VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Framework: writing about country…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 82.5%: If you were to condense all of Earth’s history into 24 hours, human existence would only span the time of 3…
If you were to condense all of Earth’s history into 24 hours, human existence would only span the time of 3 seconds.
1…2…3.
# # # #
I - ECOCENTRISM: a belief which suggests that all organisms hold equal value, essentially recognising nature as a balanced whole which humanity is only an aspect of.
Clarity. Beautiful Clarity.
A manifestation of one’s surroundings, amplified by her beauty. A celestial orb, floating through the emptiness of space, magnitude unfathomable by any consciousness, magnificence which can only begin to be appreciated.
Earth.
Our divine mother, our protector. Her magical presence, woven within our perceptions of this world. From her flourishing forests to her babbling brooks. From mighty mountains to gorgeous gorges. Her spectacle ceaselessly blessing her children merely through its own existence.
And despite all her beauty and power she selflessly provides for her own, whether it be food and water or shelter and habitats. Her service allows the species of this world to live another day.
Observing her inspires, inspires humility, inspires pride, inspires hope.
Through just being in her presence, I am aware of who I am, who I must become.
But there has been a shift. A change.
They call themselves homo-sapiens - wise men. Intelligent creatures, of the likes never seen before upon this great land. An uncanny ability of hyperawareness, cognition which exceeds the confines of instinctual action.
Their presence unsettles me, not through what they have done, but rather than what they can do.
II - DOMINIONISM: a worldview which suggests that humans hold the authority and have the moral right to utilise nature for the progression of its own needs.
Their innovative capacity knows no bounds. Utterly incredible does not begin to describe the feats which this species is achieving year after year. They bring to life what would have been considered sorcery mere centuries ago. Geniuses are born generation after generation, offering humanity unimaginable progression.
But there is a cost, there is always a cost.
The Earth suffers at the expense of their needs, they tear her limb from limb, harvest her organs, bleed her to death. All for their own selfish desires. They believe it is their right as inhabitants of this land to utilize her resources to the greatest degree.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Background information The website…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 77.5%: Section C: Introduction: The recent implementation of a new sign stating to “Not feed the birds” has sparked…
Section C:
Introduction:
The recent implementation of a new sign stating to “Not feed the birds” has sparked debates within the Stapleton community about whether feeding birds at the local lake area is appropriate for the residents to do. On the 2nd of October 2022 community member Daphne Lover created a social media post regarding this issue which was published on the “Stapleton Community Voice”, a website exclusive for residents of Stapleton to view opinions on issues from other members. Adopting an informative yet calm tone, Lover contends that the act of feeding birds within Stapleton shouldn’t stop altogether, but the community does need to however revaluate how it goes about feeding the wildlife to help prevent further damage to the environment and safety of the birds. Appealing to residents within the Stapleton Community, but in particular those who regularly part take in feeding the birds. Lover ultimately seeks to educate and raise awareness about how Stapleton can effectively continue to feed the birds without endangering their lives.
Body Paragraph 1:
From the outset, Lover frames her argument largely as a justification, with a clear stance on feeding birds responsibly, aiming to evoke feelings of awareness and concern from the residents of Stapleton towards the impact of improper bird feeding. She initially employs at the start of her social media post an image of the new sign which states “Do not feed the birds”, suggesting what the current issue is that is about to be discussed within the piece. Via the lens of this image, Lover highlights that if the Stapleton community were to remain a close-knit environment, less significant issues like whether feeding the birds should be allowed need to be discussed together. By making this criticism on the integrity of the Stapleton Community, Lover positions residents, in particular those who regularly feed the birds, to potentially listen to her further explanation on why this issue is worth discussing as a community as they unlikely want to undermine Stapleton. Shifting to a more reflective tone, Lover attempts to build her credibility as a member of the Stapleton community by building rapport with her fellow resident’s by sharing a personal anecdote with them. Through her emotional anecdote stating that she “often fed the birds” when growing up and that “every morning she would sprinkle seeds inside her bird feeder”, Lover attempts to further build an emotional connection with the residents of Stapleton beyond just being another member of the community. In doing so, Lover encourages residents of Stapleton to potentially become more receptive to her argument that improper bird feeding is a real issue that needs to be discussed within community circles, thereby increasing the likelihood of residents adopting Lover’s viewpoint. This sense of community Lover portrays is further built through her use of inclusive language as she aims to convey to residents that the issue regarding feeding the birds is not just her problem, but Stapletons as well. Lover’s statement that “We get enjoyment from feeding birds” and that “Its easy to see why we do it” aims to underscore the necessity that feeding birds is a Stapleton wide dilemma that everyone within the community has a surface level interest in. Through this, Lover encourages Stapleton residents to see their interests in the bird feeding issue as aligned with hers, potentially making them view her argument as the more compelling one and become more receptive to it. Ultimately, Lovers layered use of shaping her argument as a justification allows her to reason with the residents of Stapleton as to why the issue regarding whether Bird feeding needs to be debated and discussed by the community.
Body Paragraph 2:
Shifting from her predominant justification style, Lover shifts her focus to the impacts of improper bird feeding to clearly evoke concern among residents of Stapleton, specifically those who regularly feed the birds as they are unlikely aware of the issues they are
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘There is nothing tragic about being 50,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Billy Wilder’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ is a timeless tale set in the 1950’s that demonstrates how the realities of…
Billy Wilder’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ is a timeless tale set in the 1950’s that demonstrates how the realities of aging in Hollywood is laid bare, revealing the culture with the infatuation over youth while marginalising those who age. Wilder portrays the obsession of youth through his characters and their narratives, exploring how Hollywood creates an environment where aging stars fight their diminishing relevance. Sunset Boulevard critiques Hollywood’s relentless obsession with youth, depicting aging as a curse that leads to irrelevance and despair. Through Norma Desmond’s fear of growing older and her desperate attempts to maintain her youthful image, the film exposes the harsh pressures placed on women in the industry. In contrast, Joe Gillis’s acceptance of his own failures underscores the destructive consequences of denial, reinforcing the film’s exploration of aging and self-delusion.
