VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Sunset Boulevard’ reveals the dark side…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Exposing the powerlessness of naïve dreams of fulfilment against the toxicity of celebrity which has seized their…
Exposing the powerlessness of naïve dreams of fulfilment against the toxicity of celebrity which has seized their hearts, Billy Wilder’s quintessentially American film ‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950) poignantly unveils the dark side of fame that is inextricable from Hollywood’s allure. Compounded by the skilful overlaying of a gothic lens, this noir mystery 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. Through his intelligent blend of fiction and meta-cinema, 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. Immediately referencing a classic trope of film noir, 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, the foreboding non-diegetic string music of Franz Waxman’s pertinent score 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 of the ‘distorted’ and ‘blown out’ stories that ‘Hollywood columnists’ weave, as fortified by the intense chiaroscuro lighting. Similarly, 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, the cynical antihero and Norma Desmond, the stereotypical antagonist of a femme fatale, 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. 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.’ Wilder controversially deplores the deceptive facade of fame through his pioneering direction.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In We Have Always Lived in the Castle,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Heroes and villains are often thought to be one two completely different sides of the spectrum, having more…
Heroes and villains are often thought to be one two completely different sides of the spectrum, having more differences than they do similarities. However, within Shirley Jackson’s “We Have Always Lived in the Castle”, this idea is consistently challenged, in a world where the lines are blurred and it is difficult to identify who is the villain and who is the hero, Jackson leads the audience to understand that villainy and heroism can overlap, and be possessed by those one would not expect.
Initially, Jackson explores how those that seem to be heroes and possess heroic traits can commit acts of villainy and destruction. Utilising the tool of symbolism, Jackson uses Jim Donell and his throwing of the rock as a way to communicate this idea, working as the towns fire chief, he is made to put out the fire taking over the Blackwood mansion as it is being engulfed, with the fire “burning through its bones”. As the fire is put out, he takes off his hat saying “CHIEF”, picks up a rock and “smashed” the rock through the window of the house, inciting a riot and encouraging spectators to join him. Holding the position that many would assume to be one of heroism, this notion is subverted and once he commits his heroic act, out of obligation, he begins a riot and helps in destroying what’s left of the home, a distinct act of villainy. Jackson uncovers that villainy can be present in those thought to be heroes, something that can also be seen through Merricat, and her unreliable narration. Portrayed as the protagonist, Merricat makes herself out to be a protecter of Constance, someone who keeps her company and keeps her safe from the outside world, wanting to protect her “on the moon”, making her “safe place” one for Constance as well. However, despite depicting herself to be protective over Constance, especially from the outside village who despise her, she never admits to Constance that she is the reason why she is so hated, being the one who “put it in the sugar”. Here, Merricat and her unreliable narration, her constant omitting of facts to the audience but also to vital characters is used to indicate that despite how she seemingly Is a hero, protecting and keeping Constance, safe, she is quite the opposite.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent is anger a motivation…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: ESSAY: Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, is a disturbing gothic novel in which the Blackwood…
ESSAY:
Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, is a disturbing gothic novel in which the Blackwood sisters, Merricat and Constance, are isolated and alienated from the village. Jackson, who was a writer situated in New England, claims that she used her own life and experiences as an inspiration for her novel. She used her life of seclusion and hatred the townspeople harboured against her and her family for going against contemporary society. The intense hatred Merricat possesses for the villagers is thoroughly scrutinised throughout the novel, as well as the villagers fear and anger ambushing them to isolate the Blackwood sisters. However, alongside anger, jealousy plays an important role in driving the villagers away from the Blackwoods, isolating them due to fear of their financial circumstances.
In We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Merricat and the villagers are in a constant battle driven by fear and anger. Helen Clarke “trembling” while holding onto the teacup, establishes her paramount fear of being poisoned. Jackson provokes that though Merricat holds no jurisdiction over anyone, she uses the fear she created after the murder to satiate her self-pride thereby driving guests out of their castle. In light of this, Merricat establishes her hatred and disdain she harbours towards the villagers, casually wishing them “ all dead”, and thinking of them “rotting”, accentuating her paramount desire to not be associated with any of them. Jackson further insinuates that Merricat wishes to be completely isolated from the villagers and ostracised, hence her utopia of “living on the moon”. Her self-made imaginary land further displays her abundant hatred she harbours towards the villagers. Jackson uses “the moon” as a recurring symbolic motif, illustrating her desire to be hidden and cloistered from the villagers and living all alone with Constance. Jackson thereby implies that this utopia is the creation of her being othered and ostracised, where the foundations of this land stem from fear and anger combined. Furthermore, Merricat’s statement of “no one ever” offering to help her amplifies anger to be the cause of her disdain toward them. Jackson justifies her hatred towards the villagers as they self-imposed it on themselves due to the deep-seated animosity they portray.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent does Jackson use her text…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Shirely Jackson exposes how societal values breed a toxic and distorted culture, resulting in individuals acting…
Shirely Jackson exposes how societal values breed a toxic and distorted culture, resulting in individuals acting in immoral and misanthropic ways. Shirely Jackson’s horror gothic novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, culminates the cloistered existence of the Blackwoods, who are victim to the criticism of the townspeople as well as their own flaws. Written in 1962, Jackson repudiates the capitalist ideologies of the McCarthyism era and the condescending culture during the Cold War paranoia. Subsequently, she alludes to how collective hostility brings people together in response to evil intentions. However, she relents that an individual's flaws are what dictate a dichotomy between societal expectations and Blackwood's values.
