VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Oedipus the King shows that when faced…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Sophocles Oedipus the King retells the legend of Oedipus, presenting him as the quintessential tragic hero who…
Sophocles Oedipus the King retells the legend of Oedipus, presenting him as the quintessential tragic hero who elicits profound pity and fear from the Athenian audience through his eventual self-inflicted downfall. Sophocles contrasts how, when faced with difficult circumstances, some characters respond with courage and dignity, while others act in a less than noble manner. Thus, the play suggests that the qualities of an individual are underscored in times of hardship. Even when individuals act with honour and bravery to subvert fate, the playwright suggests that the will of the Gods will always outweigh human efforts, as is seen through the miasma that challenges the leaders of Thebes. Furthermore, he explores how they respond to the confronting truth thus harming the city's order.
Even when acting with dignity and courage to subvert fate, Sophocles suggests that the power of the Gods will always surpass the acts of humans. In his opening stage directions Sophocles sets the scene by explaining that "Oedipus solved the riddle of the Sphinx" and "now a plague has struck the city." By immediately connecting Oedipus' triumph with the city of Thebes' present suffering, Sophocles cautions his Athenian audience against celebrating human intelligence, warning them that the will of the Gods will always prevail over acts of courage to deny fate. Likewise, Jocasta's dramatically ironic statement that "the land (is) so sick" speaks to the playwright's determination to signal to his audience that the loimos is a result of the wrongdoing of the citizens of Thebes who hadn't sought justice for the previous king Laius' regicide. Furthermore, the length to which Jocasta and Laius went to avoid the prophecy is seen when Jocasta reveals that their infant son was abandoned on a barren trackless mountain" when he "wasn't three days old". This depiction of failure of parental duty underscores their courage and hubris as they believe they can outwit the gods and prevent the fulfillment of the prophecy that their son "must make love with (his) own mother" and "shed (his) father's blood with (his) own hands." Here, their courageous attempt to outwit the gods to protect their family exposes their abandonment of moral responsibility as parents. Through this, attempts to resist divine will despite courageous intentions only lead to greater devastation, reinforcing the necessity of reverence towards the gods.
Moreover, the miasma inflicted on Thebes challenged the dignity and courage of the leaders. In the Prologue, Thebes is plagued by a miasma where the city is suffering immensely with the citizens lamenting that "Thebes is dying". Here, the emotive language used by the Chorus reflects the depth of their despair as they refer to their home as the "city of death" and speak of how "black death luxuriates in the raw wailing misery". By personifying death via vivid imagery, the playwright sets the tone of the city of Thebes suffering and consumed by darkness due to divine will. For Oedipus' tragic action is not so much the murder itself, but rather his insistent pursuit of the truth. In the pursuit, Oedipus' hubris, that is his hamartia, is highlighted through his undignified declaration "you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus." Here, the excessive pride against which Sophocles is warning is highlighted. Oedipus' confidence in his own intellect is escalated when he claims "Yet we grant you your prays," an undignified courageous statement that is deeply offensive to divine power. At this point in the play, Oedipus believes that he can solve the mystery of the murder of Laius
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “In Oedipus the King, all who deserve it…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Sophocles’ Oedipus the King examines the fragility of human greatness and the inescapable justice of divine order.…
Sophocles’ Oedipus the King examines the fragility of human greatness and the inescapable justice of divine order. Written in the context of fifth–century BCE Athens — a world governed by both civic reason and reverence for fate — the tragedy exposes the limitations of human intellect when it attempts to supersede divine law. While the surface of the play seems to affirm that those who err against the gods are punished, Sophocles’ moral vision is far more complex. The punishment inflicted upon Oedipus and others in the play is not a matter of cruelty, but of revelation. Through his downfall, Oedipus attains insight into his own nature and the moral structure of the world. Thus, rather than suggesting that every character “deserves” their fate in a moral sense, Sophocles depicts punishment as the necessary process through which ignorance gives way to understanding. Justice, in Oedipus the King, operates not as vengeance, but as enlightenment — the restoration of cosmic balance through human suffering.
At the centre of the play stands Oedipus, a man of extraordinary intellect and ambition whose defining flaw is not malice, but ignorance. Sophocles constructs his downfall as the inevitable consequence of his attempt to assert human reason against divine decree. From the outset, Oedipus defines himself as a solver of riddles — the man who “alone could answer the Sphinx,” and thus “saved Thebes.” This assertion of intellect creates an image of human agency and control that the play steadily dismantles. His determination to uncover Laius’ killer stems from noble intent — “I must bring what is dark to light” — yet this language foreshadows the tragic irony of a man blind to his own culpability. In his relentless pursuit of knowledge, Oedipus challenges the limits set by the gods. When he mocks Tiresias as “blind in ears and mind,” Sophocles presents the audience with a dramatic inversion: it is Oedipus who is spiritually blind, and the seer who perceives the truth. His punishment, then, is not undeserved cruelty but the fulfilment of a cosmic law — the revelation that human understanding is subordinate to divine will. Oedipus’ self-inflicted blindness becomes a physical manifestation of the moral blindness that defined his rule, transforming punishment into purification. Through this act, Sophocles implies that true justice lies not in external retribution, but in the painful recognition of one’s limitations before the gods.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Sunset Boulevard, all characters are…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: Billy Wilder’s film noir, ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ exposes the formulaic and corrupt system of the Hollywood film…
Billy Wilder’s film noir, ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ exposes the formulaic and corrupt system of the Hollywood film industry. To a great extent, ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ explores the victimization of individuals through Hollywood’s seductive allure of fame, and the destructive capabilities of unrealistic beauty standards, however Wilder additionally illustrates that individuals are ultimately victims of their own greed. Hollywood generates a face, creating a false depiction of stardom, charming others. In addition, Wilder criticizes the aesthetic ideology imposed by the hard industry, creating an unhealthy obsession. However, it is through Wilder’s portrayal of avarice that victimizes others trapped in Hollywood, corrupting their morality.