Sunset Boulevard critiques Hollywood’s obsession with youth, portraying aging as a curse that leads to irrelevance and despair. The film presents Norma Desmond as a once-glamorous star who has been discarded by the industry, illustrating how Hollywood devalues those who can no longer maintain an image of youth. This is visually reinforced through mise-en-scène, with Norma’s decaying mansion serving as a metaphor for her own fading career. The contrast between the mansion’s grandeur and its eerie emptiness reflects the industry’s treatment of aging actors—once admired, now forgotten. Camera techniques, such as extreme close-ups on Norma’s heavily made-up face, emphasize the artificiality of her attempts to maintain youth, while high-contrast lighting creates shadows that exaggerate her expressions, making her seem ghostly and trapped in the past. The film’s use of diegetic sound, particularly when Norma watches her old silent films, further highlights her longing for a time when she was admired. Her own words reinforce this idea when she bitterly remarks, "I am big. It's the pictures that got small." This line encapsulates her refusal to accept that Hollywood has moved on without her, further emphasizing the film’s critique of an industry that glorifies youth while discarding its aging stars.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Jane Eyre challenge the social…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (1847) charts one woman’s moral and emotional evolution within the confines of…
Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (1847) charts one woman’s moral and emotional evolution within the confines of Victorian patriarchy. Through the bildungsroman form and first-person confessional narration, Brontë transforms the female search for autonomy into both a moral and feminist act. Across the novel’s Fichtean arc from Gateshead and Lowood, to Thornfield and Moor House, and finally to Ferndean, Brontë reimagines Gothic conventions of imprisonment and revelation as expressions of psychological truth. Jane’s journey becomes a rebellion against a society that equated virtue with submission and female obedience with moral purity.
Bronte explores how hardship due to restrictive social hierarchies can be a catalyst for those oppressed to assert their worth. At Gateshead, the architecture of repression mirrors the patriarchal authority that defines Jane’s childhood. The “red-room,” saturated with “crimson” and “deep-curtained gloom,” acts as both Gothic chamber and moral allegory: a domestic prison enforcing hierarchies of class and gender. Brontë converts this physical confinement into psychological revolt through first-person narration. Jane’s retrospective voice fuses immediacy and reflection, reinterpreting her defiance— “I am not deceitful; if I were, I should say I loved you”—as the awakening of conscience rather than childish insolence. This moment marks her refusal to conform to the Victorian code that equated female virtue with silence. At Lowood, Brontë extends this critique through Mr Brocklehurst, whose attempt to “mortify” the girls by cropping their hair and dressing them in “brown stuff frocks” exposes religion’s role in enforcing female subservience. His “grim-faced” piety reduces morality to discipline, contrasting with Helen Burns’s gentler spirituality. Jane’s empathy and outrage reveal the evolution of integrity from rebellion to reflection; she learns that conscience must be guided by compassion, not coercion. Across these settings, Brontë exposes how patriarchal structures, both domestic and religious, seek to control women’s minds and bodies. By giving Jane narrative control, Brontë symbolically restores the authority society denies her.
As the texts progresses, Bronte tests moral doctrine through temptation and love, aiming to reaffirm the worth of people beyond social convention. At Thornfield, Brontë stages the bildungsroman novel’s moral and emotional climax, where Jane’s integrity is tested against passion and patriarchal dominance. The first-person narration immerses readers in her inner conflict. When she discovers Rochester’s existing marriage, her refusal— “Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation; they are for such moments as this”—asserts moral conviction over desire. The biblical rhythm of “they are” elevates private conscience
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: personal journey's
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 90%: 𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦ā (sea) When a friend or family member travels, Iranians prepare a tray with the Quran and a glass of…
𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦ā (sea)
When a friend or family member travels, Iranians prepare a tray with the Quran and a glass of water. This traveller traditionally kisses and passes under the Quran three times for protection. One. Two. Three.
Then, as they leave, the remaining family members toss the water from the glass behind them.
A gesture to ensure their safe return.
Except, this time the water was below me. Not thrown. Synchronising with the waves, my body moved up and down and my nose acted like an on and off switch trying to block out the smell of algae musk while simultaneously providing my lungs with oxygen. I’m sure the weight of someone's arm was already restricting my ability to breathe anyway. The tide skiff forced us to overlap on top of each other, fighting for the same freedom. And spot I guess. The blue-ish green ocean became more than just patterns and volume—it was a mirror of uncertainty, of risk and hope swimming together.
Salt crusted on my skin like a memory I couldn't wash off. Being shrink-wrapped by the sea wasn’t what I had planned at the age of 10. I imagined finally letting go of the training wheels or moving up the entertainment ladder to experience PG rated movies. Five days at sea became my rhythm for survival: rocking, rising and falling. During these 120 hours I lost my childhood. My maturity rose above others my age, deeper than the Indian ocean my boat fought through. However, eating was the biggest wave we needed to surf over.
Eating was mechanical, and a survival task rather than a pleasure. Each bite chewed quickly, swallowed with hope rather than hunger. The smell of food mixes with the brine of the sea. Way different to the smell of rosewater back home and I could confidently conclude expired cheese smelt better.
The smell of decay rising.
Burning espand (wild rue seeds)
Iranian’s can be a bit superstitious, especially when it comes to being jinxed. So in order to avoid “evil eye,” we burn espand until they start to crackle and then wave the smoke over the heads of their loved ones while sending three salavat (blessings).
A wish that they’ll be guarded from harm and blessed with good fortune in their new journey.
Leaving behind my Iranian heritage and entering the land down under, I forced myself to let go of these traditions.
