VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Poor Strangers… They have so much to be…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Shirley Jackson’s ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’, is a 1962 gothic novel which presents a bleak exploration…
Shirley Jackson’s ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’, is a 1962 gothic novel which presents a bleak exploration of the social dynamics present within Cold War America, by exploring themes of isolation, animosity and revenge. Throughout the novel, Jackson contends that while fear can be partially justified through upbringing and protection, ultimately its presence wrongfully excuses bad acts which becomes unproductive for society. During ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’ Jackson highlights how fear can be justified through an individual's upbringing and lack of exposure. Similarly, she posits that anxiety is multifaceted in its ability to both protect an individual but simultaneously induce isolation. Finally, Jackson explores how irrespective of its benefits, fear rationalises harmful acts which are ultimately damaging to society. This exploration of the varied justifications for fear enables Jackson to critique the atmosphere of anxiety and animosity cultivated during Senator McCarthy’s red scare, pronouncing to her readers the dangers behind curating an environment of hostility.
Throughout ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’ Jackson compassionately portrays how one’s fear can be a product of their upbringing. Exploring an idealised vision for domesticity and compliance, Jackson employs Constance as the mouthpiece for patriarchal values which infect the Blackwood house. Forever fearful of not “doing [her] duty”, Jackson symbolically enlists the presence of food, and sanctified practice of cooking, to highlight what was most “precious to Constance”. Her fear of straying from these domestic duties is indicative of the patriarchal manner enforced under John Blackwood, a “very selfish man”. The animosity which lingers throughout the house, has its pernicious legacy displayed through Constance's prevailing desire to fulfil her domestic role. Introducing Charles to the lives of the Blackwood sisters, Jackson subverts the traditional ideal of the nuclear family revealing Constance's desire to “wear mothers pearls” and adopt a makeshift family with Charles. It is through this macabre, incestual fantasy, that Jackson reveals how Constance’s fear of independence can be justified as a byproduct of her dictatorial upbringing. A further display of fear’s malevolent effects, Jackson warily reveals the cruelty of the village children who taunt Merricat with repeated chants of “down in the boneyard ten feet deep”. While Jackson's use of first person narration does not encourage the reader to feel remorse towards the children's malicious motif, they nevertheless present readers with a warning to the dangers of being brought up within an environment of fear. Sadistically toying with the psyche of the Blackwood sisters, Jackson encourages a less charitable exploration of fear’s effects. Whilst the children themselves appear emboldened through their taunts, and lacking in heed for their mothers dull directive to not “call the lady names”, Jackson asserts that their fervent provocations are a result of the fearful upbringing instilled in them by their parents. It is through this exploration of Constance and the children's varied responses to fear, that Jackson laments the ways fear can be justified through an individual's enclosed upbringing.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Family is more important than fury in 'The…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Set on a deserted island, the Tempest was a play written by William Shakespeare during the Jacobean era exploring…
Set on a deserted island, the Tempest was a play written by William Shakespeare during the Jacobean era exploring the relationship between anger and human connections. While the play suggests that reconciliation and establishing strong family bonds are more meaningful than vengeance, Shakespeare also emphasises the potential of fury as a force to demand justice in the face of adversity. By utilising various family relationships, Shakespeare exemplifies the stability and support that they can provide to one's life in order to create everlasting lasting peace. Additionally, through highlighting the significant impact that forgiveness has on the longevity of relationships, Shakespeare accentuates how reconciliation can repair broken bonds. However, Shakespeare validates the presence of fury in certain circumstances such as betrayal in order to seek true justice.
Indicating that familial relationships create enduring tranquillity in one’s life, Shakespeare underscores the strength of family bonds and the importance of renouncing fury. Initially, Prospero reveals that he has “done nothing but in care of” Miranda, suggesting that he has done so in order to give her a better life, outside the confines of the island. Thus, through scrutinising the Jacobean society’s inclination toward a patriarchal system, Shakespeare alludes that parental guidance rooted in love rather than rage or control, fosters abiding peace. Furthermore, Ferdinand’s “most rare affections” reveals the transformative powers of love, highlighting how it enabled Ferdinand to overcome the death of his father and focus on the positive aspects of his situation. Therefore, Shakespeare presents familial love as a catalyst for peace, challenging the Jacobean norms of rigid male dominance over women, suggesting that it inhibits the formation of lasting bonds. By alluding that kinships is the root of the tranquillity in one’s life, Shakespeare cautions against falling into the trap of fury as it can destroy everything that a person loves.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Stephen Maxwell Johnson reveal…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: How does Stephen Maxwell Johnson reveal the tragic consequences of unchecked power? Stephen Johnson’s 2020 film,…
How does Stephen Maxwell Johnson reveal the tragic consequences of unchecked power?
Stephen Johnson’s 2020 film, ‘High Ground’, tells the story of the violent realities of frontier colonialism, made in collaboration with Indigenous voices to show the complexities that it had on Australia and its history. Johnson contends that the concept of unchecked power is complex and has the ability to result in catastrophic ramifications. He presents colonial power, how indigenous law, British law clash and the impacts of the power of the gun.
