VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Title: Enough Stimulus one: Our voices…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 85%: facebook Caroline Smith posted to > Melbourne and surrounds > 30,704 members…
facebook
Caroline Smith posted to > Melbourne and surrounds > 30,704 members
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Enough
I don't know about all of you but lately when I've been reading the news, or scrolling Facebook I should say, I have seen more and more Australians being criminalised for exercising their right of free speech by protesting, peacefully. These faces popping up on my feed are fellow Melburnians' children, cousins, friends, whose photos are choreographed to fill their love ones with shame, yet, I only see strength and ambition glowing on their faces (stars emoji). They should not be penalised for speaking up, especially when they are governed by the Australian constitution. Does the government seriously not know their own laws? Enough is enough (shaking head emoji).
Our country that we know today would not exist without protesting. Australia is built on change. Social change that has come from people marching, voting, holding picket signs, signing petitions... the list goes on. We have protests to thank for women being able to vote, our First Nations people being recognised as PEOPLE and not flora and fauns, the LGBTQIA+ community (pride flag emoji) being legally allowed to marry. If protesting is an act that can wind Australians up in jail, how would we have the freedom that we do today? Protests have occurred in the CBD and suburbs for generations now. Let a second, third, fourth, fifth generation full of courage to issue and continue to mould Australia into a country that looks after all, just like their ancestors have done for us (Australian flag emoji).
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: my prompt is: sunset boulevard explores…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: :througuhout sunset boulevard, wilder undescores teh lurking omnipresence of death. death breeds within hollywood…
:througuhout sunset boulevard, wilder undescores teh lurking omnipresence of death. death breeds within hollywood serving as a constant reminder that death is innevitable in the film industry, to reafe for fame is to ask for a death wish. Normas dilapadated mansion resembles a mausolem, at joes first arrival at norma's mansion , he describes it as "out of beat with the rest if the world" and 'creeping with paralysis', Wildernhighlights how Norma is seculdued from reality, insighting that Norma is entrapped in the golden bygeon era of hollywood, entangled in her own fantasy and her delusions taht she is still prevalent. 'Paralysis', is suggestive of how norma is unable to break the bonds of her delusions, this is reinfrocde at the final scene, trhough norma's monolouge to the crowd, "this is my life, it always will be". Declarative statement signifies how Norma is aware and content with her little fantasy world, she is aware that
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: analysing argument practice From 2023…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 75%: From the outset, the author employs a largely logical argument to expose the narrow valley community to the…
From the outset, the author employs a largely logical argument to expose the narrow valley community to the ever-growing neglect of the gorgeous gardens festival, in hopes to revitalising the Gorgeous gardens festival
The author begins by establishing hopeful notion through the energetic-driven youth’s approach to music and their values in, ‘we are eager to seize opportunities to bring dynamic and long overdue changes’. This is designed to prime the nostalgic socially-engaged readers to realise the excitement of the new generation’s inclusive nature of rekindling music within the narrow valley community, and are thus more likely to be receptive with the predestined revival of the gorgeous gardens festival. In addition, the author proclaims diversity in the abundance of ‘all encompassing abilities’ ranging from all styles and eras of music in we, ‘celebrate diversity’. In hopes of separating any pre-accustomed divide in the community members’ favoured music styles in an attempt to eventually bring them aboard to ‘sharing [their] endeavours everyday’. Having established a music-driven connection with socially-active readers, the author utilises a series of possible rhetorical comments from community members. Through this strategic ploy, the author portrays the communities active voice to signal to them as being respected, heard and accounted for any concerns.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Creative writing on the theme: ‘play’
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 70%: ‘The Game’ Glen Iris Bounce - 9:30am. Lily soared through the air, her laughter a symphony woven within the…
‘The Game’
Glen Iris Bounce - 9:30am. Lily soared through the air, her laughter a symphony woven within the shrieks of others. The blue and green mats, filled with springy trampolines propelled children in all directions. The incessant laughter and screams of children echo across. The scent of fresh hot fries lingered in the air. Amidst, a sharp voice cuts through the noise.
“No flippin! No horseplay! Keep your socks on at all times!”. The uniform supervisor shouted
The supervisors command transformed the once thrilling trampoline park to a caged arena, suffocating the curiosity and enthusiasm of childhood. Every move was predetermined, monitored, and controlled.
Beyond the walls, down a few blocks, another child played.
Harry sits curled in the corner, his legs crossed, eyes blatantly staring at the screen of his iPad. A digital device - a portal to a world untouched by adult interference. As his fingers danced over the keyboard, Harry navigates through the intricacies of digital characters. One day he is a knight protecting the kingdom; the next, an astronaut exploring the vast unknown. In his world, he made the rules. He had control.
All of a sudden, play was no longer about outdoor endeavours. The shift had already happened. The essence of childhood - a universal experience passes by in a flash, and in a world we're strangers to - life is too short to always play by the rules.
Instead of devising stories in reality, children have retreated to video games to escape reality and experience adventure. The laughter that once lit up the streets, has turned to nothing but a cold distant sound. Why? Because unlike supervised play, digital technology offers children something real life no longer does: freedom.