The novel disparages the quality of monolithic unity, connoting a community that relies on cohesion and ubiquity. Challenging the societal structures of the belligerent villagers’ rewarding individuals who outwardly act in tokenistic ways. Charles, having perfect right to claim ‘Father’s chair’, lambasts his self-authorised demeanour establishing that societal values are normalised throughout every man. Charles, able to be recognised due to ‘look[ing] just like Father’, foreshadows a complex, fruitless infatuation of his hegemonic beliefs, as the Blackwood sisters likened Father with overriding masculinity and abusive power. His return reinforces the norms of patriarchy as invasive and destructive, thus fearing the demise of the matriarchal balance created by Constance and Merricat. Hereby Jackson elucidates how Charles is only able to form his omnipotent culmination due to the support provided by society’s mutual affinity. Having Charles as a mirroring predecessor of Mr Blackwood, Jackson relents toxic misogynism is inevitable in the 1950s post-war McCarthy era, condemning the invasive structure of societal engenderment. Upon enlightening the patriarchal invasion, Jackson exhibits the societal cohesion in destroying the mansion, which acts as a fortress for the Blackwoods. She examines how modern society is unable to act outwardly if not for the collective animosity they harboured. The belligerent villagers’ misanthropy is what drives them to ‘smash’ the castle critiquing society’s fear and cowardice. Through Stella’s passive complicity, telling Merricat that ‘there won’t be peace’ until she does, Jackson showcases how collective hostility can flourish when others refuse to intervene, showing how in groups, inactions can culminate injustice, this social ostracisation transitions to physical violence after the ‘standing’ and ‘watching’ the fire. After putting out the fire, Jim Donnell removing ‘his hat’ labelled ‘chief’, endorses his abandonment of his legal and moral obligations, revealing his true character. Jackson harnesses this to criticise the fragility of social order when controlled by the chaos of mob mentality. Through the indoctrination of society’s union of scathing cruelty, Jackson denounces how the villagers’ snubbing is what amasses the alleged conformity in the novel.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ii. ‘Merricat is a victim of her…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: Published in 1962 amid postwar conservatism and social paranoia, Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the…
Published in 1962 amid postwar conservatism and social paranoia, Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle reflects an America dominated by conformity, surveillance, and patriarchal restriction. The lingering anxiety of McCarthyism, coupled with the stifling domestic ideal imposed on women, shaped the fears that animate Jackson’s gothic fiction. The novella’s narrator, Mary Katherine “Merricat” Blackwood, embodies this cultural tension: she is both victim and transgressor, a product of a world that isolates and demonises difference. Through her use of unreliable narration, symbolism, and social critique, Jackson cultivates moral ambiguity, suggesting that violence and retreat may emerge as desperate forms of survival in a hostile world.
Jackson cultivates moral ambiguity, suggesting that social scapegoating and fear create conditions in which harmful acts become survivable choices. From the outset, Merricat and Constance live under siege by a community that defines them as monsters. The villagers’ cruelty — “the children always chanted… ‘Merricat, said Connie, would you like a cup of tea?’” — transforms childhood rhyme into weaponised mockery. Jackson’s use of a trochaic, sing-song rhythm mimics ritual persecution; the simple, predictable meter, typically found in nursery rhymes, is subverted by the menacing content, exposing how societal fear weaponizes innocence and produces violence disguised as play. This ritualistic persecution serves to codify the sisters’ otherness, embedding their ostracism into the village’s social fabric and justifying future violence. The villagers’ later mob attack, where they “smashed the dishes and broke the chairs,” symbolises collective hysteria; their destruction of the Blackwood home mirrors the psychic violation inflicted on the sisters for being different. The specific targeting of these domestic items represents a deliberate assault on the feminine sphere the sisters inhabit, revealing the villagers’ animosity is directed at their self-contained, non-conformist way of life. Jackson refrains from moralising Merricat’s response, portraying her defensiveness as conditioned by this hostility. The image of Merricat’s protective “safeguards” — the “box of silver dollars” and “book nailed to the tree” — reveals how fear drives her into magical thinking. Through this symbolism of domestic magic—where everyday objects are imbued with supernatural power—Jackson reframes superstition not as a sign of villainy, but as a desperate form of psychological self-defence against a world she cannot control. Even the murder that shadows the family functions less as villainy than as a symptom: the poisoning becomes a narrative absence that implicates the community as much as Merricat herself. By deliberately withholding a confession and filtering the narrative entirely through Merricat’s traumatised consciousness, Jackson structurally displaces blame from the individual, forcing the reader to confront the collective cruelty that precipitated the tragedy. Thus, Jackson invites readers to see Merricat not as inherently wicked, but as a creation of a world that breeds fear and persecution.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ii. ‘Merricat is a victim of her…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Published in 1962 amid postwar conservatism and social paranoia, Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the…
Published in 1962 amid postwar conservatism and social paranoia, Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle reflects an America dominated by conformity, surveillance, and patriarchal restriction. The lingering anxiety of McCarthyism, coupled with the stifling domestic ideal imposed on women, shaped the fears that animate Jackson’s gothic fiction. The novella’s narrator, Mary Katherine “Merricat” Blackwood, embodies this cultural tension: she is both victim and transgressor, a product of a world that isolates and demonises difference. Through her use of unreliable narration, symbolism, and social critique, Jackson cultivates moral ambiguity, suggesting that violence and retreat may emerge as desperate forms of survival in a hostile world.
