VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sunset Boulevard explore the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Billy Wilder post-war film nor, 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) explores the devastating impacts on the 'Unforgiving…
Billy Wilder post-war film nor, 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) explores the devastating impacts on the 'Unforgiving Hollywood Machine' on its workers. Ultimately, Wilder's film permeates his critique that the industry's unsympathetic expectations upon its 'products' ultimately leads them to psychological, moral, and physical decay.
Wilder throughout the majority of the film highlights through its dark, and corrosive tone the harsh reality that a decline in fame subsequently leads individuals of the film industry to psychological ruin. Wilder integrates the films corrosive tone through his introduction of the famous 'has-been' Norma Desmond. Highlighted in her grad mansions wide-shot – Wilder captures a physical manifestation of Norma's mental state, and career. In the mis-en-scene, Wilder's inclusion of her decrepit, unkempt home symbolizes to audiences Norma's apparent mental absence; contributing to the film noir's dark tone. Furthermore, Wilder asserts to audiences that the impact of lost fame leads individuals to psychological decline. Wilder's inclusion of intertextuality in Norma's seemingly never-ending script, 'Salome' highlights her ambition to return to Hollywood; Which, when her plan ultimately fails, leads her to total mental destruction. Illustrated in Wilders ending mis-en-scene, encapsulating in a wide-shot, Norma's piercing gaze as she transcends down her grand staircase, symbolizing to audiences Norma's literal, and metaphorical descent into madness. By showcasing Norma's 'mental plight' towards the camera's, Wilder illustrates the harsh impacts of lost fame within Hollywood; leading individuals like Norma to a mental decline amongst the industries harshness.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Theres nothing else. Just us, and the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Hollywood has long been known for its illusions of wealth and success, influencing all viewers to desire the ‘fame’…
Hollywood has long been known for its illusions of wealth and success, influencing all viewers to desire the ‘fame’ and ‘relevancy’ built within the Film industry. Billy Wilder’s film noir ‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950), contends that deception is prevalent within Hollywood, luring most individuals into its dangerous nature. Set in a post-World War 2 context, amongst Americas ‘Golden Age’, Film studios like Paramount utilised a ‘studio system’ which revolved around having full control over its stars and discarding of them when they no longer deemed relevant. Wilder Suggests that all individuals will either respond to the Artifice of Cinema including the audiences “out there in the dark” by relentlessly chasing the factory dreams, depicted through the Allegory of Norma Desomond, or will use the harsh standards of Hollywood to adapt and find genuine success built off integrity. Ultimately Wilder highlights that success built off the external desires of Hollywood will lead to destructive consequences, leaving contemporary audiences to critique the corrupt morals of the Film Industry.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: The Memory Police demonstrates how…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: TMP demonstrates how important memory is for our sense of identity. Discuss. An individuals ability to remember…
TMP demonstrates how important memory is for our sense of identity. Discuss.
An individuals ability to remember is crucial in shaping and maintaining ones identity. Yako Ogawa's orwellian novel The Memory Police, set on an oppressed island, illuminates the contrast between people that can remember and those that cannot. The ability to hold onto memories allowed an individual to connect with their past, as well as maintain meaningful relationships. However, the loss of memory can cause an individual to lose their personal identity. Ogawa illustrates that Memory and identity are parallel in a world where memories are directly stripped and must be protected.
Throughout the novel, Ogawa emphasizes the gift of memory to allow individuals to connect with their past. Before the "birds were disappeared", the narrator can remember all sorts of "[sitting on [her]] father's lap and [studying] the creatures". These memories of the birds allowed the narrator to remember her late husband. After their disappearance the bird "was unable to elicit any feeling in [her] at all,". The symbol of birds serves as a contrast between the connection people have with objects before and after their disappearance. Birds were associated with the narrator's "ornithologist" father, meaning when they disappeared, so did many of the narrator's connection to her father. These childhood memories were a crucial part of her identity, which therefore began to wither as her memory altered. Ogawa suggests that memory is the keystone in maintaining identity. Furthermore, a strong connection to past is portrayed as the narrator's mother describes the forgotten object of "perfume". She is reminded of wearing it while "courting with her husband", the narrator describes her as "more lively" when she talked about this "little bottle". The description of perfume is juxtaposed between one that can remember and one cannot, highlighting the immense joy that the mother feels and the disconnect that the mother displays. Her "lovely" tone when describing her memories punctuates her ability to retain identity, which the narrator struggles to do. Thus, Ogawa postulates that memory is dominant in holding onto ones past, and that ones past shapes their identity.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: No prompt - paragraphs to memorise and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: Intro In Billy Wilder’s 1950’s post-war, gothic film noir Sunset Boulevard, set in the ‘Golden Age of Hollywood’,…
Intro
In Billy Wilder’s 1950’s post-war, gothic film noir Sunset Boulevard, set in the ‘Golden Age of Hollywood’, the idea of… is…. This is depicted through characters such as Norma Desmond who… and Joe Gillis… Manufactured by Hollywood…. Wilder intends to use Sunset Boulevard to warn against the dangers of fame and illusion crafted by Hollywood.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sophocles explore the notion of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Sophocles explores the notion of relentless search for the truth driven by hubris and arrogance and how it can…
Sophocles explores the notion of relentless search for the truth driven by hubris and arrogance and how it can lead to one's downfall, thus a tragic experience of human life. Oedipus, king of Thebes and a tragic hero is demonstrated to the audience from the beginning as one that is too prideful and arrogant. His hubris and arrogance is evident when he imperatively demands Thebes to "let [him] grant [their] prayers", taking upon a god-like figure and believing he has the capabilities and powers of the Gods, when in reality he is just a "mere mortal". It is this self-belief and growing pride that drives Oedipus into uncovering the truth of the "plague" in Thebes, ultimately propelling him into the unbreakable cycle of believing that it was his duty to find the source of the "corruption". Although having that strong desire to save the city like he did before with the "riddle of the Sphinx" is benevolent in intent, his hubristic and ignorant nature makes him blind to the reality of the truth and the repercussions of uncovering it.
