VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In We Have Always Lived in the Castle,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle, explores Societal views and reactions to Female Agency.…
Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle, explores Societal views and reactions to Female Agency. Written in Mid Century America, the gothic novel displays proto-feministic views through exploration of androcentric society, where firm female expectations are held, and criticism is directed towards those who do not fit within them. Merricat and Constance's female agency is viewed as abnormal, subjecting them to negative actions driven by fear from outsiders. They eventually overcome attempted suppression of this Autonomy, causing a deeper fear from others.
Shirley Jackson demonstrates how female empowerment and independence is stigmatised and suppressed. Merricat and Constance are introduced to readers as independent female figures, living dependent on solely eachother. This is displayed to trigger the outsiders, the villagers, to act violently and maliciously, driven by fear of difference. In the beginning of the novel, Merricat goes into the village, not by the harrassment of the Harris Boys chanting "Merricat said Connie, Would you like a cup of tea? Oh no, said Merricat, You'd poison me!". This is the first time readers are properly shown the attitudes of villagers towards the sisters. This chant is repeated several times throughout the novel, and is significant as it captures the violent act of 'poisoning' through the stereotype of female roles, where women are expected to act courteously and hospitably, such as offering a cup of tea. While rumors of Constance being responsible for the murders are heavily the influence of the taunting. It can be argued that the taunting would not occur in the instance that there was still a male control figure in the immediate family of the sisters, causing them to be seen in a less 'strikingly different' light which would be less confronting abnormal to characters who are to be complicit with patriarchal society. The absence of the male figure is enough to trigger fear associated relating to Misogynism, where a differing opinion or way of life is consequenced with hostility.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard plays with the notions of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Sunset Boulevard plays with the notions of gender in compelling ways. Discuss. In a world where one's ability to…
Sunset Boulevard plays with the notions of gender in compelling ways. Discuss.
In a world where one's ability to fulfill an assigned role determines their inherent value, there are those who defy expectation, alluding to a complex narrative. Billy Wilder's 1950 gothic noir film "Sunset Boulevard" offers a meticulously masterful and unsettling critique of Hollywood, challenging the fundamentally traditional gender roles placed upon those concealed within the industry. Through the complex relationship dynamics driven by power and the demanding and sexist nature of the industry, Wilder correlates a powerful judgement and juxtaposition of how such norms and standards influence individuals.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard both challenges and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard is a gritty noir subverting traditional gender expectations in portraying an older,…
Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard is a gritty noir subverting traditional gender expectations in portraying an older, controlling woman in a relationship with a subservient man. Through masterful cinematography and costuming, the film illustrates the predatory nature of this unconventional relationship, adhering to societal values towards female dominance. Although the female-led film engages in critical discussion of Hollywood’s treatment of older women, it ultimately punishes women’s rejection of gender norms, reinforcing the deeply embedded misogyny in 1950s America.
The imbalanced relationship of a wealthier, older woman with the struggling younger man she employs is portrayed through a male lens, which centres around his loss of control and agency over female empowerment. The entanglement between the “older woman who is well-to-do” and “younger man who isn’t doing too well” is described by her love interest, Joe Gillis, who narrates the film’s events from his perspective. The non-linear structure of Sunset Boulevard allows Gillis’ death to be foretold before introducing Desmond, allowing its audience to speculate on her involvement in his tragic end. The two begin as employer and employee, making Desmond hold more power in the relationship. Desmond’s advances towards Gillis were not reciprocated initially, infringing on an abuse of power, as indicated in Gillis’ comment on how she is “forgetting she was (his) employer” when she clutches his arm. The protagonist also admits to being “an unknown writer” compared to Desmond, whom he calls a “great star”, beyond her superior success compared to him; Gillis is also financially dependent on her. Wilder purposefully establishes Desmond as greater in age, status, and material possessions compared to Gillis to challenge societal expectations for men and women. The audience of the time would then be invited to share Gillis’ belief that he is emasculated in this relationship. Feeling “caught, like the cigarette in the contraption on her finger”, Gillis is unhappy complying with Desmond’s requests to ensure a source of income. To link Desmond with Gillis' loss of agency, Wilder uses Gillis’ car as a symbol. Gillis thinks losing his car is equivalent to having his “legs cut off”, as he is no longer free to travel as he pleases. Since he lacks the money to pay the bank, his car is towed away, forcing him to rely on Desmond’s luxury foreign car. This implies that Desmond is the master of Gillis’ only mode of transportation, as his movement is reliant on her permission for him to leave her side. In breaking out of oppressive expectations for men and women in relationships, the liberation for Sunset Boulevard’s female character is largely neglected by the film in favour of exploring the male protagonist’s surrender of power.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “Malouf’s use of language and imagery in…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: The exploration of our normal world gives us a glimpse into natural influence and profound humanity. Adapting…
The exploration of our normal world gives us a glimpse into natural influence and profound humanity. Adapting from Homer’s IIiad, David Malouf writes a novel titled Ransom to reflect his aftermath of merciless World War II where he struggled from considerably violence and isolation. Malouf justifies living earth power that ultimately fosters personal transformation in terms of the strength of exposure. Nevertheless, conflict also brings ever-lasting influence that surrounds us every day, worthing our appreciation as well. The nuanced humanity within the nature and interpersonal connection reflects eternal concept of the world. As such, Malouf opines that the natural power and humanity is what we really appreciate when it comes to things surrounding us.