‘Sunset Boulevard,’ demonstrates the chaotic charm of the Hollywood film industry through the flawed system’s use of false promises. Through Wilder’s portrayal of the femme fatale, Norma Desmond (played by Gloria Swanson), Wilder critiques the enticing nature of stardom. When Norma visits Paramount Studios, she is unaware of her faded fame, basking once the spotlight has both literally and metaphorically shined on her. The high angle shot of Norma in the spotlight highlights her deluded “…celluloid self,” as she appears vulnerable. Through Wilder’s consistent use of high angle shorts, he articulates the “…hollow,” ephemeral nature of fame, demonstrating the synthetic, blithe industry. This idea is further reinforced when the harsh light is turned “…back to where it belongs,” exposing the fleeting, harsh reality of fame. Wilder criticizes the industry’s neglect towards their own stars they have fostered, driven purely based on profit. Additionally, Wilder confronts the progression from the Silent Film Era to the Rise of the ‘Talkies,’ victimizing those who are unable to adapt to the fact-paced industry. Hence, ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ illustrates how the Hollywood film industry utilises the seductive allure of fame and in turn, creating an illusion to capture others.
Wilder exposes the allure and destructive capabilities of the unwavering societal beauty norms enforced y the film industry, creating unwanted behaviours. Betty Schaefer (played by Nanny Olsen) is the antithesis of Norma Desmond; however, both are ultimately victims of a flawed system. Betty is first introduced in Sheldrake’s office, appearing in a white collared shirt and neat hair in a bow, suggesting her innocence, “…itching with ambition,” has not been destroyed by Hollywood. Wilder’s utilization of Betty’s costumes depicts Hollywood’s beauty standards in younger women, fulfilling characteristics such as innocence, hope and youth. Conversely, Norma’s extravagant, yet excessive
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Selfishness and desperation are the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: Set in the golden age of Hollywood, Billy Wilder’s American film noir Sunset Boulevard poignantly explores the…
Set in the golden age of Hollywood, Billy Wilder’s American film noir Sunset Boulevard poignantly explores the destructive forces of self-seeking and despair that are central to Hollywood’s toxic industry. Overlaying a gothic lens, Wilder reveals how relegation from fame causes individuals to become desperate to return, and condemns the selfish desires that arise from Hollywood’s expectations of wealth and success. Furthermore, Wilder’s cynical opus is a deeper meditation on how desperation for love and companionship drives individuals into illusions, leaving them separated from reality. Amidst the tumultuous terrain of the 1940s Hollywood industry, this noir mystery emerges as a powerful expose of the destructive forces of selfishness and desperation through an intelligent blend of fiction and meta-cinema.
Initially personifying this illusory world as a dystopian nightmare, Wilder highlights how Hollywood’s allure of fame invites desperation to return to one’s glory days. Gloria Swanson’s harrowing portrayal of the classic femme fatale is perhaps the starkest warning of the futility of chasing fame. This complex character serves as an unnerving reincarnation of Ms. Havisham from “Great Expectations”, forever “rotting” in the tattered “wedding dress” of her lost renown. This intertextual parallel particularly highlights Norma’s rejection of reality and passing of time, as Ms. Havisham is a woman who was abandoned at the altar, similar to how Hollywood has abandoned Norma. Furthermore, Ms. Havisham has stopped all the clocks in her house, paralleling Norma’s dilapidated mansion which is a relic of the past, highlighting her refusal to move on from her past glory. Her assertion that she is “big, it’s the pictures that got small”, highlights her deep rejection of how Hollywood has progressed, favouring younger actresses and leaving aging stars to be entrapped in a cycle of desperation for a return. Interestingly, Wilder portrays Norma as one who despises the word "comeback", which connotes that she had fallen from fame at one point, in favour of the word “return”, which paints her as still relevant and wanted by the industry. Norma’s palazzo is filled with props of her “celluloid self”, highlighting her narcissistic and self-absorbed nature and revealing her desire to be displayed once again. Additionally, Swanson’s clawed hands express her fervent desire to return to her previous position as a silent-film star, and her dark sunglasses highlight her disconnection from reality. Ultimately, through Norma’s illusive desire to reclaim her irrecoverably lost stardom, Wilder exposes the intoxicating desperation that infects the minds of Hollywood hopefuls.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: What role does love play in David Malouf’s…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Personal emotion connects human beings altogether, even though they are divided physically or mentally before.…
Personal emotion connects human beings altogether, even though they are divided physically or mentally before. David Malouf’s novella Ransom explores human connection in the face of personal loss and the nature of people’s love. This novella is based on Malouf’s personal historical context where the cruelty of the World War II intimidated young Malouf and lliad created by Homer inspired him to comprehend the concept of violence that human beings have ever experienced before. By depicting the fatherhood between enemies or classes, Malouf explores love as a connection that expresses the purest emotion in the world. Nevertheless, love can also be exploited as a tool to evoke empathy for reconciliation. These functions of love as a bridge furthers through love within friendship in which individuals get access to exposure of the outward world. As such, the novella appreciates, while simultaneously challenging, traditional concept of interpersonal relationships within the bridge of love.