This juxtaposition highlights the predominant issue: unstructured outdoor play is being replaced in favour of the rise of digital technology due to parents overprotectiveness. Parents, driven by the desire to protect, have unknowingly shifted towards supervised, controlled forms of play. Extracting the essence of ‘the game’ has led to children’s right to experience the fun and engaging play we all once experienced to be limited in a world where life is too short. Unstructured play - a language we all once spoke fluently, is slowly being silenced. And now lies the only place where kids can be kids? Their screens
Instructed play is being diminished by the reflection of gloomy screens.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: personal journey everything and nothing
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 100%: Everything and nothing The first time it happens, it takes a while to realise that it has in fact happened.…
Everything and nothing
The first time it happens, it takes a while to realise that it has in fact happened. Your mood shifts – your outlook becoming more optimistic – and you find your thoughts unexpectedly pivoting and lingering. They’re innocent but distinct. The feeling is completely foreign. It dawns on you that every pathetic cliché is totally true. You’ve been hit for six. Cupid’s arrow has shot you down. Your breath has been taken away. Thankfully not literally. You’re so pathetically helpless and there’s only one word that does the experience justice. Fuck. And as much as the logical part of your brain wishes it wasn’t happening because it’s so fucking inconvenient – it changes everything and nothing – at the exact same time, it gives you a meaning and purpose that you didn’t know you could have. The bodily symptoms – the palpitations, the lurching of your stomach, the panic – give away the severity of the affliction, but your excitement at the possibility leaves a feeling that makes it all okay. You sit with it, trying to work out what to do with this perplexing knowledge. You also have to check that it isn’t fleeting or temporary; a slightly-too-serious crush. But it isn’t. At least not in the short term. Completely by accident, your heart is no longer your own.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Even those who hate them can’t escape the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: Set on the backdrop of an unnamed island in a dystopian-like world, the presence of freedom becomes challenged.…
Set on the backdrop of an unnamed island in a dystopian-like world, the presence of freedom becomes challenged. Yoko Ogawa's 2019 novel The Memory Police delves into how fear thrives on silence, but that silence isn’t always equivalent to fear. Ogawa unveils this idea through the dangers of complacency, how silence could be loneliness or happiness, as well as how the inability to speak up causes pain. Therefore, Ogawa condemns fear but encourages silence in moments of emotion.
Ogawa condemns the silent complacency in the face of a totalitarian regime. The island can only be described as “enveloped in an empty sea” outlining the isolation set on the island's people from the early onset. The narrator continues by mentioning how quickly “people soon adjusted to things disappearing” after multiple of the island's population lost and switched jobs without caring, as “Life was perfectly possible without them.” Here, Ogawa has done this to demonstrate the control that the memory police have on people's lives and how their acceptance of living like this lets the memory police resume authority. To further substantiate this, Ogawa highlights the fear that characters have for the memory police; she attempts to utilise the Inui family to instil a sense of panic in the reader, as it is unknown what the memory police are capable of doing. Through this the Ogawa creates a distraught dynamic that is brought upon by the complacency of the island's people. Ogawa also implements meta-fiction through the narrator, as in her novel, there is a submissive woman who obliges and lets her teacher do as he likes to her; this is used to create a parallel between the narrator's texts and her life. Subsequently, this was created by Ogawa to warn against passivity.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: A dozen press agents working overtime can…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Set within the post-war period of 1950’s America, Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard explores the toxic inner workings…
Set within the post-war period of 1950’s America, Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard explores the toxic inner workings of the Hollywood industry. From the outset, Wilder presents Hollywood as a fundamentally shallow and superficial culture, exposing how it cultivates a corrosive society that dehumanises those within it. Furthermore, Wilder critiques the extreme measures that individuals will go to in order to uphold an image endorsed by Hollywood, often at the cost of their own morality. Cautioning his audience that Hollywood’s degrading nature enables an infatuation with success, Wilder exposes how this leads to unavoidable tragedy. Ultimately, Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard highlights Hollywood as an immoral industry which promotes a damaging culture, exploits individuals, and ends in ruin.