Johnson reveals the intricacies of unchallenged colonial power and how it impacts different groups within the film. Johnson shines a light on the major influence that colonisers have on First Nations people and the ability to control them with this power. This includes the ability for white people to change and adapt the culture of Indigenous characters throughout the missions in Arnhem Land. This can be seen when Indigenous characters on the mission are forced to attend church and are obliged to learn and take on this new religion by Claire and John. In this scene we can see a makeshift church with many Indigenous characters in attendance, but by their facial expressions, they seem confused, uncomfortable or uneasy with this change to their belief system. During this sermon John delivers a reading from Isaiah “what sorrow for you who buy house after house and field after field until everyone is evicted and you live alone in the land.” The irony of this biblical warning lies in its delivery, as it is used by colonisers who are actively displacing Indigenous people from their land. This change in religion has led to many consequences now into modern day Australia as it was able to contribute to the loss of culture for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard explores…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: A part of his renowned and established oeuvre, Billy Wilder's ghoulish and dark noir 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950)…
A part of his renowned and established oeuvre, Billy Wilder's ghoulish and dark noir 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) explores the paradigm shift in the Hollywood community. In a circular and unchronological format, the film follows protagonist Joe Gillis in his aspirations into the bestowed Hollywood industry, with Wilder forming a critique of the dangers and vast consequences of unrealistic hopes. Initially, Wilder explores the loss of independence as result of prioritising future profits. Wilder then directs his attention to condemn and critique the delusions which arise from impossible dreams. Following this, Wilder supports the correlation between truth and hope, signifying the need for realism within individual's pursuit of success.
Initially, Wilder introduces the loss of agency and individuality as result of risks. Characterised through protagonist Joe Gillis, Wilder displays to traditional and contemporary audience's the dangers associated with risking one's career for self-profit. Introduced through the clear mise en scene of Joe's apartment, Wilder highlights to the audience the difficulties present in Joe's life. Through Wilder's utilisation of a mid-shot as Joe writes on his type-writer on his bed, paired with his narration of writing "B-grade" films, the audience is positioned to understand Hollywood's mistreatment of Joe. Furthermore, Joe's narration stating he left his "truth telling job" for his desires to be apart of Hollywood's society subtly hints to the viewership his passion for writing, risking his ambitions. However, as Joe discovers the "big white elephant" of Norma's house, Wilder builds upon Joe's characterisation, illustrating him to prioritise wealth over passion. Through the subtle incorporation of Joe stating he "[is] expensive", the audience is able to identify Joe's true priority's, not writing for interest but instead because he "wanted the dough." Signifying his contrast and change, Wilder cements Joe's loss of independence as consequence of his initial ambitions when Betty arrives at the "grim sunset castle". Through choosing the "bowling alley" over Betty's offer of "if you love me," Wilder illustrates Joe's loss of independence and individuality as the film progressed. In doing this, Wilder emphasises the notion that Joe prioritised his monetary wealth over his agency, caused as a consequence of his lust for success as result of his failed ambitions.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Title - Belonging, Stimulus "landscape…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 75%: Creative Piece Belonging. A swollen hole of emptiness sits on my chest. I carry the weight of a life half…
Creative Piece
Belonging.
A swollen hole of emptiness sits on my chest.
I carry the weight of a life half lived. Family, friends, children all gone.
My only place of partial belonging, with the homeless community I currently reside.
I now sleep under billboards that promise wealth, beneath the glow of people that forgot what hunger feels like.
Society keeps spinning and I stay still.
They tell me to contribute to work, to leave history on this urban landscape, yet what have they ever given me?
I used to whisper to myself: What's the world for you if you can't make it the way you want it? I still don't have an answer. I don't know if I'll ever truly belong.
*
They call me a leader. The world is in my hands, or at least in my portfolio.
I build, I rule, I control. I've contributed to the history of landscape in the city in steel, glass, and tax invoices.
Guilt? No, guilt is for those who can afford to feel small. I built my empire on precision and ambition. People
call it greed, I call it drive.
I remember him only vaguely, a figure at the edge of the Traffic Light sat directly under a Billboard, all a part of the infustructure I helped create. I drove past him most mornings on a stain on an otherwise polished landscape.
*
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Prompt: To what extent does Sunset…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950) is both a glittering satire and a haunting tragedy — a portrait of Hollywood…
Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950) is both a glittering satire and a haunting tragedy — a portrait of Hollywood as an industry that devours its own creations. Through the figure of Norma Desmond, Wilder constructs a woman trapped between grandeur and decay, whose delusion is both self-inflicted and socially manufactured. While Wilder’s blackly comic tone often renders Norma grotesque, his direction and Gloria Swanson’s performance evoke pity for her loneliness and the cruelty of a system that worships youth and abandons its idols. Sunset Boulevard ultimately compels us to feel both horror and compassion, revealing how a culture obsessed with image destroys those it once adored.