Sophocles further accentuates Oedipus' flawed self-belief and excessive pride, through his constant use of first-person possessive pronouns such as "I" and "my", which illustrates his self-pride and egotistic mindset. This is evident when he proudly announces that the "world knows my fame", emphasising that it is his fame, no one else's. This self-centered perception blinds Oedipus to the broader implications of his actions and decisions, illustrating his hubris. His determination to
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ultimately, Jacksons novel highlights the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: Through displaying witchcraft as an overt resistance to power, Jackson critiques societies fearful rejection of…
Through displaying witchcraft as an overt resistance to power, Jackson critiques societies fearful rejection of this female agency. This trajectory of power and oppression is highlighted most starkly by the fierce protagonist Merricat. Her overt resistance to the patriarchal institution of domesticity through the parricide of her family successfully removes the male threat within the home and enables the growth of her female power. Her strength against the 1950s institution is symbolised by the motif of the “spider” which Constance insists is the reason she washed out the bowl. Merricat’s routine burial of special objects within the grounds of the blackwood property forming a “powerful taut web” that “held fast to guard” them uses imagery to further develop Merricats power as spiderlike. This gothic trope of witchcraft positions Merricat as a female who has achieved power through the submission of
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Psychopaths sell like hotcakes" Hollywood…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Billy Wilder’s film noir, Sunset Boulevard exposes the sadistic desires of Hollywood, exploring how the industry…
Billy Wilder’s film noir, Sunset Boulevard exposes the sadistic desires of Hollywood, exploring how the industry powers the longing for wealth and acknowledgement through rewarding inauthenticity and deteriorating worth and identity.
Wilder’s tragic death scene in the film exposes Hollywood’s deterioration of creativity in its work, highlighting how this fuels materialistic desires over genuine passion. Wilder physically portrays the destructive nature of Hollywood, through the death of Joe himself, however, the symbolic allusion in Norma, the representation of delusion and loss of self, being the murderer indicates Wilder’s portrayal of this ambition for fame. Joe’s passion is reignited by the conclusion of the film, before being “killed” by the deluded lifestyle he was initially encapsulated in. This indicates how Hollywood creates false promises that deteriorate the passion, and individuality of people. Wilder portrays Norma to be the one of power in this scene, indicating how delusion overrides the ability to confront reality within Hollywood. This is continued through Norma being “one of the best” old Hollywood stars, highlighting how this scene symbolises Hollywood being the destruction of individuality, as Norma, the representation of delusion, is the image of stardom. Furthermore, the commotion of press agents arriving at the scene, all seeking insight into the representation of destroyed creativity, highlights Hollywood’s sadistic nature and desire for destruction, showing how Hollywood fuels and celebrates the destruction of creativity and seeking fame rather than pure passion. Continuing the exposure of Hollywood rewarding materialism, Joe falling into the pool which “he always wanted”, as he dies, signifies how, once passion and confrontation with reality is destroyed, the fortune promised by Hollywood is given in exchange. The pool acts as a motif, paired symbolically with Joe’s ability to confront reality. When first filled, the character has fully submitted to the deluded lifestyle, and Wilder continues this symbolism into the conclusion of the film, as Gillis dies within his materialistic desires. Through the death of Joe, Wilder symbolically exposes Hollywood’s desire to destroy creativity, fueling the desire for wealth over passion, ultimately fueling the need for fortune within the industry.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Twelfth Night, constancy, rather than…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: ding of love is really shallow and conceited. By incorporating this imagery, Shakespeare alludes to how lust can…
ding of love is really shallow and conceited. By incorporating this imagery, Shakespeare alludes to how lust can often overshadow love, even without the individual being conscious of so. In a way, the playwright warns of the dangers of indulging in feelings of love, thus criticising those who tend to yearn simply for the sake of it. Similarly, this idea can be seen through the experiences of Malvolio, who believes that the forged letter is confirmation of Olivia's love for him, asserting that he "will be point-device." Through the symbolism of the letter, Shakespeare condemns those who allow their intense emotions to cloud their judgement, once again reinforcing how love can be intense if not controlled. Thus, Twelfth Night illustrates how declarations of overpowering enamourment are not genuine and are instead elevated by one's unchecked feelings.