With the contrast in Malouf’s imagery, he accentuates that the cost of conflict is so significant that demands our appreciation and occupation. Rift poses unrepairable danger that surrounds us all the time. Priam and Somax’s displacement underpin a lighter tone, whereas their journey
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Rainbow's End, hope triumphs over pain.…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Section A - 2024 VATE VCE Exam Set during a period of immense suffering, blatant discrimination, and complete…
Section A - 2024 VATE VCE Exam
Set during a period of immense suffering, blatant discrimination, and complete disarray for Aboriginal Australians, Jane Harrison's expository play 'Rainbows End' explores the inherent yet complex link between trauma and hope, in light of the First Nations People's fight for their rights. In her piece of historical faction she underscores the power of hope that is to be used to find empowerment while exposing the difficulty of resilience due to societal pressures, overall showcasing how the pain that minorities are forced to endure celebrates them to stay hopeful. Ultimately, Harrison celebrates the strength of marginalised individuals who maintain hope despite societal constraints while ultimately unveiling how the pain inflicted upon minorities acts as encouragement to not lose hope.
Harrison praises the courage of First Nations People who find empowerment through hope despite painful circumstances. This dynamic is explored through Gladys' infatuation with the Encyclopedias that Errol sells, as despite her initially rejecting the idea, reluctantly urging him to sell them to the "fancy white fella", instead she is incapable of discarding the business card, putting it down the "front of her dress" for safekeeping. When she eventually buys her first set, Harrison utilises "celestial music" to signify the hope that inspires within her, and as she "touches the pages lovingly" before giving it to Dolly, she attempts to instill the same hope within her, encouraging her to "get a good job" in the future. By incorporating the symbolic encyclopedia set which acts as a beacon of hope for Gladys, Harrison reiterates how First Nations people can remain hopeful amidst their situations. This level of hope within the Aboriginal Australians is reiterated after Dolly's tragic assault, when she is left pregnant and confides in Nan Dear that she's 'scared she won't love' her child. Nan promptly dispels her fears, reassuring her by referring to her own experience "becom[ing] a mother at '[Dolly's] age', and emphasising that you 'still love 'em the same' regardless of 'how they came into the world'. This moment of vulnerability and compassion between the two women closes their generational gap and empowers Dolly with hope that she 'feel[s] [she] could love' her daughter. Through Nan and Dolly's intimate interaction, Harrison exemplifies how strong familial bonds can support individuals in maintaining hope, even throughout extraneous hardships. Thus, Rainbow's End reveals the power gained by minorities who remain hopeful.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “There is nothing tragic about being 50,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Introduction Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950) operates as both a gothic tragedy and a biting Hollywood…
Introduction
Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950) operates as both a gothic tragedy and a biting Hollywood satire, exposing the corrosive effects of a culture that prizes youth and appearance above integrity and truth. Through his incisive blend of noir aesthetics and black comedy, Wilder critiques the way postwar American society, embodied in the Hollywood dream factory, commodifies beauty and discards individuals once they cease to embody vitality. By framing ageing as a form of social death and illusion as a mechanism of survival, Wilder condemns the industry’s moral hypocrisy and its manipulation of both art and identity. Ultimately, he positions Hollywood’s infatuation with youth as emblematic of a broader cultural anxiety — one that reflects America’s obsession with reinvention and its fear of decline.
Paragraph 1: The commodification of youth and beauty
Through Sunset Boulevard, Wilder critiques the commodification of youth and beauty as a process that dehumanises and objectifies, transforming individuals into disposable symbols of glamour. The film’s decaying mise-en-scène — Norma Desmond’s crumbling mansion, the “creeping paralysis” of its interiors, and the heavy curtains that shut out daylight — functions as a metaphor for the spiritual rot beneath Hollywood’s shining façade. Wilder constructs a visual and moral opposition between light and darkness to expose an industry built on surfaces and spectacle. Norma’s obsession with reclaiming her lost stardom, her elaborate makeup, and her delusional belief that “the pictures got small,” encapsulate how Hollywood manufactures identity only to destroy it. Wilder’s satire lies not in mocking Norma’s madness, but in exposing the system that bred it — a culture that idolises women when they are young, then abandons them when their beauty fades. This reflects Wilder’s own scepticism toward postwar consumerism and the myth of perpetual renewal. By aligning the industry’s obsession with youth with a moral vacuum, Wilder implies that the cost of fame is not only personal degradation but also the loss of artistic authenticity. In this sense, Sunset Boulevard becomes a cautionary allegory about a society that confuses value with visibility.
Paragraph 2: The illusion of eternal youth as self-destruction
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: All of the characters in Sunset Boulevard…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Sunset Boulevard, written by Billy Wilder, is a 1950’s melodrama film noir that investigates the dark and twisted…
Sunset Boulevard, written by Billy Wilder, is a 1950’s melodrama film noir that investigates the dark and twisted reality of hollywoods film industry, and encourages a social fixation on the glory of celebrities. Throughout the film, Wilder explores the behaviour of individuals desperately trying to achieve success in the industry. Sunset Boulevard's characters, while trapped in their own desires and delusions, use constant manipulation in order to reach their own personal gain. Webs of deceit and lies ultimately lead to tragic downfalls. The film presents a grim world where emotional control, false promises, and self-deception prevail.