From her first appearance, Wilder invites the viewer to oscillate between fascination and pity. The camera’s slow tracking shot through her shadow-filled mansion introduces Norma as a relic of silent-era glamour, surrounded by her own image — portraits, film reels, and a pet monkey entombed in death. The decaying setting externalises her inner collapse; her world is literally rotting under the weight of nostalgia. Yet, Wilder’s choice to light her face with soft, diffused close-ups recalls silent cinema’s romantic lensing, granting her a fragile dignity amid ruin. When Norma declares, “I am big — it’s the pictures that got small,” her defiance reveals both ego and desperation. Wilder’s irony is double-edged: while the line exposes her delusion, it also condemns an industry that has, indeed, “shrunk” in its capacity for sincerity and artistry. Thus, sympathy arises not from her denial of reality, but from the truth embedded in her delusion.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In rainbows end, characters do not have…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: 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., 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: Section A- Although the end is tragic,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Section A- Although the end is tragic, there is still kindness and generosity to be seen in Sunset Boulevard. Do…
Section A- Although the end is tragic, there is still kindness and generosity to be seen in Sunset Boulevard. Do you agree?
Despite the backdrop of corruption in Hollywood, Billy Wilder's acerbic 1950 film Sunset Boulevard suggests that a kinder Hollywood can exist, through fleeting and momentary. Set during the rise of the American Dream and consumerism, in a film industry succeeding the silent film era, Sunset Boulevard is a monochromatic, gothic film noir film that exposes the duplicity of Hollywood, whilst also unveiling a brighter, more compassionate side of the industry. Wilder explores the unexpected kindness displayed by the film's antihero towards a bygone star, in addition to the kindness shown by Max von Mayerling, through his humble service to the Hollywood star, Norma Desmond. Finally, Wilder portrays rare generosity and kindness in Hollywood through the generous lives of Artie and Betty, who through their determination and dedication to their craft, become role models for a young generation of Hollywood aspirants.
Despite the mendacious nature of their relationship, the kindness from a place of gratitude shown by the antihero in the film is exemplar of Wilder’s proposition that positivity and hope can exist in Sunset Boulevard. This is importantly reflected after their initial disagreements in Desmond's New Year's Eve Party. Joe Gillis's departure from the hermetic mansion of Norma Desmond, followed by his eventual realisation of Norma's suicide attempt through cutting her wrists, results in his journey back to the mansion housing a person who had previously trapped him like the ''cigarette contraption'' on her ''finger'', preventing him from encountering other people and experiencing the real world outside. His stroke of kindness to the “only person who has ever been kind to [him]” in travelling back to ensure the welfare of the ex-star, is unnatural in a Hollywood that so often gives useless, bygone stars "the brush”, relegating them to the shadows and into oblivion. His gratitude and compassion for the emotionally vulnerable and manipulated Norma, shows the humane, grateful side of Gillis, where genuine appreciation for those who cared for him is somewhat shown. Thus, Wilder reveals the possibility of kindness in a dark, mendacious industry where individuals strive to succeed at the expense of others. Moreover, in his final, fatal departure from Desmond's mansion, his rare, bold kindness in revealing the blatant truth that Hollywood had rejected her for the second time, he removed the facade of lies that had surrounded her, perpetuated by the men deemed trustworthy- Gillis, Max and other directors of the industry. Despite his tragic end in the pool of Norma's mansion, Joe's truthful response backfired, however, resulting in a more delusional Norma and Gillis's eventual murder. Thus, Wilder posits that although Hollywood ultimately is a dark mendacious industry, with individuals who manipulate others for the sake of fame, he propounds that kindness and generosity, although fleeting, can be observed in Hollywood.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: The confusion between what is real and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: Emerging from the civil war la Violencia, Gabriel Garcia Marquez explores the complexities of truth and memory in…
Emerging from the civil war la Violencia, Gabriel Garcia Marquez explores the complexities of truth and memory in the recollection of the hours after and preceding the brutal murder of Santiago Nasar, 27 years after his death. Borrowing journalistic conventions, Marquez postulates the idea of confusion as stemming from the incoherency in the narrator's investigation as well as its self-serving nature, alluding to a more sinister reasoning behind its purpose. However, Marquez posits that the ambiguity steeped in the reconstruction, is not the result of an unreliable narrator but of the natural fallibility of memory in distinguishing truth from lies
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: in high ground a desire for control is the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: control to influence institutions and land dispossession act as a microcosm for Australian colonial history,…
control to influence institutions and land dispossession act as a microcosm for Australian colonial history, extending this to contemporary Australian viewers to reflect upon a history constructed by manipulation, and analyse a present society oblivious to discrete methods belittling Aboriginal peoples.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Isolation is a necessary protection for…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: The Blackwood sisters cling to a facade of delusion, in doing so Jackson highlights the effect of their isolation…
The Blackwood sisters cling to a facade of delusion, in doing so Jackson highlights the effect of their isolation psychologically. Jackson creates a biased narrative in Merricat’s perspective as an 18 year old girl who wishes she ‘were born a werewolf’, in a society where being different led to rumours and allegations. Merricats rigid structural routine of only shopping on ‘Monday and Friday’, are considered ‘bad days’ and contextualise how much Merricat struggles socialing with the villagers. In doing so Jackson critiques the patriarchal views of what was expected of women in a post-war American society in the 1960s. Jacksons contrast against the two sisters highlight what was expected of women and the effects of being an ‘outsider’. Merricats consistent references to ‘I wish i were on the moon’, when any circumstance did not go her way, showcase how stuck she was in her delusions to
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ii. “I dreamed that he came… but then I…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Shirley Jackson’s novella ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle.’ delves into the life of a high class family that…
Shirley Jackson’s novella ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle.’ delves into the life of a high class family that are ostracised within their community post family tragedy. Capitalising on the backdrop of 1950s post-war America, Jackson draws upon gothic conventions, symbolism and unique narrator voice to capture the normalcy of adversity in daily life. Jackson explores the human tendency to evade threats by attempts to escape reality through delusion, although this can contribute to more detriment. Overall, this is revealed through the human tendency to retreat into fantasy and refusal to confront past trauma which can be unsuccessful and build anguish, whilst alternatively exploring how escaping reality can be successful if it's the last resort for survival.