Wilder portrays the culture within Hollywood as inherently shallow and superficial, leading to a degrading society which dehumanises individuals and selfishly exploits talent before swiftly discarding individuals it deems obsolete. Wilder utilizes the studio spotlight as a symbol for fame and Hollywood validation; when Norma is bathed under the light in De Mille’s studio, an overhead shot accentuates the large crowd of admirers that surround her. Moments later, when the spotlight is turned ‘back where it belongs,’ the crowd scatters, now disinterested. Wilder underscores the normalised culture fostered by Hollywood which values one's fame over their character, leaving Norma abandoned once her stardom fades. Emphasising the forgotten state of Norma, as she was ‘thought [to be] dead,’ Wilder’s use of the symbolic spotlight portrays the transience of Hollywood fame, and its inevitable decline. Ultimately, Wilder depicts Hollywood as a dehumanising force which places value upon an individual's utility for the system of Hollywood, leaving those deemed useless isolated and discarded. Further emphasising the shallow nature of Hollywood, Wilder showcases the insecurity projected upon individuals such as Betty, reflecting the relentless pressure experienced by women to adhere to societal standards of beauty. Despite the ‘10 years of dramatic lessons, diction, and dancing,’ that Betty underwent hoping to ‘make it big.’ Hollywood disregarded her skill and instead criticised her nose which ‘slanted … a little.’ This shows how Hollywood’s toxic standards magnify the smallest imperfections in one's appearance, disregarding their talent and character. Wilder showcases that although now Hollywood was “crazy about her nose,” following Betty's nose job, they ‘didn't like her acting.’ This furthers his point that Hollywood’s expectations are impossible to meet, forcing women to mould themselves to the industry's ideal in order to succeed. Thus, Wilder critiques the culture within Hollywood that dehumanises individuals, reducing them to commodities judged by their beauty and utility. Excellent! Try add more film techniques (sound, lighting, camera) just to be safe with the rubric, but overall great analysis.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Oliver’s poetry is much more than an…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Mary Oliver’s poetry is often celebrated for its reverence toward the natural world, yet to describe her work as…
Mary Oliver’s poetry is often celebrated for its reverence toward the natural world, yet to describe her work as mere appreciation oversimplifies her vision. Across her work, Oliver certainly expresses her appreciation through her portrayal of nature as a realm of beauty, healing, and renewal. She expands on this view by recognising its dangers, and at times moves beyond the natural element to confront the multifaceted depths of human suffering. Her poetry, therefore, is not only an ode to nature but also a profound exploration of humanity, where wonder and awe in nature exist alongside mortality, cruelty, and resilience.
Oliver’s work consistently conveys a deep appreciation for the natural world, portraying it as a source of wonder, healing, and renewal. For her, nature is not simply an external landscape but a guiding force that offers both philosophical insight and spiritual belonging. In ‘Wild Geese’, she rejects oppressive expectations of guilt and conformity, urging readers to “let the soft animal of [their] body / love what it loves.” The metaphor of the “soft animal” captures instinct and vulnerability, reminding readers of their natural impulses and the liberation that comes from embracing them. By situating human pain within a larger ecological order, she insists that “the world goes on… the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes,” a statement of continuity that reassures readers of the resilience of life beyond individual despair. Similarly, in ‘Sunrise’, this reverence deepens into an explicitly spiritual perspective. The speaker reflects on mortality, observing that one can “die for… the world,” a declaration that elevates devotion to nature into an ethical act of surrender. The rising sun, emblematic of renewal, underscores the cycle of death and rebirth, suggesting that to live meaningfully is to participate fully in the rhythms of existence. In both works, Oliver demonstrates that her engagement with the natural world is not passive admiration but a profound encounter with forces that restore, guide, and anchor human life.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: ARTICE/TRANSCRIPT OF PODCAST: Hapsey…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 75%: Following a controversial proposal to commercially develop the Hapsey Wetlands, one of the region’s last…
Following a controversial proposal to commercially develop the Hapsey Wetlands, one of the region’s last protected natural sanctuaries, local resident Janelle Tanley responds in episode 32 of her podcast Hapsey Happenings. Tanley contends that the development plan is a destructive intrusion that damages the ecosystems that must remain within the wetlands. Her audience consists of Hapsey residents, environmentalists and everyday listeners of her podcast. Through the use of structural features such as evocative images and descriptive anecdotes, Tanley reinforces her contention. As her tone shifts from reflective to urgent and critical, ultimately, Tanley aims to persuade her audience to resist the development.