Jackson cultivates moral ambiguity, suggesting that social scapegoating and fear create conditions in which harmful acts become survivable choices. From the outset, Merricat and Constance live under siege by a community that defines them as monsters. The villagers’ cruelty — “the children always chanted… ‘Merricat, said Connie, would you like a cup of tea?’” — transforms childhood rhyme into weaponised mockery. Jackson’s use of a trochaic, sing-song rhythm mimics ritual persecution; the simple, predictable meter, typically found in nursery rhymes, is subverted by the menacing content, exposing how societal fear weaponizes innocence and produces violence disguised as play. The villagers’ later mob attack, where they “smashed the dishes and broke the chairs,” symbolises collective hysteria; their destruction of the Blackwood home mirrors the psychic violation inflicted on the sisters for being different. Jackson refrains from moralising Merricat’s response, portraying her defensiveness as conditioned by this hostility. The image of Merricat’s protective “safeguards” — the “box of silver dollars” and “book nailed to the tree” — reveals how fear drives her into magical thinking. Through this symbolism of domestic magic—where everyday objects are imbued with supernatural power—Jackson reframes superstition not as a sign of villainy, but as a desperate form of psychological self-defence against a world she cannot control. Even the murder that shadows the family functions less as villainy than as a symptom: the poisoning becomes a narrative absence that implicates the community as much as Merricat herself. By focusing on collective cruelty rather than confession, Jackson displaces blame from the individual to the social sphere. Thus, Jackson invites readers to see Merricat not as inherently wicked, but as a creation of a world that breeds fear and persecution.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Yarning puts us on common ground’ In…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Charmaine Papertalk Green (CPG) and John Kinsella's collaborative anthology, False Claims of Colonial Thieves,…
Charmaine Papertalk Green (CPG) and John Kinsella's collaborative anthology, False Claims of Colonial Thieves, deconstructs the false narrative propagated by hegemonic forces and illustrates the continual conflict that arises when talking about Country. While the anthology's dialogue ultimately fails to bridge the chasm of colonial trauma, Green and Kinsella establish a provisional common ground through a shared lament for environmental degradation and a commitment to the process of reconciliation. The poets want to foster connection by reconciling with the aid of yarning. Furthermore, they both understand the consequential impacts mining has had on Country. Yet, this dialogue falters when confronting the foundational trauma of colonisation
While the overarching desire for common ground remains fraught, the poets successfully establish a common ground for reconciliation through the deliberate and structured practice of yarning. CPG presents yarning as a vital tool that can be used in a variety of ways to understand opposing viewpoints and come together in a shared space. By offering to “have a yarn,” CPG invites Kinsella and the reader to talk about the next steps in the path to reconciliation and maintaining peace amongst Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. She embodies the cultural significance of yarning as she is willing to listen to opposing viewpoints and progress towards a “common ground.” Furthermore, CPG identifies that there is a space where “me space + you space = third space,” which accentuates her agenda that common ground can be found if opposing perspectives are able to listen to each other. Kinsella offers a complementary viewpoint by shedding light on the positive impacts of communication. Kinsella's openness and willingness to “have a yarn right back at you” illustrates him accepting CPG's invitation and celebrating the ability to be open-minded and find a place of “common ground.” Kinsella employs this to encourage readers who are from a non-Indigenous background, like himself, to reunite with the Indigenous community. Both poets also crafted the structure of the anthology to reflect the history of the two communities. Initially, CPG responds to Kinsella, just like the Indigenous people responded to the settlers. This dynamic is established by the anthology's structure, where Kinsella's 'Prologue' is immediately answered by CPG, mirroring a historical call and response. As the collection goes on, both poets communicate their views and respond to each other. This exemplifies the continuous yarning between both communities on issues such as preservation of culture and colonisation. This leads to the final poem (Epilogue), which is the only co-written poem, accentuating how after yarning, there is an ability to come together and reconcile, just like CPG and Kinsella. Ultimately, the poets' success in finding common ground on environmental grief paradoxically highlights the intractability of the colonial wound
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “Pride breeds the tyrant.” Sophocles…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: “The scum of the earth!” says Oedipus, protagonist of Sophocles’ 429 BCE play ‘Oedipus Rex’, enraged after…
“The scum of the earth!” says Oedipus, protagonist of Sophocles’ 429 BCE play ‘Oedipus Rex’, enraged after receiving criticism. Sophocles, suggests throughout his Greek tragedy, praised by Aristotle as the “best example of a tragedy” that whilst hubris is one of the catalysts to tragedy in the play, several other key factors can lead one to their doom. Sophocles notions hubristic tendencies as a potential cause of downfall, reaffirming the need to show sophrosyne in one’s actions to deter tragedy. Further, Sophocles relays that a lack of piety and respect for ones fate as determined by divine forces also may lead to demise, revealing that man overall are submissive to the will of the gods. Ultimately Sophocles contends that it is in mans quest for knowledge that can propel one’s life, but it is also this same incessant need for the truth that causes loss of kingship, family, and dignity.