Manipulation in Sunset Boulevard is often rooted in emotional control, where characters exploit affection, guilt, or dependence to dominate others. Wilder portrays this through the former silent film star Norma Desmond. After the downfall of her career, Norma isolates from the rest of the world in her decaying mansion, with a butler as her only companion. This leads her to be reclusive and emotionally unstable. With the arrival of the main character Joe Gillis, it leads her to cling to him immediately and emotionally controls Joe when he tries to leave by threatening that “[she’ll] do it again”, meaning she will harm herself. Norma tells Joe to go, but by repeating her suicide threat, it makes it clear that he cant. This illustrates how dependent she is towards Joe, and how she will do anything to keep him in her grasp, including manipulating him emotionally as he’ll stay there out of guilt. Another instance of this is shown through the character of Max Von Mayerling. It is revealed that he had a career before being Norma's butler as a film director, and was the one who “descovered” Norma. Max proceeds to shield Norma from the reality that she is no longer in the spotlight and repeatedly enforces that “madam is the greatest star of them all”. This quote shows that Max doesnt want Norma to be destroyed by the truth that she is no longer loved as she once was by the film industry and media. This use of manipulation is Max’s way of keeping Norma within his reach as the truth could potentially result in him losing her. Max feels deeply attached to her from being previously married, and feels like hes has a responsibility to protect even if it means to lie. However, its the manipulation and lies that are making her crazier in the first place- If the lies were revealed it could risk Norma committing suicide, or he could keep telling them and make her condition even worse. The use of manipulation in the film is often linked with emotions and the need to keep control over others lives.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does High Ground explore its…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Individuals and their relationships with their environment is frequently influenced by their culture and…
Individuals and their relationships with their environment is frequently influenced by their culture and upbringing. Set against the backdrop of Arnhem land, colonial Australia, Stephen Johnson's revisionist western film 'High Ground' depicts the contrasting relationships between the colonisers and First Nations people with the land. Ultimately, Johnson seeks to illustrate the varying understanding of their natural surroundings.
Johnson presents that the First Nations people have a holistic understanding of the land which is grounded by their respect of Country. This idea is epitomised through the bush plum symbol. It can be seen when Baywara teaches Gutjuk about his cultural dance, and again when Gutjuk offers some to Travis when they're tracking Baywara. In both of these instances the bush plums serve as a source of food and highlight the First Nations people's understanding of the land and their reliance on the land for survival. Through this, Johnson reveals the deep knowledge of the land that the First Nations people exhibit. Bolstering this idea, Johnson employs an establishing shot of the First Nations people during the meeting of the bosses. Their cultural attire and ochre painted bodies blend in with their natural surroundings. Thus, exemplifying their greater understanding and mutualistic bond with the land. By blending in, it demonstrates the First Nations people desire to be one with the land and their respect for the sacred country. To reinforce his view, Johnson bookends the film with Nimbuwah rock accompanied by First Nations people's cultural music. By coupling these together, Johnson highlights the symbiotic relationship. As a result, presenting the central importance of country for First Nations people. Ultimately, Johnson celebrates the bond First Nations people share with the land as they demonstrate a deep level of respect and care.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard criticises the act of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Director Billy Wilder’s film Sunset Boulevard (1950) is a powerful critique of Hollywood’s meritocratic society and…
Director Billy Wilder’s film Sunset Boulevard (1950) is a powerful critique of Hollywood’s meritocratic society and how the creation of films is born not purely out of passion but survival. In his film, he unravels the living situations of certain individuals, highlighting their financial struggles and need to create filmic projects to survive. Perpetuated by a flawed Hollywood system, where stardom and glamour are presented as a necessity, many characters find themselves entrapped within an endless cycle of creating films to purely satisfy the standard of the meritocratic society they reside in. Yet, despite the highly valued objectification of money and stardom, not all characters create films purely to make money — some out of passion and some out of delusions. Ultimately, the film showcases that while many individuals are forced to create films to survive within Hollywood, others may create them for other reasons.
Wilder establishes that financial desperation compels many Hollywood creators to prioritise profit over artistic integrity. Joe Gillis is motivated primarily by survival. His cramped apartment and looming debt collectors are emphasised through high-angle shots and tight framing, creating a visual metaphor for entrapment. Wilder also uses voice-over narration to convey Joe’s cynicism about his work and the industry. These techniques illustrate that Joe’s drive to write scripts is less about creativity and more about staying afloat, critiquing an industry that prioritises monetary gain over genuine artistry. Joe’s moral compromises deepen under financial strain. When he begins working for Norma Desmond, Wilder frames him within shadowed interiors of her mansion, surrounded by relics of past fame, highlighting the tension between comfort and compromise. His line, “I didn’t ask for a reading, I asked for a job,” underscores how survival replaces creative purpose. Wilder positions Joe’s choices as a symptom of Hollywood’s commodification: even skilled artists must subordinate their integrity to economic necessity. Joe’s status symbols, such as his flashy car, reflect hollow ambition. Wilder shows the car being repossessed at the start of the film, using it as a recurring motif to represent fleeting material success. By highlighting the emptiness of Joe’s material symbols, Wilder emphasises that in profit-driven filmmaking, perceived success masks ethical compromise and artistic stagnation.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In oedipus the king, there is nothing the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: First performed in 429 BCE, Sophocles' Oedipus the King explores the inability of escaping fate. Set against the…
First performed in 429 BCE, Sophocles' Oedipus the King explores the inability of escaping fate. Set against the backdrop of Athenian society deeply rooted in a belief system dominated by divine orchestration, Sophocles' tragedy presents divine will as an inescapable force, yet also shows how Oedipus' choices and pride ultimately hasten his downfall.