Jackson conveys how the human tendency to retreat into fantasy and delusion when confronted with a threat can be unsuccessful as it is a temporary solution. The townspeople are portrayed as cruel, malicious people in which they mock Merricat with their sing-song chants “Merricat, said Connie, would you like a cup of tea?” conveying the town's hatred for the Blackwood sisters as they torment the girls. This rhyme, along with the constant attacks towards the Blackwood sisters act as a catalyst for Merricat's avoidance and disdain of the village where she associates the stores with ‘burning black painful rot that ate away from the inside’, stating that she wishes she could ‘..walk home across the sky instead of through the village…’, hinting at delusion and a deranged mind. Jackson's portrayal of Merricat’s dreamlike lens on the world is further explored through her likings of ‘fairy tales’, reflecting Merricat’s desire to escape from reality, allowing her mind to temporarily disengage from her struggles. Merricat’s method of retreat rather than direct confrontation results in a cycle of unorthodox fantasies, where she constantly references her imaginary sanctum on ‘the moon’, dismissing the existence of her present issues and withstanding proper resolve. Overall, Jackson conveys that in the face of adversity, individuals may turn towards unconventional methods of coping such as escapism from reality for temporary relief.
Furthermore, Jackson articulates that refusal to confront past trauma can be self destructive to one's psychological sanctum in the long run. The text explores Merricat's navigation of grief and life post family tragedy, ironically which she rarely acknowledges. This irony suggests
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “He always wanted a pool. Well, in the end…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: The film “Sunset Boulevard directed by Billy Wilder explores how shift from silent films to talkies affect the life…
The film “Sunset Boulevard directed by Billy Wilder explores how shift from silent films to talkies affect the life and career of many stars and real price of ambition that can override people’ decision. For one, Billy Wilder demonstrates that ambition makes you exploiter and needs you to be exploiter. Additionally, Billy Wilder demonstrates the real price of excessive pride through Norma’s character which was delusional and isolation. Furthermore, loss of identity is the true price of ambition. Furthermore, loss of identity is the true price of ambition.
For one, Billy Wilder demonstrates that ambition makes you exploiter and needs you to be exploiter to achieve it which is supported by the character of Joe in the film. Billy Wilder portrays character of Joe as exploiter to reveal the real price of ambition. At the beginning of the movie, it was supported by the narration of Joe “he always wanted a pool” which reflect the selfishness of Joe for his ambition, as “pool” represent wealth and the lifestyle of people being part of Hollywood and Joe was struggling in Hollywood and was about to be separated from the Hollywood that he did not want for which he was doing his best to survive in Hollywood. Joe's willingness to exploit others is evident when he narrated ‘time had come to take a little advantage of' when going to Sheldrick office that reveal the dark side of the Hollywood and people in Hollywood. People in Hollywood support each other and are with each other till the time they benefit from each other such as Joe, he always take advantage of others to have fame which symbolize that actual cost of achieving ambition is being selfish and taking advantage of others whether they do the same or not, it is one of the needs for getting your ambition in life and Hollywood.
Additionally, Billy Wilder demonstrates
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In The Hate U Give, the characters’…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Angie Thomas illustrates poverty’s role in the cycle of crime in *The Hate U Give (THUG)*, and the difficulty of…
Angie Thomas illustrates poverty’s role in the cycle of crime in *The Hate U Give (THUG)*, and the difficulty of escaping it. Utilising Starr Carter’s first-person narration, Thomas navigates Garden Heights, an embodiment of African American communities, reflecting the role of drugs and poverty in the cycle of crime. Through the themes of police brutality, the author provides a different perspective of crime, suggesting that fear and control by law enforcement is another contributing factor to the cycle. However, Thomas suggests that with support from a community, it is possible to overcome the circumstances of crime. *THUG* serves as a modern piece strengthening the black lives matter movement, and encouraging those trapped in a cycle of crime to spread resistance.
