VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “My mother took me places black people…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Set against the backdrop of apartheid and its aftermath, Trevor Noah’s memoir, Born a Crime, documents how Trevor…
Set against the backdrop of apartheid and its aftermath, Trevor Noah’s memoir, Born a Crime, documents how Trevor and his mother Patricia, actively resist and challenge oppressive rules and expectations enforced by the government. Noah’s text applauds individuals who defy the discriminative nature of the rules and expectations of the Apartheid system and resist social and gender norms. During later reactionary reforms to quell global protests, the text accentuates how apartheid laws were defied by rejecting racial segregation and not conforming to the proposed legislations. Additionally, Noah reveals how education was utilised to defy apartheid rules and expectations by challenging and criticising the law.
Noah establishes early in his memoir that his very birth was an act of resistance against apartheid law. By describing himself as “a half white, half black child who violated a number of laws” and declaring, “I was born a crime,” he positions his existence as a challenge to the system’s restrictions on intimacy across racial boundaries. This autobiographical framing emphasises not only the irrationality of apartheid legislation but also the courage of his mother, Patricia, who deliberately chose to bring him into the world despite the risks. Patricia’s determination to live on her own terms extended beyond the laws of race; she also resisted patriarchal expectations within her community. She asserted her independence by having “a child, not a man stepping in to run her life,” thereby rejecting the cultural norm that women required male authority to validate their choices. In her relationship with Abel, Noah recalls that she “didn’t refuse to do it, she overdid it” when bowing an act of exaggerated compliance that mocked rather than affirmed a tradition of female subservience. Through humour and irony, Patricia transformed acts of oppression into opportunities for rebellion, embodying a refusal to accept the rules imposed on her. Noah underscores this through his declaration: “my mom, however, was a rebel,” portraying her as a role model of resistance who valued dignity and autonomy above conformity. In highlighting his mother’s refusal to be diminished by social or gender norms, Noah communicates his admiration for individuals who possess the courage to defy injustice and values the importance of asserting one’s agency in the face of systemic control. Thus, the memoir demonstrates that even small, everyday acts of rebellion such as mocking Abel’s expectations or choosing single motherhood are powerful forms of resistance that undermine the authority of oppressive systems.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard shows that in a town full…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: SECTION A: Sunset Boulevard The melodramatic film noir, Sunset Boulevard, directed by the distinctive auteur Billy…
SECTION A: Sunset Boulevard
The melodramatic film noir, Sunset Boulevard, directed by the distinctive auteur Billy Wilder in the 1950s, distinctly explores how dreams and reality can be difficult to differentiate. Through the characters of Norma Desmond, Joe Gilliss and Betty Schaefer, Wilder presents them all to have a dream that is too out of reach considering their position in the ruthless Hollywood environment. However for Norma and Joe, reality is hard to accept. Going to extreme lengths to make their dreams a reality, Wilder emphasises that by doing so can result in consequences. However, Wilder utilises the character Betty Schaefer to contrast this idea, where dreams and reality don't have to be confused, but can coincide with one another to create a harmonious life. Sunset Boulevard makes it difficult in a town where word spreads quickly and stories arn't always true, to identify the difference between dreams and reality.
Norma Desmond, the highly opinionated and manipulative antagonist of Sunset Boulevard, conveys just how easy it can be to morphe your dreams and reality into one. In doing so, Norma increasingly became delusional in thinking her wish to be back in the studio with DeMille, creating their "greatest picture" again, was achievable. However her reality was quite the opposite. In an attempt to mask her true reality of being outdated, Wilder presented Norma in a Mausoleum like mansion and luxurious clothing (usually leopard print or dramatic accessories and headbands). Wilder highlights that Norma couldn't bare the thought of slipping into obsolescence, as she claims that "[she is] big, its the pictures that got small". The reality she attempts to push aside only keeps returning where Wilder presents Norma to be faced with constant rejection. Her dream was out of reach, she was just too unrealistic to realise. Through a closeup, it was evident the rage she felt when being overlooked and not seen like she once was; "the greatest star of all". Wilder presents this to be the case once more when DeMille empathetically allows her to visit him at paramount studios. The first indication that she had been discarded from the industry was when security hadn't initially recognised her, to let her through. "I am bringing Norma Desmond"... "Norma who?" the guard asks signifying she is irrelevant. By forcing recognition, Norma makes it through the
the ones she claims wouldn't be there without her.
gates, but is rejected once more by Demille himself. "Put that light back where it belongs" announcing to the entire shoot, an obvious reality check for Norma. Wilder presents that her longing for the fame once more is impossible, despite the extravagant attempts to grasp that bygone era. Wilder cleverly uses a montage of Norma, outlining her extensive beauty regime just to seem young which she believes is key to achieving her dream of being a famous actress again. Although, Joe calls her out when exclaiming "theres nothing tragic about being 50, not unless your trying to be 25". This directly highlights Normas dream (being young again) and reality (her true age). Consequently, Wilder encapsulates how the difference between dreams and reality can become blurred through Norma Desmond and her desperate attempts to reach her unrealistic goal of being a Hollywood film star once again.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘In Oedipus the King, suffering is rarely…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Performed in a city-state ravaged by plague and unrest, Sophocles’ timeless Athenian tragedy ‘Oedipus the King’…
Performed in a city-state ravaged by plague and unrest, Sophocles’ timeless Athenian tragedy ‘Oedipus the King’ explores the notion of suffering, exposing how prevalent it is in individual’s lives. Sophocles indicates that suffering is more prevalent within leaders, and how human power is nothing in the face of divine will. Sophocles also suggests that in the face of uncertainty and suffering, individuals seek out the truth, unbeknownst the burden of such truth. Finally, Sophocles highlights the inevitability of fate and how it can act as a humbling force.
Ultimately, Sophocles extends a worldview that fate and suffering are closely intertwined, and as such are prevalent in all individuals' lives.
Firstly, Sophocles exposes how suffering is more pronounced within those who bear the crown, thus showing how human power is of little importance in fate and attempts to avoid it.
This is demonstrated when Oedipus says that his “spirit grieves for the city”, emphasising how Oedipus, as a leader cares for his people and as such is subject to even more pain, as he experiences great emotional pain and strife. By including this, Sophocles reveals how power as a king is worth no value when compared to divine will, as he experiences more emotional pain than his subjects while holding more power than them, highlighting the inescapability of suffering even for those in power.
