiguous protagonists, which draws into question the reliability of Joe's negative portrayal of Norma Desmond. Ultimately, Wilder subtly creates a world where men hold dominion over women, leaving little room for female voices or empowerment, reflecting the gender expectations of 1940s America.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard both challenges and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: Billy Wilder's 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) is a noir melodrama that explores the intricacies of 1940s Hollywood.…
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, gender expectations are reversed as Joe loses his autonomy to 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 subtly endorses traditional gender expectations of men being superior to women. Present throughout the film, Joe Gillis provides narration of the events of 'Sunset Boulevard' from his own perspective. Wilder characterises Joe as witty, intelligent and sarcastic, as reflected in dialogue where Joe describes menacing insurance collectors as saying 'the cutest things'. This positions the audience to perceive Joe as endearing, with his financial hardship and honesty making him a relatable character for both 1950s and contemporary audiences. Yet Joe's romantic relationship with Betty Schaefer is a clear example of his moral questionability. Joe describes Artie Green as a 'nicer guy' and thinks of him as a 'pal', but spends copious amounts of time with Artie's fiancee Betty, even kissing her with the knowledge that she and Artie are engaged. Wilder's swelling orchestral music, incandescant lighting and slow camera movements during romantic scenes between Joe and Betty present their relationship as intimate and positive, despite it being founded on disloyalty. Joe’s upright position in contrast to Betty’s seated stance symbolises Joe's masculinity and dominance over her. Additionally, Joe often gives Betty instructions on how to write their collaborative script, even telling her to walk a particular route to return to the office ‘via Washington Square'. This is evident of Joe's poor treatment of women, particularly younger women whom he may deem as less intelligent. Wilder's patriarchal storytelling via Joe prevents female characters (such as Norma Desmond) from being able to express their point of view of the events taking place during the film. Joe's lack of integrity appears to be supported by Wilder, which draws into question the accuracy of Wilder's negative portrayal of Norma Desmond. Ultimately, Wilder subtly creates a world where men hold dominion over women, leaving little room for female voices or empowerment, reflecting the gender expectations of 1940s America.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard both challenges and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: 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' locality 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, gender expectations are reversed as Joe loses his autonomy to 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 emotionless 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 subtly endorses traditional gender expectations of men being superior to women. Present throughout the film, Joe Gillis provides narration of the events of 'Sunset Boulevard' from his own perspective. Wilder characterises Joe as witty, intelligent and sarcastic, as reflected in dialogue where Joe describes menacing insurance collectors as saying 'the cutest things'. This positions the audience to perceive Joe as endearing, his financial hardship and honesty make him a relatable character for both past 1950s and contemporary audiences. Yet Joe's Integrity is questioned multiple times. Joe's romantic relationship with Betty Schaefer is a clear example of his moral questionability. Joe describes Artie Green as a 'nicer guy' and thinks of him as a 'pal', but spends copious amounts of time with Artie's fiancee Betty, even kissing her with the knowledge that she and Artie are engaged. Wilder's swelling orchestral music, stark lighting and slow camera movements during romantic scenes between Joe and Betty present their relationship as intimate and positive, despite it being on disloyalty. Wilder's placement of Joe standing upright, whilst Betty is seated in her office symbolises Joe's masculinity and dominance over Betty. Additionally, Joe often gives Betty instructions on how to write their collaborative script, even telling her to walk a particular route 'from Washington Square?' This is evident of Joe's poor treatment of women, particularly younger women whom he may deem as less intelligent. Wilder's patriarchal storytelling via Joe prevents female characters (such as Norma Desmond) from being able to express their point of view of the events taking place during the film. Joe's lack of integrity appears to be supported by Wilder, which draws into question the accuracy of Wilder's negative portrayal of Norma Desmond. Ultimately, Wilder reminds viewers of the underlying purpose of men; held dominion over women, leaving little room for female voices or empowerment.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent does sunset boulevard…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Wilder illustrates Hollywood as an industry that requires individuals relinquishing principles and using means of…
Wilder illustrates Hollywood as an industry that requires individuals relinquishing principles and using means of manipulation on each other for their personal greed and advancement. When Joe is dressing up in the “vicuna coat” he stares at himself in the mirror with a look of disgust, this facial expression signifies the moral sacrifice of Joe for materialistic gain as he treats himself as a product bought by Norma for personal financial gain hence exploiting Norma’s wealth. Although this leads to Norma gaining full control over Joe in turn as when Joe is leaving the New years party, a midshot displays his coat getting stuck in the handle which accentuates on the fact that even whenJoe is away from Norma she has full control over him due to her personal desires as she was “in love with him”. Norma herself is exploiting Joe's youth and presence for the craving of companionship. Wilder displays this manipulative relationship between the two characters as a great loss of individual morality, as it leads to individuals succumbing to the
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does The Memory Police present…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: In Yoko Ogawa’s The Memory Police, storytelling is presented as a paradoxical force that embodies both resistance…
In Yoko Ogawa’s The Memory Police, storytelling is presented as a paradoxical force that embodies both resistance and submission within a dystopian society governed by enforced forgetting. As objects and their associated memories are erased, storytelling becomes a fragile method of preserving identity, history, and emotional truth. However, Ogawa simultaneously reveals the limitations of storytelling under authoritarian control, portraying it as powerless against systemic erasure. Through the protagonist’s act of writing, the diminishing meaning behind her stories, and the regime’s suppression of memory, Ogawa explores how storytelling resists erasure on a personal level while ultimately submitting to oppressive power.