Beginning, hubris is one of the catalysts to a tragic downfall, and the ancient Athenian value of sophrosyne needs to be respected throughout one’s life, or the buildup of excessive pride will result in tragedy. Sophocles suggests that hubristic tendencies are dangerous and should be condemned. In the prologue, Oedipus enters the scene, with stage directions showcasing his “majestic” presence but “for a telltale limp”, “surveying the condition of his people”. From the beginning, Sophocles presented Oedipus as a noble and civil ruler who holds great influence over his people. Oedipus, upon hearing the “wailing cries” and “death” rampaging Thebes, immediately recognises this issue and speaks to his people, declaring “you call for the gods—I will help you”. Oedipus through this, is highly hubristic, suggesting that he himself is the cure for the plague, and that he alone encompasses the power needed to save his city. According to ancient Athenians of the time who were also suffering from a plague, they would have viewed Oedipus’ words as highly overconfident, and a severe overestimate of the powers man hold. Sophocles through this warns of the dangers of pride and catalyses the beginning of Oedipus’ download as a noble and celebrated ruler. Continuing, as Oedipus calls for the prophet Tiresias to consult the oracle he received regarding the source of the plague, as he is told by Apollo through Creon to “nurse it out of the soil”, he initially praises the prophet and speaks to him with kindness. However, as Tiresias insists that “the truth is only pain to him who sees”, Oedipus becomes increasingly agitated at the remark, questioning Tiresias’ prophetical powers and insulting him as a “pious prophet”. Oedipus through this in clearly hubristic in his remark, refusing to accept that there is someone who tells him of what he can and cannot hear. Oedipus continues, stating that he “solved the riddle of the sphinx”, questioning Tiresias “where were you”, and mocking Tiresias’ speech, calling himself “Oedipus the ignorant”, and suggesting that the “flight of [his] own intelligence hit the
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard both challenges and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Sunset Boulevard takes place in 1950s Hollywood at a time when traditional gender norms played a pivotal role in…
Sunset Boulevard takes place in 1950s Hollywood at a time when traditional gender norms played a pivotal role in shaping a post war America. Within his 1950 film noir Billy Wilder immortalised a version of this, both challenging and reinforcing gender expectations. Through subverting traditional norms, commenting on the role of sexism within the industry and using audiences’ predispositions to elevate his storytelling, Wilder targets his 1950 audience. G iving dialogue to the good and bad of the gender norms at play.
Sunset Boulevard presents examples of going against traditional gender roles. For example, Max epitomises a submissive and subservient carer for Norma in a quite emasculating way even he coins as “embarrassing as it may sound.” This is emphasised when Joe finds out Norma ordered him to move his things without his permission. The extreme close-up of his hands playing the organ illuminated by the white gloves in the black and white camera, making his hands the focal point represents how despite once holding power over Norma as her director/ husband, in the time of the film he is reduced to just what his labour can offer Norma. This subservience subverts the expectation of similarities to how wives at the time where often reduced to their domestic labour. The subversion of gender norms created by this emasculation calls audiences own perception of women’s roles to be called into question. Similarly, we see subversion of expectations in the relationship between Betty and Artie. As Betty is presented as ambitious and career driven just as much as “awful nice guy,” Artie, wanting to “get in on,” Joes scriptwriting. Betty can even sometimes be seen as the dominant one in the relationship saying, “oh shut up you,” when he introjects conversations away from her goals. Whilst this may be due to Arties limited screentime, the equality within the relationship goes against the traditional 1950s dynamic where women often pursue a family over their own career, in support of her husband. Wilders subversion from the traditional norms challenges audience’s worldview, pushing them against traditional gender expectations.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 1. “I like to think that I can keep the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Introduction: In We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson presents Merricat and Constance Blackwood as…
Introduction: In We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson presents Merricat and Constance Blackwood as sisters who manipulate truth as both a survival mechanism and a source of control. Their use of denial, selective storytelling, and secrecy transforms truth into a contested space where power, gender, and memory intersect.
Body Paragraph 1 — Jackson shows that Merricat manipulates truth through her role as storyteller, cloaking reality in gothic and fairy-tale imagery. Her narration — whimsical, childlike, and fantastical — recasts their ruined home as a “castle,” presenting the sisters not as victims but as guardians of a hidden world. This narrative framing manipulates perception: Merricat’s voice erases guilt for the poisoning while disguising brutality beneath the guise of innocence. By privileging Merricat’s unreliable account, Jackson demonstrates how storytelling manipulates truth into a form of female power, undermining patriarchal intrusion and recasting the sisters as heroines of their own distorted fairy-tale.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does the play subvert the view that…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Sophocles subverts the view that Oedipus’ hubris makes him deserving of his fate by portraying his downfall as…
Sophocles subverts the view that Oedipus’ hubris makes him deserving of his fate by portraying his downfall as the work of divine prophecy, with pride serving only to hasten the inevitable. The extremity of his suffering shifts audience response from blame to pity, framing him as a victim of fate rather than a tyrant punished for arrogance.