Malouf conveys that fatherhood is a kind of love that connects
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “…But I wanted her to be unhappy, dressed…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: n Shirley Jackson's chilling novel We Have Always Lived In The Castle, the pervasive theme of cruelty emerges…
n Shirley Jackson's chilling novel We Have Always Lived In The Castle, the pervasive theme of cruelty emerges through selfishness displayed by many characters. Narrated by the unreliable Mary Kathrine “Merricat” Blackwood, the story is filtered through her unique perspective, shaping readers’ understanding of events. Merricat, living with her beloved sister Constance and sick Uncle Julian after poisoning their family, embodies the novel’s signature unease as her fantasies blur reality. Through Merricat, Jackson illustrates a world steeped in cruelty, demonstrated by the hostile actions of Charles, the villagers, and Merricat’s dark impulses.
The novel uses money as a central source of cruelty, particularly through Charles’s actions. Charles’s desire for the Blackwood fortune emerges as soon as he arrives, revealing his lack of genuine connection with Merricat, Constance, or Uncle Julian. Merricat’s observation, “father’s room, which now belonged to Charles,” illustrates his attempt to claim family wealth. His selfishness peaks during the fire, when he prioritizes the safe over Julian’s life, symbolizing his lack of humanity. Charles represents a world where greed fuels cruelty, showing how the pursuit of money becomes oppressive throughout the novel.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: All of the characters in ‘Sunset…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Manipulation is the act of exploiting one's weakness. Billy Wilder’s 1950’s noir film, ‘Sunset Boulevard’, presents…
Manipulation is the act of exploiting one's weakness. Billy Wilder’s 1950’s noir film, ‘Sunset Boulevard’, presents a society where success is often dependent on others. Set after world war two, where audiences of the film are likely to go to cinemas in order to escape their stress, Wilder contends that some, but not all characters in the film manipulate and exploit others for their personal benefit. Individuals manipulate to fulfill their emotional and personal desires, however, Wilder also illustrates that other characters use each other to be successful, rather than solely manipulate others for personal fulfillment.
Wilder argues that some characters in Sunset Boulevard manipulate others in order to attain their personal desires, leading to destructive consequences for both the victim and exploiter. This is first exemplified by Joe, who manipulates Norma in order to fulfill his dream of having “a pool”/ Joe compromises his own moral values in order to attain this desire, ultimately leading to his death. Through this, Wilder criticises how individuals exploit others in order to fulfill their temporary needs of financial gain, suggesting that sacrificing morality is not worth the temporary pleasure that comes through the exploitation of others. Additionally, Wilder uses the recurring motif of open windows and doors symbolising the alternate pathways which Joe could have taken rather than exploiting others to fulfill his dreams. Yet, he consciously rejects this autonomy, highlighting his moral deterioration. Through this, Wilder highlights the destructive nature of greed, where manipulation is often used to fulfill one's temporary desires, ultimately leading to emotional hollowness. As a result of Joe’s manipulation, Norma becomes overly dependent on him. This is exemplified by Norma exclaiming “you don’t care, do you?... Well then, will you help me?” after her attempted suicide and plea as Joe threatens to highlighting her attempt at manipulating Joe into staying by blurring the lines between genuine pain and calculated performance. She weaponises vulnerability in order to manipulate and entrap those around her, which ultimately led to her psychological collapse. Through this, Wilder exposes how personal desires achieved through manipulation often come at the costly price of death or isolation, condemning the values which some characters possess as destructive and selfish.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: There’s nothing tragic about being 50, not…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: The film Sunset Boulevard, directed by Billy Wilder, is a dark comedy that explores the consequences pursuing fame…
The film Sunset Boulevard, directed by Billy Wilder, is a dark comedy that explores the consequences pursuing fame and success in Hollywood. The film is set in Post World War America and delves into the complexities of working in the film industry. Set during a period of transition from the silent film era to the talkies it explores the struggle of those working in the industry. In Sunset Boulevard, Wilder portrays Hollywood’s infatuation with youth through beauty ramifications and unrealistic beauty standards. In addition, Wilder displays the pursuit for power through control and dominance. Furthermore, the Director explores agism through failure and success in the Hollywood film industry.
Billy Wilder portrays Hollywood’s infatuation with youth through unrealistic beauty standards and beauty ramifications. Set between the silent film era to the talkies, the film explores how certain characters change their appearances to be successful in the Hollywood film industry, which focuses heavily on youthful individuals and attitudes. This notion is expressed in the Hollywood glow up scene where Norma is preparing for her picture with Paramount studios where she waited for “those cameras that would never turn”. She went through multiple beauty treatments to enhance herself, “like an athlete training for the Olympics” to look younger as she “must be a million years old”. Billy Wilder utilises the close-up angle and magnifying glass to look closely at Norma’s face. He uses it as a symbol of the Hollywood industry examining Norma as an actress who is no longer relevant and struggles to admit her failure in the film industry. Furthermore, Norma’s infatuation with Joe is controlled by her power over him and the feeling that he is hers to control, like her chimpanzee that died earlier in the film. Rather, Joe is in love with Betty who is a younger, more insightful individual who draws Joe in with her charm. The director utilises Betty’s character to emphasis the importance on youth in Hollywood and the obsession with being that bit younger, ‘newer’ and more beautiful which evidently symbolises success. “You smell really special, like a brand-new automobile” Joe expresses to Betty. Wilder also uses high key lighting when Betty is in frame of the film, evident in the scene where she is walking around and talking to Joe. This symbolises optimism and a bright feeling to the audience watching the film. Compared to when Norma is in the frame, Wilder uses low key lighting is used to create a darker, more mysterious atmosphere to display her mental health and the negative effect she has on Joe, this is shown in the scene where she is lying on the bed, recovering from self-harm. Wilder displays the importance of beauty and youth in the Hollywood film industry.