Shakespeare sustains that constancy and authenticity are indicators of true love, particularly through the actions that pose potential risk. Despite
not only reveals the eternal and silent suffering of a woman in love, but also alludes to the classical myth of Echo and Narsissus, illustrating how passionate love is inherently undying. As such, Shakespeare unveils how supposed intense declarations of love can sometimes be sustained, however, he cautions that this is only the case when individuals are truthful.
Whilst presenting love as a feeling that is prominent throughout life, Twelfth Night draws upon the duality of such a robust & emotion. Ultimately, Shakespeare's primary concern is to highlight the inconsistancies of love when precipitated by passion, instead emphasising how real love is honest and can be maintained.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sophocles present suffering as essential…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Sophocles presents suffering as essential to learning and growth in Oedipus the king. Discuss. Sophocles Oedipus…
Sophocles presents suffering as essential to learning and growth in Oedipus the king. Discuss.
Sophocles Oedipus the king retells the legend of Oedipus, presenting him as the quintessential tragic hero who elicits profound pity and fear from his Athenian audience through his eventual self-inflicted downfall. While Sophocles contends that for some, suffering enables growth and learning, for others suffering only arises destruction. Thus, the playwright presents divine will as the source of power in the play. The playwright presents characters who attempt to deny divine will as punished with destruction in addition to suffering arising due to the blind pursuit of the truth. Although, once the truth is revealed, some characters are able to grow and learn as leadership is justly enacted.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In sunset boulevard the need to be seen…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: In Sunset Boulevard, the need to be seen drives people to destroy themselves, do you agree? Billy Wilder's gothic…
In Sunset Boulevard, the need to be seen drives people to destroy themselves, do you agree?
Billy Wilder's gothic 1950s film, Sunset Boulevard, reveals the illusionary world of Hollywood and exposes its true nature. In the film, ambition is a driving force amongst those in Hollywood, which further leads to a destructive and inevitable end. Wilder presents how ambition for fame and stardom is present throughout most individuals in Hollywood. Further, the film illustrates the destructive nature of being ambitious for stardom and greatness. Further Wilder presents that individuals who have decaying fame seek to drive themselves back to the spotlight, which leaves them destroyed.
Wilders gothic film exposes the truth beneath Hollywoods glitz and glam, showcasing how the desire for fame is evident amongst most individuals. In Hollywoods superficial world, the ambition for stardom is widespread due to the popular and wealthy life that comes with it. Wilder showcases Hollywoods wealth through the low angle shot of Joe to Normas "white elephant of a place". Wilder use of this shot demonstrates the difference of a poor dope film writer, compared to a past Hollywood sensation, therefore exposing why fame and stardom is sought after amongst many individuals, due to the high standard of life it brings. Furthermore, Wilder presents The desire for fame through Norma, her pursuit for a "return" not a "comeback," demonstrates her desires for stardom. This is reinforced through her "merciless set of trials" where she trained like an olympic athlete" it highlights how the pursuit for fame blinds individuals from trying to fit in unrealistic standards. The magnifying glass used by Wilder further represents the severities that individuals suffer to be successful in the industry, highlighting that each small, little detail is examined on individuals to fit in to the Hollywood standards and expectations. Moreover, Normas pursuit is exemplified with her losing half a pound since tuesday after trying to return to Hollywood, this represents the ever present pursuit amongst many individuals and how that pursuit can be so severe but is still sought after. Overall, Wilder presents that the pursuit for being ambitious for fame and stardom in Hollywood is widespread and is amongst individuals.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In the play the desire to act honorably…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Sophocles perennial tragedy “Oedipus the King” first performed in 429 BCE at the height of the Peloponnesian war…
Sophocles perennial tragedy “Oedipus the King” first performed in 429 BCE at the height of the Peloponnesian war depicts a world ensnared by the inexorable forces of fate and the divine. In his lamentable expose Sophocles promulgates the nature of one's behaviors as directly linked to their suffering, although the playwright blurs the line between moral and immoral actions in the play. Firstly, the playwright laments the upholding of civic duty through its association with agony. However, even in immoral actions do characters find such visceral consequences highlighting the futility of morality. Overall, the playwright lauds suffering as unrelated to the nature of one's actions and instead interwoven with divine justice.