Additionally, when the chorus describes Oedipus as their “best of men”, and “king of the land”, this highlights the devotion that the people of Thebes’ hold within Oedipus, exemplifying the responsibility that Oedipus holds, as when he makes incorrect choices, the whole town feels the effects. With this, Sophocles highlights how leaders can cause a great deal of pain for themself and their subjects. In addition, Oedipus mentions how he stopped the sphinx “with no help from the birds”, exposing how he, blinded by his hubris, believes that he is on the level of or above the gods and their power. This evokes divine retribution and fast-tracks Oedipus’ tragic fate. Sophocles uses this to exemplify how human pride and ‘power’ of being a king is worth no value against divine will, further highlighting the inescapability of suffering, regardless of status. Overall, Sophocles suggests that leaders have the potential to suffer more, and warns against letting power get to one’s head, showing how this power is meaningless in the face of the gods.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "There is nothing tragic about being 50,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Through Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder explores the toxic infatuation that Hollywood has with youth. The film…
Through Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder explores the toxic infatuation that Hollywood has with youth. The film highlights the tragedy of being morbidly attached to the past and the obsessive attempts to reclaim youth. By utilising the backdrop of 1950's Hollywood, specifically emphasising the transition from silent films to talkies, Wilder portrays the suffocating nature of the industry's infatuation. The film noir alludes to real film studios from the era, allowing Wilder to exemplify the obsession with youth that is present through varying calibers in Hollywood. Throughout the film, Wilder presents nuances to the generalised perception of youthful infatuation to portray its' extent across the industry.
The 1950 film noir acts as the self aware commentary on the toxic treatment of aging women in the industry. Wilder's meta-casting of a prominent actress of silent films, Gloria Swanson, represents the industry's discarding of actresses in their old age during the rise of the 'talkies'. Swanson, who plays Norma Desmond reflects the direct comparison to how Hollywood cherishes the new and youthful. This allusion paired with the overly expressive acting of Norma Desmond help Wilder frame her as an individual stuck in her past of, obsessively attached to the silent era of films, being able to "say anything [she] want[s] with [her] eyes". The fixation to her past fame is what translates to the infatuation of youth for Norma. Wilder paints Norma as forgotten by the industry someone who "used to be big", but no longer meets the demands of Hollywood. The director utilises Norma's relentlessness to "return" to films in order to further portray what the industry fixates on. Her short lived lead up to her "return" is highlighted by Norma going through a "merciless series of treatments" in the hope of achieving the youthful appearance. Norma remains attached to her past, her "25" year old self, failing to accept her reality, that she is not the young actress she used to be. Through this Wilder is able to explore the nature of Hollywood's infatuation with youth by magnifying through Norma how this obsession with youth stems from the standards set by Hollywood. The expectation of appearing flawless and young are portrayed as a necessity of the industry by Wilder.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "There is nothing tragic about being 50,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Through Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder explores the toxic infatuation that Hollywood has with youth. The film…
Through Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder explores the toxic infatuation that Hollywood has with youth. The film highlights the tragedy of being morbidly attached to the past and not realising the reality of aging. By utilising the backdrop of 1950's Hollywood, specifically emphasising the transition from silent films to talkies, Wilder portrays the suffocating nature of the industry's infatuation. The film noir alludes to real film studios from the era, allowing Wilder to exemplify the obsession with youth that is present through varying calibers in Hollywood. Throughout the film, Wilder presents nuances to the generalised perception of youthful infatuation to portray its' extent across the industry.
The 1950 film noir acts as the self aware commentary on the toxic treatment of aging women in the industry. Wilder's meta-casting of a prominent actress of silent films, Gloria Swanson, represents the industry's discarding of actresses in their old age during the rise of the 'talkies'. Swanson, who plays Norma Desmond reflects the direct comparison to how Hollywood cherishes the new and youthful. This allusion paired with the overly expressive acting of Norma Desmond help Wilder frame her as an individual stuck in her past of, obsessively attached to the silent era of films, being able to "say anything [she] want[s] with [her] eyes". The fixation to her past fame is what translates to the infatuation of youth for Norma. Wilder paints Norma as forgotten by the industry someone who "used to be big", but no longer meets the demands of Hollywood. The director utilises Norma's relentlessness to "return" to films in order to further portray what the industry fixates on. Her short lived lead up to her "return" is highlighted by Norma going through a "merciless series of treatments" in the hope of achieving the youthful appearance. Norma remains attached to her past, her "25" year old self, failing to accept her reality, that she is not the young actress she used to be. Through this Wilder is able to explore the nature of Hollywood's infatuation with youth by magnifying through Norma how this obsession with youth stems from the standards set by Hollywood. The expectation of appearing flawless and young are portrayed as a necessity of the industry by Wilder.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In the play Oedipus the King, the crucial…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Sophocles' Oedipus the King, performed at the religious festival of Dionysus, glorifies eudaimonia and sophrosyne…
Sophocles' Oedipus the King, performed at the religious festival of Dionysus, glorifies eudaimonia and sophrosyne to his Athenian audience. Depicting the conflict that inhibits the coexistence of emotion and moderation, Sophocles contends that personal desires in great extents initiates disputes against moderation. Sophocles displays the intrapersonal conflict between characters' qualities of intense desire and perception of rationality causes internal disputes within the individual. Additionally, utilising the contrast between characters who are overwhelmed by emotional desires and great moderation, Sophocles conveys the disputes between individuals as a result of these features. However, Sophocles suggests the possession of both passion and reasoning in moderated amounts, while remaining unconflicted.