Sophocles invites the audience to view Oedipus less as a blameable figure and more as a tragic pawn in an unescapable divine design, thereby subverting the notion that his hubris makes him deserving of his suffering. The thought of defying a divine prophecy and authority of the gods was mere foolish and impossible in the context of ancient Greece. Theresia's revelation that Oedipus is " fated to couple with [his] mother [and] kill , the one who gave [him] life” is applied as a dramatic device to position Oedipus as always inferior to the Gods, his life mapped out before birth. This divine power strips Oedipus from the freedom of making his own decisions as every choice made by him unknowingly was in service to Apollo’s prophecy. Sophocles further utilises dramatic irony, as audiences already know that Oedipus’s resistance only hastens his destruction further supported by the chorus statement of how “no man has the power to escape the working of fate.” By presenting the Gods as active architects of his ruin, moral weight is shifted from Oedipus's hubris and onto supreme power that portrays human effort as insignificant. This portrayal leads the audience to feel pity instead of blame, as Oedipus’ downfall seems less like punishment for arrogance and more like the tragic result of living under the unchangeable will of the gods.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard criticises the act of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950) is a biting Hollywood satire that condemns the industry’s corruption, vanity…
Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950) is a biting Hollywood satire that condemns the industry’s corruption, vanity and moral decay. While the film is set within the glittering world of movie-making, Wilder exposes the darkness beneath—an economy that prizes profit and glamour over creativity and humanity. Through the fates of Joe Gillis and Norma Desmond, Sunset Boulevard critiques the commodification of art and people alike, revealing how Hollywood’s obsession with money and fame destroys authenticity, compassion, and integrity. Ultimately, Wilder presents a system that does not create dreams, but consumes them.
Wilder portrays Hollywood as an industry that prioritises commercial success over artistic expression, reducing storytelling to a cynical transaction. Joe’s complaint that “audiences don’t know somebody sits down and writes the picture—they think the actors make it up as they go along” reflects his disillusionment with a system that rewards glamour, not craft. Through Joe’s sardonic narration and the shadow-filled mise-en-scène of Paramount Studios, Wilder critiques the studio era’s disregard for writers, the real architects of film. The scene where Joe pitches a “good deal all around” typifies his moral compromise: writing becomes labour for hire rather than a form of truth. By having Joe narrate from beyond the grave, Wilder underscores the spiritual death that follows when artistic purpose is replaced by economic survival. In this way, Sunset Boulevard condemns the industry’s devaluation of creativity in pursuit of financial gain.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: how does sophocles explore the limits of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: SECTION A OEDIPUS PRACTICE HOW DOES OEDIPUS THE KING EXPLORE THE LIMITS OF POWER?
SECTION A OEDIPUS PRACTICE
HOW DOES OEDIPUS THE KING EXPLORE THE LIMITS OF POWER?
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘In High Ground, it is impossible for…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Stephen Johnson’s 2020 ‘meat pie western’, High Ground, sets forth to reveal unacknowledged and shameful elements…
Stephen Johnson’s 2020 ‘meat pie western’, High Ground, sets forth to reveal unacknowledged
and shameful elements of Australia’s colonial past. Set in the Northern Territory, it depicts the
cultural, racial and political conflict between its First Nations inhabitants and the colonisers
bent on their subjugation. In casting this light on the past, High Ground seeks to establish a
shared understanding upon which reconciliation can be built. Johnson’s film is crowded with
characters influenced and even governed by their pasts. On the one hand, Johnson examines
the destructive impacts of the traumas we suffer, and laments the human inability to discard or
modify our flawed ideologies. But on the other, he makes assertion that one’s connection to
country and culture, has the power to save us. Johnson is clear that we cannot escape our
past. But while its ruinous impact can lock individuals in a cycle of disaster and woe, the
traditions of the past offer hope for healing.
Johnson seems fascinated by the destructive impulses which stem from the worst experiences
of our past. In this, he serves a warning that people have limits and that those pushed beyond
them will become a danger to themselves and others. Gulwirri, High Ground’s female
protagonist, has had her heart hardened by sickening violence and exploitation. Raped and her
family murdered by whites at a local station, she is an avenging angel on Gutjuk’s shoulder,
urging him towards action. “That’s why you have to keep fighting,” she tells him, “Your anger is
all you have.” When Grandfather Daarpa seeks negotiation, Gulwirri is furious, accusing the
men of cowardice. Shot from below as she stands on the brow of a hill, she shouts her
contempt: “You don’t speak for me”. Johnson’s character has claimed the moral high ground,
rejecting the presumption of any to dictate what is good for her, let alone her entire people.
But while the director’s treatment of her position is sympathetic, it is equally clear that she
stands as a barrier to peace.