Finally stepping onto the “golden soil” of Australia, my casual sneakers switched to thongs and the immediate smell of sunscreen and slightly burnt sausages hit my permanently switched on nose. Thank god.
Overtime,
Saffron became chicken salt.
The weight of Persian rugs was traded for fluff and convenience.
What once needed a knock on the door now fits inside a notification bubble.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: 2021 VCCA NHT
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 82.5%: 2021 nht In response to the culture of work in our society, Arlo Manne a lifestyle coach and university…
2021 nht
In response to the culture of work in our society, Arlo Manne a lifestyle coach and university lecturer in human resources management wrote an article published in the Business for the future Magazine titled "where is the balance" with the purpose of educating working individuals and business owners about the benifits of having a work life balance. Manne contends that if individuals and businesses can find a healthy work life balance, society will reward greatly.
To commence his article Manne establishes the issue of overworking in the workforce. The title, in capital letters "where is the balance?" immediately questions the reader and urges them to think about their lifestyle. Manne opens by establishing his credentials as a "lifestyle coach" that has "many years of experience". In doing so the author intends to depict himself as trustworthy and experienced due to his prior experiences, thus aiming for the reader to view his argument favorably as a whole. Using his personal experiences he explains how often the people he coaches "feel trapped" due to "increasing workload, long hours and unrealistic expectations." Here, Manne intends for working individuals to relate to the feelings he has suggested and understand the issue of the workforce themselves, in hope they view his following arguments favorable. Building from this, the first image accompanied by Manne's article depicts in the foreground a balancing scale representing the conflict with "work" on one side and "life" on the other. In the background, is a blured body with a finger actively pushing down on the life side of the balancing scale. Through this, Manne intends for the working individuals and business owners to immediately realise the necessity for an active push to have more time for life in the work-life balance, thus suggesting that achieving balance requires intentional effort.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: TRUMAN SHOW: What does the Truman show…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Released (1998) during a peak of public interest in surveillance, reality television and the digital world, Peter…
Released (1998) during a peak of public interest in surveillance, reality television and the digital world, Peter Weir’s “*The Truman Show*” exposes the exploitive and synthetic nature of modern day media - wherein the lust for power and entertainment can corrupt the real meaning of truth. Through Truman’s slow and tragic realisation of his fabricated circumstances, Weir suggests that through the blurred lense of the entertainment industry, what appears authentic is often fraudulent in reality. Utilising the audience within the film, Weir places responsibility on his own audience, emphasising the moral ambiguity of finding comfort in the consumption of another man’s false reality. Despite this, “*The Truman Show*” encourages its audience to examine their own realities for falsehoods through the suggestion that the truth arises not from illusion and deception, but from recognition and realisation of oneself.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: High ground suggests that some conflicts…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Stephen Maxwell Johnson's 2020 film 'High Ground' endeavours to shatter the 'great Australian silence' by…
Stephen Maxwell Johnson's 2020 film 'High Ground' endeavours to shatter the 'great Australian silence' by presenting the confronting reality of the violence and genocide endured by First Nations people. Johnson highlights that many divisions will remain unresolved, however some conflicts may be able to be healed. Johnson illustrates the implications of physical violence in addition to the impact of cultural differences. But Johnson is able to portray that internal conflicts can be resolved.
Johnson highlights the implication of physical violence and how the impacts linger into the future, whether it's the massacre of many First Nations peoples or the impacts of using a gun. Johnson implies that these acts of violence cannot be resolved. The first scene of the massacre shows how violence has taken over as a once an edenic, peaceful home has been transformed into blood tainted memories for any survivors of the tragedy. Johnson juxtaposes this as it portrays the watching white colonist suggesting to viewers that any person who did this will be unable to seek forgiveness. Physical violence against First Nations people is evident throughout the film, with white colonist even somewhat celebrating the death including 'did I get her' after shooting an innocent woman. This physical violence is also shown when Eddie resorts to strangling Gutjuk to get information out of him and continuously screaming 'tell us where he is' or 'you know something'. These acts of violence have been kept quiet throughout Australia's history and Johnson aims to illustrate to the audience how even now these acts of violence haven't be resolved. Violence also comes from the use of the gun. When First Nations characters are first seen, the viewers see them through the lens of Travis's gun, indicating the imbalance of power, showing First Nations people as prey and colonist as predators. The gun acts as a symbol for violence and during the film, someone ends up dead every time it is seen. This unlawful act of violence against First Nations people occurred all throughout history and Johnson is able to indicate that they still haven't been resolved.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: TRIAL EXAM: Framework 4: writting…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 95%: Toxic societal expectations breed rules and regulations that govern the schoolyard. You do not sign up. You do…
Toxic societal expectations breed rules and regulations that govern the schoolyard. You do not sign up. You do not consent. Yet, you are shoved into the centre of a crowded arena, obligated to obey an invisible rulebook that you can sense but not quite see. Like most you will not be equipped with the necessary creativity required to face the pack of wolves that wander the halls these faceless bullies: the Power Brokers. This amalgamation of natural predators will attempt to drain the light from you. But imagine if there was a set of rules, a way to play the game, a way to pass through. Well you're in luck, even within this untamed jungle there exists an intricate framework that will assist you in your quest for survival.
Rule #1- Choose Your Alliances Wisely
From the beginning of school, a choice must be made— a choice that cannot be undone without consequence. The early stages of school foster a raging struggle for power and superiority. You will be blind to it at first, choosing a small group of fun friends and making
lasting memories at your best friend’s house, let’s call him John. ‘Race you to the top!’ he’d yell breathless with laughter as you both thunder up the stairs, collapsing in a heap of giggles at the summit. He was always able to create the best games; they were wonderful. ‘We’ll always be mates, yeah?’ you say between gulps of air, and he’d nod with promise.