Through Oedipus' personal conflict between wisdom and determination to discover the truth, Sophocles highlights the internal disputes that arise as a result of these qualities. As Oedipus becomes overridden by his desire to discover the truth, exclaiming "I must know it al," his ability to remain reverent diminishes. Previously acknowledged for his intelligence and granted kleos as he "freed [Thebans] from the Sphinx," Oedipus demonstrated his capability of remaining moderate and wise. Despite this, upon the plague destroying Thebes, Oedipus becomes fixated on discovering the "things [he] might do or say" in order to be the saviour of Thebes. This overwhelming desire to become the saviour of Thebes consumes Oedipus, inhibits him from seeing rationally and becoming aware of his own faults. Sophocles presents Oedipus' desire to "see it all" as detrimental to his perception of rationality, leading him to express hubris and ignorance as he portrays himself to be equivalent to the gods. Demanding that Thebans "let [him] answer [their] prayers" rather than the gods they worship, Oedipus declares his perceived power to be greater than that of the gods as a result of his overwhelming desire to see the truth. As his inflated sense of self continues, Sophocles conveys the ignorance caused towards the truth, as Oedipus remains unknowing despite being told directly by the prophet that "[he] is the corruption of this land." Consumed by his desire for greatness, Oedipus perceives the further accusations from Creon to be attacks, or attempts to "steal [his] crown." Resorting to insults towards those who warn him of the truth of his "birth and destruction," Oedipus begins to defy divine figures, accusing Tiresias, the blind prophet, to be a "pious fraud," claiming the gods to be "nothing." Sophocles demonstrates the internal conflict between reason and desires, expressing desires to overwhelm and mask individuals' ability to perceive rationality, warning Athenians of the resulting conflict.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘In Oedipus the King, suffering is rarely…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Performed in a city-state ravaged by plague and unrest, Sophocles’ timeless Athenian tragedy ‘Oedipus the King’…
Performed in a city-state ravaged by plague and unrest, Sophocles’ timeless Athenian tragedy ‘Oedipus the King’ explores the notion of suffering, exposing how prevalent it is in individual’s lives. Sophocles indicates that suffering is more prevalent within leaders, and how human power is nothing in the face of divine will. Sophocles also suggests that in the face of uncertainty and suffering, individuals seek out the truth, unbeknownst the burden of such truth. Finally, Sophocles highlights the inevitability of fate and how it can act as a humbling force.
Ultimately, Sophocles extends a worldview that fate and suffering are closely intertwined, and as such are prevalent in all individuals' lives.
Firstly, Sophocles exposes how suffering is more pronounced within those who bear the crown, thus showing how humans are weak compared to the gods.
This is demonstrated when Oedipus says that his “spirit grieves for the city”, emphasising how Oedipus, as a leader cares for his people and as such is subject to even more pain, as he experiences great emotional pain and strife. By including this, Sophocles reveals how power as a king is worth no value when compared to divine will, as he experiences more emotional pain than his subjects while holding more power than them, highlighting the inescapability of suffering even for those in power.
Additionally, when the chorus describes Oedipus as their “best of men”, and “king of the land”, this highlights the devotion that the people of Thebes’ hold within Oedipus, exemplifying the responsibility that Oedipus holds, as when he makes incorrect choices, the whole town feels the effects. With this, Sophocles highlights how leaders can cause a great deal of pain for themself and their subjects. In addition, Oedipus mentions how he stopped the sphinx “with no help from the birds”, exposing how he, blinded by his hubris, believes that he is on the level of or above the gods and their power. This evokes divine retribution and fast-tracks Oedipus’ tragic fate. Sophocles uses this to exemplify how human pride and ‘power’ of being a king is worth no value against divine will, further highlighting the inescapability of suffering, regardless of status. Overall, Sophocles suggests that leaders have the potential to suffer more, and warns against letting power get to one’s head, showing how this power is meaningless in the face of the gods.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Sunset Boulevard warns against living in…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Emerging from an era of post-war disillusionment and set against the shifting landscape of 1950s America, Billy…
Emerging from an era of post-war disillusionment and set against the shifting landscape of 1950s America, Billy Wilder’s film noir Sunset Boulevard strips back Hollywood’s glittering veneer to expose the perils awaiting those who surrender to fantasy and illusion. Wilder carefully constructs a penetrating critique of the industry as a commercialised machine, manufacturing stars, marketing dreams, and discarding them once they cease to be profitable. Within this realm of fabricated glamour, individuals cling to illusions of eternal relevance, shielding themselves from obsolescence and becoming victims of a system that prizes appearance over authenticity. Through their tragic fates, Wilder warns of the human cost of investing in Hollywood’s fantasies, revealing how its seductive glamour consumes those it ensnares. Yet, amid this façade, he also presents glimpses of sincerity and renewal, suggesting that authenticity can still emerge within the industry’s illusions.
Wilder exposes the commercialisation of Hollywood, illustrating how the construction of stardom is a meticulously crafted illusion, warning of the perils that befall those who succumb to its seductive fantasies. From its opening moments, Sunset Boulevard subverts the glittering illusion of Hollywood, opening amidst a gutter littered with ‘dead leaves’ and ‘scraps of paper,’ a stark emblem of decay that mirrors the disposable nature of stardom beneath the industry’s manufactured glamour. The title itself, with its reference to ‘Sunset,’ foreshadows the obsolescence of stars, highlighting how the industry discards talent once their commercial value fades, while a high-angle shot looking down on the scene reinforces Wilder’s scathing judgment. This commodified system is embodied in Norma Desmond, the archetypal femme fatale of film noir— a discarded starlet clinging to illusion, left only with “the dream she had clung to so desperately.” Her entrapment is intensified by the dissonant tension of the ‘grim Sunset mansion,’ working as a metaphor of Hollywood’s fatalistic and tragic veneer, which forever traps victims within their glorious ‘heydays’ after rejecting them into its gutter. While obliviously sitting enclosed by her shrine of photographs, ‘crowded with Norma Desmonds', Norma eventually becomes a prisoner of a carefully curated exhibit that Hollywood had set up, as she is seen signing headshots for fans, and eerily impersonating the performers of a bygone Hollywood. The consequences of her entrapment extend to Joe Gillis, addressed from the outset as a ‘poor dope,’ who is lured by the promise of success into a figurative “long-term contract,” trading his artistic integrity for temporary financial security, catalysing both his spiritual and physical decline. Waxman’s non-diegetic orchestral strings, melodramatic and foreboding, signal the peril inherent in Hollywood’s seductive illusions, while Joe’s trance-like narration of his own death reflects the enduring ignorance of Hollywood's victims, signalling the doomed trajectory of characters ensnared by illusion and reinforcing noir’s sense of moral inextricable consequences. This exploitation culminates in the underwater shot of Joe’s body, viewed from below as photographers jostle for the perfect image, reducing his death to mere spectacle. Thus, Wilder portrays the commercialisation of the industry, that no one actually cares who dies. Wilder emphasises that the downfall of Hollywood’s figures is not merely personal misfortune but the result of an industry that ensnares its participants in carefully constructed facades, where amoral motives of fame cannot be without consequence, ultimately serving as a dire warning to the horrors of Hollywood, as the ‘price’ of stardom will always be ‘too high’.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Sunset Boulevard’ reveals the dark side…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Exposing the powerlessness of naïve ‘dream[s]’ of fulfilment against the toxicity of celebrity which has ‘seized…
Exposing the powerlessness of naïve ‘dream[s]’ of fulfilment against the toxicity of celebrity which has ‘seized [their] heart[s]’, (1) Billy Wilder’s quintessentially American (2) film ‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950) poignantly unveils the dark side of fame that is inextricable from Hollywood’s allure (3). Compounded by the skilful overlaying of a gothic lens, this noir mystery (4) performs as a deep meditation on the brutality of this business, and a sardonic, yet subtly sympathetic, depiction of the victims of its endless cycle of sadism (5). Through his intelligent blend of fiction and meta-cinema (6), Wilder’s iconoclastic opus emerges as a powerful vivisection of the dangerous illusions of stardom.