Johnson’s film also expresses criticism for people’s stubborn refusal to countenance any
challenge to their ideological beliefs, even in the face of the moral failure of such systems. The
first ideology censured is the Christian mission. The script drips with irony as the pastor,
Braddock, delivers his warning sermon, “What sorrow for you who buy up… field after field,
until everyone
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sunset Boulevard expose the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard produced in 1950, exposes the hidden truth lurking beneath the prestigious golden…
Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard produced in 1950, exposes the hidden truth lurking beneath the prestigious golden age of 1950’s Hollywood, where he reveals an industry that glamorises fame and success whilst cruelly discarding those who are past their heyday or fail to remain perfect. Wilder uses Sunset Boulevard to condemn the harsh and impossibly high standards of Hollywood whilst simultaneously uncovering the impacts of the immense pressures. Throughout the film, through cinematography and sound, Wilder reveals the cruelty of Hollywood as an industry that only values youthfulness and beauty and how the pursuit for perfection can be debilitating. Moreover, through the mis en scene and cinematography, Wilder reveals the detrimental impacts of holding onto an ending career in show biz. Additionally, through characterisation, mis en scene and acting styles, Wilder is highly critical of the high standards that employees were forced to meet in order to be successful.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: '12 Angry Men' presents the pessimistic…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Rose explores the human fallacy of racism and shows how these racist values are detrimental to society. This is…
Rose explores the human fallacy of racism and shows how these racist values are detrimental to society. This is displayed through the character of juror 10 who is portrayed by Rose, who uses racial prejudice to judge someones actions instead of using the facts of the case presented in court. He describes the poor youths of the city as "real trash" and that they are "born liars", displaying his racial prejudice that Rose wants the readers to view. Through juror 10, Rose is making the point that racial prejudice often clouds someones true judgement and makes them a cruel member of society. Rose further suggests that someone's racial prejudice or hatred towards a certain minority can skew their thought-process to the extent where they "don't give a damn about the law", putting forward their own corrupted interpretations instead of the real honest truth. This is further supported by the juror 10's language which consists of derogatory terms and offensive stereotypes. Juror 4 even, who is displayed to stick to the facts of the case presented in court and not his own opinions, has some racial prejudice, although not to the extent of juror 10. As he claims "children from the slums are potential menaces to society". This displays how racial prejudice is present in all ranks of society and how juror 4 is even not immune to prejudicial thinking.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Wilder use setting to evoke the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Wilder visually conveys the ephemeral nature of youth and relevance in Hollywood. Norma Desmond’s introductory shot…
Wilder visually conveys the ephemeral nature of youth and relevance in Hollywood. Norma Desmond’s introductory shot depicts her in satirically large sunglasses, locked away behind the enormous iron gates of her “decrepit old mansion”, described by film writer Joe Gillis as a “big white elephant of a place” that “crazy movie people built in the crazy twenties”. Through this introduction, the director likens Norma to the “neglected” state of her once “grandiose mansion”, using it to speak on the abandonment of once beloved individuals in Hollywood. The palazzo’s exterior stands as reminder of the fleeting nature of time, alluding to the superficial success the film industry offers. This decaying exterior is starkly contrasted by it’s extravagant interior, as camera’s follow Joe’s line of sight as he doubtfully takes in the claustrophobic décor of Norma’s living space. Cluttered
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How is change the greatest strength and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Shirley Jackson's 1962 We Have Always Lived in the Castle, set in 1950's and 1960's post world war 2 America,…
Shirley Jackson's 1962 We Have Always Lived in the Castle, set in 1950's and 1960's post world war 2 America, reflects on the gothic resurgence of fear, retaliation, and a sense of change in American society after the war. Jackson explains how the new found cultural value of change towards the societal expectations of the patriarchal society of the story is both described as "the greatest strength and weakness". Jackson warns the audience that although change was valued and had it's positives, it often came with a price.
Jackson illustrates to the readers the consequences of attempting to defy the present patriarchal system within the novella. By demonstrating the gothic conventions of the loss of morals and the death of "everyone else in [the] family [being] dead" demonstrates to the readers why change has major detrimental effects. Jackson invites the readers into doubting the ethically of Merricat's actions by introducing Merricat's lack of guilt at the story. This fear of how this defiance of traditional and gendered values has caused such a psychologically damaged individual further reflects the fearful state of 1960's America and it's both value and fear for change. However, Jackson reveals to the readers that at the price of morality and violence, came the reward of Feminism. By Jackson providing the readers with the example that by Merricat's cold, heartless murder of the sisters, the readers are invited to reflect on the balance between what is truly right and understand how change is both a "strength and weakness". Though the defiance of expectations, the sisters were able to live a life free from punishments. The freedom of "like a slave" and Merricat no longer "[being] [sent] to bed without [her] dinner". The Symbolism of Merricat gluttonously indulging in all the food generations of Blackwood women "had been storing for years" after freedom from tradition reflects the indulgence in the seemingly positive feminine power of the sisters. Furthermore also demonstrating her authority, our males after the murders, "When Uncle Julian Jacobs ran", providing an example of positivity toward the rejectment of the masculine family members of the Blackwoods in obtaining what was lost from her as a child.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Oedipus the king, seeing the truth is…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Sec A prompt ii Oedipus Pg 1 - Phoenix Green Composed during the height of the Peloponnesian War, Sophocles'…
Sec A prompt ii Oedipus Pg 1 - Phoenix Green
Composed during the height of the Peloponnesian War, Sophocles' 'Oedipus The King' (first performed in 429 BCE) emerges from a period of political and social unrest, reflecting the tensions faced by a city grappling with crisis. Set in this backdrop, Sophocles contends that whilst although the discovery of truth offers an opportunity for moral agency and redemption, seeing the truth is often accompanied by extreme pain. Therefore, living in ignorance is bliss.
Sophocles first highlights how gaining knowledge can cause severe physical suffering, before illustrating how uncovering truth can also fracture relationships and inflict emotional turmoil on individuals. Finally, despite the pain it causes, Sophocles demonstrates that knowledge allows for honourable behaviour and redemption of oneself.