Depicted as a community where crime, specifically drugs, are viewed as a necessity, Garden Heights provides insight into the nature of poverty and the cycle of crime. Whilst grappling with the contradiction of Khalil selling drugs despite their role in his youth, Starr expresses-“how could he sell the very stuff that took his momma from him?”. The comment highlights the tragic reality of Khalil being forced into the trade that led to his mother’s downfall, a result of his impoverished childhood, and an involuntary event that underscores the cycle of crime in Garden Heights. Starr continues: “did he realise he was taking somebody else’s momma from them?”. The repetition of the word “momma” and “taking” further emphasise the cycle of drugs- from Khalil’s “momma” to the next, drugs keep “taking” from Garden Heights. As Starr later reflects, “you have the Khalils, who think they need to sell drugs to survive” and “the Brendas who think they need drugs to survive”. The pluralisation of “Khalil” and “Brenda” underlines the fact that Khalil is not isolated in his situation, and that his circumstances are prevalent across black communities. Furthermore, “survive” highlights the perceived necessity of drugs within marginalised communities. Starr states that “Drugs come from somewhere, and they’re “destroying our community”. Utilising the verb ”destroying”, the author characterises drugs as a catalyst for violent crime in garden heights. Through portraying Garden Heights as a symbolic representation of Black communities, Thomas likens drugs to a powerful cycle, and a catalyst to crime and poverty.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Our local gym analysis
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 82.5%: As a result of a recent council decision, the fitness centre “Our Local Gym” will be decommissioned, with…
As a result of a recent council decision, the fitness centre “Our Local Gym” will be decommissioned, with funding being withdrawn and reallocated to other council projects, which sparked outrage and resistance within the centre’s membership base. Addressing a room of emotionally invested gym members, chairperson Sandy Gestalt presents an argumentative speech, proposing the idea of a joint facility with “Long Live Lollies”, which would take advantage of a neglected shopfront on the south side of the building, replacing the funding lost due to the withdrawn council grant. Gestalt employs a conciliatory, pragmatic tone, providing genuine solutions that would mitigate opposition to the gym’s closure by offering a viable alternative. In doing so, Gestalt aims to convince her gym community to support her proposal to rally behind her proposal for “Our Local Gym’s” ongoing and future development. To tie her argument together, the speech is accompanied by two images promoting “Long Live Lollies”.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does shakespeare present ambition as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Shakespeare presents ambition as dangerous in Macbeth. Discuss. In his Jacobean tragedy, ‘Macbeth’, Shakespeare…
Shakespeare presents ambition as dangerous in Macbeth. Discuss.
In his Jacobean tragedy, ‘Macbeth’, Shakespeare presents ambition as dangerous. The playwright underscores ambition as a root cause of downfall, displaying its danger. In ‘Macbeth’, ambition is depicted as a morally corruptive power. However, throughout the play, ambition only leads to dangerous outcomes when prompted by an external force. Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ is crafted as a cautionary tale, that warns the audience of the dangerous consequences of unchecked ambition.
Utilising the plot of the play, Shakespeare depicts ambition as a force that sets the stage for morally ambiguous ideas. The witches’ prophecy includes the phrase: “fair is foul and foul is fair”. This contradictory chant is used by the playwright to emulate the blurred moral boundaries in ‘Macbeth’. The prophecy foreshadows the play’s slow destruction of the divide between what is “fair”, and what is “foul”, a loyal man’s loss of conscience. Furthermore, the prophetical phrase mimics Shakespeare’s tragic message: that anyone driven by ambition will fall from “fair” to “foul”, losing their ability to discern between right and wrong, characterised by the character of Macbeth. After his reaction to the prophecy, Macbeth’s idea to murder the king begins to flesh out. Macbeth seeks to hide these motives, not wanting to be seen by “light”, which may refer to everything good, everything exposed to this ‘light’. This contrasts his description of said desires as “black”, highlighting the stark divide between Macbeth and everyone around him, his ambition throwing him down a spiral of blurred moral boundaries. Furthermore, these images are said to be “deep”, symbolising ambition’s deep rooted position in these conflicting events. Ambition is seen to affect not only Macbeth, but Lady Macbeth as well. Lady Macbeth’s plea to “unsex me here” demonstrates the transformative power of ambition, as she rejects traditional notions of femininity—associated with compassion, and nurturing—deeming them incompatible to her pursuit of power. Lady Macbeth wants to instead be filled “top-full of direst cruelty”; the contrast between the gentle traits of her femininity and her desired cruelty reflects the conflicting nature of ambition. Shakespeare presents the dangers of ambition, elucidating it’s ethically problematic nature.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: how does thomas present the impacts of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: In Angie Thomas’ novel, “The Hate U give”, violence and police brutality are central themes in the novel’s plot.…
In Angie Thomas’ novel, “The Hate U give”, violence and police brutality are central themes in the novel’s plot. The story follows Starr Carter, a high-school student torn between her two worlds: her Black community of Garden Heights, and her predominantly white private school. Thomas navigates through the dangers of violence and the impacts it can have to individuals and communities through the “game” of King Lords, Khalil’s death sparking violent protests in Garden Heights, and the power of resistance in the face of adversity.