In Sophocles' faithful representation of traditional Greek mythology, the playwright elucidates the facade of honour in action through its eventuation of prolonged anguish and turmoil. In his attempt to foster such a paradoxical relationship the playwright employs Oedipus’ vow to “bring what is dark to light” epitomising his hamartia—an admirable yet ruinous commitment to truth. Sophocles transforms intellectual virtue into the agent of downfall, illustrating how moral duty can devolve into unseen suffering. In seeking illumination, Oedipus becomes the architect of his own catastrophic revelation. In his construction of Oedipus’ as driven by such honour the playwright underpins his quest for truth as a heroic pursuit, intended at quelling the “raw wailing miseries” of Thebes. However, the juxtaposition of the protagonist's seemingly moral desire and the suffering is revealed in Oedipus' confident declaration that “the same violent hand may strike me down” embodies dramatic irony. In this way Sophocles allows the audience and their knowledge of the myth of Oedipus to perceive what the protagonist himself cannot- the he himself if the killer he seeks. The phrase transforms prophetic justice into self-condemnation, promulgating the illusion of control in upholding civic duty. Through such vivid irony the playwright bemoans Oedipus' moral pursuit for the truth by underlining the grim consequences that result from it, interweaving civic inclination with the very suffering he proclaims. Furthermore, Sophocles encapsulates such suffering in Oedipus’ assertion that he “fathered” his children “in the soil that gave [him] life” grotesquely invokes the Greek myth of autochthony—birth from the earth. Sophocles distorts this mythic purity into incestuous horror, fusing fertility and corruption. The soil, once sacred, becomes a metaphor for cyclical sin and polluted regeneration. Through this incestous discovery that stemmed from his moral pursuit to cleanse Thebes of its pollutants, Oedipus marks his own kin with a curse. Given Athenian audiences would have held a firm connotation of incest as a sacreligious act, a belief amplified by the myth of autochthony, the playwright interweaves moral action with unfathomable suffering that not only implicates Oedipus himself but further permeates his bloodline with the stain of discovered truth, crystallising the paradox between honourable behaviour and their unequivocable consequence.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'we got through the war by sticking…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Section A A text response 'We got through the war by sticking together. Trusting each other.' High Ground depict…
Section A A text response
'We got through the war by sticking together. Trusting each other.' High Ground depict a world without trust. To what extent do you agree?
Set in post world war - in Ahnem Land Australia, the 2020 film 'High Ground' directed by Steven Maxwell Johnson is a representation of how trust is the basis of relationships, however a lack of trust leads to a lack of loyalty. The Western genre film captures how although the characters survived war by trusting each other, there is a major lack of trust in their relationships and depicts a world that lacks trust. However, the director also showcases how there is still trust in the world and how it is built through loyalty. Johnson seems to portray how even in a world lacking trust, having faith in one and another with loyalty can still prevail.
It is made evident from early on in the film that there is a major absence of trust between the Yolngue people and the Northern Territory officers. Johnson makes this very evident from early on in the film, which is representative of the frontier wars in Australia. In the prologue a brutal and violent Massacre occurs as a result of the settlers grasamly attacking the Yolngu tribe. Through a handheld montage the officers are captured aggressively riding horses towards a tribe of first nations people. Braddock who is a priest played by Ryan Corr is seen explaining to the other settlers that '[they] don't want any trouble'. However this is quickly juxtaposed as the camera pans out to Travis who is a sniper and is introduced through a point of view shot of him positioning his gun. The sniper is clearly demonstrating that the colonisers have no trust towards the First Nations people, and even though they claim to be trying to have a 'peaceful' conversation about two First Nations men stealing a cow, they ultimately have military tactics and are ready to inflict pain and violence. Building on this, Eddy instructs the other officers that 'no one shoots but him' when pointing to Travis however before a conversation can even begin the Northern Territory officers start a massive attack on the tribe. This scene as the chaotic and stressful nature of it is captured through a series of handheld shots and diegetic sounds of gun shots, most people in pain and animals especially birds. The brutal massacre evidently highlights the major lack of trust between the two communities and
showcases how the colonisers have no trust towards the Yolngu people. The director implements a negotiation scene which is meant to bring the two groups together, however once again the two communities are captured through a long shot sitting on opposite side with an evident gap between them. The use of their costume and body language also captures the clear lack of faith in one another. The negotiation ultimately results in an argument when Moran refers to the land as the 'sirs' land', as the settlers believed Arnhem Land was Terra Nullis, however this comment upset the Yolngu people who believed that this was their rightful land as they have been on it and as Papa explain the settlers 'came overseas to our land'. Once again Johnson is portraying the divide between the two Nations and how peace and negotiation is not an option due to the contradicting interest and lack of trust. Johnson portrays resulting to violence and disrespect due to a lack of trust.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Dark, horror of darkness, my darkness,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: First performed in 429 BCE Athens, Sophocles’ quintessence of classical Greek tragedy, ‘Oedipus the King’, charts…
First performed in 429 BCE Athens, Sophocles’ quintessence of classical Greek tragedy, ‘Oedipus the King’, charts the spectacular deterioration of its eponymous character – a king whose hubris becomes his ultimate hamartia. Through motifs and imagery, Sophocles emphasises the personal cost of excessive pride. On the other hand, Sophocles utilises the chorus’ commentary to highlight the repercussions of hubristic folly on the collective while leveraging the play’s tragic structure and symbolism to signify how conceit can both amplify the scale of one’s ruin and propel one towards catastrophe.