But inevitably your illusion of free choice begins to unravel. First, watchful eyes, a nudge of your books. Then, the mocking imitation of your voice, laughter morphing into threat, your belongings shifted just enough to remind you they are not truly yours.
Like the ocean’s ceaseless battering of stone, pieces of you will be chipped away, slowly and relentlessly. It seems John wasn’t the right choice for you, your new alliances await.
Rule #2: You Must Earn Respect
Leaving behind the comfort and familiarity of your closest friends is necessary to earn respect. Understand that the essence of creativity lies not in the absence of fear but in stepping forward despite it. You begin to become familiar with the point system they use, a pyramid of schemes and lies, where only the most vicious rise.
THE POINT SYSTEM!
Decension
Extending academic assistance to a peer?
(You’ve marked yourself as a tool, expect more people to use you.) -500 points
Earning high marks through visible effort? (Effort is struggle, struggle shows weakness.) -1000
Associating with those beneath the hierarchy?
(Social positioning is fragile. Proximity to irrelevance is the fastest route to reinheriting it.) -2000
Ascension
Publicly diminishing someone's dignity with a well timed joke?
(To trample on someone else is to assert your own supperiority) +2000
Mocking authority without fear of consequence?
(The ultimate showcase of untouchability. Power is proven by bending rules.) +5000
Eroding someone's confidence over time until they no longer recognise themselves?
(True influence is subtle, deliberate, irreversible and untraceable.) +10,000
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Passage of time
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 85%: The Passage of Time To those waiting in triage. To spend time in a triage is to be sorted and organised,…
The Passage of Time
To those waiting in triage.
To spend time in a triage is to be sorted and organised, objects, occurrences, and injuries can all be organised by urgency. But it could also mean to wait. Waiting for an outcome that may sometimes be painful. It can mean waiting for fate, watching time stand beside you, silent and unhurried.
On a day like any other, my mum collapsed.
My healthy and joyful mum, who was the spring of life in my home, revitalising any room she was in. The same loving mother I had always had, was in a deep slumber, the floor resembling her death bed.
Time felt a blur, hours ticked by like minutes. The rush to the hospital and the emergency room felt like seconds. The patients wandering in and out moved like ramped ambulances lining up and on hold, serving as a sign of what my life was about to become. Slowly, I was placed in triage. A triage of waiting for results, anticipating treatments and appointments, waiting for fate to take its long-drawn-out, unpredictable course.
But this wasn’t the first time I felt stuck in triage.
Back then, in 2021, when I was thirteen and about to embark on a new leaf of my life. High School.
My school was one where the overwhelming Caucasian community was welcoming yet guarded; Where being different meant being a minority, Where the beliefs of the many morally outweighed the truth of one.
In the mirror at home, instead of seeing white Caucasian pigments, my golden olive undertone met my gaze. Instead of prominent, large, round eyes, I saw almond-like epicanthic fold eyes.
At school I was like Greg Heffley dodging the Cheese Touch, doing everything I could to avoid standing out. I laughed at jokes that hurt and softened those parts of my identity just to blend in. Like Greg ditching Rowley to seem cool, I distanced myself from my culture, thinking it could make me more likable. But no matter how hard I tried, I still felt like an outsider.
‘Trying to fit in’ had become second nature, reflexively.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does High Ground depict the lasting…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Stephen Maxwell Johnson’s High Ground depicts the enduring consequences of colonial violence by exploring how…
Stephen Maxwell Johnson’s High Ground depicts the enduring consequences of colonial violence by exploring how trauma, guilt and division continue to shape individuals long after the bloodshed has passed. Set in 1930s Arnhem Land and framed around the legacy of the Gan Gan massacre, the film illustrates that colonial violence is not confined to a single moment in history, but instead survives in memory, identity and intergenerational relationships. Through its focus on the experiences of Gutjuk, Travis and Claire, High Ground reveals that colonial brutality lingers psychologically for Indigenous survivors, morally damages those implicated in the system, and continues to fracture relationships between peoples. Johnson ultimately suggests that without truth, accountability and recognition, the violent foundations of Australia will continue to dictate its future.
High Ground first depicts the lasting impact of colonial violence through the trauma and dislocation that persists within Indigenous memory and identity. The Gan Gan massacre becomes the defining wound of the narrative, as Johnson uses jarring gunfire and still, lingering shots of burning huts to show how violence fractures cultural continuity. For the Yolngu survivors, the trauma remains “a scar on Country,” symbolising the way memory is carried collectively and spiritually. Gutjuk, raised between conflicting worlds, embodies the disruptive consequences of this violence; his fractured identity reflects the destruction of kinship and belonging. Grandfather Dharrpa’s insistence that “we remember” reinforces how memory becomes both a burden and a tool of resistance, refusing erasure. Johnson’s recurring fire imagery serves as a visual metaphor for trauma that cannot be extinguished, suggesting that colonial violence survives in the psyche long after the physical event. Through Indigenous characters who are defined by loss yet anchored by resilience, Johnson demonstrates that the legacy of colonial brutality is intergenerational, shaping identity, culture and memory across time.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: create a personal journey piece based…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 75%: The faint sound of the call to prayer drifts into her ears from a nearby mosque and sends the reminder that…
The faint sound of the call to prayer drifts into her ears from a nearby mosque and sends the reminder that it's time to pray. She rises from the cafe table and starts heading to the mosque with her friends. On the way, she is reminded of her parents and how different life was for them in Australia when they started to be more practising as muslims.