Tanley begins her podcast by positioning herself as a credible voice in the argument, identifying herself as a lifelong resident and a host of a personal driven program. This appeal to authority builds trust, furthermore, presenting herself as someone who has experiences the authentic concern for the wetlands. Her use of an anecdote about walking through the wetlands with friends, “softly without disturbing the tranquil surroundings,” creates a peaceful image of the natural wetlands. Tanley’s use of inclusive language “my friends” and “our wetlands,” fosters solidarity with the listening audience, encouraging them to see themselves as custodians of the area. Tanley anchors her argument through evoking shared values of the community, ensuring that she emotionally resonates with her audience in the beginning of episode 32.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Shakespeare presents marriage as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Sophocles conveys how a persons personal fate is purely to blame for their own downfall. The tragedy is centred…
Sophocles conveys how a persons personal fate is purely to blame for their own downfall. The tragedy is centred around the Oedipal myth, one Sophocles ancient Greek audience would have been aware of. Thus, using this tale old myth, the author intentionally constructed his play in a way that depicts how Oedipus' prophecy, to marry his mother and kill his father, was the probable cause of the plays tragic ending upon blinding himself in the wake of his horrifying truth that he had fulfilled his prophecy, Oedipus addresses the chorus claiming that his fate is "This alone [he] is Oedipus", putting forth that only he is to blame for the bloodshed acts inflicted onto him "by [his] own hands" as it was his and only his ultimate fate. The playwright further characterises Jocasta, Oedipus' mother and wife, to be to b
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Topic: “I’m not sure anyone gets to…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 82.5%: Johnsons portrays identity as not formed in isolation but is the cumulative outcome of the influence of…
Johnsons portrays identity as not formed in isolation but is the cumulative outcome of the influence of community whether First Nations peoples are connected by cultural ties or shared trauma. The opening scene of the film where Baywarra teaches young Gutjuk about his totem establishes a serene and peaceful atmosphere of the undisturbed Arnhem Land as Johnson switches between long shots and close-up shots. As they stand, Baywarra asserts that his totem is “ a snake, Baywarra” which is then coupled with rhythmic grunting and stomping on the sacred ground. Here, Johnson portrays how the totem assigned to Indigenous Australians sets out their path and purpose in life. This is reinforced in the longshot that captures Baywarra standing in the middle being embraced by the gorge to highlight how his identity is centred within the Country they inhabit. Baywarra passes on knowledge to Gutjuk by telling him that his totem is a “crocodile”, through the transferring of information Johnson portrays how a First Nations child learns through knowledge systems that are passed through generations. This is directly juxtaposed when 12 years have passed and Gutjuk has been separated from his family after the massacre that killed a large
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Alternative Worlds
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 87.5%: On his fifth birthday, we gave our son a train. He thought it was the best present anyone his age could…
On his fifth birthday, we gave our son a train. He thought it was the best present anyone his age could receive.
His twin sister got a doll. She loved to brush the knots out of its golden hair with the tiny, plastic hairbrush it came with.
In March, we had to decide where they would go for school. I wanted them to go to the local public school, which was only a ten minute walk away. My wife insisted that Montclair Academy would set them up for their futures. They were only five.
Montclair was a thirty minute drive from our house, down the main road. I was assigned drop off and pickup, as my office was in the same suburb.
I would wake up at 6:30, to prepare their lunchboxes. The kids liked sandwiches without the crust. I added ham, cheese, and tomato for my son. It went in a blue plastic container. My daughter didn’t like tomato. She has a magenta container.
On the fridge was a list from my wife, with the morning chores. Her car started hours before I stirred.
The kids never woke up on time. They ate their cereal in the car. I only hoped they didn’t spill milk on their uniforms.
There was no doubt that Montclair was a privileged school. After all, I paid their fees. Gardens of exotic flowers bloomed either side of the winding brick pathway to the front gate. Geometrically cut hedges lined the iron fence surrounding the property. More abundantly, teachers were stationed at each fence post, politely signalling the frenzy of children toward the entrance. To one side, a silver inscribed plaque, with a quote: “Play is the child’s work - Maria Montessori”. The kids got out of the car, toys trailing behind, and made for the gate. Their tiny hands waved back at me.
In the afternoon, I battled the hoards of cars lining the streets. My wife got furious if they were not picked up on time. I drove to the two minute pickup spot, and strapped them into their carseats. Their teacher waved at us from the pavement as we drove off. The kids beamed back at her.
“How was your day?”
“Good.”
“Have fun today?”
“So much.”
My son recounted the schoolwide game of tag. My daughter won a game of jump rope.
One day, I received an email from the school.
Dear Valued Montclair Parent,
Your children have been selected for academic enrichment. Their schedule will be delivered to your residence shortly.
Regards, M. Montclair.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Oedipus the King there is always…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Written in 429 BCE, Sophocles' Oedipus the King performed in the festival of Dionysus explores the journey of its…
Written in 429 BCE, Sophocles' Oedipus the King performed in the festival of Dionysus explores the journey of its titular character in a world dominated by fate and preordination. Throughout the text, Sophocles contends that although fate dictates suffering, it is ultimately a consequence of tragic hamartia. Initially, Sophocles posits hubris to be responsible for suffering. Furthermore, he postulates that a search for knowledge enhances this suffering. However, he propounds that as fate dictates human existence, suffering cannot be blamed.