Over the course of the play, the consequences that Oedipus’ hubris imposes upon him is divulged through symbolic imagery. The titular king’s declaration to “bring it all to light [him]self” juxtaposes, in a moment of tragic irony, the play’s climax wherein Oedipus antithetically plummets into the literal “depths of…darkness”. Through Oedipus’ inability to bear the truth of his polluted heritage, Sophocles asserts the exclusivity of omniscience to the gods, emphasising that certain truths are too devastating for mortals to withstand. Oedipus is thereby positioned as a cautionary figure against hubristically transgressing celestial realms of knowledge – a “sickness more than [one] can bear”. Extending this motif of light and darkness, Oedipus’ anagnorisis where the truth does indeed “burst to light” subverts the traditional association of light with enlightenment: in Sophocles’ tragedy of destiny, revelation does not bring clarity or triumph but devastation as Oedipus despairs at the truth his arrogance blinded him to. The illumination of knowledge here exposes human vulnerability and the limits of mortal understanding, reinforcing the play’s warning against overreaching pride. Further, Sophocles’ juxtaposition of Creon’s dramatically ironic warning in the prologue, that Oedipus will “pay back blood with blood”, against the sanguinary imagery in the exodus depicting “each stroke blood spurt[ing]”, establishes Oedipus’ ignorance of what?. Coupling this with Tiresias’ prophetic proclamation about his ultimate “downfall”, Oedipus’ auto-enucleation becomes the manifestation of divine punishment for his blasphemous transcension of the oikos: his compulsion to “dig…[the pins] down the sockets of his eyes” in a gory ocular mutilation serves as a grim warning against the arrogance of mankind. Here, the repetition of “blind” also emphasises Oedipus' ignorance and the tragedy brought on from it while the feral imagery and zoomorphism of Oedipus “stalking” like a “maddened beast” reveals how his former hubris in elevating himself above the Grecian pantheon has ironically reduced him to a primal state of savagery. As such, Sophocles' visceral and brutal imagery signifies how one’s vanity can be a source of personal devastation.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Jackson suggests that, when faced with a…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’, a gothic novel by Shirley Jackson, explores the appropriateness of escaping a…
‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’, a gothic novel by Shirley Jackson, explores the appropriateness of escaping a problematic society through isolation. Written in 1962, the novel is set in the context of the defined patriarchal structures of the 50’s and 60’s in America, with the ideals of the nuclear family. Jackson depicts how exclusion from regular society allows for the patriarchal structures to be subverted, supporting the idea that removal from society is the correct response to flawed societal norms. However, Jackson suggests that removing oneself from society can only be successful with enough wealth and knowledge to ensure it is sustainable. Additionally, Jackson presents the consequences of extended isolation, reinforcing how it may be an inappropriate method of reacting to a troubled society.
Jackson illustrates how subversion of patriarchal structures can be achieved through complete separation from society. Merricat and Constance love in their own matriarchy, where the power lies with the female members of the household. Jackson presents their world as vastly different to the traditional nuclear family ideals being pushed at the time, which presents how their differences contribute to their ostracization. When Helen Clarke comes to visit with Mrs Wright, she begins to prod the sisters about their resistance to the patriarchy, suggesting that “[they] should have boyfriends”. Jackson proposes that while still in contact with members of society, the patriarchy will continue to impact the lives of individuals. This idea is further reinforced when Charles comes to visit. Charles symbolises male power and control as when “Constance had let him in”, he begins to take control of the Blackwood estate. Jackson demonstrates how men feel entitled to power under the patriarchy, as Charles feels he is immediately in charge of the sisters. It is only when the house burns down and Charles is completely gone from the sisters lives that the patriarchy is subverted. The housefire symbolises the destruction of the patriarchy, as it enables the sisters to cut themselves off from the town, villagers and their patriarchal values. Jackson critiques the patriarchy, and suggests that avoiding it through isolation, the method of excluding oneself is justified.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Twelfth Night critiques social norms and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Written in 1601-1602 Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy set during a time of festive misrule, where…
Written in 1601-1602 Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy set during a time of festive misrule, where disguise, revelry, and inversion of social order where embraced. Set against the exotic and chaotic backdrop of Illyria, the play uses the comedic premise of a woman disguising herself as a man to explore the complex and often contradictory nature of human and societal behaviours. Shakespeare adopts comedy to critique the rigid social and gender expectations of Elizabethan society, exposing their hypocrisy and instability. Yet, through the play’s comic resolution, he restores social order, suggesting that while such norms may be flawed, they remain deeply ingrained within human nature and society. Through these central notions of class, gender, and social pressures, paired with Shakespeare's manifold characters, the play harbours an evocative insight into the rigid class hierarchies, gender norms and conflict of sixteenth century England. Ultimately establishing a nuanced critique while upholding the standards which resonate with his original audiences.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “I had ten years of dramatic lessons,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Billy Wilder’s gothic film, Sunset Boulevard, shatters the glamorous facade of the Hollywood industry, revealing it…
Billy Wilder’s gothic film, Sunset Boulevard, shatters the glamorous facade of the Hollywood industry, revealing it to be shallow and insensitive. Wilder exhibits this through the cruel, heartless treatment of Hollywood actors, who are not of typical archetypes . He further illustrates its shallowness by dismantling the myth that Hollywood workers live in luxury revealing that the true experience for many is one of extreme financial distress. Moreover he uncovers the cruel, heartless nature of the Hollywood media, and the truth behind its misplaced priorities. However, Wilder also indicates that the industry at times can be genuine and sympathetic, especially to those who they have mistreated . Ultimately, Sunset Boulevard depicts the industry as shallow and unforgiving, yet not entirely heartless.