Personifying this complex world as a dystopian nightmare, Wilder satirically contextualises the hidden horrors of Hollywood (1). Immediately referencing a classic trope of film noir, (2) a disturbing amalgamation of fantasy and sobering realism is established through the eerie posthumous narration of this ‘poor dope’, with this non-linear structure exposing this inevitable tragedy from the outset. Heightening this strange sense of unease, (3) the foreboding non-diegetic string music of Franz Waxman’s pertinent score (4) warns the audience of this ensuing horror. Indeed, ‘Sunset Boulevard’ itself can no longer be hopefully associated with fame and luxury; rather, its disconcerting introduction in a gutter with ‘dead leaves’ and ‘scraps of paper’ alludes to its burgeoning corruption, as literally emphasised by the titular finiteness of ‘sunset’. Ominously towering over this decrepit street, the silhouetted palm trees embody personified judges (5) of the ‘distorted’ and ‘blown out’ stories that ‘Hollywood columnists’ weave, as fortified by the intense chiaroscuro lighting (6). Similarly, (7) although swimming pools were an iconic image of glamour, the floating corpse ironically exposes that this perpetual chase of fame is a deadly enterprise. As a poignant reflection of this danger, the toxic relationship between Joe Gillis – our cynical antihero – and Norma Desmond – the stereotypical antagonist of a femme fatale – (8) is inherently doomed. This Gothic synthesis of old and new Hollywood thematically foreshadows their demise, as both are dangerously delusional: one is confined by their obsolescence, the other ensnared in the shallowness of the present. Symbolising the subordination that defines their affair, the loss of Joe’s car is a ‘matter of life and death’ that resolutely deforms him into an item of Norma’s possession, as fame is too often synonymous with prostitution. Subverting the traditional gender stereotypes of their time, Edith Head’s pertinent costumes of shared leopard print – a predominant motif of Norma’s wardrobe, which is also reminiscent of her silent-era glamour – illuminates the oppression that this pursuit of celebrity has manufactured. (9) In a house with no locks, Joe is already irreparably caught in the predatory grip of Norma’s atrophic talons, and thus, by extension, trapped by the noxious allure of Hollywood. Functioning as a provocateur to brazenly ‘bite the hand that feeds him’ (Mayer) (10) Wilder controversially deplores the deceptive façade of fame through his pioneering direction.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "There is nothing tragic about being 50,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Through Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder explores the toxic infatuation that Hollywood has with youth. By utilising…
Through Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder explores the toxic infatuation that Hollywood has with youth. By utilising the backdrop of 1950's Hollywood, specifically emphasising the transition from silent films to talkies, Wilder portrays the suffocating nature of the industry's infatuation. The film noir alludes to real film studios from the era, allowing Wilder to exemplify the obsession with youth that is present through varying calibers in Hollywood. Throughout the film, Wilder presents nuances to the generalised perception of youthful infatuation to portray its' extent across the industry.
The 1950 film noir acts as the self aware commentary on the toxic treatment of aging women in the industry. Wilder's meta-casting of a prominent actress of silent films, Gloria Swanson, represents the industry's discarding of actresses in their old age during the rise of the 'talkies'. Swanson, who plays Norma Desmond reflects the direct comparison to how Hollywood cherishes the new and youthful. This allusion paired with the overly expressive acting of Norma Desmond help Wilder frame her as an individual stuck in her past of, obsessively attached to the silent era of films, being able to "say anything [she] want[s] with [her] eyes". The fixation to her past fame is what translates to the infatuation of youth for Norma. Wilder paints Norma as forgotten by the industry someone who "used to be big", but no longer meets the demands of Hollywood. The director utilises Norma's relentlessness to "return" to films in order to further portray what the industry fixates on. Her short lived lead up to her "return" is highlighted by Norma going through a "merciless series of treatments" in the hope of achieving the youthful appearance. Norma remains attached to her past, her "25" year old self, failing to accept her reality, that she is not the young actress she used to be. Through this Wilder is able to explore the nature of Hollywood's infatuation with youth by magnifying through Norma how this obsession with youth stems from the standards set by Hollywood. The expectation of appearing flawless and young are portrayed as a necessity of the industry by Wilder.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “My mother took me places black people…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Set against the backdrop of apartheid and its aftermath, Trevor Noah’s memoir, Born a Crime, documents how Trevor…
Set against the backdrop of apartheid and its aftermath, Trevor Noah’s memoir, Born a Crime, documents how Trevor and his mother Patricia, actively resist and challenge oppressive rules and expectations enforced by the government. Noah’s text applauds individuals who defy the discriminative nature of the rules and expectations of the Apartheid system and resist social and gender norms. During later reactionary reforms to quell global protests, Noah commends those who defied apartheid laws by rejecting racial segregation and not conforming to the proposed legislations. Additionally, the novel praises individuals who value education through challenging and criticising the law.