Ogawa presents storytelling as a form of resistance by depicting writing as an instinctive attempt to preserve memory and identity in the face of disappearance.
The protagonist continues to write even as the world around her loses meaning, suggesting that storytelling is a deeply human impulse rather than a deliberate act of rebellion. Her writing allows her to preserve traces of erased objects, transforming loss into narrative. This is evident when she reflects that she “continued to write,” despite not fully understanding why, indicating that storytelling functions as an unconscious resistance to forgetting. By recording fragments of a disappearing world, the protagonist asserts her inner self against external control. Ogawa thus presents storytelling as a quiet yet meaningful form of resistance, one that preserves memory symbolically even when physical reality has been stripped away.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Through Maus, Spiegelman demonstrates that…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Introduction: Memory can be a source of one’s pain, yet it can also be vital to preserving one’s legacy. In Art…
Introduction:
Memory can be a source of one’s pain, yet it can also be vital to preserving one’s legacy. In Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel, memory is portrayed as fragile and fragmented, haunting both survivors and their descendents. However he suggests that through acceptance and story telling, individuals can reconcile with their past and preserve identity in the face of loss. Spiegelman reveals that trauma can torment Holocaust survivors long after the war, fragmenting their sense of self and their daily lives. His portrayal of Art’s emotional turmoil exposes how trauma can distort memory across generations, straining familial relationships and identity. Despite the pain of remembrance, Spiegelman affirms the necessities of storytelling as a means of preserving identity and recovering humanity. Ultimately, Maus confronts memories as a source of suffering, while also being a source of stories that is essential to record.
BP1:
Spiegelman reveals that the trauma of the Holocaust continues to torment survivors in the present, fragmenting their sense of self and distorting their daily interactions.
During Art’s interview, Vladek is depicted pedalling furiously on his stationary bike yet remaining motionless, a powerful visual metaphor for emotional paralysis.The relentless pedalling despite yielding no movement, symbolises the cyclical and inescapable nature, suggesting that survival does not equate to freedom from suffering. This sense of emotional stagnation encapsulates the futility of attempting to outrun memory as trauma becomes both an anchor and a prison.
Spiegelman, accentuated through the visual structure of the panel itself. A long horizontal frame occupying nearly a third of the page within it, Vladek’s hunched body and weary expression communicate profound psychological fatigue where he concedes, “enough for today”, his word signal not merely physical exhaustion but the unbearable weight of reliving the past, reinforcing that remembrance exacts a devastating emotional toll.
Vladek’s destruction of Anja’s diaries operates as both inheritance and burden. His admission, “these memories had too many, So i burned them” reveals the paradox of survival to preserve life he must erase the traces of it. This act of obliteration motivated by grief and guilt becomes an extension of trauma itself perpetuating loss rather than resolving it. Art’s furious response calling his father a “murderer”, reflects how trauma reverborates through generations fracturing bonds and transmitting guilt from parent to child.
Through Vladek’s dual narrative, his fragmented recollections of the past into woven with his fractured present, Spiegelman demonstrates that systemic persecution under the Nazi’s regime dehumanizes is victims yet through the very act of story telling, both Vladek and Art reclaim fragments of their lost humanity. Ultimately Spiegelman suggest that the cost of survival is the perpetual confrontation with memory, where the act of remembering itself becomes an open unhealing wound.