Throughout the film Wilder presents to viewers that the Hollywood industry has no interest in stars that do not fit their ideal vision. Wilder illustrates this to viewers through Betty’s mistreatment as a young acting prospect, which she reveals to Joe during their walk down the Hollywood sets. She explains how the studio “didn’t like [her] nose”, and once she had it changed, “they didn’t like [her] acting”. Betty’s story perfectly encapsulates the superficial and callous nature of the industry, making her alter her looks so that she appears like a star should, and only then dissecting her acting talent. This is further emphasised through the matter of fact tone in which Betty delivers the line, suggesting her story is not a shocking one, but rather a normal occurrence within the industry. Wilder reveals to the audience that despite the job of Hollywood actors being to act, the industry cares more about their surface level looks, than any talent they may possess. Additionally, Wilder demonstrates the shallow and heartlessness of Hollywood through the unfair, ageist comments made of Norma. When DeMille is informed by his assistant that Norma is visiting his set, his assistant exclaims “isn’t she a million years old?” This comment exhibits to viewers the true extent of the industry’s superficiality, and the callous treatment of those who do not look the part. Despite having never met Norma, the assistant cannot fathom that she may have something to offer, simply due to her age. He judges her exterior appearance, without even offering a chance to prove her worth. This is emphasised through the assistants body language and facial expressions, denoting how bewildered he is at the thought of a middle aged woman being on a film set. This reinforces Wilder's message that the Hollywood industry does not care about people who do not fit their idea of a star.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Traditional roles restrict the characters…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Traditional roles often attempt to define individuals, shaping their ability to choose how they live their life, in…
Traditional roles often attempt to define individuals, shaping their ability to choose how they live their life, in We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Shirley Jackson demonstrates how these roles can restrict freedom and enforce societal conformity, while also showing that they can be used to create power. The novella reveals how patriarchal authority and societal pressures intertwine to enforce prejudice, creating a world in which traditional roles both confine and empower.
Jackson uses the character of Charles Blackwood to expose how patriarchal power disrupts female autonomy and solidarity within the novel. Charles embodies the intrusive force of masculine authority, seeking to re-establish dominance in a household that has become reliant on women. His arrival marks an attempt to restore traditional hierarchies, as he came to help the Blackwoods manage their ‘money,’ yet his motives are rooted in greed. Through his fixation on material wealth and his presumptive right to command as ‘head of the table’, Charles intrudes on the sanctuary that Merricat and Constance have built. Jackson uses this intrusion to critique how patriarchal structures confine women, as Charles’s desire to marry Constance is not an act of love but an attempt to seize her property and control ‘the safe.’ He becomes ‘a ghost’ that must be ‘driven away,’ symbolizing the contamination of the sisters’ world by male dominance. His efforts to discipline ‘Mary Katherine,’ as though she were a child, further reveals how Jackson portrays male authority as a repetitive cycle of psychological control. Ultimately, Charles’s presence transforms the house from a place of safety into chaos, illustrating Jackson’s belief that masculine control corrupts the purity of domestic life, leaving destruction.
In We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Jackson explores how women resist societal expectations and claim power in a world that seeks to limit them. Merricat and Constance assert control over their home through domestic chores, turning them into a source of independence rather than a limitation. The ‘rows and rows’ of preserved food in the cellar symbolize how
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ''You see this is my life! it always will…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: During Hollywood's golden era, many aspired to achieve stardom, though a privileged few ever achieved this dream.…
During Hollywood's golden era, many aspired to achieve stardom, though a privileged few ever achieved this dream. Set against the back drop of post-war 1950's Hollywood, Billy Wilder's late film Sunset Boulevard explores the implications faced by individuals associated with Hollywood. Through character and cinematography, Wilder critiques Hollywood's obsession with exploitation of aspirants, revealing how the industry prioritises financial gain. This is shown through the manipulation of ambition, exposure of the psychological decay instilled within individuals and the critique of transactional relationships within Hollywood. Ultimately, Wilder delineates the irreversible ramifications which arise as a result of pursuing fame.
Sunset Boulevard exposes the commodification of ambition, revealing how Hollywood exploits the ambition of individuals. The determination of aspirants leaves them susceptible to Hollywood's predatory dreamscape. Through Joe, Wilder reveals the true cost of ambition. an enduring ambition.The underwater shot of dead Joe's body surrounded by camera's not only underscores how ambition is interlinked with death, but reflects the superficiality of Hollywood an industry which values applicants only when they are useful. Wilder's employment of cameras illustrates how fame is not proportional to ambition but rather luck. Additionally, Joe's character serves to depict Hollywood's seductive facade as he becomes blinded to his death. Similarly, Sheldrake, an upcoming producer is also consumed by Hollywood's corrosive underbelly. His luxurious and sleek office conceals the decaying physical state. Joe's posthumous voice outlining "the set of ulcers" encapsulates that fame is often intertwined with a weakened physical state. Furthermore, the symbol of the cigar undermines how individuals are often alluded to physical decay as success engulfs them. Thus, Wilder, through the ambition of individuals, underscores the devastating price of fame and success.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sophocles’ Oedipus the kind demonstrated…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: First performed at the Dionysian Festival around 430 BCE, Sophocles' Oedipus the King examines a society where…
First performed at the Dionysian Festival around 430 BCE, Sophocles' Oedipus the King examines a society where happiness lies in the hands of suffering. His Greek explores how easily one's fortune can change and hence how quickly joy can be taken away. Sophocles presents constantly changing and reveals how people have little control over this, he also acknowledges the ability of mortals to remain ignorant from harsh reality and shield their peace. In this way, the Greek underscores that while human happiness is fragile, there are also ways people can protect this.