In “THUG”, Thomas presents the impacts of violence on individuals through the “game” of King Lords. Police brutality also plays a major role in fostering violence and crime, even in daily life. Starr accentuates this using a flashback of two formative talks given to her by her father, Maverick. The first was the usual “the birds and the bees”, while the second highlighted “what to do if a cop stopped [her]”. Starr recalls her father’s commands, “Starr-Starr, you do whatever they tell you to do. Keep your hands visible. Don’t make any sudden moves. Only speak when they speak to you.” Through this recollection, the Thomas accentuates the extent of police violence on daily lives. The author juxtaposes the two formative talks, solidifying the nature of police violence on African-Americans and the necessity to teach young people how to act. The constant repetition of full stops and short, sharp sentences promote a list-like fashion, indicating the utter powerlessness African-American people have against law enforcement, elucidating that any “sudden moves” will be lethal. By relating “what to do if a cop stopped [you]” with “the birds and the bees”, Thomas exemplifies the nature of police brutality by comparing it to a universal experience among readers. The King Lords also play a major part in solidifying violent culture upon individuals in Garden Heights. Maverick recalls, “I became a King Lord when I was twelve… shit, it was the only way to survive. Kinging became my life. I was down to die for it.” Thomas utilises the word “only” to elucidate the binding nature of crime and violence. It shows that Maverick’s decision to become a King Lord was not by choice, but by necessity to “survive”. The King Lords are ruthless, using anything or anyone they can to make money, fostering violence within individuals. DeVante is another prime example of this. he states, in between sobs, “I stole ‘bout 5 G’s from King.” to which Maverick replies, “Dammit, man!” DeVante’s hopelessness is depicted by Thomas through the authenticity of his language and hopes of escaping from violence. Through the nature of police brutality and the violence of King Lords, Thomas presents the catastrophic impacts violence can have upon individuals.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Title: Finding My Way Stimulus 1:…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 82.5%: Away. Maybe I need to move away; away from his scent, away from his untouched bedsheets, and away from his…
Away. Maybe I need to move away; away from his scent, away from his untouched bedsheets, and away from his unworn clothes.
It’s been years since he left, yet in my mind I still await his return from work, the nights now empty of him stumbling over the stairs, leaving a silence that serves as a constant reminder of his absence.
It’s time I change. Time I choose myself rather than the countless times I’ve chosen to run – run from the inevitable truth that constantly chases me day after day. It’s time I move away from this carcass of lost memories and constant reminders I call home.
Somewhere new, somewhere I can start over.
The image of his desolate eyes staring at me from across the road – body empty, as blood pools over the bitumen.
No helmet. No jacket. Just skin and bone against the asphalt.
My fault.
My world collapsed beneath the touch of his lifeless skin. That night, guild climbed onto the back of his bike and whispered: “This is your doing.”
The argument plays over in my mind. My words sharp enough to send him out the door – his gear left on the table.
If I had just shut my mouth. If I hadn’t pushed him. If I had reminded him to grab his helmet.
He’d still be here.
So, I followed him. Rode in his direction ever since, tracing the same route over and over, hoping it might finally make this right. If I suffered enough, If I carried enough weight, maybe I could rewrite that night.
The scent of smoke lingers in my unchanged bedsheets from the constant chain-smoking as a desperate attempt to forget. It was always temporary – a constant effort only to never prevail.
Years spent in a haze, chapped lips as evidence of my escapism. A mark I'll carry for life.
The confines of my rom grasping me with a firm, but comforting grip – promising safety in his absence. Four walls became my roadside motel, a place to stop but never truly rest.
I thought staying still meant staying with him.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Title: Finding My Way Stimulus 1:…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 77.5%: Away. Maybe I need to move away; away from his scent, away from his untouched bedsheets, and away from his…
Away. Maybe I need to move away; away from his scent, away from his untouched bedsheets, and away from his unworn clothes.
It's been years since he left, yet in my mind I still await his return from work. Nights empty of the noise of him stumbling over the stairs after work. The silence a constant reminder of his absence.
It's time I change. Time I choose myself rather than the countless times I've chosen to run — run from the inevitable truth that constantly chases me day after day. It's time I move away from this carcass of lost memories and constant reminders I call home.
Somewhere new, somewhere I can start over anew.
The image of his desolate eyes staring at me from across the road – body empty, as blood pools over the bitumen. No helmet. No jacket. Just skin and bone against asphalt.
My fault.
My world collapsed beneath the touch of his lifeless skin. That night, guilt climbed onto the back of his bike and whispered: this is your doing. The argument replays endlessly – my words sharp enough to send him storming out the door, angry enough to forget his gear. If I had just shut my mouth. If I hadn't pushed him. If I had reminded him to grab his helmet.
He'd still be here.
So I followed him. Rode in his direction ever since, tracing the same route over and over, believing that punishing myself meant somehow making it right. That if I suffered enough, carried enough weight, maybe I could rewrite that night.
The scent of smoke lingers in my unchanged bedsheets from the constant chain-smoking as a desperate attempt to forget. It was always temporary – a constant effort only to never prevail.
Years spent in a haze, chapped lips as evidence of my escapism. A mark I'll carry for life.
The confines of my room grasping me with a firm, but comforting grip – promising me safety in his absence. Four walls became my roadside motel, a place to stop but never truly rest. I thought staying still
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Play Ttile: Lets do it! stimulus: play…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 90%: “What a distressing contrast there is,” wrote Sigmund Freud, “between the radiant intelligence of a child and…
“What a distressing contrast there is,” wrote Sigmund Freud, “between the radiant intelligence of a child and the feeble mentality of the average adult.”
Each time I read that line, I feel a sting of recognition. As both a parent and a psychologist, I see that contrast every day — in classrooms, playgrounds, and my own living room. Children play not for praise or productivity, but for the sheer delight of discovery. Their laughter, their curiosity, their boundless invention — that is the reward. Yet somewhere between childhood and adulthood, that joy becomes conditional. We teach our children that play must serve a purpose, that it should look a certain way. And when we do, we rob them of the greatest lesson of all: that play, in its purest form, is its own reward.