BP2:
Through the portrayal of Art’s guilt and detachment, Spiegelman exposes how the trauma of the Holocaust reverberates across generations, eroding familial relationships and self understanding.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Prompt 3: Explore the roles of fantasy and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Prompt 3: Explore the roles of fantasy and magical beliefs in the text. Discuss. Fantasy and belief are deeply…
Prompt 3: Explore the roles of fantasy and magical beliefs in the text. Discuss.
Fantasy and belief are deeply personal constructs, shaped by everyone’s own rituals and imaginative habits. In her gothic novella, “We Have Always Lived in The Castle,” Shirley Jackson interrogates the function of fantasy and magical beliefs, revealing that for many, fantasies and delusion can become a source of internal power, allowing individuals to be psychologically soothed in times of distress. However, Jackson constructs love and power as binary forces, implying that the prioritization of fantasies may indirectly result in a lack of love. Through a feminine lens, Jackson positions the reader to perceive that fantasies symbolize feminine autonomy and serve as a form of resistance against patriarchal oppression.
Throughout the narrative, fantasies become a source of power for each individual as it functions as a means for self- soothing. Most prominently, the motif of the moon becomes a primary means for survival for Merricat. The significance of the moon is that it is a utopia in which Merricat can live in a world without judgement, control or societal expectations, acting as a safe alternate reality for Merricat. Her ritualistic superstitions such as burying objects and forming a, “powerful taut web” underground, acts as a “guard” for her and Constance. Through her depiction of a web, Jackson underscores that Merricat sense of safety is tense and fragile, and her constructed illusions are what gives her any agency. Her inherent desire to ensure a safety barrier around her and Constance, imply trauma indicating that protection was absent in her life.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset boulevard reveals the destructive…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Billy Wilders film, Sunset Boulevard, explores the dark reality of fame, and how wealth enables individuals to…
Billy Wilders film, Sunset Boulevard, explores the dark reality of fame, and how wealth enables individuals to pursue destructive illusions of immortality and power. Set in 1950s Hollywood, America, Wilder conveys the film industry's flaws, revealing its inhumane behaviour and treatment towards its stars. Produced to uncover this unseen side of Hollywood, Wilder conveys that fame and glamour is a destructive force that can cause mental instability and desire for more success. This is seen through the isolation and lack of genuine connection causing decay, as well as the contrast in illusion and reality that can control rational thinking. Last this dangerous desire for glitz and popularity is depicted through the exploitation of power and corruption.
Wilder illustrates that loneliness is a product of not only selfish desires and personal gain to improve success, but also a fixation on remaining a star. As the film beings with a non-diegetic voice-over it frames isolation from the beginning. The cynical protagonist of Joe, whom narrates his own life, highlights ultimate isolation as he is already dead and stripped away from connection. Yet his ironic voiceover is due to him being infatuated with making it to Hollywood, which will allow him to become wealthy and successful. Although his naïve personality fundamentally destroys him and is the motive behind his inevitable abandonment. Additionally, as Joe is first introduced to Normas mansion, a low angle shot capture Norma peeking through her blinds. This shot illustrates the mansion as a prison for Norma, trapping her inside the decaying, rotting and dark house that she will remain occupied within. It is a symbol of Normas own isolation, and unkept connections she has been unable to maintain, which further solidify her insanity. Thus, when Joe first come into contact with Norma, the two are separated, illustrating not only physical distance but also foreshadows the mental distance that occurs further into the film. Wilders implementation of chiaroscuro lighting is able to contrast a naïve and happy Joe, to Norma who is stuck inside a dark and ominous mansion, with the shadows acting as a warning of what Joe is walking into. Furthermore, Joe prior to meeting Norma relates her to Miss Havisham. This literary parallel compares both ladies to oneanother, illistrating their traits they share in common. Miss Havisham was created by Dicken, and jilted by the altar by her fiancée. This is similar to Norma, who was left by Hollywood, forced to leave the industry as she was deemed not profitable. Both live as a recluse, far from people, and incapable of authentic connection. Overall, Wilder illiterates that an addiction to relevance and fame, build isolation and delusion, revealing how Hollywood's harsh behaviour impacts old stars.