From hour long drives to find halal meats to being looked at with quiet suspicion by strangers around them. Her parents only became practicing muslims after their marriage which made it harder for them to change their ‘normal’ western style lifestyles they were already living. It was a hard and difficult decision but they both knew it was what they wanted, the struggle to adapt their islamic practices into their daily life like growing a beard or putting on the hijab to let their faith reshape the rhythm of their everyday life.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Underneath we are all the same
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 70%: United We Stand Over time, the human race has created many conflicts and confrontations which have best to…
United We Stand
Over time, the human race has created many conflicts and confrontations which have best to separate us as a cohesive whole. Civil war, sexism, homophobia and racism being some of the most notable. The issue of racism is a particularly perplexing one, as it revolves around the idea of hating another person simply due to the colour of their skin, when underneath that skin we are all the same. To further grasp the effects of racism and how it can tear apart lives and communities, the Australian Football League can be analysed as a case study, more specifically Indigenous player Adam Goodes.
Adam Goodes was a highly decorated and respected star of the game, having two Brownlow medals and two premiership victories with his club the Sydney Swans to his name. However, Goodes’ illustrious career was sadly overshadowed by a racism ordeal which unfortunately ended his time in the sport. This particular saga was initiated by a young Collingwood supporter calling out from the crowd and labelling Goodes as an “Ape”. Goodes famously called out this behaviour to a nearby security guard and soon after he left the field as he was too distraught to continue with the match. This stand interrupted some of the racism which lived deep in the sport, however, it also forced the countless fans of the AFL along with all others who had seen the moment somewhere in the media to take a moment of introspection and understand where they stood in the spectrum of racism. Sadly, many people realised in this moment that they were being challenged in their views of the world which caused them to retaliate, united, but standing for all the wrong reasons. This mass retaliation was seen throughout the remainder of Goodes’ career. People claiming that he was a ‘sook’ or that the girl was ‘just a kid, she didn’t know any better’ were commonly reported and promoted in the media. Many believed that Goodes would just sit there and take the backlash and step down from his fight like others had done before, but this could not have been any further from what happened.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: During the Jacobean era, belief in the divine order coexisted with fears of witchcraft, reflecting a society…
During the Jacobean era, belief in the divine order coexisted with fears of witchcraft, reflecting a society anxious about sin, power, and instability. William Shakespeare’s 1606 play ‘Macbeth,’ explores its eponymous protagonist as he succumbs to his own ambition and the intervention of forces. Through his dramatic tragedy, Shakespeare critiques fragility of human ego and the dangers of unchecked ambition, exposing humanity’s ultimate tragedy as allowing noble qualities to be consumed by their own perversion. The witches’ seductive prophecies feed into Macbeth’s dormant ambition, uncovering his repressed desires of becoming king. Moreover, his fragile ego is challenged by Lady Macbeth’s goading at his masculinity, consequently leading him to abandon his humanity in pursuit of personal power. Shakespeare thus presents ‘Macbeth’ as a cautionary tale, warning Jacobean audiences to live a virtuous life by God, for fear of disrupting the natural order.
Macbeth’s tragic downfall is ignited not by ambition itself, but from the way external forces cunningly exploit his vulnerabilities. Shakespeare immediately establishes a world of supernatural disorder through the witches’ entrance amid “thunder and lightning,” using pathetic fallacy to foreshadow the moral chaos soon to engulf Scotland. Their eerie chants, delivered in trochaic tetrameter deliberately invert the play’s dominant iambic rhythm, emphasising their otherworldly and malevolent nature as corrosive agents within the natural order. This celestial disturbance finds its first victim in Macbeth, whose “valiant” façade is unsettled under the weight of their prophecy, awakening his “black and deep desires.” Moreover, the personification of his “horrid image” that “unfix[ed]” his hair emphasises the way temptation unsettles both conscience and reason. By allegorically characterising Macbeth as humanity, Shakespeare exposes the sheer vulnerability of the human morale when tempted by desire, instilling a Jacobean fear: the demonic supernatural actively prey upon those morally frail, corrupting the nobility of humankind. While the witches plant the seeds of ambition, it is Lady Macbeth who cultivates them into grim resolve, beginning her transformation into a “fiend-like queen.” Her challenge, “When you durst do it, then you were a man,” undermines his masculinity and exploits his insecurities. Through her manipulative rhetoric, Jacobean gender roles are inverted, positioning Lady Macbeth as a symbolic threat to the natural patriarchal order itself. In doing so, Shakespeare reflects Jacobean anxieties about gender and authority, illustrating how distorted conceptions of traditional feminity and masculinity can be equally destructive. Shakespeare thus critiques not only the characters, but the cultural values that legitimise violence, unveiling the ultimate tragedy of how societal values and personal insecurities can compel an individual to actively collaborate in the suppression of their own noble virtue.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Johnson explore the long-lasting…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Set in Arnam land, ‘High Ground’ is a post-colonial, western film based on the event of the Gan Gan massacre.…
Set in Arnam land, ‘High Ground’ is a post-colonial, western film based on the event of the Gan Gan massacre. Through this film, director Stephen Maxwell Johnson explores the lasting impact of violence, on both individual parties, and groups, demonstrating how trauma continues through time and generations through the use of camera angles and symbolism. Through the portrayal of the aftermath of a colonial massacre, the film highlights how this foundational act of violence drives separation between Aboriginal people and colonisers, and continues to shape certain characters and communities. Through this post-colonial film, and the techniques used, Johnson underscores how violence never confined to the past, but continues to scar people and communities long after the occurrence.