Initially, Sophocles promulgates that hubris is only to be responsible for pain. In the prologos, Oedipus initially confidently asserts "the world knows this fame" and he is "Oedipus". Here, Oedipus asserts his world dominance as the predominant characteristic defining his identity, lauding his past revelations and his self-imposed dominance. He further asserts his name, rising to the level of divinity and poor self-proclaiming his apparent success as a lot of repetition self-dominance. Here, Sophocles condemns such overconfidence and sets the stage for his tragic downfall while advocating for values of sophrosyne. The Chorus' chant, "pride breeds the Tyrant" only heightens the impact of such excessive pronouns and hubris as the source for everlasting loss. As the play progresses, Oedipus attempts to dissvade his belief in his prophecy in his arrogant shout "one chief cannot equal many". It is this overwhelming logical reasoning which blinds him to the truth of his identity and origins. Here, Sophocles imparts Oedipus' critical thinking as a hubristic hamartia and condems such values in 5th century Athenian society. In the rise of the intellectual revolution within this period, with the sophist philosophy. Sophocles postulates that like Oedipus, an overwhelming sense of self-belief and rejection of divinity will catalyse their own downfall too. It is indeed, this hubris which activates the stage direction of Oedipus, "stabbing himself with Jocasta's brooches." There, the brooches being a symbol of holding up Jocasta's dress are the catalyst for Oedipus' suffering. In doing so, Sophocles argues that the brooches entwining in lost Oedipus' incestuous marriage and their collective acts of rejection of divine will are the reason for Oedipus' suffering and Jocasta's death. This, object encapsulating Jocasta's ignorance and Oedipus' pride ultimately serves Sophocles' warning against such hubris. Moreover, Jocasta's final characterisation of Oedipus as "a man of agony", a name which he will carry "forever and ever"; only heightens this message. It is here, Sophocles presents an allegory to Oedipus' initial pride and his self-proclaimed lauding in "I am Oedipus" as he likens his entire existing to suffering. The name which will live on "forever and ever" encapsulate the overwhelming consequences of such pride as the catalyst for eventual and everlasting loss. Hence, Sophocles presents hubristic traits as the greatest hamartia to be blamed for pain.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'While all the characters experience some…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: 'While all the characters experience some degree of hardship, the audience sympathises most with Piper.' Do you…
'While all the characters experience some degree of hardship, the audience sympathises most with Piper.' Do you agree?
Hannie Rayson's contemporary Australian play, Extinction, endeavours to capture the human aptitude when confronted with adversity, whilst examining one's inclination to emotionalize with others, enduring hardships. Rayson's presentation of minor and major calamities, throughout the play's course, entices the audience to sympathises most with Piper, although, her moral degradation and other revelations, motivate the audience to divide their compassion with Andy. From the outset, sudden grief endorses viewers to align themselves with particular characters and alienate others. However, unexpected discoveries and moral inconsistencies, in the face of ideological predicaments, alter established emotions held towards cast members, persuading the audience to re-evaluate congenialities. Ultimately, the betrayal and manipulation of characters, endorse the audience to confirm emotionalizations of the cast, conclusively conveying who their sympathy lies with.
From the play's inception, Rayson's deployment of abrupt adversities encourage viewer affinities with characters, whilst endorsing the antagonization of others. The playwright's centralized motif of death, personified through the tiger quoll and Beast, is the impetus for the audience’s emotional impression of Piper, Harry, and Andy. Piper's immediate reassurance of the tiger quoll - "it's okay little one" and Harry's perturbed state, epitomised by the worry and sorrow in his speech, as he pleads for the tiger quoll to "please not die", provokes the audience to share the character's grief, and innately sympathise with them, as a result of the scenarios apparent difficulty. Moreover, Rayson's abrupt introduction and characterisation of Andy as being callous and remorseless, through his swift actions to "take a large syringe" and "euthanise the quoll", without conferring with Piper, nor Harry, emphasised by Piper's confusion of "what [Andy is] doing", positions viewers to antagonise Andy, due to his lack of morality. This exacerbates the audience’s sympathy towards Piper and Harry, as Piper's outrage that they "needed to at least try [to save the quoll]", motivates the audience to also feel outraged due to their emotional alliance with Piper and Harry. Furthermore, Beast's sudden diagnosis of "cancer" reinforces Piper's grief and so, the playwright positions viewers to feel guilty; thus, empathetic towards her. Rayson's portrayal of Piper's hysteric reaction is strengthened through dramatic convention as "Piper paces" around the animal shelter in disbelief. This coupled with her sheer emotion that Beast's cancer "is so not fair" and Andy's blunt insistence that they are "not going down that path [of treatment]" builds upon the audiences established emotions, as Rayson motivates the audience to feel sorry about Piper loneliness; hence, Andy is viewed as dispassionate in his interactions with others. Harry's compassionate arrival at the animal shelter as he greets Piper apologetically - "sorry about your dog", is much to the contrary of Rayson's depiction of Andy. Harry's further reassurance of Piper that "whatever they can do on humans, they can do on dogs" inspires the audience to respect Harry's warmth and further despise Andy's inhumane dealing of the situation. Therefore, the playwright purposefully manipulates the audience to feel sympathetic and empathetic towards both Piper and Harry, by reason of Andy's moral inconsistencies in expressing his own emotions surrounding death, which Rayson soon unpacks, changing the audience's perspectives.
Rayson's utilization of revelations and moral inconsistencies in her characterisation of the cast, prove effective in altering established emotions, persuading the audience to re-evaluate congenialities. Following a drastic chain of events, Piper fickles from her environmental values to more economical and egocentric values aligned with Harry. Piper's continued involvement with Harry, surrounding the "tiger quoll project", acts as the catalyst for the surfacing of Piper's moral flaws. Dixon-Brown and Harry's joint venture to manipulate Piper into "[running] the [tiger quoll] project" is met with firm repudiation by Piper, who commends that there is "no way" that she will be a part of the project, maintaining the audience's perception of Piper's morality authenticity in her environmental values. However, the onset of the second act is both symbolic and transformative in Rayson's characterisation of Piper, as the playwright utilises it to mark a change in Piper's integrity, which ironically discredits
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: The truth only brings suffering in Oedipus…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 97.5%: The truth only brings suffering in OTK. DYA? Sophocles' tragedy, Oedipus the King offers a sophisticated…
The truth only brings suffering in OTK. DYA?