Sophocles establishes fate as an absolute force that no man has the power of avoiding. From the outset of his life, Oedipus is bound by his prophecy to kill his father and marry his mother. Tiresias reinforces this through his warning that "what will come, will come," truly embodying the ancient Greek belief that no mortal has the power to interfere with divine will. Tiresias' statement reveals calm acceptance after witnessing the full power one's destiny holds, contrasting with Oedipus' frantic desire for control. Oedipus' later admission— that "no man has the power" "to force the gods to go against their will" underscores his recognition, however fleeting that divine will always underscores human limitation. Throughout the play, Sophocles present fate as an inescapable force, encouraging the audience to view Oedipus not as a flawed man but as a result of his preordained fortune.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Mortals have little influence over what…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Mortals have some influence over what happens over the course of their lifetime, but the gods have the most power.…
Mortals have some influence over what happens over the course of their lifetime, but the gods have the most power. Fate of mortals is predetermined and can't be altered by their decisions or actions. Individuals can't run away from the path they are destined to follow. Additionally, people can commit sins of their own free will.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Despite the damaging history and ongoing…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: pg-1 JH Rainbow's End SAC Aurora Sheehy The historical fiction play 'Rainbow's End' by Jane Harrison explores the…
pg-1
JH
Rainbow's End SAC
Aurora Sheehy
The historical fiction play 'Rainbow's End' by Jane Harrison explores the story of the Deor family, & three aboriginal women living with the damaging history and persistent challenges in rural 1950's Australia, exploring themes such as racism, connection and gender roles. Even though there is damaging past and ongoing adversity in Rainbow's End, there is still hope for the characters. This is shown through the historical struggles of displacement for Aboriginal people and the forced removal of their children, modern challenges of assimilation and the consequences prejudices around interracial relationships, and the strong hope and perseverance that the women have to improve life for the Aboriginal people and for recovery after sexual assault.
The play explores the damaging history of Aboriginals in Australia looking at the lasting impacts things such as the forced moving of Aboriginal people from their homes and the removal of their children all for the benefit of whole people. Harrison highlights the lingering resentment of being displaced through the character of Nan Dear, who describes how "[the white people] forced us to leave ... our home". By describing Nan Dear as "bitter", the playwright highlights just how damaging this event was for the Aboriginal community, creating trauma and fuelling negative emotions. In addition to this, Harrison explores the history and prejudices around the Aboriginal community and their right to keep their children. When the rent collector Mr. Coody visits the Deor women, he sees Dolly heavily pregnant and it is described "with which disdain [he] looks at her body". This reinforces known prejudices that were known to exist, not only an Aboriginal woman having a baby, but a single woman having a baby. Furthermore, when the rent collector suggests that Dolly visit the hospital, Nan simply describes the hospital as the place "they take our babies away." Highlighting negative past experiences and the character lack of trust because of it. This shows the damaging history and its lasting negative impact on indigenous Australians.
Rainbows End JAC pg. 2 7H
Aurora Sheedy
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Look at this street. All cardboard, all…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: PRACTICE ESSAY: INTRO: Billy Wilder’s film noir, Sunset Boulevard, offers a grim view of Hollywood, depicting it as…
PRACTICE ESSAY:
INTRO:
Billy Wilder’s film noir, Sunset Boulevard, offers a grim view of Hollywood, depicting it as a realm where ambition, exploitation, and illusion often overshadow genuine humanity. Amidst this cynical world, the allure of Hollywood’s dreamlike promises tends to overshadow the harsh realities of its exploitation. This contrast is vividly illustrated by the dark, decaying mansion that serves as the film's primary setting, symbolizing the superficial yet enticing nature of the industry. While Hollywood is portrayed as glamorous and captivating, the film reveals the paradox of being drawn to the seductive illusions that mask its underlying deceit.
BODY PARA 1
Wilder skillfully illustrates the captivating allure of Hollywood as a dream destination. In the film's opening scene, Joe drives through the Paramount studio lot, and his thoughts on Hollywood's promises highlight its magnetic charm as a place where dreams can come true. This scene establishes Hollywood as a land of opportunity, aligning Joe's aspirations with the allure of fame, reinforcing the notion that the true charm of hollywood lies in its ability to sell dreams. The sweeping camera movements and wide shots effectively convey the grandeur and mystery of hollywood, creating an atmosphere that feels both vast and filled with potential. These cinematic techniques enhance the visual allure of hollywood, creating a sense of wonder that draws individuals like Joe, despite the obstacles they may encounter. Joe's declaration of his ambition that he “came here to be a screenwriter” encapsulates his initial attraction to hollywood, emphasizing his hope and determination. This statement embodies the dream that hollywood offers, luring people into a seemingly promising world, even if the reality may not always align with those expectations. Ultimately, Hollywood’s offers of a world full of promise allures people, even if it is all just a facade.