Sophocles highlights how gaining knowledge often causes severe physical suffering. Following her realisation that she had slept with and married had children with her biological son (Oedipus), Jocasta dashes into her room "doors slamming behind her before ending her life "by her own hand." This scene demonstrates how the uncovering of truth can be so unbearable that one may feel the need to end their own life. Jocasta's tragic act of self-harm clearly illustrates how knowledge undeniably causes physical suffering. Following this scene, when Oedipus discovers that his wife and his own mother is dead, he grabs the long gold pins of Jocasta's robe and brutally blinding himself. Although this scene depicts a truly violent act, because it occurs off-stage, typical of Greek tragedy, Sophocles intends to shift his Athenian audience's focus to the devastation that knowledge elicits, highlighting which is
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “From the silence something monstrous may…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: monstrosity as an external force but as a corruption that festers within human consciousness. Through Oedipus’…
monstrosity as an external force but as a corruption that festers within human consciousness. Through Oedipus’ descent from proud ruler to self-blinded exile, Sophocles exposes how the true monster is the ego itself—the human will that denies divine order and pursues forbidden knowledge. For his fifth-century BCE Athenian audience, living amid the intellectual confidence of the Golden Age, Sophocles crafts a cautionary tragedy: when human reason (logos) rejects moral restraint (sōphrosynē), it becomes monstrous. The horror that “comes bursting forth” from silence is not the work of the gods, but the eruption of human hubris.
Rather than depicting the monstrous as external evil, Sophocles fashions it through Oedipus’ speech, where heroic self-assurance metastasises into verbal arrogance. When Oedipus declares, “You all know me, the world knows my fame,” his repetition of know mirrors his obsession with intellectual mastery—an ironic prelude to the ignorance that defines him. The declarative rhythm, elevated diction, and self-referential syntax embody hubris, the moral excess that offends the gods. Sophocles deliberately contrasts this boast with Teiresias’ cryptic restraint—“This day will give you birth and destroy you”—to dramatise the contrast between divine silence and human noise. For an Athenian audience steeped in reverence for Apollo’s oracle, Oedipus’ linguistic self-aggrandisement would have sounded like impiety. Here, the monster takes shape not in action but in utterance: his language performs the sin. Sophocles thus warns that the seeds of destruction lie dormant within the very voice that claims to know.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "...but I wanted her to be unhappy,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Throughout ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’ (WHALITC), Shirley Jackson explores a world of unrelenting cruelty.…
Throughout ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’ (WHALITC), Shirley Jackson explores a world of unrelenting cruelty. Published in 1962, the novel analyses patriarchal social structures as well as the evolving gender roles, following the return of men from WW2. Additionally, WHALITC is influenced by the 1960s sexual revolution, where women fought for more independence. The novel is set in 1960s rural Vermont and highlights and criticises the harmful social structures which tear communities apart, rather than bringing them together. The callous cruelty of the world of WHALITC is shown through the limits and expectations of women which simultaneously aim to subdue and punish them. Additionally, the capitalist social structures create animosity and feelings of unrest leading to dangerous and prejudiced societies. However, Jackson’s created world is not all vicious brutality, as seen in the empowerment and independence of outcasted individuals. Overall, Jackson presents an astute critique of society through her creation of the ruthless world of WHALITC.
The traditional gender roles of the 1960s restrict women and ostracise those who do not conform, creating a harsh and biased world. Following the end of WW2, women were forced out of the workforce and back into lives of domesticity. Constance Blackwood represents all that a stereotypical woman of the time should be. She answers “Yes, Uncle Julian?” whenever he calls for her and spends much of her time managing the house and cooking. She is described as a “fairy princess”, symbolising how she is the picture of femininity and the role of women in the 1960s. Her mother’s pearls represent the roles and responsibilities of women of the time, and the symbol is highlighted when Constance dons them and begins taking on new responsibilities. She is limited by society’s expectations of her to become a wife and mother and to wear the symbolic pearls. Conversely, Mary Katherine (Merricat) Blackwood is the antithesis of Constance. She is “dirty”, “crazy” and “disobedient”, exactly the opposite of what society expects from young women. She practices witchcraft and often relies on sympathetic magic for “safeguards”. Also, she buries “treasures” in the ground like bodies and speaks to her black cat, as if it were a witch’s familiar. Her abnormal, superstitious behaviours set her apart from others and are one of the reasons for her social persecution. This draws on symbolism from the Salem Witch trials in Massachusetts, where women were tortured and put to death for not conforming to society’s expectations. Additionally, this connects to Jackson’s life as she was rumoured to practice witchcraft as well. Merricat and Constance Blackwood are two sides of the same coin, both limited by expectations and persecuted for deviation from the norm. Through this, Jackson critiques traditionalism and its rigid gender roles, which aim to make women subservient and to control their freedom.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Desire is the most dangerous force in…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Billy Wilder's 1950s Sunset Boulevard serves as a glimpse into the reality of the filmmaking industry in a…
Billy Wilder's 1950s Sunset Boulevard serves as a glimpse into the reality of the filmmaking industry in a post-war context, revealing the lived experiences of those both in the cogs of the system and in front of the spotlight. Depicted in the style of a despondent film-noir, Sunset Boulevard exemplifies the glamour expected of Hollywood laced with elements of gothic horror and suspense, reinforcing Wilder's warning of the moral & personal sacrifices demanded by the industry to fulfil one's desire for fame and success. Moreover, while he acknowledges how the desire for individualistic success is the result of an emerging post-war culture shift, Wilder argues that self-centered ambition has fed a corrosive system within Hollywood, punishing all within the industry in the collective pursuit of quick, convenient profit. Ultimately, Wilder criticises the depraved reality of a Hollywood that no longer holds merit to the process of filmmaking, where the industry exploits the desires of hopefuls into profit at the cost of creative expression.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: You can trust me. I am ready to help ... '…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Sophocles’ ‘Oedipus the king’, performed at the Festival of Dionysus 430BC, carefully examines the double-edged…
Sophocles’ ‘Oedipus the king’, performed at the Festival of Dionysus 430BC, carefully examines the double-edged sword nature of pride and nobility, it can shield and bring a leader to glory and kingship, but can also be the catalyst that ignites the downfall of a capable leader. Whilst being a responsible and accountable King, Oedipus’ vow of ‘bring it all to light myself’ his care for his citizens became the engine of his catastrophic downfall and agony. Furthermore, Oedipus’ downfall is accelerated by his pride and subtle arrogance, whilst acting with nobility, he lacks qualities of humility, bringing pain not only to himself, but also his loved ones and trusted kinsmen. However, when Oedipus discovered truth and punishes himself, his action demonstrates honour while accepting his fate, he discovers another form of honour that contains pride, humility and reconciliation.