Billy Wilder displays the pursuit for power through control and dominance in Sunset Boulevard. Characters in the film seek the feeling of power and try to belittle others to achieve it. At the beginning of the film, Norma controls Joe and seems more
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “This old fellow, like most storytellers,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Telling stories reflects personal and societal values that permeates across different cohorts. David Malouf’s…
Telling stories reflects personal and societal values that permeates across different cohorts. David Malouf’s Ransom, a novel adapted from Homer’s IIiad, depicts individual’s personal dilemmas under violence and renewal. Set in Troy and Greek over thousands of years ago, Malouf positions telling stories as both independent reflection and interconnected persuasive means. Furthermore, while stories expand extraordinary personal experiences to others, fostering collective growth, they also function as proof for what is of great importance in one’s mortal life. Ultimately, Ransom appreciates interpersonal connection within storytelling while simultaneously challenges critique towards storytellers.
Whether the reality of personal anecdote is defined or not, novelty is what storytelling matters most which constructs a bridge between individual discrepancy. Somax, a ‘plain carter’, tells the process of how his
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Oedipus the king, all who deserve it…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: In 5th Century BC, Oedipus the King by Sophocles was played at the festival of Dionysus where multiple tragedies…
In 5th Century BC, Oedipus the King by Sophocles was played at the festival of Dionysus where multiple tragedies were performed and acted out. Sophocles contends that individuals who commit wrongdoings will face severe consequences however innocent people may face the repercussions of their actions. Sophocles suggests Individuals who commit actions ignorantly will face ramifications aswell as the inescapability of their own fate. However, through promoting sophrosyne and displaying reverence to the gods, individuals may avoid any signs of punishment. Furthermore, due to the actions of others, innocent mortals may suffer in their regard. Sophocles warns his male Athenian audience of the role of divine power in distributing punishment to individuals.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Both Norma Desmond and Joe Gillis are…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: Apart of his established and renowned oeuvre, Billy Wilder's ominous and ghoulish noir 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950)…
Apart of his established and renowned oeuvre, Billy Wilder's ominous and ghoulish noir 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) explores the paradigm shift in eras between the silent films and 'the talkies'. Exploring the aspirations of protagonist Joe Gillis, Wilder's circular film expresses to traditional and contemporary viewers the paradoxical relationship of being an instigator and a culprit within the decaying film industry. Initially, Wilder explores the exploitive and manipulative mannerisms of both Joe and Norma in their aspirations for status. Wilder then shifts to examine their victimisation and suffering, being illustrated as a microcosm of Hollywood's treatment and underlying immoral values.
Initially, Wilder reflects the deceit and manipulation of both character's desires for self gain. Through the characterisation of both the "celluloid" Norma Desmond and "B-grade" writer Joe Gillis, Wilder emphasizes the motivations of each character within the Hollywood society, highlighting the aspirations for self gain driving their decisions. through the incorporation of mise en scene, Wilder captures Joe at the heart of his climax, pictured to be writing a script on his deck. Further introduced as leaving his "truth telling Joe", Wilder examines and portrays to the viewers his sacrifice to propel his career forward in Hollywood. As he begins to "concoct a plot" to take a job writing for Norma, carved with the void utilisation of narration as he admits 'wanted the dough' alludes to the viewers the deceitful and manipulative actions of Joe Gillis. Exhuberated further through Wilder's employment of facial expressions as he is offered to buy the vicuna coat "if the lady is paying for it" cements Wilder's portrayal of Joe to be considered an offender. Driven by his want for monetary wealth through dialogue as he asks Betty "where's the cash?" finalizes Wilder's portrayal of his values to the viewer, emphasising his lust for wealth. Wilder's characterisation of the "great Norma Desmond" seeks to examine the drive for status and success, juxtaposing to Joe's thirst for monetary wealth. Pictured on the stair balcony as she confirms that Joe was "a writer" foreshadows her deceit and control over Joe, providing her with the means she needs to restore her status. Wilder's employment of a low-shot in this scene signifies the power and control which Norma has over Joe, foreshadowing her eventual power and authority over Joe, and her offending nature. As she grasps on Joe's hair as he rests on the couch, Wilder sustains his motif of her hands as a grasping and eerie control. Moreover, as Wilder pictures Norma shooting Joe at the end of the film, Wilder's use of a close shot married with facial expressions further alludes to Norma's obsessive exploitation. As her facial expression lacks remorse and guilt, Wilder supports her exploit of Joe was solely for her own self-gain, in the hopes of solidifying her delusion of being "a star".
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent does Rainbow’s End show…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: On the one hand, Jane Harrison's play ‘Rainbow’s End’ does exhibit how characters' optimism is undermined by…
On the one hand, Jane Harrison's play ‘Rainbow’s End’ does exhibit how characters' optimism is undermined by systemic oppression, however, she ultimately crafts a story that explores the importance of maintaining hope in order to truly progress in society. Set in the 1950s outside the rural city of Shepparton, Harrion explores the lives of three generations of koori women who undergo daily hardships that sprout from institutionalised discrimination within Australia. As a result, her character's hopes for change are often rendered futile in a hostile society that aims to subjugate Indigenous Australians. Conversely, the matriarchal structures of the Dear family allow for hope and optimism to be validated by the strength of family and cultural continuity, despite external forces that restrict their opportunities. This is further reinforced by moments of individual growth and progression that arise from their continued support, ultimately suggesting that their confidence is reasonable and necessary for survival. Fundamentally, Harrison crafts a story that shines a light on the unsung heroine of the indigenous community within the 1950s, illustrating the importance of not only maintaining optimism, but also conviction, in order to achieve progression and radical change.