BODY PARA 2
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Oedipus the King, Sophocles suggests…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Framed within the cursed city of Thebes, Sophocles explores the complex consequences of pride and its role in…
Framed within the cursed city of Thebes, Sophocles explores the complex consequences of pride and its role in determining one's fate. He cautions the Athenian audience about the dangerous implications of excess pride and challenges mortal power that crumbles under the will of the divine. As a counterpoint, he promotes virtues of temperance and self-awareness in those striding for eudaimonia. Ultimately, he highlights the dangers of flaws such as pride and a limited temperance within the human condition that lead to the determination of one's fate.
Sophocles didactically imparts the dangerous nature of excess pride. The tragedy uses the motif of blindness to explore how hubris can rapidly accelerate one's downfall. In the prologue, Oedipus frames himself as an idolized public figure using self-referential language such as I am Oedipus and pray to me when the city is cursed by plague. The plague, however, is a symbol for Oedipus' moral corruption and although he tells the chorus he would be blind not to pity the people kneeling at his feet, that blindness is a metaphorical reference to his blindness of his own corruption. He is prideful, yet this pride is built upon false circumstances just as his kingship is claimed by the murder of liars at the crossroads. Oedipus is therefore a tyrant cursing his own land blindly. His eventual collapse is foreshadowed by the chorus when they say pride breeds the tyrant, referring to Oedipus' pride as his Hamartia that will lead him to his fate. Oedipus is contrasted against Tiresias who, though physically is blind, has insight into the fate of Oedipus. Oedipus can see, however, his pride blinds him to his fate as he doesn't listen to Tiresias, warning that he is the corruption of the land. In the Peripeteia, Oedipus tragically blinds himself to relinquish this pride and the nature of the tragedies utilized by Sophocles to caution his Athenian audience against the implications of excess pride, a likely decline into tragic circumstances. In this way, Sophocles presents excess pride as a dangerous quality rather than a virtue of leadership and the tragedy conveys how it can act in determining one's fate.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Hollywood is triggering of greed,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Set against the backdrop of 1950s Hollywood, Billy Wilder’s noir masterpiece ‘Sunset Boulevard’ exposes the dark…
Set against the backdrop of 1950s Hollywood, Billy Wilder’s noir masterpiece ‘Sunset Boulevard’ exposes the dark underbelly of the film industry, shunning those who succumb to greed, ambition, and egotism. Through his unflinching portrayal of a world fuelled by fame and material desire, Wilder reveals how the pursuit of success strips individuals of their morality and authenticity. Additionally, the film portrays an industry designed to inflate egos and distort identity, presenting Hollywood’s fame as both intoxicating and corrosive. Yet, amidst the illusion and excess, Wilder also celebrates those who remain grounded in creative passion, suggesting that true fulfilment lies in artistic integrity rather than celebrity.
Wilder portrays greed and ambition as inherent forces driving Hollywood, corrupting those who chase success and clouding their moral judgement. The film’s circular narration, beginning with the confronting image of a lifeless body floating in a pool, foreshadows the fatal consequences of unchecked ambition and greed. Joe’s voice-over that he “always wanted a pool” depicts his materialistic desires, which leads to his ultimate demise. As such, the audience is positioned to view Hollywood as a hostile and degrading environment. Dialogue such as Joe’s defeated admission that his scripts simply “didn’t sell” underscores how artistic worth is measured by profit rather than creative integrity, showcasing a toxic culture where lower-class workers are forced to adopt Hollywood’s money-driven mindset. Additionally, Wilder’s use of chiaroscuro lighting, often isolating figures in small patches of brightness amid deep shadow, visually conveys the loneliness and entrapment of those stuck within a system that rewards ambition at the cost of authenticity, reflecting the fates of most who “go out and take a crack at Hollywood” in the hope of ‘making it big’. In doing so, Wilder critiques an industry that transforms aspiration into exploitation, exposing how success becomes synonymous with moral compromise.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Fate controls every aspect of Oedipus the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Fate controls every aspect of Oedipus the King. To what extent do you agree? Humanity’s perennial struggle against…
Fate controls every aspect of Oedipus the King. To what extent do you agree?
Humanity’s perennial struggle against the forces that transcend divinity’s dominion over mankind are prevalent in Sophocles 5th-century BCE tragedy Oedipus the King. Initially, Sophocles analyses the inexorable suffering that stems from failed leadership lamenting the obligation to lead with reverence to divinity. Moreover, the playwright forcefully denigrates excessive pride, reaffirming the notion that humankind must concede their willful impiety in order to avoid being constricted under the whims of fate. Ultimately, Sophocles interrogates the cyclical nature of fortune, postulating that mankind is inevitably subject to intergenerational and consistent ruin at the hands of celestial forces. Fundamentally, Sophocles promulgates that the gods’ will, in tandem with human power, sanction every outcome of human life apart from the personal right to explore the limits of mortal greatness.