Noah establishes early in his memoir that his very birth was an act of resistance against apartheid law. By describing himself as “a half white, half black child who violated a number of laws” and declaring, “I was born a crime,” he positions his existence as a challenge to the system’s restrictions on intimacy across racial boundaries. This autobiographical framing emphasises not only the irrationality of apartheid legislation but also the courage of his mother, Patricia, who deliberately chose to bring him into the world despite the risks. Patricia’s determination to live on her own terms extended beyond the laws of race; she also resisted patriarchal expectations within her community. She asserted her independence by having “a child, not a man stepping in to run her life,” thereby rejecting the cultural norm that women required male authority to validate their choices. In her relationship with Abel, Noah recalls that she “didn’t refuse to do it, she overdid it” when bowing an act of exaggerated compliance that mocked rather than affirmed a tradition of female subservience. Through humour and irony, Patricia transformed acts of oppression into opportunities for rebellion, embodying a refusal to accept the rules imposed on her. Noah underscores this through his declaration: “my mom, however, was a rebel,” portraying her as a role model of resistance who valued dignity and autonomy above conformity. In highlighting his mother’s refusal to be diminished by social or gender norms, Noah communicates his admiration for individuals who possess the courage to defy injustice and values the importance of asserting one’s agency in the face of systemic control. Thus, the memoir demonstrates that even small, everyday acts of rebellion such as mocking Abel’s expectations or choosing single motherhood are powerful forms of resistance that undermine the authority of oppressive systems.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "There is nothing tragic about being 50,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Through Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder explores the toxic infatuation that Hollywood has with youth. By utilising…
Through Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder explores the toxic infatuation that Hollywood has with youth. By utilising the backdrop of 1950's Hollywood, specifically emphasising the transition from silent films to talkies, Wilder portrays the suffocating nature of the industry's infatuation. The film noir alludes to real film studios from the era, allowing Wilder to exemplify the obsession with youth that is present through varying calibers in Hollywood. Throughout the film, Wilder presents nuances to the generalised perception of youthful infatuation to portray it's extent across the industry.
The 1950 film noir acts as the self aware commentary on the toxic treatment of aging women in the industry. Wilder's meta-casting of a prominent actress of silent films, Gloria Swanson, represents the industry's discarding of actresses in their old age during the rise of the 'talkies'. Swanson, who plays Norma Desmond reflects the direct comparison to how Hollywood cherishes the new and youthful. This allusion paired with the overly expressive acting of Norma Desmond help Wilder frame her as an individual stuck in her past of, obsessively attached to the silent era of films, being able to "say anything [she] want[s] with [her] eyes". The fixation to her past fame is what translates to the infatuation of youth for Norma. Wilder paints Norma as forgotten by the industry someone who "used to be big", but no longer meets the demands of Hollywood. The director utilises Norma's relentlessness to "return" to films in order to further portray what the industry fixates on. Her short lived lead up to her "return" is highlighted by Norma going through a "merciless series of treatments" in the hope of achieving the youthful appearance. Norma remains attached to her past, her "25" year old self, failing to accept her reality, that she is not the young actress she used to be. Through this Wilder is able to explore the nature of Hollywood's infatuation with youth by magnifying through Norma how this obsession with youth stems from the standards set by Hollywood. The expectation of appearing flawless and young are portrayed as a necessity of the industry by Wilder.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “My mother took me places black people…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Set against the regime of the apartheid, Trevor Noah’s memoir, Born a Crime, documents how Trevor and his mother…
Set against the regime of the apartheid, Trevor Noah’s memoir, Born a Crime, documents how Trevor and his mother Patricia, actively resist and challenge oppressive rules and expectations enforced by the government. Noah’s text applauds individuals who defy the discriminative nature of the rules and expectations of the Apartheid system and resist social and gender norms. During later reactionary reforms to quell global protests, Noah commends those who defied apartheid laws by rejecting racial segregation and not conforming to the proposed legislations. Additionally, the novel praises individuals who value education through challenging and criticising the law.
Noah establishes early in his memoir that his very birth was an act of resistance against apartheid law. By describing himself as “a half white, half black child who violated a number of laws” and declaring, “I was born a crime,” he positions his existence as a challenge to the system’s restrictions on intimacy across racial boundaries. This autobiographical framing emphasises not only the irrationality of apartheid legislation but also the courage of his mother, Patricia, who deliberately chose to bring him into the world despite the risks. Patricia’s determination to live on her own terms extended beyond the laws of race; she also resisted patriarchal expectations within her community. She asserted her independence by having “a child, not a man stepping in to run her life,” thereby rejecting the cultural norm that women required male authority to validate their choices. In her relationship with Abel, Noah recalls that she “didn’t refuse to do it, she overdid it” when bowing an act of exaggerated compliance that mocked rather than affirmed a tradition of female subservience. Through humour and irony, Patricia transformed acts of oppression into opportunities for rebellion, embodying a refusal to accept the rules imposed on her. Noah underscores this through his declaration: “my mom, however, was a rebel,” portraying her as a role model of resistance who valued dignity and autonomy above conformity. In highlighting his mother’s refusal to be diminished by social or gender norms, Noah communicates his admiration for individuals who possess the courage to defy injustice and values the importance of asserting one’s agency in the face of systemic control. Thus, the memoir demonstrates that even small, everyday acts of rebellion such as mocking Abel’s expectations or choosing single motherhood are powerful forms of resistance that undermine the authority of oppressive systems.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “The foreigner… is trapped between the now…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Jenny Erpenbeck’s existential novel Go, Went, Gone highlights how a ridged system upholds both physical and…
Jenny Erpenbeck’s existential novel Go, Went, Gone highlights how a ridged system upholds both physical and non-physical barriers that dehumanise refugees while enabling people to remain detached from global issues. Through the lens of her protagonist, Richard, Erpenbeck reveals how invisible forms of exclusion, such as bureaucracy, ignorance and emotional detachment, can be just as restrictive as physical boarders. Contrastingly, Erpenbeck also explores physical barriers, demonstrating how Europe’s geographical and institutional boundaries continue to confine and exclude those seeking safety.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Identity in the memory police
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Anchored in a fictional dystopian society where memories and objects vanish overnight, Yōko Ogawa’s novel The…
Anchored in a fictional dystopian society where memories and objects vanish overnight, Yōko Ogawa’s novel The Memory Police explores the fragility of identity under authoritarian erasure. Ogawa contends that memory is the foundation of selfhood, and without it, both individual and collective identity collapse. She demonstrates that the loss of memory erodes identity. Furthermore, she highlights the importance of language and storytelling in preserving identity. Ultimately, Ogawa suggests that while much of identity can be dismantled, emotions and resilience endure even in the harshest conditions.