Sophocles' tragedy, Oedipus the King offers a sophisticated examination of the impacts of constantly seeking the truth in a preordained world. Set against the backdrop of an Athenian society deeply entrenched in a belief system dominated by divine orchestration, Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus offers a nuanced perspective to adamantly seeking out knowledge and the consequences it may bring about. Initially, Sophocles posits knowledge as a vital trait in a leader. Sophocles furthers this notion by augmenting that a search for truth can allow a sense of autonomy in a preordained cosmic scheme. Yet, Sophocles postulates that ultimately an excessive search for truth can only lead to disastrous consequences and lifelong suffering.
Sophocles aims to amplify the importance of knowledge and its ability to catalyse altruism and nobility in a leader. Utilising a stage direction, depicting Oedipus. "helping a priest to his feet," Sophocles immediately establishes Oedipus' benevolence as a leader, illustrating his willingness to "do anything" to "lift [Thebes] from the depths" Through such Stagecrafting, the playwright evinces that a relentless ambition "to see" can spur an intrinsic desire to serve others, not necessarily being a vice. Oedipus' "zeal" to "act at once", hence embodies the Athenian character, acting swiftly to restore order and relieve suffering. In doing so, Sophocles redefines the pursuit of truth, in that when grounded with communal care and selflessness, such determination marks a virtue and leadership, rather than being a vice. Furthermore, through the motif of nautical imagery, Sophocles seeks to illuminate that it is Oedipus' persistent search for knowledge which instils the native Theban with courage and hope, positing the search for knowledge as crucial in quelling the misery and sorrow of others. Through the chorus' initial belief that "Thebes pitches wildly from red waves of death", Sophocles establishes a widespread sentiment of paranoia and despondency which permeates the prologue. Yet, such a belief is supplanted by the hope that a "good helmsman" will "steer Thebes through the storm". By emphasing such nautical motifs, Sophocles asserts that a leader's relentless search in dire times can indeed subdue chaos and bring about collective salvation. Thus, Oedipus' search for the truth evokes hope within Thebans, assuaging any fears of misery. Hence, Sophocles utilises such naval descriptions to postulate the importance of pursuing truth in a leader as it facilitates restoration and order. Yet, he supplants this belief where such a pursuit must embody Sophrosyne throughout, in order to ensure the flourishing of society.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: VCAA NHT 2021 English Exam Article
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 80%: In light of the rapid increase in workload expectations of modern society, widespread stress and concern has…
In light of the rapid increase in workload expectations of modern society, widespread stress and
concern has been catalysed amongst workers regarding their current work-life balance. Prompted
by the prevalence of this psychological discomfort, experienced lifestyle coach and university
lecturer in human resources management penned an article entitled Where is the Balance in the
magazine Business for the Future, employing a sombre and then forthright tone to emphasise the
importance of "work-life balance" to his audience of employees and successful business owners
alike. Initially lamenting the conditioning of society to desire a self=oppressive system of excessive
work expectations, Manne proceeds by expounding a plethora of advantages brought by the
implementation of effective work life balance policies. Dispelling any spurious rumours pertaining
to the correlation of increased work with occupational success, Manne offers clarity in the process
of attaining an idealised work life balance, providing a range of suggestions which he ultimately
seeks his audience to endorse.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Life Has lots of tests
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 85%: “New Home” I mumble, as I inhale a sharp tang of eucalyptus and a distant whisper of salt. It was so different…
“New Home” I mumble, as I inhale a sharp tang of eucalyptus and a distant whisper of salt. It was so different from the smoky, dry mountain breeze of home, always carrying the scent of pollution and dust. My eyes, brown as almonds, darted around, trying to take in this new land—this new test. Everything here was brighter, not greyish like Pakistan. The sun glared down, too strong and direct after the softer, muted light of Pakistan. They called it an island, a place where spiders grew as big as your hand and snakes coiled in toilets like ropes. These stories felt both frightening and fascinating, as my curiosity grew to take this as my new home or not. But I already knew this was only the first of many tests’ life had waiting for me.
The first test was leaving behind the place that had always been my world. My grandparents’ faces, compassionate and welcoming, were the first memories I clung to, the last goodbyes before stepping onto the plane. My family in Pakistan was like a vine, everyone connected by stories and laughter, always ready to help and share. Their memory, pecking in my mind, not letting me forget. The rivers and mountains that had always watched over us became distant images in my mind, like paintings in a museum. I stand there as I contemplate the possibilities of this test.