From the prologos, Sophocles challenges how authority is systematically controlled at the whims of celestial wrath, pleading for the veneration of the gods. Stemming from Laius’ transgressive rule, whose defiance of divine law first infected Thebes with spiritual and civic “corruption,” Sophocles establishes the city of Thebes as “plague [stricken],” immediately denoting the deep-rooted suffering as a result from failed leadership. In utilising miasmic imagery to convey the implacable punishment from divine forces, Sophocles likens Thebes’ authoritarian rulers as “corrupt,” — almost as if being sick from their irreverence. Thus, in thoroughly depicting the unyielding cataclysm as a result of disregarding prophecy, Sophocles combats sophistry, reiterating to Periclean audiences the importance of venerating the gods’ will and challenging their conceptual belief in human agency being able to dominate fate. Moreover, Sophocles analyses how impious leaders' delusionary attempts to outwit fortune ultimately sentences the entirety of mankind to inexorable punishment from the gods. Receiving plaudits from the Chorus, Oedipus, is regarded as a “good helmsman,” able to “steer [Thebes]” through “the red waves of death.” Juxtaposed against the dramatic irony of Oedipus being “cursed in his origin,” Sophocles laments how the tragic king brought unavoidable ruin onto the population of Thebes. Through this, Oedipus the King serves as a fatal warning against total compliance to authority, embodying how failed leaders cascade society’s destruction at the hands of divinity. Thus, the playwright ultimately postulates the need for reverence in divinity through his forceful denigration of asebeia bringing disastrous consequences onto all of humanity.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Born a Crime explore the legacy…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: From the outset of Trevor Noah’s memoir Born a Crime, he explores the events of apartheid and his life both…
From the outset of Trevor Noah’s memoir Born a Crime, he explores the events of apartheid and his life both during and after its reign. He delves into how apartheid continued to have a lasting effect on the country, even after it was abolished. He depicts apartheid to still have a major lasting effect on poverty and education for black people in South Africa. Additionally, he reveals the struggle of finding one's identity in society, and also how language was still able to both aid and harm in someone’s journey. Thus, Trevor Noah highlights the legacy of apartheid through its lasting effects.
Noah was able to convey how the mistreatment of black people in apartheid resulted in them facing similar fates post apartheid. During apartheid, black kids were forced into poorly funded and qualified schools, Bantu Schools, under the Bantu Education Act 1953, suppressing them into having sub-par education where they learnt only how to become labourers. After the end of apartheid, many black South Africans were underqualified and uneducated, meaning they were still unable to take high paying jobs as their opportunity was taken away from them, leading to a ‘curse of being black and poor’, described by Patricia to be ‘the black tax’. This curse would then follow black families for generations, elucidating to the fact that they would be stuck in this cycle of poverty due to their maltreatment during apartheid. Moreover, due to this lack of wealth, the black kids of the present were then often forced to attend the ‘broken remnants of the bantu system’, attending schools that too were poorly funded, but now attending due to necessity and a lack of money, not due to government mandates. Highlighting how apartheid was still able to oppress black children, and guide them towards lives where they could never reach the same heights as white children could. Thus, Noah laid out the lasting effects of apartheid through its ability to still discriminate against black families, forcing many to stay in the townships.
Furthermore, Noah is able to illustrate the struggle of the search for belonging and identity in post apartheid South Africa, relating the struggle to causes of segregation. He is able to do so as his memoir consists of his own experiences with this problem, often being “left standing in the middle”, due to him being mixed race, and having hardships in finding which group he was more similar to. This revelation was a reflection of his identity crisis caused by apartheid through it resulting in generational poverty for black kids, and
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: High Ground explores the tension between…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Stephen Johnson’s revisionist western High Ground set against the rugged backdrop of 20th century Arnhem Land…
Stephen Johnson’s revisionist western High Ground set against the rugged backdrop of 20th century Arnhem Land scrutinizes the profound and enduring repercussions of colonialism through its compelling critique and vivid storytelling. Johnson examines how the pursuit of justice and the desire for revenge become dangerously intertwined in a landscape scarred by colonial violence. The film first exposes how colonial brutality fuels destructive rage, where the desire for retribution becomes inseparable from the pain of injustice. It then critiques the hypocrisy of British colonial “justice,” a system that inflicts violence while masking it as moral authority. Finally, Johnson contrasts these distortions with the Yolgu’s spiritual law, a form of justice rooted in harmony with the land and community, offering a glimpse of moral balance beyond revenge.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: The truth is both a source of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Sophocles Oedipus the King, a tragedy, looks into the search for truth by the protagonist resulting in…
Sophocles Oedipus the King, a tragedy, looks into the search for truth by the
protagonist resulting in double-consequences. Sophocles shows that seeking the truth
with hubristic purposes results in self-knowledge but at the cost of pain. Sophocles
demonstrates the desire to maintain one's reputation as a hero distorts their
judgement in obtaining knowledge. Sophocles also demonstrates the instantaneous pain
resulting from anagnorisis due to one's pride. In addition, Sophocles shows that
even though destruction is the result of discovery, human beings become conscious
of his errors.