Through the intentional usage of camera angles and symbols, Johnson portrayed how violence can permanently alter an individual's identity. This is heightened by Baywara, who, in the opening of the film is depicted as an empathetic and peaceful teacher who is connected with his traditions and country as he teaches Gutjuk his totem and dance. However, Johnson starkly contrasts this with Baywara’s characterisation 12 years after the brutal massacre, when he is depicted in the middle of fire and destruction. Johnson's use of a low camera angle and ominous, non-diagetic music portrays Baywara as violent and ominous, highlighting the stark change in character he experienced after the act of violence committed against his family. However, Johnson also portrays Baywara from a distance with his face and features hidden from the audience, implying that he is being consumed by past violence that has wharped his identity, and hence his sense of self and autonomy is in jeopardy. This is further emphasised though Grandfather Dharrpa, who says that Baywara ‘lost his potential’ as a ‘teacher’, conveying that in a response to outside forces as a result of the colonial forces heartlessly murdering his family, Baywara has lost his connection to his cultural identity, and more importantly, to his country. Furthermore, Gulwirri, a young female member in Baywara’s mob, expresses the bitterness and lasting anger she carries from additional violence she has experienced, when she tells Gutjuk that ‘your anger is all you have.’ Her words demonstrate how the trauma that follows her as a result of the violence she has endured has consumed her identity, leaving anger as her primary connection to the past.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "But I am the master of my own fate. I…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: "But I am the master of my own fate. I must find the truth". How does Oedipus the King examine the illusion of…
"But I am the master of my own fate.
I must find the truth".
How does Oedipus the King examine the illusion of control.
The concept of human agency is at the heart of Sophocles' cathartic tragedy, 'Oedipus the King', which magnifies the importance of divine rule. Following the play's eponymous character, on his unflinching quest for the truth, Sophocles contends that ultimately one does not exercise direction or restraint over their lives and that it is an illusion. Sophocles' employs dramatic irony to showcase the lack of human agency that mortals posess, prompting his progressive human-reasoning based viewers to critique their reliance on human logic. Natural references are employed by the playwright to underscore the arbitrary nature of the gods, maintaining the notion that the immortals hold all power. Furthermore, Sophocles structures the play in a circular manner to examine the futility of human action on the path to a pre-determined fate. Ultimately, a state of ignorance provides a false impression of control showcasing the futility of human agency.
Sophocles employs dramatic irony throughout the play to examine the illusion of agency. Sophocles characterises Oedipus early on through his claim in which he exclaims that "I stopped the Sphinx! With no help from the birds, the flight of my own intelligence hit the mark". The ironic use of the bird motif which is a direct reference to the divine rule, and the perceived dominance of human logic and reasoning over divine authority. The playwright is showcasing to his progressive audience through the over-confidence of Oedipus that the perceived ability of control in one's life is deceitful and false, thus prompting his 5th BCE audience to reflect on their own agency. In a similar manner, Sophocles explores the notion that human achievement and status are not dictated by wilful human actions and instead the divine when Oedipus wrongfully boasts in the prologue that he is the "Land's avenger" and "Apollo's champion too". The irony of a mortal being believing that they independently controlled their path to an achievement, encourages the Athenian audience to critique their reliance on humans and pay more reverence towards the gods. Furthermore, the playwright employs dramatic irony by utilising the light and blindness motif when Oedipus confidently states that "You can't hurt me or anyone else who sees the light". In this way the audience understands that Oedipus is truly "blind to the corruption" of his own life. Thus Sophocles is pursuing the notion that regardless of ones believed sight and control they are ultimately blind, and have no control over their lives.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “Nobody listens anymore.” How important is…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: In his 1953 novel, Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury depicts a dystopian society where government control over…
In his 1953 novel, Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury depicts a dystopian society where government control over communication has rendered the people powerless. While it is an exaggerated metaphor warning his post-war readers of the dangers of consumerism and technological advancement, there are lessons for modern readers. Personally, I found it rather uncanny the parallels that can be drawn with my own world. In the text, Bradbury condemns the villainous way the government stifles authentic and meaningful communication, in order to maintain control. While our own democratic society isn’t this extreme, we still see evidence of our own leaders cheating people of the truth in order to control a narrative that suits their agenda. Bradbury celebrates the power of honest and authentic communication to strengthen family cohesion and by extension, create a more wholesome society. In our own country where screens outnumber people 2:1, there is a genuine temptation to ignore the people we love, opting for screen time instead. Audiences of Fahrenheit 451 are urged to recognise the strength of books to communicate ideas and build thinking, enlightened individuals. Fortunately, we have not lost this understanding to the same extent as the deprived citizens in the novel, but we do tread a dangerous path if social media, gaming and video streaming services continue to suck our time, replacing the time once spent immersed in books. If we lose our interest in books, we also lose the diversity of messages they bring. Overall, Bradbury reinforces the importance of communication. He condemns government efforts to block communication, whilst celebrating those who understand the power of open, two way communication to build a wholesome society.
History has shown that an ignorant society can fall victim to extremist ideas and be easily manipulated by governments. Having a populace with little understanding of critical issues which directly affect them is an attractive opportunity for more corrupt ruling parties to present an alternative narrative under the disguise of ‘public safety’ or to ‘clarify’ a complex issue by simplifying it to their own advantage. Keeping the population in a heightened state of alarm allows the government
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: The fatal flaw in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: During the Jacobean era, belief in divine order coexisted with fears of witchcraft and rebellion, reflecting a…
During the Jacobean era, belief in divine order coexisted with fears of witchcraft and rebellion, reflecting a society anxious about sin, power and instability. William Shakespeare’s 1606 play 'Macbeth', explores its eponymous protagonist succumbing to his own ambition and the intervention of otherworldly forces. Through his dramatic tragedy, Shakespeare critiques the corruptive influence of power, fragility of human ego, and the dangers of unchecked ambition, suggesting that ambition alone is insufficient to explain Macbeth’s downfall. The witches' seductive prophecies feed into Macbeth's dormant ambition, contributing to his repressed desires of becoming king. Moreover, his fragile ego is challenged by Lady Macbeth's goading at his masculinity, consequently leading him to abandon moral integrity in the pursuit of personal power. Shakespeare thus presents Macbeth as a cautionary tale, warning Jacobean audiences of the chaos that ensues when individuals disrupt the established order.