When I was a child, play was quietly scripted. The dolls I cradled were meant to prepare me for motherhood; the tea sets, for politeness and grace. Meanwhile, my brothers’ Lego towers taught them to build, to take risks, to problem-solve. None of us noticed the lesson beneath the fun — that our imaginations were being sorted into boxes before we could even spell the word imagination.
Looking back, I realise how this shaped the architecture of my thinking. My play was careful, contained — never chaotic, never daring. It was performance, not exploration. And though I didn’t know it then, those early boundaries became mental ones. Play taught me to behave, not to create. It was no longer its own reward; it was a rehearsal for conformity.
Now, as a parent, I see those same quiet scripts unfolding again. My daughter unwraps a Barbie, her eyes bright but her imagination
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Country/Belonging
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 90%: A place to belong Orlik Pospolity My mother used to tell me stories. Stories of times before the war. A grand…
A place to belong
Orlik Pospolity
My mother used to tell me stories. Stories of times before the war. A grand house with tall ceilings. Both her and my father owned land, green rolling plains that stretched out beyond the horizon, as far as the eye could see. At least that’s the way she put it.
I didn’t remember much of that.
I was born in a time of war, of hardship and hatred, and my father came out of hiding when I was several months old. Hiding from the Sowieci, who would have sent him to the cold winds of the east to rot for defending his country.
What I did remember, was not very significant. Not people, not special times – no what I remembered was the flowers. Towering purple Orlik Pospolity, also known as the Common Columbine , in which I used to run my palms through and pick for my mother. They were comforting memories, but very few tied me to my homeland, to where I came from. But as I grew, and with it did the war, my family had a decision to make. The Germans were weakening, and as known objectors of the communist regime, we had to flee.
Der Wald (Forests)
Germany was where we found safety in the storm that was the war. Leaving on a horse-wagon, the sound of the droplets of rain on the canopy was the only thing that gave my family comfort. We found ourselves north, and once again surrounded by plains. But these plains were not green and sprawling. They were desolate, destroyed relics, devoid of any life they once knew. Little more than a soft flickering flame kept us warm in the barn that was our home. It was much different to the life we had before, but we were together, and had each other.
Later, a friend offered us a place to stay in the east, outside the little town of Saulgau. It was here I grew up, being taught the language of my home, and the basic knowledge that my grandfather knew from his teaching days. Although I spent most my time around my family, I had no other real connection to where I came from. Some days I would go out into the forest, Der Wald as the locals called it. Here the dark wood shielded the view of the land beyond, and the scent of the Norwegian spruce and pine would overcome my senses. The ground was dotted with the vivid red of lingonberries, and the little umbrellas of the porcini mushrooms. I would explore this new place, but it never felt like home.
The whole family knew it wasn’t and that we had to start somewhere afresh rather than tending to the wounds of a war-torn country we barely knew. Options were many, but one stood out. The southern land. Australia. And it is there we decided to go, packing tightly on the ship Nelly as we set off with others like us in search for a new life to call our own.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard suggests that Hollywood…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Criticising the increasingly superficial world of Hollywood, Billy Wilder’s film noir Sunset Boulevard exposes the…
Criticising the increasingly superficial world of Hollywood, Billy Wilder’s film noir Sunset Boulevard exposes the absence of sympathy and connections. To achieve this, Wilder displays the industry and characters’ lack of empathy, prioritising wealth, emphasises an underlying superficiality and encapsulates the cruel reality. Furthermore, Sunset Boulevard highlights Hollywood’s toxic relationships, descending to destruction and inducing detachment from reality. Nevertheless, Wilder explores genuine relationships, attesting to Hollywood’s glamour. Thus, Wilder depicts Hollywood as cynical, yet compassionate.
Wilder depicts Hollywood as brutal, especially towards individuals insignificant to the industry’s growth through their characters’ adversities and desperation. The camera slowly pans across the bright, dazzling street of Hollywood, exemplifying glamour, to an open window on the third floor, delving into the apartment of a struggling screenwriter, Joe Gillis. Joe questions his talent; oblivious to whether or not he was “too original” or not “original enough,” considering his work “didn’t sell,” insinuating his helplessness against Hollywood’s impossible expectations and unreasonable demands for medium originality. Joe’s uncertain prospect despite hard work highlights Hollywood’s ruthless nature in downplaying efforts, concerned with only concrete accomplishments. Hollywood’s allure is juxtaposed with Joe’s one room affair, furnished with an unmade bed, full ashtray, makeshift desk and almost empty kitchenette, a microcosm to the unorganised lives of most writers, as the industry remorselessly suffocates them in an endless amount of strenuous tasks. In pursuit of revitalizing his collapsing career by obtaining a job, Joe walks towards the towering main gate of Paramount studio, a symbol that reiterates Hollywood’s grandiose expectations which unforgivingly disregards insignificant work. Joe arrives at Sheldrake’s executive office consisting of luxurious, mahogany style furniture, contrasting against Joe’s cheerless, dingy apartment and highlights the unjust disparity between lifestyles of executives and employees. Here, in a desperate act of persuading Sheldrake to provide him with a living, Joe resorts to the immoral means of deceivingly aggrandizing himself, lying about the Twentieth being “pretty hot” over his story. Joe’s body language of turning away in the midst of his lies allows viewers to assume this contradicts his moral compass and accordingly blame Hollywood for leading individuals astray. Joe embodies the film noir trope of a cynical male lead, a fallen idealist and victim of Hollywood’s ruthless demands, rendering him disillusioned and morally compromised. Wilder’s hardened characterisation of Joe underscores his struggles as a product of Hollywood’s exploitative system, ultimately condemning the industry for fostering ambition, only to discard those who then fail to meet its ruthless expectations. Therefore, Sunset Boulevard portrays Hollywood as uncaring, especially to individuals deemed worthless, through its tendency to neglect, driven by materialistic desires.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Does Capote suggest that the American…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Truman Capote’s 1966 non-fiction novel, In Cold Blood, explores not only the brutality of the Clutter murders but…
Truman Capote’s 1966 non-fiction novel, In Cold Blood, explores not only the brutality of the Clutter murders but also the profound psychological and moral damage inflicted on the small community of Holcomb, Kansas. Through his non-fiction novel, Capote explores how the American Dream exerts a powerful influence over society, fostering a desire for prosperity that can be realised through endeavour, however it remains “an illusion’ for those who do not possess the discipline and decency to realise success. Capote postulates that the dream is present in some form for most individuals but is hard to achieve without moral guidance and education, he further elaborates on the dream intoxicating those who fantasise about a life that gives them wealth and the power they desire, and conversely alludes to how it is not an illusion for those with self- discipline, however it does not protect them against harm or tragedy.