Characters' optimism within rainbow's end is often stifled by the oppressive social structure and norms of 1950s Australian society, suggesting that it is a fruitless endeavour that cannot be justified. The play's title is significant in its paradoxical nature, as it implies that rainbows have an end, when in fact, rainbows are a visual illusion of light, which have no true end. This reflects the idea that the Dear family's efforts towards living better lives are ongoing and also without an end, and therefore their hopes are unable to overcome structural inequalities. Accordingly, the Dear family is faced with routine oppression from white institutions, such as the regular inspections into their homes. Gladys attempts to prove to the inspector that Dolly is intelligent by pointing out that she's undertaking her leaving certificate, but the inspector states that ‘things must change’ as a result of his report. The inspectors statement denotes that there is a chance that Dolly will be taken away regardless of her mothers efforts to demonstrate her capability of taking care of her. Thereby, Harrison illustrates the lack of power and self determination that indigenous Australians had in the 1950s. Furthermore, when Gladys goes to get Dolly an interview at the bank she is met with the same rhetoric about indigenous Australians, as the bank manager highlights that ‘rapport’ and ‘reliability’ are ‘important’, suggesting that Dolly will not be able to fulfil these qualities because of her race. As such, Harrison underlines that despite having hope for Dolly to get a job, Gladys cannot overcome the social barriers put in place for indigenous Australians in the 1950s. This is reinforced by the symbolism of the encyclopedias, as Glady’s invests much of her money into the whole set with hope for Dolly to become more educated, only for them to be ruined by the carelessness of the ‘Jungi’ and the placement of their home in a flood plain, encapsulating the inequalities they face in obtaining that same opportunities as their white counterparts. In essence, Harrison portrays glimpses into the Dear family's lives where racism and inequalities prevail over their ambitions and aspirations, making optimism fragile and easily stifled.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Both Norma Desmond and Joe Gillis are…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Apart of his established and renowned oeuvre, Billy Wilder's ominous and ghoulish noir 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950)…
Apart of his established and renowned oeuvre, Billy Wilder's ominous and ghoulish noir 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) explores the paradigm shift in eras between the silent films and 'the talkies'. Exploring the aspirations of protagonist Joe Gillis, Wilder's circular film expresses to traditional and contemporary viewers the paradoxical relationship of being an instigator and a culprit within the decaying film industry. Initially, Wilder explores the exploitive and manipulative mannerisms of both Joe and Norma in their aspirations for status. Wilder then shifts to examine their victimisation and suffering, being illustrated as a microcosm of Hollywood's treatment and underlying immoral values.
Initially, Wilder reflects the deceit and manipulation of both character's desires for self gain. Through the characterisation of both the "celluloid" Norma Desmond and "B-grade" writer Joe Gillis, Wilder emphasizes the motivations of each character within the Hollywood society, highlighting the aspirations for self gain driving their decisions. through the incorporation of mise en scene, Wilder captures Joe at the heart of his climax, pictured to be writing a script on his deck. Further introduced as leaving his "truth telling Joe", Wilder examines and portrays to the viewers his sacrifice to propel his career forward in Hollywood. As he begins to "concoct a plot" to take a job writing for Norma, carved with the void utilisation of narration as he admits 'wanted the dough' alludes to the viewers the deceitful and manipulative actions of Joe Gillis. Exhilarated further through Wilder's employment of facial expressions as he is offered to buy the vicuna coat "if the lady is paying for it" cements Wilder's portrayal of Joe to be considered an offender. Driven by his want for monetary wealth through dialogue as he asks Betty "where's the cash?" finalizes Wilder's portrayal of his values to the viewer, emphasising his lust for wealth. Wilder's characterisation of the "great Norma Desmond" seeks to examine the drive for status and success, juxtaposing to Joe's thirst for monetary wealth. Pictured on the stair balcony as she confirms that Joe was "a writer" foreshadows her deceit and control over Joe, providing her with the means she needs to restore her status. Wilder's employment of a low-shot in this scene signifies the power and control which Norma has over Joe, foreshadowing her eventual power and authority over Joe, and her offending nature. As she grasps on Joe's hair as he rests on the couch, Wilder sustains his motif of her hands as a grasping and eerie control. Moreover, as Wilder pictures Norma shooting Joe at the end of the film, Wilder's use of a close shot married with facial expressions further alludes to Norma's obsessive exploitation. As her facial expression lacks remorse and guilt, Wilder supports her exploit of Joe was solely for her own self-gain, in the hopes of solidifying her delusion of being "a star".
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Jackson's 'We Have Always Lived in The…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Jackson exposes how societal standards breed a toxic culture of distorted expectations, resulting in individuals…
Jackson exposes how societal standards breed a toxic culture of distorted expectations, resulting in individuals acting in immoral and selfish ways. Shirley Jackson’s 1962 gothic novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle follows the secluded existence of Mary Katherine and the other Blackwoods, who are victim to both the harsh criticism of the townspeople, and their own flaws. She criticises the capitalistic ideals of a 1950’s American society, lamenting those who obsess over money. Subsequently, she alludes to the McCarthyism present in a post war society by admonishing how collective hatred can bring people with poor intentions together. However, Jackson relents that the social climate has a substantial impact on an individual, suggesting that flaws are shaped by circumstance.