“Kaisa Laga?” (“How is it?” in Urdu) my father asked me, his voice soft and steady, but I could hear the worry behind it. My dad had already faced tests of his own, he got stopped at the airport four times for “random” checks. The randomness a silent, heavy accusation. It was perhaps because of his flowing beard and his traditional Islamic clothes, a stark contrast to the clean shaved faces and the “tourist combo”, (shorts, a flower print shirt, and flip-flops). It was the way people turned their gazes towards us, their eyes lingering, like cold, sharp needles pricking at my tanned skin, then whispering to their children to “be careful”. Triggering a feeling of anxiety, I realised that this was another test: not just of patience, but at test of developing a sense of belonging in a so called “home”. My father tried to reassure me, his hand resting gently on my shoulder, for me this was an anchor on a catastrophic night, a radiant lighthouse during a cyclone. “It’s because we are special people,” he said, a proud smile that didn’t quite reach his tired eyes. I wanted to believe him, to feel special instead of different. But deep down, I could already feel the weight of those tests pressing in.
The first day of school was among the greatest tests life had to offer me, as I stood there in the hallway, like a zebra in a field of horses, painfully differently from the rest. My shalwar kameez, usually a source of comfort, now felt like a sign pointing out everything that made me different. The word “immigrant” wasn’t said aloud, but it was in the way the blue eyed “Aussies” looked at me, the way they laughed. Their voices were like music I couldn’t understand, every word another test I had to learn to pass. I didn’t know how to answer them, how to prove I belonged.
If only I’d worn some “Civilised” clothes, or basically clothes the others wear (a pair of shorts and a t shirt). But even then, my olive skin would radiate like the moon in a dark night. Their accents, their jokes—they flew past me, leaving me stranded in the silence. All except for one boy. According to the others, he looked like an outsider too, but to me, he was a campfire on a freezing night, a small circle of warmth. At lunchtime, we shared our “stinky curry”, a small rebellion against the tests of fitting in. Helping each other learn English.
At home, the tests didn’t stop. My father watched me carefully, his concern of me losing who I am grew whenever I forgot an Urdu word. “Be yourself” he would remind. His words felt like a question I didn’t know how to answer, who am I? My grandfather would call from overseas; his voice filled with reminders to hold on to our heritage. His stories of my home were like anchor, to keep me from swaying away from my culture. But that couldn’t be of avail to the extreme hurricane of doubting my identity.
Every day, my clothes changed bit by bit. The flowing fabric of my shalwar kameez turned into shorts and t-shirts. At school, I carried two lunchboxes: one filled with the spicy,
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Protest framework
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 82.5%: “Violent demonstrations and other actions that cause fear and intimidation in the community” must be “deal[t]…
“Violent demonstrations and other actions that cause fear and intimidation in the community” must be “deal[t] [with] quickly…to preserve public order.” - This was stated by Liberal Party member Michael O’Brien following a clash between Pro-Palestinian and Pro-Israeli protesters.
It’s easy for a person of privilege to dismiss the seemingly simplistic surface concealing the roots of a detrimental hegemonic narrative.
Michael O’Brien – a straight, white male – is in a position of authority. As a member of parliament, this is quite an obvious observation. Yet, if you look beyond the surface of his identity, you may uncover the centuries of historical precedence at the roots of his power - the power to degrade protests rather than participate in them.
Anything with substance in life consists of numerous layers. It’s easy to detect the outer layers, whilst understanding the inner layers requires taking additional time to thoughtfully unravel its exterior. The process of challenging unjust norms at its outermost layer could be perceived as annoying, unnecessary and unsolicited social discourse. However, delving into the motivations behind protests would reveal a history of prolonged suffering caused by the noxious weeds permitted to dictate the landscape and suffocate any indication of biodiversity.
The privileged are privileged because they are in a position to worry about the disturbances of protests, whilst the disadvantaged must constantly worry about whether their lives are defined by the barriers of an indifferent history. Although the privileged are also at liberty to educate themselves about how to evoke change, they walk over the surface in blind complicity because it’s easier than digging into the complex roots of the need to protest.
We live in a world where there is no moral obligation to condemn systemic inequality or the wrongdoing of authorities, passively endorsing the prevailing narrative of marginalisation. We live in a fragile world plagued by a lack of pensive consideration for the politics in which we are entrenched. We live in a world where “fear and intimidation” are aroused amongst the systemically disadvantaged to deter them from expressing their opposition and hence, “to preserve public order.”
Thus, protest isn’t a choice - it’s a means of survival. When the roots of our identities are drowning in unrelenting adversity, we sink or swim. However, we are at liberty to choose our stroke: a calm and easier breaststroke or an aggressive and exhausting freestyle.
Ironically, ‘easy’ has never been a word to describe the lives of First Nations people. The death of Daniel Yock in 1993 while in custody is just one example of the colonised justice system drowning the roots of Indigenous voices.