Macbeth’s tragic downfall stems not from ambition itself, but from the way external forces cunningly exploit this latent flaw. Through pathetic fallacy, Shakespeare immediately establishes the supernatural disorder through the witches’ entrance amid “thunder and lightning” foreshadowing both the physical and moral chaos about to engulf Scotland. This celestial wrath finds its first victim in Macbeth, whose “valiant” façade is fractured by their prophecy of him becoming “king hereafter,” awakening his “black and deep desires.” The witches’ chant in trochaic tetrameter further emphasises their otherworldly and malevolent nature, highlighting the supernatural as both alluring and corrosive. Moreover, the personification of Macbeth’s “horrid image” that “unfix[ed]” his hair emphasises the way temptation unsettles both conscience and reason. By portraying him as an allegory for humanity, Shakespeare suggests that it is not simply action but thought itself that can be corrupted, exposing the vulnerability of human imagination when tempted by desire. Here, a core Jacobean fear is instilled: that the demonic supernatural actively prey upon the morally frail through temptation, disrupting the social order. Macbceth’s malleability is emphasised, demonstrating how his virtue is susceptible to external pressure. While the witches plant the seeds of ambition, it is Lady Macbeth who transforms temptation into resolve. Her challenge, “When you durst do it, then you were a man,” undermines his masculinity and exploits his insecurities. Through her manipulative rhetoric, Jacobean gender roles are inverted, positioning Lady Macbeth as a symbolic threat to the natural patriarchal order itself. In doing so, Shakespeare reflects Jacobean anxieties about gender and authority, illustrating how distorted conceptions of traditional feminity and masculinity can be equally destructive. By Shakespeare thus critiques not simply the characters, but the cultural values that legitimise violence, showing how pressures to perform manhood can fatally erode moral restraint. cy.XX Thus, ambition is shown to be fatal only when combined with Macbeth’s insecurity and weakness, indicating that it alone cannot fully account for his downfall.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: relate to country
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 85%: Host: Welcome to …, a podcast presented by Red Cross Australia’s initiative, Support for Asylum Seekers in…
Host:
Welcome to …, a podcast presented by Red Cross Australia’s initiative, Support for Asylum Seekers in Australia.
Tonight, we listen to three stories, not isolated, but connected, exploring how culture, voice, and memory shape what it means to belong.
We begin with Farah, who takes us back to the moment Australia first became her possible home.
Farah (creative):
I was nine when I pressed my cheek against that magical window. The glass hummed cold against my skin, as if the sky itself breathed. Below, clouds peeled back to reveal a land of copper and violet, Uluru, a sleeping giant, ancient and steady, its silence older than memory.
Sydney arrived in waves; salt, sunlight, wind, and cicadas. The air smelled of sea and asphalt, sharp with eucalyptus and rain. Eucalypts stood like watchful flames, lorikeets streaked the sky with green and fire, and kangaroos grazed at the edges of suburbs, their ears twitching at passing cars. Heat shimmered over sandstone paths, ants carried golden dust along fallen wattle petals, and fruit bats whispered from fig trees as stars pricked the night.
Somalia was different. Its earth beat red and restless, dust clinging to bare feet, goats bleating through sun and spice. There, the heat cracked and hissed; here, it rolled and murmured like a tide. Both lands demanded respect, one through its harshness, the other through its quiet pull.
Yet this new country spoke in echoes of home, the red of Uluru recalling Somalia’s soil, the wind through gum leaves humming the same patient rhythm of life. Two skies folded into one heartbeat. Between magpies’ cries and the hush of waves, I felt it listening. Australia whispered: you can belong here too.
Host:
Next up, Dinesh! Your experience reminds us that even when you arrive, you can be made to feel like you are just ‘passing through’.
Dinesh (informative)
When I arrived in 1999 by boat, Australia’s migration system was still finding its balance, welcoming new citizens while expecting assimilation. Many migrants, like me, came with qualifications unrecognised, forced into underqualified work, stacking shelves, driving taxis, cleaning offices, waiting for a chance to prove ourselves.
Discrimination wasn’t always direct, but it was persistent. Questions like “Where are you really from?” reminded us that for some, we would always be seen as visitors, that our belonging could never be taken for granted.
Language barriers added to the challenge. Even fluent speakers stumbled over slang or workplace nuances,
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Creating text - Play
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 70%: The Chalk Line Morning light fractured through the blinds, carving pale stripes across the living room floor.…
The Chalk Line
Morning light fractured through the blinds, carving pale stripes across the living room floor. They looked almost like chalk lines — uneven, fading, waiting to be crossed.
Mia stood at the sink, watching her daughter in the backyard. The little girl spun barefoot in the grass, laughter spilling into the air — pure, unrestrained.
“Come play with me, Mum!”
The words landed softly, tugging at something deep within her — something she hadn’t touched in years.
She smiled faintly. “In a minute, sweetheart.”
But she didn’t move.
xxxx
There was a time when play came easily.
When she was ten, summer days stretched endlessly — the driveway covered in hopscotch grids and castles traced in chalk. Her brother, Tom, would shout, “Bet you can’t beat me!” and she’d leap across the squares, hair flying, knees scraped.
Their mother would call from the kitchen window, apron dusted with flour. “Dinner time!”
“Five more minutes!” Mia would yell back. Her mother always gave her those five minutes.
Those minutes were freedom — sunlight and laughter stitched into something sacred.
Now, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d lost track of time.
xxxx
The kettle hissed. The clock blinked 7:30. There were emails waiting, laundry half-folded, lunchboxes drying by the sink.
“Mum! Draw with me!” her daughter called again.
Mia glanced out. A box of chalk lay open on the concrete — pink, blue, yellow — colours that once stained her own fingers.
For years she’d been tracing her own invisible chalk line — between what needed to be done and what was
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: At what cost "if not now, when?" -…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 80%: Indonesia’s corruption must be stopped There is no cost we should have to settle for Amidst the gun violence,…
Indonesia’s corruption must be stopped
There is no cost we should have to settle for
Amidst the gun violence, the bombings and the countless lives destroyed by the hands of corrupt political ‘leaders’, it's no wonder why Indonesians are protesting in hope to restore the country to the beautiful nation they dream of.