Jackson criticises the human quality of greed, suggesting that some individuals are innately self serving. Even after his death, Mr Blackwood acts as the archetypal patriarch and proprietor that dominates society, who "took pride in his table, his family, his position in the world". Jackson uses Mr Blackwood and his affluence to critique a society that values these traits, emphasising the importance of financial stability in an environment that prioritises success. His preservation of wealth and material possessions is represented through the Merricat’s memory of the ways "he used to record the names of people who owed him money, and people who ought…to do favors for him", painting him as a greedy individual prioritising profit over altruism. However, through poisoning the male head, Jackson challenges the societal structures that reward individuals who outwardly act in tokenistic ways. This is reinforced with the entrance of Charles Blackwood who attempts to assume the vacant role of male patriarch. When Charles initially arrives at the Blackwood home, Merricat “recognises him at once" because "He looked like Father”, symbolising the return of a male influence that acts as a disruptive force, bringing greed and materialism that threaten the newfound sanctity of their home. By having Charles be an almost identical replica of his predecessor, Jackson relents toxic masculinity is an inavoidable staple of a 1950s post war American society, condemning the invasive nature of societal roles.
In an attempt to keep this force out of their lives, Merricat had nailed her “father’s book...to the tree”, which Jackson uses as a symbol of her anti-capitalistic stance, whereby she rejects the emotionless quid pro quo transactions typical of capitalism, as embodied by the male figures in the novel. Charles’ immediate investigation into whether they keep “the money in the house” establishes himself as fixated on money, revealing his true intent to take the commandeering role of managing their finances and becoming the new patriarch. Through depicting these male influences as avaricious Jackson critiques how individuals yearn for affluence, labelling materialism as a corruptive, invasive force. Jackson exposes the tendency of humans to follow the crowd, lamenting those who allow mass hysteria to influence their decisions. This is explored through the ways in which the Blackwoods are ostracised - both socially and physically - particularly clear on Merricat’s stop at the cafe, where Jim Donell cynically tells her that he’s heard that “the Blackwoods are moving away”. Jackson utilises the gossip of the village to highlight how the townspeople are able to weaponise and manipulate the truth to vilify the Blackwoods, alluding to the McCarthyism of the 1950s which saw the baseless persecution of individuals who did not fit the status quo. Donell criticises the Blackwood home’s “fences, and private path”, highlights the physical divide that exists between the family and the villagers, but also contributes to the classic gothic trope
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Discuss the ways in which Sunset Boulevard…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: The obsessive nature of Hollywood fame acts as an illusion, where the presentment of a parasitic relationship…
The obsessive nature of Hollywood fame acts as an illusion, where the presentment of a parasitic relationship between Joe and Norma acts as emblems and symbols to the downfall of what results in the corrupt nature of Hollywood and their idea of transactional relationships. Driven by the greed and jewels of Hollywood, Joe is drawn to the pursuit of profit with the expense of his freedom for a so-called relationship, in which he attempts to exploit Norma’s passionate love through the continuation of the script “Salome”, claiming it as a “good deal” as a “younger man who is not doing too well”. However as Joe claims the relationship to be a “deal”, this restricts the intimacy of a human relationship into not a romance full of love, but instead a transactional exchange. Wilder specifically proposes this as a way to justify how
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: · In Sunset Boulevard, success does not…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: · In Sunset Boulevard, success does not bring happiness.
· In Sunset Boulevard, success does not bring happiness.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Yoko Ogawa suggest that memory…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Yoko Ogawa's novel, The Memory Police explores the themes of memory and humanity from the perspective of an unnamed…
Yoko Ogawa's novel, The Memory Police explores the themes of memory and humanity from the perspective of an unnamed narrator, living in an authoritarian society. Ogawa suggests that memory is essential to humanity, presenting memory as the foundation for identity. Additionally, Ogawa suggests that forgetting is critical in the dehumanisation, while proposing relationships and storytelling as key avenues to preserve humanity and memory. In The Memory Police, Ogawa suggests that memory and humanity and essential to one another.
Ogawa proposes that memory is the foundation to identity, and thus, humanity. She expresses the importance of memory through the disappearances, demonstrating the grand impact that forgetting has on people. This is seen by the disappearance of ribbon, a relativly small and irrelevant disappearance, yet, it's loss continues to erode the characters. By removing small parts of the characters lives such as ribbon, parts of their humanity is stripped, and their soul is left to be desolate, "I wish my soul was just sleeping, instead of completly gone". Additionally, this creates holes in the characters hearts, these holes acting as a motif for the dehumanisation caused by the disappearances. However, as the novel continues the severity of the disappearances only increases, surmounting at the disappearance of body parts. This seen the motif of the heart being filled with holes return as the Narrator realises "the hole left by our legs" continues to erode the characters as "the real me is disappearing as we speak". Thus, Ogawa presents memory as the foundation for identity and humanity, seeing the islanders lose them simultaneously, leading to the narrator "loosing [herself]". Ogawa highlights this loss through the pacing of the novel, seeing the disappearances grow more extreme as the novel progresses, representing humanity being more and more corroded. Thus, Ogawa demonstrates the importance of memory in retaining ones identity, emphasising that memory is critical to humanity.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: False Claims of Colonial Thieves…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Published amidst ongoing debates like the recognition of the Indigenous Voice, Chairmane Papertalk Green and John…
Published amidst ongoing debates like the recognition of the Indigenous Voice, Chairmane Papertalk Green and John Kinsella’s 2018 anthology False Claims of Colonial Thieves examines the effects of colonisation on Indigenous culture and peoples. This destruction has manifested itself into persisting societal trauma present in contemporary Australia. One of these is the perpetuated divide between White Australians and First Nations people. It also includes the devastating loss of Indigenous people’s cultural identity due to the environmental degradation of land. In the wake of colonial dispossession, the poets reinforce the idea of mutual healing being possible by engaging in “yarning”. Despite coming from different cultural backgrounds, Papertalk Green and Kinsella have come together to urge the readers to acknowledge European colonial damage while envisioning a path towards shared healing.