Sophocles highlights that fortune can change quickly and hence that individuals should tread lightly. Upon defeating the Sphinx, Oedipus claims with confidence in the prologue that "the world knows [his] fame," revealing how highly regarded he is by those around him for this achievement. So highly regarded that they are reliant on him to solve the "corruption of the land" however, ironically enough this is revealed to be Oedipus himself who must now exile into to end Thebes' suffering. Oedipus' initial happiness has turned into devastation in the matter of 24 hours and through this unity of time the Athenian audience are really made to understand how quickly peripeteia can occur and hence how quickly one can go from "the first of men" to nothing. In this way, Sophocles warns these people to tread lightly and that their joy can be destroyed just as fast as it was earnt. This notion is reinforced the chorus who initially are happy to have Oedipus as their king, claiming that "never will [they] convict [him]" and hence revealing how much they adore him. However, it is only in in the antistrophe where "now you bring down light upon my eyes". Through this, Sophocles exposes how the views of the community can rapidly change, revealing how happiness can turn into regret.
Not only does Sophocles emphasise the dynamic nature of fate, he also depicts the control people lack over this. Upon consulting the oracle at Delphi, Oedipus decides to flee Corinth in order to protect his parents "[he] heard all that and ran". Unknowing Polybus and
2. knowledge if sought early enough could've prevented suffering
- Corinth - kills his dad unknowing - weds Jocasta
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Sunset Boulevard, the crucial conflict…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: "Before you hear it all distorted... maybe you'd like to hear the facts." Billy Wilders world of Sunset Boulevard…
"Before you hear it all distorted... maybe you'd like to hear the facts."
Billy Wilders world of Sunset Boulevard aims to provide the truth in a "hollow world", yet it is inevitable, the impact of illusion affects both the characters and audience alike, proving significant to the noirs conflict. Wilder censures the luring nature of Hollywood that provides dreams of success only to revoke it, driving characters into self soothing and the preservation of others. However, Wilder also exposes the transactional nature between Hollywoods Stars and writers and their superior directors, agents and their audience. Giving payment of identity and morals in return for being "given the brush", proves most crucial to the films friction.
An idyllic facade is what entices individuals to Hollywood. Individuals see glamorous lifestyles, through lavish homes, wealth and beauty, and are driven to Hollywood, not giving it a second glance. Through opening the film with a high angle looking down on Sunset Boulevard stencilled into the curb, Wilder is immediately shattering the illusion of Hollywood, depicting it as dark, not glamorous, as having fallen leaves, like of the fallen stars disregarded by the machine, as having the iconic palms, overarching the city as personified judges rather than proud figures. Despite warning of what Hollywood really has to offer, the lies of what Paramount, agents and stars have to work for is seen through by many of the characters and Hollywood associates who simply "want the dough." Although early introduced to director Sheldrakes, opulant office, where he can lay back with a cigar in hand and get paid a significant amount for doing so, he is seen by Joe to have a "set of ulcers," conveying the stress he and other Hollywood higher ups are under to keep audiences happy. Joe continues to be drawn to the illusions of Hollywood when he comes across a "great white elephant of a place," which once he enters is exposed as a "grim sunset castle" possessing the star of "yesteryear" Norma Desmond. Although no locks are found in the house, Joe finds himself being continuously drawn to "that peculiar prison of [his], emphasising the difficulties characters grapple with understanding what Hollywood is promising them versus what they're actually receiving. The facade continues to Paramount studios, where the locked Bronson gate acts as a secluded area where success can be attained. Yet no matter the efforts made, particularly by Norma Desmond and Joe Gillis, the large gates when opened would only ever provide "hollow" interactions. These characters are willing to be a part of so long they get what they want, validation. The possibility of what a perfect life in Hollywood could be creates characters ignorance towards reality, making Hollywood a machine one can never return from.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “In what ways do characters respond to…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Trevor Noah’s 2016 memoir "Born a Crime" explores a diverse range of responses to adversity in the face of aparth…
Trevor Noah’s 2016 memoir "Born a Crime" explores a diverse range of responses to adversity in the face of aparth eid's oppressive regime. Noah condemns the profound impact of apartheid's racial segregation all while examining the strategic use of language and humour as tools for survival, as well as the internalisation of patriarchal norms that influence personal relationships and self-perception. Through a blend of personal anecdotes and historical context, the autobiography sheds light on the parallels between societal structures and individual agency in shaping ones identity.