I am eternally grateful to my parents who migrated from Indonesia and decided to leave the only home they’ve ever known and start anew in a foreign country. Their sacrifice led to countless opportunities for me and my sister to experience life without having to worry about terrorist attacks in the streets, our safety going to school or getting sick from just sucking in the highly polluted air. Living in Australia, I know that I will graduate high school and I know I will go to university, I will get a diploma and I will have a sustainable job and I will provide the same opportunities for my own children. However back home in the streets of Jakarta, for most kids, this dream is so unattainable they would be lucky to even complete middle school. And so every time I visit the country my heart breaks for the countless individuals sleeping on the streets, having no food or proper roofing over their heads. The one thing you have to know about Indonesia is that the rich get richer and the poor are kept so far down below, you’d think we were in a different country. The stark difference between the fashionable elitists and those living in the slums will leave you stunned as it did to countless Indonesians. Enraged for having been made a fool from the poor governance of their so called “elected” leaders, many have decided to take a stance and fight for their well-deserved rights. The system has suppressed them for way too long.
Google tells us that a government is a group of people who make and enforce laws for the benefit of a country, state or community. They do not take from their hard working citizens and disperse the goods of the country for themselves. They do not ignore and openly support the economic rift between the upper wealthy and those in poverty. The government of Indonesia which has promised time and time again to protect, support and serve their people has robbed them clean.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “Look at this street. All cardboard, all…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Billy Wilder’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ unveils Hollywood as a paradoxical realm where glamour masks moral decay and…
Billy Wilder’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ unveils Hollywood as a paradoxical realm where glamour masks moral decay and delusion shrouds reality. Through the tragic downfall of Norma Desmond and Joe Gillis, Wilder critiques the film industry’s exploitative nature, portraying it as both a seductive fantasy and a corrosive force. The street’s veneer of “cardboard” superficiality, described by Betty, encapsulates Hollywood’s duality: a world constructed on illusion that dazzles even as it destroys. Wilder makes use of gothic symbolism, metatextual references, and dramatic irony to argue that Hollywood’s allure lies precisely in its ability to commodify dreams, trapping individuals in a cycle of self-deception.
Wilder juxtaposes Hollywood’s glittering façade with images of decay to underscore its moral hollowness. Norma’s mansion, a “great big white elephant of a place”, becomes a gothic tomb symbolizing the industry’s discarded history. Its overgrown greenery and elaborate interiors cluttered with dust and velvet drapings reflect her stagnation, while the drained swimming pool, later filled to frame Joe’s corpse, foreshadows the fatal consequences of Hollywood’s false promises. The mansion’s deterioration mirrors Norma’s fractured psyche, as she clings to her delusional belief that “stars are ageless”. Wilder’s dialogue—such as Norma declaring her iconic line, “I am big. It’s the pictures that got small”—ironically highlights her pridefulness while falling victim to an industry that discards artists once their fame begins to dwindle. Thus, the setting becomes a metaphor for Hollywood’s toxic allure: it enthralls with grandeur but leaves its victims entombed in the past.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Rainbow’s End warns of the limitations of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Rainbow’s End is a contemporary Indigenous play written by Muruwari woman Jane Harrison, set in 1950s rural…
Rainbow’s End is a contemporary Indigenous play written by Muruwari woman Jane Harrison, set in 1950s rural Victoria, which highlights the experiences of a three-generational family of Aboriginal women. Through the Dear family’s struggles and triumphs, Harrison illustrates how the failure to see from another’s perspective promotes systemic inequality and reinforces the damaging impacts of colonisation. The play reveals how racism, exclusion, and ignorance prevent meaningful understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, leading to discrimination, fractured relationships, and damaged identities. However, Harrison also presents glimpses of hope through individuals who are willing to change and embrace new perspectives. In doing so, the playwright compels contemporary audiences to reflect on whether society has truly moved beyond the blindness of colonialist thinking.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: FRAMEWORK OF IDEAS: country. TITLE:…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 70%: ➼ They say, "country remembers". Not in words, but in symphonic sound and the weight of humming air. ➼ As I…
➼ They say, "country remembers". Not in words, but in symphonic sound and the weight of humming air.
➼ As I trudged on, creating deep footprints on tenacious soil, I felt like I was 8 again, sauntering through the jungle that was Hulu Langat.
➼ Precious memories, from the tap of my childhood, trickled into my brain: grabbing durians from tall trees during the day, afraid of monsters hiding behind them at night, cowering under my silk-thin blanket when the thunderstorms flashed the shadows of those monsters.
➼ "My country," I thought out loud, "my life".
➼ GRRRRMMMBBBLLL... This humming, grey air turned into the oh-so-familiar scent of impending rain; deeply aromatic, yet laced with a melancholy that clung, like memory itself, to my skin.
➼ 20 now, I still smiled at every blooming orchid, and banana hanging desperately on a tree that made the Malaysian countryside uniquely beautiful.
➼ A sudden curious scent engulfed me, imploring me closer to a particular banana tree.
➼ Its colour was deeper than the rest. Richer.
➼ Just as I used to, I jumped on the closest branch - my broad, uncertain hands almost crushing the thin branch.
➼ Hoisting my body upward was a clumsy effort, lacking the easy grace I remembered.
➼ The distinct memory, from my old life, of grabbing spiky durians from tall, menacing trees further lit my smile, however. It motivated me to get my now pudgy frame up and standing on the next branch up.
➼ I almost slipped. Though nobody was around to see, embarrassment washed over me as I had gotten my white T-shirt stuck to a nearby branch.
➼ A sudden lurch. Peeling away my tee from the rough branch, I felt it unstick from my sweat-filled back. It was a warm feeling. Nostalgic.