Identity in The Memory Police is shown to be fragile, with memory functioning as its foundation. As disappearances increase, citizens lose not only objects but also the memories and emotions that once defined them. The narrator reflects, “people… just forget. They forget they’ve forgotten”. This chilling observation demonstrates how identity erodes silently: individuals are stripped of their histories yet lack awareness of what has been taken. The passivity of the citizens reveals how authoritarian power operates not through open violence alone, but through gradual disconnection from the past, leaving people unable to recognise the extent of their loss. The narrator also admits that “the world seems smaller each day,” signalling the contraction of both physical and psychological space. This shrinking of the world mirrors the shrinking of selfhood, as memory loss confines people to passive shells who lack personal and cultural identity. Even the narrator, who clings more tightly to memory than most, is not immune: she recalls her mother preserving vanished objects, yet she struggles to retain their meaning. This tension between resistance and vulnerability captures the fragility of identity when memory itself is dismantled. Through these reflections, Ogawa portrays the collapse of memory as synonymous with the collapse of identity.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Writing about protest: write a text that…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Resist and Persist Dismissed, diminished, disregarded: How the suffragettes successfully resisted against systemic…
Resist and Persist
Dismissed, diminished, disregarded: How the suffragettes successfully resisted against systemic silencing
The roar of fire, the shattering of windows, the chaos amidst burning buildings. Exhausted by the deaf ear to their grievances, the suffragettes brandished their weapons and showed men the only language they listened to: war. Women rallied relentlessly, they threw stones at windows, raised their voices, and set buildings ablaze. They did so, because all peaceful means had proved futile.
Today, on International Women's Day, it is vital we remember the brave, courageous women worldwide who persisted against the patriarchy until they achieved enfranchisement. From Australia to Britain overseas, these women inspired generations of feminism and women's rights movements.
The Resistance
War was the last resort. After centuries of silencing, powerless in overturning pre-existing gender issues without the vote, British women declared war against their government. They had been rendered voiceless by their system of governance for a millennia, unable to stop the gender inequality that was so rampantly ingrained into the nation. Decades of lobbying, petitions, and speeches saw painstakingly slow progress: it was time for a militant approach.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent do the characters find…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: In her novella “We Have Always Lived in a Castle,” Shirley Jackson explores how characters seize power through…
In her novella “We Have Always Lived in a Castle,” Shirley Jackson explores how characters seize power through violence and isolation in a world designed to render them powerless. Jackson first elucidates the societal influence of the patriarchy, which enforces female servitude, and then portrays violence as a means to subvert such control. Following this act of rebellion, Jackson illustrates how isolation from the patriarchy becomes essential to maintaining this newfound power, framing any invasion of that seclusion as a direct threat. Ultimately, Jackson suggests that while this combination of isolation and violence creates fear—a potent source of power for women whose agency is denied—this power is inherently fragile and comes at the cost of their humanity.
Jackson portrays the patriarchal society as an oppressive force that strips women of their agency, forcing them to acquiesce to roles of servitude. As such, she illustrates the subversion of domestic culinary duties through violence, using food as a means to extend power and agency. From the outset of the novel, the family’s patriarchal structure is codified by the father’s dominance, as he “always sat in the big chair at the head of the table.” Through this simple, stark image of spatial hierarchy, Jackson establishes the Blackwood family's rigid ideology, where power is visually and physically codified along gender lines. Further, Merricat reminisces that “all the blackwood women had taken food from the ground and preserved it,” illustrating the subservient nature of women within the Blackwood household. By grounding the women's roles in the domestic lexicon of 'food' and 'preservation,' Jackson establishes the traditional servitude Merricat violently rejects. By using the very food she is meant to prepare and preserve as a weapon, Merricat transforms an instrument of her servitude into a tool for liberation and power. Merricat’s stark admission that she “put death in all of their food” transforms this domestic staple into a tool of profound violence. The cold, simple language of this confession contrasts sharply with the expected warmth of a ‘nurturer,’ highlighting a deliberate and calculated agency. This act of patricide directly inverts her expected role and undermines the foundations of patriarchal ideology, thus granting her power. Furthermore, Merricat's fantasy of the villagers 'crying with the pain and dying' before she can 'help [her]self to groceries' demonstrates that for Merricat, the act of finding power requires a mental annihilation of her oppressors, linking her agency directly to imagined violence. This violent fantasy reveals the extreme measures Merricat believes are necessary to resist the oppressive patriarchal forces that confine her. This connection reveals that controlling food—a symbol of their domestic confinement—becomes a desperate, non-negotiable form of agency. Ultimately, Jackson demonstrates that in a world determined to silence women, the subversion of domesticity through violence becomes a necessary, if brutal, tool for reclaiming agency.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: : “Memories are a lot tougher than you…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Yoko Ogawa’s Memory police, immerse readers into an unnamed Japanese Island in which objects and their meaning are…
Yoko Ogawa’s Memory police, immerse readers into an unnamed Japanese Island in which objects and their meaning are systematically erased. Using the genre of magical realism to metaphorically question passivity to disappearances of memories. Ogawa explores the importance of memories to individual and collective identity. Ogawa expresses how through storytelling, memories can live on, allowing for humanity to remain.
Ogawa posits memories as a means of maintaining individual identity in the face of authoritarian control. Emphasizing on how a loss of memories result in the fragmentation of identity, the novel’s cover depicts a girl’s face with fragments of red outline chipping over her face The fragments represent the loss of memories, which has resulted in the erasure of individual identity (represented by the girl’s face). Similarly, Ogawa communicates a loss of connection to one’s past when memories are erased as the protagonist expresses how she can no longer remember anything about “birds” even through they have been “intertwined with memories of [her father]”. This loss in memory signifies how the protagonist has lost her individual identity as a daughter of an “ornithologist”, demonstrating how without core memories one is unable to be grounded as an individual with a distinct identity. Moreover, the memory police’s acknowledgement f how memories comes “from inside the hearts”, suggests the emotional depth of memories and its significance to each individual. The metaphor of memories and hearts, accentuates the intangible, interconnected relationship between an individuals’ “heart” and soul (key elements of their identity, and the purpose of memories, which is to give one an identity
While memories are crucial to preserving individual identity, Ogawa also acknowledges the power of memories in allowing of the essence of humanity to remain. The genre of magical realism, in which element of magic is accepted as normal, becomes a metaphor for the residents of the island’s passivity to the disappearances erasing their memories, hence their collective history, as “no one every complains or makes a fuss.” Ogawa uses the resident’s passivity to question her
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Wilder's film sunset boulevard is a…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Billy wilders 1950's film noir, Sunset Boulevard, offers a cynical exposé of Hollywood presenting it as a morally…
Billy wilders 1950's film noir, Sunset Boulevard, offers a cynical exposé of Hollywood presenting it as a morally corroded dream factory sustained by illusion and exploitation, yet suggests that the illusion, however corrupt is vital to art and human survival. Against the backdrop of a recent transition from silent to sound films, and implementation of studio systems which commodifies youth, beauty and fame, preserving its alluring and idealistic facade appealing to post-war American audiences, who value cinema as an escape. Wilder accentuates the industries exploitation of ambition, beauty and erosion of authenticity, to ultimately lead emotional and psychological demise. While promoting the industries necessity in preservation of cinema portraying it as both cynical and endearing.