Some individuals respond to adversity with unwavering defiance, refusing to let systemic or personal oppression dictate their lives. The unquestionable rule of apartheid’s systemic racial segregation fostered an environment where violence and crime were an inevitable consequence, enforcing a perpetual cycle of fear and inequality in South Africans. Yet, amidst this harsh reality, Patricia Noah defied expectations, carving out her own path through sheer resilience and an unbreakable spirit. The danger and scrutiny that followed having a child of mixed race would for some be enough to scare off the thought, but as for Patricia, “(If) she wanted to do something, she figured out a way, and then she did it”, pursuing her own life despite apartheid. Noah utilises the placement of the ‘Immorality Act, 1927’ at the beginning of his memoir to serve as a powerful framing device for this, providing realness to the situation and contextualising the irony of his birth being a ‘crime’, casting Patricia as the criminal. Her resistance followed even after Trevor’s birth, ingenuity and resourcefulness playing a crucial role in “living between the cracks in the system” allowing her to navigate the world with the freeness she craved, all while protecting herself and Trevor. This is exemplified when Patricia would act as the maid for a coloured woman who claimed to be Trevor’s mother, allowing them to navigate the public without drawing suspicion. Even in physical endangerment, Patricia’s do-or-die mindset is what ensures her family’s survival. In the harrowing scene where they find themselves in imminent danger in the minibus of a sinister man, Patricia’s sharp instinct allows her to make the split-second decision to jump out the vehicle with her children, her unwavering commitment saving the three. Her use of sharp, imperative commands, such as “Trevor, when he slows down at the next intersection, I’m going to open the door and we’re going to jump,” reinforces her ability to act under pressure, with her concise and assertive syntax showcasing both her defiance and composure. Language choices are again notable in Trevor’s deliberate verb choices—“determined,” “gave,” and “taught”—when portraying Patricia highlight her active agency in shaping his future, emphasising her refusal to succumb to oppression and her commitment to breaking the cycle of the past. Described as a “rebel” from the beginning, Noah ensures that his readers grasp that the indomitable and astute character of his mother is what allowed her to overcome the effects of these oppressive structures, her life and relations - Trevor himself, her career, her relationships - serving as a testament to the dual nature of defiance against apartheid
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “How does Wilder explore characters’…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: In Billy Wilder’s post WW2 film noir, ‘Sunset Boulevard’, WIlder exposes that the fixation with recognition and…
In Billy Wilder’s post WW2 film noir, ‘Sunset Boulevard’, WIlder exposes that the fixation with recognition and inclusiveness within the Hollywood Industry leads to the self destruction of characters. Through Wilder’s examination of Hollywood’s changing nature, the inevitability of power imbalances between characters and the importance of validation in Hollywood, Wilder makes it clear that the journey of reaching success is a journey filled with vulnerability and greed.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does the play reveal that wisdom and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Oedipus the king (OTK) is a play presented by Sophocles. Sophocles shared his play to remind Ancient Greece of the…
Oedipus the king (OTK) is a play presented by Sophocles. Sophocles shared his play to remind Ancient Greece of the importance of having faith in the gods, during a time that Sophist beliefs were becoming more prevalent. Sophocles explores the notion that not having information causes pain, whilst finding out the truth also causes suffering. He explores whether its better to live in bliss ignorance or be destroyed by the truth, and when it is possible to decide, through his stage directions, dramatic irony and motifs woven throughout the play.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "High Ground demonstrates that colonial…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Introduction: Stephen Maxwell Johnson's High Ground presents colonial violence as a systemic force that creates…
Introduction:
Stephen Maxwell Johnson's High Ground presents colonial violence as a systemic force that creates self-perpetuating cycles of trauma affecting all participants in the colonial project. Rather than presenting violence as a series of isolated incidents, the film traces how the initial massacre creates ripples of destruction that extend across generations, damaging the moral fabric of both Indigenous and colonial communities. Through careful characterization, symbolic imagery, and narrative structure, Johnson demonstrates that the cost of colonial violence extends far beyond physical harm to encompass psychological trauma, cultural disconnection, and the corruption of human relationships. The film's unflinching examination of this violence reveals how systems of oppression ultimately dehumanize both those who suffer from them and those who perpetrate them.
Body Paragraph 1:
The film's opening massacre sequence establishes violence as the foundational trauma that shapes all subsequent events. Johnson's decision to film this sequence with documentary realism rather than cinematic sensationalism emphasizes the systematic nature of colonial violence. The massacre is not presented as the work of individual monsters but as the logical outcome of colonial ideology. The trauma of this event reverberates through the narrative, affecting characters who were not even present at the original violence. Gutjuk's entire life is shaped by his survival of this event, while Travis's moral journey is driven by his complicity in it. The film demonstrates how violence creates a form of historical trauma that spans generations, affecting the grandchildren of both perpetrators and victims. The use of the crocodile as a recurring motif emphasizes how violence creates a predatory environment where survival requires adopting violent methods.
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