Sophocles identifies the manner in which one's hubris interrupts one's evaluation of the
potential danger of seeking the truth. Oedipus' pursuit of the truth is the civic duties of leaders in ancient Greek society to do whatever it takes to protect their citizens. However, Oedipus' questioning is driven by his desire to once more be the "Joy of Thebes" following his triumph with the Sphinx. Thebans referring to him
Oedipus as his "greatest power" then inflates his ego and results in his blind
pursuit of truth. Sophocles uses dramatic irony when Oedipus affirms himself as a
"stranger to the story, stranger to the crime" to show his bad judgement as the
result of his own over-proudness. Use of "stranger" twice emphasizes Oedipus' efforts
to disown himself from the murder of Lauis', and from any possibility that he will commit
such an offense. Sophocles further demonstrates how hubris shuns proper decision making, in that Oedipus shuns listening to advice from others. In the time of Oedipus' investigation he seeks advice from Tiresias about the cause of the plague. Sophocles employs paradox as Tiresias advises Oedipus how it is "terrible to behold the truth when the truth is only agony to him who beholds it". The paradox demonstrates the suffering which attends knowledge with destructive revelations. Nevertheless, Sophocles
supports the operation of hubris in blinding one's judgment as Oedipus disregards
Tiresias' warnings to ultimately "force" and "twist" the truth from him. The use
of the terms "forced" and "twisted" shows Oedipus' relentless questioning despite
the clear indications that the truth contains unbearable contents, portraying the
damage that one's pride compels him to. Sophocles, therefore, shows that unchecked
pride can lead to destructive conclusions in one's judgment, which culminate in tragedy.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘It is only his pride that leads Oedipus…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: In 'Oedipus The King', Sophocles highlights that Oedipus' hubris ultimately leads to his demise, however other…
In 'Oedipus The King', Sophocles highlights that Oedipus' hubris ultimately leads to his demise, however other factors contribute too. Throughout the play, Oedipus' fate was already predetermined highlighting that he was always destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Additionally Oedipus' determination to seek the truth leads to his failure to recognise his limitations, resulting in his inevitable demise. However, Oedipus' hubris acts as his hamartia, blinding him to the truth and any rationalit, thus being the primary contributer to his downfall.
The downfall of particular mortals in 'Oedipus the King' is predetermined through their unavoidable fate. By portraying the fate set by the gods as inescapable, Sophocles utilises dramatic irony within' Oedipus' quest to find the murderer, as Oedipus established to the Thebans the murderer will be "banished", and "exiled", unknowingly sealing his own fate as by killing his father Oedipus removes himself from Thebes as well as contributes to his inevitable ruin. Thus, signifying to the Athenian audience that one cannot outlast his fate set by the gods, ultimately awaking catharsis as Oedipus is fated to fulfil the oracles words, regardless of his intent. Furthermore, Sophocles utilises the motif of the prophecy and divine control to reinforce the idea that Oedipus' downfall is dictated by forces beyond human control. Sophocles provides numerous reminders, repeatedly through Tiresias, a proclaimed seer that reminds mortals that they "cannot rob the gods of what is theirs", Sophocles' employment of Tiresias' foresight is utilised to induce a bittersweet emotion to the Athenian audience as Oedipus' reign was always doomed to end, regardless of his ambition and intent. Consequently, Sophocles emphasises to the ephebies that one can not overcome divine order, and to induce humility within' them. Ultimately, Sophocles emphasises that mortals can not escape the fate set by divine figures.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: IN HIGH GROUND, A DESIRE FOR CONTROL IS…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: IN HIGH GROUND, A DESIRE FOR CONTROL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN DECISION MAKING. DO YOU AGREE? High Ground,…
IN HIGH GROUND, A DESIRE FOR CONTROL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN DECISION MAKING. DO YOU AGREE?
High Ground, directed by Stephen Maxwell Johnson in 2020, is a film that examines the fraught and often violent encounters between Indigenous Australians and European settlers in Arnhem Land during the early 20th century. Johnsons exhibits the excessive and and often destructive desire to dominate others, shapes key decisions which can lead to destruction within a individual.
Johnson depicts how lust for power leads to violent and rash decisions as both First nations people and European settlers make choices driven by their competing desires for control. Baywaras perspective of control is deeply tied to his identity and connection to Country, his land, culture and people. Baywara exclaiming “It’s our land, we should fight!” symbolises how land is not just a physical space but a spiritual and cultural foundation that defines Indigenous Australians. His belief in regaining control over his land reflects his commitment to preserving his people’s sovereignty. Baywara’s desire for control over his land and people drew him to lead the resistance against the policemen. This can be seen through “…”, which demonstrates his yearning for the return of his land. Whereas European settlers view control in terms of land ownership and dominance, power is measured through land expansions and legal enforcement in their perspective. This leads them to make ruthless decisions such as massacares and retaliation, which leads to a cycle of violence in order to maintain dominance of Country. Eddy’s statement “You can't share a country” enforces his desire for control over the land and his refusal to share the power with Indigenous Australians. This refusal to share power and control led to his impulsive decision of shooting
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Trevor Noah explores the complexities of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: 'Trevor Noah explores the complexities of relationships between men and women in South Africa.' Discuss. During…
'Trevor Noah explores the complexities of relationships between men and women in South Africa.' Discuss.
During “Born a Crime,” gender plays a factor in the quality and purpose of a societal member's life. “Born a Crime” is a memoir written by comedian Trevor Noah in 2016. “Born a Crime” follows Noah growing up as a mixed child during apartheid and through the consequences and aftermath in South Africa due to the fall of apartheid. Throughout “Born a Crime”, gender is highlighted as a way to tell the differences between how women and men were treated. Society valued women differently through the use of social norms, as well as how women were treated within families. Alternatively, due to the hardships that apartheid brought on citizens of South Africa, no matter your age or send, everyone had the same goal to survive each day and to help each other survive. Trevor Noah utilises“Born a Crime” to highlight to his audience of comedy appreciators the hardships and limitations that suppressed him and all societal members throughout the times of his childhood.