Capote conveys that while the American Dream exists as an attainable goal for some individuals, it remains distant from those who do lack moral guidance and education. Capote pictures Mr Clutter as the pure embodiment of the American Dream, however individuals like Perry and Dick “envied Mr Clutter’s life, the clean shirts, the respect … the money.” They admired what they themselves could not achieve. Capote uses their envy to expose that the dream depends on privilege, education and guidance. Capote endorses that Perry’s early childhood has left him no time to work towards the dream but to survive on his own terms as the “black widows were always at me. Hitting me.” The imagery portrays the nuns, who should care and nurture, as harmful and predatory. Capote combines this imagery and their dark clothing to dehumanise the nuns who are a part of institutions of care. Capote articulates that due to the abuse inflicted onto him, he could never recover from his psychological trauma and ultimately led himself on a path far away from achieving the American Dream. Moreover, Capote advances to Dick’s attitude and perception of success as Dick believed that he was “destined for something bigger but never took the steps to make it happen.” Capote deploys juxtaposition between lack of effort and the discipline to achieve success. In Dick’s case, Capote cements that his idea of the American dream is flawed. He is not willing to take action and expects success without the work that it requires. Capote portrays individuals like Dick and Perry as men, crippled by social neglect and psychological instability, whose pursuit of the American Dream shifts their behaviour. Lacking education, discipline and moral support, Capote grounds how they channel their ambition into delusion and people who are disciplined and hard working in nature will ultimately obtain success.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Nature does not explain, it simply exists…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: In a time of vast technological development and materialistic ‘yuppie’ culture taking over the norm of society.…
In a time of vast technological development and materialistic ‘yuppie’ culture taking over the norm of society. Mary Olivers poetry in New and Selected Poems emphasis the importance of a classical appreciation of nature and acts as a guide to creating a spiritual connection with the natural world. Oliver posits that nature has the ability to simply exists no matter what occurs in the human world but can also be a site for explanation. Oliver emphasises that embracing the simplicity of nature can allow one to simply live without pressure of societal norms. Furthermore Oliver showcases the power the natural cycles of the world hold as they can continue to exist despite what’s ongoing in the human world. Finally, nature can also be a place of explanation if observed mindfully.
Oliver highlights how abundance with the natural world can help one exist without constant pressures of society. In the poem ‘Wild Geese’ Oliver celebrates the vast beauty of nature by watching the cycle of geese migrating and returning home. Oliver directly addresses the reader and states “you do not have to be good” and “you do not have to walk on your knees … repenting” the use of the personal pronoun ‘you’ begans an intimate conversation with the reader and alludes to the religious expectations of the time as Jesus walked through the dessert, in doing so Oliver is emphasising nature does not hold religious expectations, accepting everyone. Instead the readers are encouraged to “let the soft animal of {their] body love what it loves”, Oliver is highlighting that embracing ones primal place in the natural world can help them live how they want to live without worrying about religious or societal expectations allowing them to exist without explaining. Furthermore towards the end of the poem when the geese are returning home together the Poet personifies the world as “offer[ing] itself to [their] imagination” and calls to the readers like wild geese. The personification potrays the world as actively seeking to the readers to join the vast beauty it has to offer and as wild geese travel in groups this symbolises the connectiveness in being part of the natural world. Here Oliver emphasises how the natural world is available to everyone and anyone can be apart of something beyond the materialistic norms of society. Similarly in the poem ‘August’ Oliver explores through blackberry field that engagement in nature is independent from the societal values of her time. Oliver uses dynamic verbs such as, “reaching”, and, “cramming”, to highlight the raw engagement in the “woods… nobody owns” portraying that nature is free from capitalistic control and is avaible for anyone to enjoy further showing how the simple act of picking blackberries can help one become more connected to the simplicity of nature and live a more fulfilled life away from the traffic of the human world. Through celebrating nature’s constancy, Oliver suggests that belonging and acceptance lie not in just existing in the human world but engaging with the primal world.