Sophocles portrays Oedipus as a heroic and responsible leader of the city of Thebes, however, it is exactly this sense of nobility that caused his downfall. Oedipus possesses many qualities of a hero and an honourable leader, having defeated the Sphinx and saved the city of Thebes, he was trusted by the Thebans as their heroic figure, being rated as ‘best of men’. He is always aware of his duty and carries his responsibility, when Thebes was suffering in the ‘red waves of death’, Oedipus ‘acted at once’, Sophocles highlights Oedipus’ decisiveness and quick judgment that led him to the honour he has. Oedipus cares for his citizens, he ‘grieves for … my people, far more than I fear for own life.’, his sacrificial spirit soon became his obsession with the truth. Oedipus’ reassurance to the citizens, ‘I will bring it all to light myself’, the modal verb ‘will’, symbolises Oedipus’ determination in saving Thebes, yet by mistake he blurs the line between the gods divine power and human agency, he plays as the role of the gods, in which he ‘grant’ others prayer. Sophocles foreshadows that the truth Oedipus seeks is beyond his capabilities, with the light imagery, the play wright implies Oedipus’ downfall is intertwined with truth. Furthermore, ignoring other peoples’ advice, as he is closer to the truth Oedipus enters a state of obsession and stubbornness, at Oedipus’ anagnorisis he exclaims ‘all burst to light!’ Sophocles utilisation of the verb ‘burst’ creates an imagery that emphasises the sense of shock and impact Oedipus experiences, highlighting the pain which truth bring to Oedipus. Sophocles suggests that
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Topic: ‘Sunset Boulevard reveals Hollywood…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Hollywood survives by turning vulnerability into currency, consuming those desperate to be seen until nothing of…
Hollywood survives by turning vulnerability into currency, consuming those desperate to be seen until nothing of their humanity remains. Directed by Billy Wilder in 1950, Sunset Boulevard explores the exploitative and deceitful nature of Hollywood. Wilder elucidates the unavoidable limitations Hollywood imposes on its victims, leaving them vulnerable to its forbidding consequences. This sense is reinforced by Hollywood’s aptitude to erode sanity, force its victims to resort to a loss of integrity, and cause individuals to disguise deceit in kind actions.
In Sunset Boulevard, conforming to Hollywood’s false promises deteriorates its prey's sanity, as the pursuit of fame blurs the line between illusion and reality. Norma Desmond, a once renowned silent film star, exemplifies this destructive effect. She clings desperately to the idea that the world still worships her, even as reality contradicts her belief. Her obsession with returning to the screen exposes the corrosive effect of Hollywood’s illusions as she laments how her fans never forgave her for ‘deserting the screen’. Norma’s severe blindness of reality escalates as she exclaims ‘that’s a lie! They still want me! I’m the greatest star of them all,’ showcasing her spiralling delusion of her relevance in the industry. Norma’s surrender to her corrupted mental state is exemplified in her chilling final line, declaring ‘Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up’, signifying complete immersion into illusion and the total collapse of her mental stability due to Hollywood’s predatory nature. Her decaying mansion, filled with faded portraits, and empty, echoing rooms serve as a physical manifestation of Norma’s deterioration of her mind and the way Hollywood preys on those desperate to reclaim lost glory. Wilder portrays Norma’s delusion and decaying mansion to demonstrate how Hollywood preys on ambition and obsession, illustrating the destructive consequences of an industry built on exploitation and false promises. Wilder’s meticulous mise-en-scene, particularly evident in the final scene of the movie when Norma walks down the stairs, visually clarifies the corrosive effects of Hollywood on its victims. Ultimately, Norma’s delusion, obsession, and the decaying grandeur of her mansion exhibit how Hollywood preys on ambition, exploiting vulnerability and eroding both identity and sanity.