Initially Wilder constructs Hollywood as a cynical industry that commodifies creativity and human worth. Wilder establishes Hollywood's dominance through large paramount studio gates from a low angle camera shot, which Joe and norma attempt to enter through - symbolising Hollywood's exclusive nature. An element that makes accessing and entering the facade of perfection the industry presents, alluring and enticing to American dreamer, who wish to enter it. Wilder simultaneously proposes that Hollywood's excess and grandeur are able to mask the dehumanising and corrupt cycle that lies beneath its manufactured facade, helping to maintain its desirability. Having established its alluring nature that precipitates ones ambition to enter, Wilder then conveys that creativity and authenticity are used as currency in Hollywood postulating that they become sacrificed upon entering the facade. The director depicts this through Max's servitude to Norma, tragically embodying the artistic sacrifice of Hollywood, as a once famed director is now reduced to a servant of the illusion he once helped construct. Wilder reinforces this through the metatextual element of casting, Von Stronhein, a real life director, to communicate the industries tendency to consume and humiliate it's own, as it can reduce ones worth to nothing. Continuing this Wilder alludes to the sacrifice of individual creativity, presenting the world of Hollywood to be maintained through industrialised ambition, as everything is the "same old story" - articulating that success in Hollywood is the result of a formula which limits innovation and creativity. To strengthen his assertion Wilder suggests that writers are just "trying to make a living", highlighting that the cost of commercial gain is in fact artistic integrity, accentuating the prevalence of commodifying ambition and creativity. The director presents this idea as a self aware critique upon Hollywood, as Wilder himself, is a witness to the morally compromising nature and illusion of the American dream which it presents, thus depicting the pursuit of these dreams, while admirable to be naive and ultimately at the centre of ones own exploitation and commodification. In essence, Wilder demonstrates the cynical cycle of commodification and sacrifice in Hollywood in an attempt to achieve the illusive dreams the it promises.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: The Ordinary is never insignificant In…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Succinctly alluding to Blaise Pascal’s Pensées, which delves into the “brevity of life”, Malouf’s short story…
Succinctly alluding to Blaise Pascal’s Pensées, which delves into the “brevity of life”, Malouf’s short story collection *Every Move You Make* examines the intersections between the ordinary and extraordinary experiences of the human condition. Malouf contends that embracing the ordinary can prompt personal transformation. Through the depictions of quiet reflection and ordinary environments, Malouf captures the potential for introspection and self-discovery. Moreover, Malouf furthers this exploration by examining the fixation on the extraordinary, framing it as a constraint on genuine self-development. Hence, Malouf affirms that a true human experience derives not from Grand narratives, but from the ability to find the beauty and meaning within everyday life.
Malouf suggests that ordinary environments serve as transformative forces towards introspection and transformation. Through his depiction of familiar settings, such as the Australian landscape and the domestic household, Malouf proffers that a basic alignment with one’s surrounding enables them to tap into a state of reflection and personal growth. The Short Story ‘The valley of lagoon’ encapsulates the potential for individuals to attain a sense of renewal and self-fulfilment, following Angus’s longing to be “changed” when initiating himself in the annual trip to the valley of lagoons. Malouf’s imagery of the “grey green nondescript wilderness” depicts the Australian setting as simple and subdued, yet it is a transformative force that allows Angus to “feel happily at home in [him]self”, suggesting that external environments have the potential to influence internal peace and stability. Angus’ progression “into the solitude of the land” awakens an internal shift where he forgets his “own disruptive presence”. Here, Malouf proposes that the conflation between and an individual and their surroundings can dissolve internalised shame and criticism. Similarly, the short story “Mrs Porter and the Rock” captures the art of noticing significant landmarks, within an environment, and their true beauty. As Dulcie Porter finally recognises “the rock”, she experiences an “immediate and unaccountable happiness”, suggesting that ordinary moments of acknowledging the natural world possesses a restorative power that can reconnect individuals to states of joy and content. Hence, Malouf insists that significant personal transformation can arise not from grand gestures, but from a quiet attunement to the simplicity and ordinariness of the Australian landscape.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “Travis has no sense of duty, no sense of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Johnson depicts how loyalties transition depending on the lens of morality, propounding that loyalty is…
Johnson depicts how loyalties transition depending on the lens of morality, propounding that loyalty is ever-changing. Johnson promptly deconstructs the way loyalty is inherently expected, in the way the opening massacre is depicted to be a tactical surrounding of the peaceful indigenous tribe. In his introduction, Travis seemingly embodies the same ominous destruction that was brought upon the indigenous, as his horse tramples and gallops into the tainted landscape. In his entrance, Johnson pays homage to Travis’ background in war; thus, depicting Travis in alignment with the destruction brought upon by colonialism. However, the author suddenly subverts Travis' character in the way he bluntly shoots the stationman, who excitedly exclaimed "did I get her?". In a concise manner, Travis' loyalties and background as a colonial power is inversed, as he displays the violence incurred onto the Indigenous back onto its vengeful perpetrators. In this way, Travis' character exists as an oxymoron toward his position and white background; subtly shown to veer further from his post and duties toward the white settlement. In his demeanour, Travis abandons his police attire, compounded by the choice to grow “hair … like a girl”. Doing so, Johnson depicts how the guilt in enduring while innocent die in Travis’ watch rids him of ties toward symbols of eurocentrism. Thus, the author contends that the expectations to blindly follow colonial dogma is dependent moral alignment.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "What will come will come" Does sophocles'…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: The phrase, "what will come will come" gives the idea that life is predestined, and is bound to occur, regardless…
The phrase, "what will come will come" gives the idea that life is predestined, and is bound to occur, regardless of human attempt to intervene. Sophocles' play, Oedipus the king explores the inevitability of fate, and how every outcome is predestined through the tragic downfall of Oedipus, in an ancient greek tragedy.