Threading through the anthology is Papertalk Green’s scathing critique of colonialism creating a schism between white Australia and First Nations communities. In ‘Always Thieves’, the Yamaji poet condemns the “colonial thieves” who seized their 1,800 year old land, with “greedy” and “dirty” hands, evoking an image of an undeserved colonial victory as the crown came “dripping in blood”. Papertalk Green’s mosaic of violent imagery binds the readers to confront the theft of land as a foundational injustice, evoking sympathy for Indigenous people as they are the rightful custodians of the land who had to experience such treachery. This power dynamic also represents itself in distinct class differences in contemporary Australia. In ‘Grandmothers’, The poet recounts a childhood memory of watching her grandmother wash, “White town fella’s clothes/ To feed her kids and survive”. The enjambment between “clothes” and “To feed”, both necessities to survive, forces the reader’s eye to move from one line to the next without pause, constructing a sense of breathlessness. This mirrors the unrelenting cycle of poverty and labour imposed on Aboriginal families like Papertalk Green’s were forced to serve in this system of inequality - perpetuating the cycle of resentment that’s relentlessly prevailing. Therefore, Papertalk Green expresses her objection to colonisation producing the prevailing cultural divide between White Australian and Indigenous people.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sophocles suggests that pride can blind…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Oedipus the King written by Sophocles explores the impact of negative characteristics and external factors that are…
Oedipus the King written by Sophocles explores the impact of negative characteristics and external factors that are detrimental to individual's actions which can lead to significant consequences. The negative characteristics of an individual has its impacts on what actions they take. While the other factors also have effect on a detrimental effect on the individuals actions. These negative characteristics and even factors can be natural to have and out of control of individuals. Sophocles examines the complexities of both divine control and individual's actions on their beliefs.
The detrimental characteristics can lead to impact negative thoughts and cause unintended actions. As Sophocles portrays Oedipus as a God-like person to the people of Thebes through his grandiloquent speeches and in the stage directions presented a "stone altar" in the centre of the stage which draws a parallel with "my altar" highlighting the thoughts of Oedipus of being looked up to as a demi-god. This overly high image of Oedipus lead him to venture for the truth while ignoring the warnings of Tiresias 'You Let me bear my' "Blind to the corruption of your life" [Oedipus] highlighting individuals being unable to distorting their beliefs that lead to them due to their arrogance and hubris. The Sophocles then explores through Oedipus' impulsive and rash nature by drawing comparisons between him and Creon. As Creon "Those who carry your favours, now carry mine" to highlight the change in power as Oedipus is less influential due to his self-made image as a God. While Sophocles' use of subtle repetition between "I must rule" and "not if you rule unjustly" implies that the current decisions & Oedipus is making are rash and impulsive and without careful consideration. due to his Tiresias also This all demonstrates the impact of lack of negative characteristics on the beliefs of an individual.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "But my two daughters, my poor helpless…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Oedipus the King is a Sophoclean depiction of Ancient Greek drama and tragedy written by Sophocles in 429 BCE. The…
Oedipus the King is a Sophoclean depiction of Ancient Greek drama and tragedy written by Sophocles in 429 BCE. The plays complex representation of tragedy is epitomised through the centrality of love to its storyline, highlighting love as both crucial in causing the tragic outcomes of the play, and shaping the interpretation of the consequences seen at the end. However, it is also undoubtedly true in Oedipus the king that love coexists with hate and suffering as this central theme. Sophocles emphasises the transition from relationships between those in the play from ones of love to hate being integral to the varied emotional connections seen within the tragedy, and the shaping of the tragic ending for most.
From the onset, love is depicted to hold vast importance to the progression of the play, playing a central role in evoking the actions of those in the beginning and emphasising the eventual tragedy. Sophocles places great emphasis on the centrality of love at the start of the play in order to contextualize the original intentions behind many of the characters. For example, Oedipus’s love and care for the people of Thebes is evident in the prologue. Oedipus claims “not one is as sick as I.” in reference to the persistent Plague which beckons on the city. This sickness Indicates Oedipus love for Thebes, and ultimately is a driving cause of his relentless pursuit of the truth in the play. Sophocles presents this in the prologue to help the audience of the time identify Oedipus’s complexity of character. By presenting him as a loving king at the start, it underpins his heroic and caring nature, which only emphasizes his eventual transition to tyranny and anger as being even more tragic. Furthermore, love’s central importance is epitomised through the Chorus’s original love for Oedipus. Sophocles utilises the chorus as almost a guiding voice to the audience, and his underscoring of the chorus as adoring Oedipus from the onset only further accentuates Oedipus’s own tragedy. The chorus recognise Oedipus as their “greatest power”, holding wholehearted pride, love and faith in him as a leader. This reinforces the complex narrative surrounding Oedipus’s character by undermining the audience’s preconceived knowledge of his hubris through Sophocles use of dramatic irony in this case. Not only this, it also lays emphasis on Oedipus’s eventual demise and fall from grace as his power and faith from the chorus diminishes throughout the play. Therefore, Sophocles depicts love as an original driving force behind actions, and a central factor in accentuating the tragic outcomes and changes seen in the play.
However, as the play progresses, the centrality of love as a driver of action and connection goes astray, and the critical development of hubris fuelled anger, and agony become apparent as just as central to the play. Sophocles accentuates this transition through his juxtaposition of Oedipus and Creon In the play. Oedipus, who was originally presented as being a loving king, is so fuelled by his hubris that he imbues vast anger and hate
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: rainbwos end suggests charcaters have…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Rainbow’s End suggests characters have little control over their lives. Discuss. Set amidst the oppressive…
Rainbow’s End suggests characters have little control over their lives. Discuss.