Societal norms, such as how women should act and who in society is deemed as powerful, are a commanding factor in the complexities and differences between men and women within Trevor Noah's “Born a Crime.” Noah's father, Abel, grew up in a traditional culture, where women were to stay home and take care of the house, and men were to go out and work. Compared to Patricia's growing up and values, where she believed that men and women were equal, and there were differences between their relationships. This difference in values between Abel and Patricia is evident in how Abel believes a family should run. Abel wanted a “traditional marriage” and tried to force his beliefs onto Patricia. This is further evidence during a personal anecdote that Noah retells when his family went to where Abel was born, his values are portrayed through Patricia being forced to stay inside and work, and Abel and Trevor having the freedom to do as they please. However, Patricia “mocks this system”, and Trevor recalls when she “bowed almost to the ground.” Patricia's portrayal of irony by succumbing to the expectations of the traditions of Tsonga society, but also proving how ignorant the norms of society are. By bowing in an overdramatic version, Patricia is proving how ironic and dense Thai actions are. However, the fact that Patricia is still forced to submit to these pressures proves the inequality between how men and women are treated in society. The men were free due to society deeming them as the powerful gender, where women were forced to submit to the men's aims, such as taking care of the house. Noah highlights this personal anecdote of the memory of Patricia being suppressed in Abel's hometown to highlight proof of the normalcy that women being forced to stay inside and take care of the family was during this time, and how little self-empowerment they had. They didn't have the choice to leave and get a job; society forced them to stay inside and take care of everything.
During “Born a Crime,” gender plays a factor in the quality and purpose of a societal member's life. “Born a Crime” is a memoir written by comedian Trevor Noah in 2016. “Born a Crime” follows Noah growing up as a mixed child during apartheid and through the consequences and aftermath in South Africa due to the fall of apartheid. Throughout “Born a Crime”, gender is highlighted as a way to tell the differences between how women and men were treated. Society valued women differently through the use of social norms, as well as how women were treated within families. Alternatively, due to the hardships that apartheid brought on citizens of South Africa, no matter your age or send, everyone had the same goal to survive each day and to help each other survive. Trevor Noah utilises“Born a Crime” to highlight to his audience of comedy appreciators the hardships and limitations that suppressed him and all societal members throughout the times of his childhood.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: While the play centres on Oedipus it…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Set against the plague-ridden backdrop of ancient Thebes, Oedipus the King written by Greek playwright Sophocles,…
Set against the plague-ridden backdrop of ancient Thebes, Oedipus the King written by Greek playwright Sophocles, portrays the flaws of human beings. Performed for a historical Athenian society during the great Dionysus festivals, Sophocles archetypal tragedy directly interlinks with the ancient devouts divinely entrenched belief systems. Sophocles initially centers the play around the inevitable downfall of Oedipus, the protagonist whose flaws symbolise Sophocles' main message of the play. Sophocles furthers this notion through the hubristic behaviours Oedipus is inclined to make, highlighting the powerlessness of human perception in a providentially ruled world. However, Sophocles also presents the idea of humility as an honourable attribute in the play through the characterisation of Creon.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “There is nothing tragic about being 50,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: In post-war America, Hollywood’s glamour and extravagance masked the oppressive experiences behind the scenes. In…
In post-war America, Hollywood’s glamour and extravagance masked the oppressive experiences behind the scenes. In his noir murder-mystery ‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950), Billy Wilder condemns the hypocritical misogyny experienced by women in Hollywood as they aged. His portrayal of defiant women and emasculated men both young and old challenges norms of the era. However, women cannot succeed in Hollywood without the very things that age destroys and patriarchal norms demand: youth and beauty. Ultimately, Wilder shows that age is inescapable, Moreso for women than the men.
Initially, Wilder condemns the hypocritical standards of youth imposed on women by the patriarchal industry of Hollywood. Wilder initially exposes Hollywood’s exploitation of the youth and the aspiring talent transition through Hollywood. Through Joe being exploited by Norma due to her adopting the mechanisms of control that were once used against her in her youth, Wilder presents Hollywood as a false reality that is covered up with “half a pound of makeup” and costumes, revealing the impact of Hollywood’s exploitation on the youth in the 1920’s. Through the exploitation of the youth, Hollywood creates obsessions with youth and body image that are embodied within Norma throughout the film. Norma idolising the idea of being an “ageless star”, encapsulates Hollywood’s hypocritical beauty standards placed on women, as the idea presented of stars being “ageless” is diminished the minute they show signs of aging. This captures, the unrealistic standards of Hollywood building up stars only to throw them to the curb the minute they age. Hollywood’s obsession with unrealistic beauty, stems from the fact that Hollywood is actually ugly and false. Through the use of lighting and the depiction of Norma dissolving into the darkness of reality the minute the spotlight shines away from her, Wilder exposes Hollywood’s false reality because behind the camera they are in a normalised world. Highlighting the idea of the false truth Hollywood is developing into.