The consistent unfolding of prophecies validate the inescapable fate that is set for Oedipus' future. Through Tiresias, a blind prophet, fate is symbolised as an unavoidable event and any intervention in attempt to avoid it is impossible. Sophocles highlights what is predestined and what can be changed. Tiresias warns Oedipus, "if you love your own life, call off this search," implying the horrid consequences of Oedipus's actions for pursuing the unknown truth, illuminating themes of fate, and how it is unpreventable. Sophocles presents prophecy as a important higher power in control, such as the Oracle of Delphi, relating to Ancient Greece and the prophecies that people would seek from the oracles, priests and gods in ancient Athens. Through this, Sophocles aims to affirm the idea of the solidified fate through the greek gods and the power imbalance between the gods and Oedipus, by Jocasta's line, "No skill in the world, nothing human can penetrate the future." Human actions are only so futile, and have no effect on fated events, and Sophocles strengthens this idea of definite fate that Oedipus cannot avoid by the shepard stating "If you are the man he says you are, believe me, you were born for pain." further reiterating Oedipus' fated suffering through an uncontrolable higher power's prophecies.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'How does Born a Crime reveal the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Set during and after the apartheid regime in South Africa, 'Born a Crime', a memoir written by Trevor Noah explores…
Set during and after the apartheid regime in South Africa, 'Born a Crime', a memoir written by Trevor Noah explores that resilience is not just an act of endurance but also a transformative form of defiance and hope. Through his mothers moral faith and humor, Noah learns that survival amid the harsh apartheid system requires steely ability to overcome suffering. Noah presents his mothers resilience as a combative form of resistance that became a model for his own challenges. Noah uses humor as an emotional tool to reframe the struggle that he experiences, overcoming trauma and suffering. Noah then portrays resilience as the tool to adopt and upgrade oneself to reclaim identity and agency. Noah highlights Patricias resilience as a combative form of defiance that inspires his own approach to challenges. He references Patricias "ability to forget" the "pain", as not just literally but a unique focus that enshrines her optimism towards life. Allowing Noahs mother to have a 'keep moving forward' mentality, which helps her withstand certain challenges. Noahs praises for Patricias definite and "independent" character credits her stable foundation that provides Patricia with the initial capability to be a symbol of challenge which towers the apartheid. Among this, Noah also remembers that in moments of despair "we didn't have food" but his mother would recognise that "we had the lord". Revealing Patricias faith as a psychological barrier that would bring about a new positive mindset, which Noah thanks her for making him "stronger". Furthermore, Noah also applauds Patricias refusal to conform to the apartheid logic of hate, teaching him "to love" even if it's "dangerous". Showcasing his mothers wisdom of acceptance of all people, not wishing to mirror the same aspects of apartheid hate or separation. Noah puts those that stand above basic moral philosophies on a pedestal commemorating their unique way of defying the system. Patricias character can be contrasted with other individuals such as Abel, as she presents a more calm and quick witted faith. Compared to Abel, who becomes easily enticed to the most miniscule of circumstances, unleashing his hatred ever so quickly. Evident when after Abel "shoots" Patricia, Noah elaborates how she "walked away from death laughing". Demonstrating the miracle that was able to assist Patricia in surviving, symbolising her defiance against the brutality of the patriarchal system, where Patricia's character stands petty ethical actions within the ignorance of the police. Through his mother, Noah reveals resilience as a moral courage, a choice to meet injustice not with "bitterness" but instead compassion and optimism. Further becoming a model for Trevor's life later on, dedicating "Born a Crime" as a gift to his mother. Noah utilises humour as an emotional and narrative element to divert pain, delicately it can challenge truama and suffering. Through Noah's constant humorous retelling of his childhood in the first chapter labelled "run", he highlights how he would "hide from police" because of his "mixed race" identity. Hiding at the apartheid houndstics by facing humiliation and difficult situations into empowerment for Noah's unique storytelling utilising his comedic personality, Noah proceeds to tell about "my mother's" race being different to "my race" making it look like a "crime scene", implying the
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does the play explore the idea of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Within Ancient Greek civilizations, the idea of blindness has often been associated with ignorance towards societal…
Within Ancient Greek civilizations, the idea of blindness has often been associated with ignorance towards societal truths. Similarly, Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus the King, explores how it is socially expected that individuals stay reverent towards divinity by accepting truth determined by fate, as a means of avoiding blindness. Those who are unable to comply with these notions are deemed as socially unaccepted, being punished for their blindness in life, while others who follow the divine are rewarded for their avoidance of blindness.
In an Ancient Greek society, Sophocles illustrates the social expectation that individuals are to be reverent to the divine, specifically truth determined by fate to avoid being blind. Within the text, Sophocles portrays Delphi, a metaphorical representation of divine message, as having “gold vaults” to demonstrate its surface value and importance in determining what is true or not to the chorus, a representation of Ancient Greek society. In this way, the idea that divine authority distinguishes what is true or not is emphasized, whereby individuals are encouraged by wider society to accept their prophecies to not be blind. Likewise, the society of Thebes is depicted as having the “truth” being “learned” from prophets and oracles, thus highlighting the absolute authority that divinity commanded when determining what was to be followed or not. As such, to be a viable Ancient Greek citizen, it is expected that individuals stay reverent and obedient to the divine, being accepting of their fates and thus being able to see what is right, which is the truth. Additionally, the chorus expects that all individuals “serve” under the “commands of Lord Apollo” as a means of showcasing their respect and obedience towards the gods. By doing so, individuals are perceived as being reverent, and hence, displaying an active decision to avoid being blind to social incompatibility. Furthermore, during times of struggle, individuals are expected to “hear” from the “voice of gods” as a means of seeking guidance. In doing so, it is displayed that they seek truth determined by the gods, and thus, are able to not be blind by society’s standards. Sophocles demonstrates that in order for individuals to not be blind, they must seek truth determined by the divine order.