Set amidst the oppressive environment of a 1950’s Shepparton, Jane Harrison’s 2005 play ‘Rainbows End’ exposes through realist theatre that Aboriginal individuals autonomy is overridden by the values of a prejudiced society. Following the lives of 3 generations of Aboriginal women, the Dear family, Harrison maintains that this pursuit for justice is forcefully shot down by white male control, furthered by the introductions of the motif of weather as a representation of this barrier of racism. Conversely, Harrison suggests that forceful control can be triumphed by marginalised individuals with a strong sense of identity and belonging. Moreover, Rainbow’s end is a significant testament to the resilience of oppressed communities, revealing the strength of these ‘unsung heroes’.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Emotion, not reason, drives the decision…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: In Sophocles’ Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, characters who are driven by emotion make misguided decisions which…
In Sophocles’ Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, characters who are driven by emotion
make misguided decisions which ultimately lead to their downfall, while characters who
make reasoned choices uphold order. The play’s protagonist, Oedipus, embodies the
ideal of a tragic hero, as he has a lack of self-control over his own emotions which leads
to his personal and political demise. Jocasta too is motivated by emotions, yet unlike
Oedipus, she has the capacity to act in the interests of others, rather than just in her own
self interest. Sophocles balances the emotions of Oedipus and Jocasta with Creon, who
represents the voice of reason, and must ultimately reinstate order in Thebes.
Throughout Oedipus the King, Oedipus fails to control his feelings of violent anger, which
causes him to make impulsive decisions with disastrous repercussions. When
unknowingly encountering Laius in the “triple crossroad”, Oedipus’ first reaction to his
irritation with the situation is to resort to unnecessary violence. Rather than peaceably
resolving the road issue, Oedipus allows his rage to guide his actions, and begins to
“strike” the old king “in anger”. This brutal, unchecked fury leads Oedipus to killing Laius
and his companions, thus unwittingly entering into the prophesied cycle of pain and
agony. Sophocles demonstrates that this unthinking submission to emotions continues to
govern the life of Oedipus when he becomes king of Thebes. Oedipus calls upon Tiresias
to reveal the identity of Laius’ murderer, forcing the seer to admit the truth. Yet when
Tiresias finally confesses that Oedipus is the old king’s murderer, the protagonist’s
arrogant rage leads him to dismiss the truth. Proud, vain and wrathful, Oedipus insults the
seer, calling him an “old man”, “senile” and a mere “fraud” who is “blind as a stone” and
cannot be trusted. In his fury, Oedipus effectively shuts out Tiresias and the truth. His
insensible rage culminates in the tragic ending of the play, where Oedipus becomes like a
“maddened beast” upon seeing Jocasta’s body. By using this animalistic metaphor,
Sophocles shows how unthinking Oedipus’ anger has made him. Instead of grieving and
remaining in control of his emotions, Oedipus “rage[s]”, leading him to impulsively blind
himself. Here, the act of extreme violence shows how disastrous it is for characters to
have a poor control over their emotions, as it leads them to making irreversible decisions.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does sunset boulevard encourage the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Billy Wilder’s film Sunset Boulevard encourages viewers to feel empathy for those who commit crimes and break…
Billy Wilder’s film Sunset Boulevard encourages viewers to feel empathy for those who commit crimes and break taboos by presenting morally complex characters through a privileged, almost omniscient lens, a birds eye camera angle and a larger piece of information flow then any individual character had access to within the noir. From the very beginning, the audience is invited to understand, rather than to simply judge figures such as Joe Gillis and Norma Desmond, whose actions;though unethical- stem from desperation, disillusionment, and emotional decay, which ultimately help the viewer to empathize with the characters through thematic vulnerability. Wilder’s own experience as an émigré who fled Nazi-occupied Austria deepens this perspective, informing a narrative that explores how isolation and systemic exploitation can distort a person’s morality. However, it does not suggest that the person is fundamentally ‘unethical’ or a ‘criminal,’ instead showing that two things can be true at once. By blurring the line between protagonist and antagonist, the film compels us to question the nature of guilt and sympathy, encouraging empathy not through approval, but through understanding of the cast- moreover; it would be accurate to say that the audience is ‘there’ with the characters rather than ‘being’ a part of the story. They are not ‘woven’ into the story; they are ‘captured’ which is in line with the film making methods of Billy Wilder.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sunset Boulevard encourage the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Initially, Wilder highlights to the audience to empathize with individuals who breach moral codes, by revealing…
Initially, Wilder highlights to the audience to empathize with individuals who breach moral codes, by revealing past trauma and mistreatment. Norma Desmond, a retired silent films star, in search of regaining her once “stardom.” Joe Gillis, an aspiring director, finds himself in a transactional relationship with Desmond. Joe’s belief he has secured a “pretty good package” establishes his role as a symbol of Hollywood’s transactional nature. Wilder utilizes Joe as a symbol of Hollywood, catalyzing Norma’s mental deterioration, shown through her erratic, and even criminal actions. Wilder encourages the audience to view Norma’s actions through a lens of empathy, stemming from Hollywood’s psychological damage. Wilder employs Joe’s cynical narration as a perspective of Hollywood, observant of the “crumbling” mansion. Joe’s lack of genuine respect, explored through his willingness to compromise his integrity, symbolizes Hollywood’s indifference to individuals who have benefited them. Wilder presents Joe’s self-willed pursuit of financial gain, which leaves