In response to this devastating yet historically foretold tragedy, thousands gathered the week following Yock’s death in silent protest. Although empowered by the rage of generations, it was never converted into violence, unlawfulness, civil disobedience or even a use of words that would cause “fear and intimidation in the community”. The sole purpose of this protest was to mourn, in hope that someone in a position of power could empathise and hence, excavate the noxious weeds dispensing
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Oedipus the King’ is a play devoid of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Sophocles ‘Oedipus the King’ follows the journey of the eponymous Oedipus which unfolds against a backdrop of…
Sophocles ‘Oedipus the King’ follows the journey of the eponymous Oedipus which unfolds against a backdrop of prophecy, egregious transgressions, and an ironic twist of destiny. Sophocles contends that while the play initially is devoid of balance, the use of imbalance between fate and free will, knowledge and blindness, and moderation and hubris, is employed as a deliberate dramatic mechanism to interrogate human limitation. Initially, Sophocles destabilises the balance between fate and free will to highlight the futility of human resistance against divine prophecy. Further, the paradoxical interplay of sight and blindness renders the play unbalanced, exposing the limits of human knowledge and the cost of truth. Finally, the absence of sophrosyne reflects Sophocles’ warning against excessive pride and the absence of moderation in civic and personal life.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard - “I hate that word. It’s…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Since the inauguration of Hollywood, there has been an attraction of individuals to being celebrated by the…
Since the inauguration of Hollywood, there has been an attraction of individuals to being celebrated by the audiences watching them. Throughout the 1950’s film Sunset Boulevard, which is directed by Billy Wilder, the extreme ambitious nature of individuals striving for success in hollywood portrayed to come alongside consequences. Wilder utilises a striking view of Hollwood, to portray it’s influence at the time, and how people were lured into the trap of notoriety during the 1950’s era. The fatal consequences of the pursuit of fame are depicted by Wilder, portraying how people can be easily deceived when focused soley on a pursuit.
Wilder presents Hollywood as a seductive, and powerful setting, which results in a high level of ambition from many individuals during this era. The film opens with a fast paced panning shot of the street of sunset boulevard, in Hollywood, to establish the fast paced nature of Hollywood, portraying how individuals need to keep up, or will be left in the dust. The protagonist Joe gillis’s cynical 3rd person voice is used during the high angle shot of his own distraught body floating dead in a pool, being dehumanized by reporters taking photos and policemen in the foreground higher than him, in no rush to help him, portraying how the lack of power Joe holds makes him priority 2, after getting the media shots for Hollywood. Additionally, the cynical 3rd person voice claiming that Joe is “nobody important really” illustrates that the lack of relevancy within Hollywood has a direct correlation with how people are treated. The long shot of Joe being chased by the rental companies people over the $290 he owes them features loud non-digetic sounds of Joes car tires screeching, to display the high pressure situation that Joe has gotten into, in his efforts to get a story that will become popular in Hollywood. Sunset boulevards opening environment explores how things are not always as they seem, and can appear much different compared to reality.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Construct an argument analysis piece…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 87.5%: Following the emergence of a potential modernisation of the local, unspoilt Hapsey Wetlands, debate has…
Following the emergence of a potential modernisation of the local, unspoilt Hapsey Wetlands, debate has sparked surrounding a proposed development plan; which aims to commercialise the region for locals, given the potential damages which may coalesce onto the region. More broadly, the matter has raised concern regarding the degree to which governmental bodies should disregard the desires of locals who may oppose such changes. Thus, responding to the controversy in the 32nd episode of her podcast “Hapsey Happenings”, Hapsey resident Janelle Tanley contends that the Nature+Adventure group, whose profit-driven values oppose her own, are purely detrimental to the local area, regardless of the economic benefits which they claim to provide. In this way, she aims to villainise Nature+Adventure group, imploring Hapsey locals -- particularly those who frequent her podcast -- to oppose the changes, with the ultimate intention of halting the group’s future projects to protect nearby regions from also succumbing to their regime.
Initially assuming a moderate and intimate persona to reinforce the personal connection with podcast listeners, Tanley emphasises the intrinsic value which the wetlands provide; for both herself and the wider community who may not as readily recognise its benefits. In doing so, she aims to portray herself as genuine for prioritising the concerns of the Hapsey locals, thus reinforcing her future attacks against the Adventure+Nature group. Her warmth is immediately felt in her opening, particularly in stating the obvious fact that she is indeed “[our] host, Janelle Tanley”. The possessive determiner “your” is especially important in reinforcing her sense of commitment to the Hapsey residents, whilst simultaneously imbuing her podcast with a subtly casual and personal atmosphere only possible through her familiarity to the region. Tanley’s attachment of mystical and healing nomenclature, namely in characterising the wetlands as one of the “the last protected sanctuaries” in the region, serves to also paint Hapsey in a vulnerable manner, thus emphasising its importance beyond merely an ecosystem. Compounded by her employment of an inundative lexicon, labelling the newspaper as “overflowing” and “flooded with letters”, Tanley intensifies the necessity of resisting the changes in hinting at the imminence of the wetland’s modernisation, and consequently the importance of protecting such a landmark. Her tonal switch to one of reminiscence and plea, however, exposing the wetland’s portrayal as “just another area… under threat of destruction” also laments the contrasting views of outsiders, painting them as ignorant through an inability to recognise the wetland’s value. Reaffirmed by her employment of a visual rhetoric, depicting various extracurricular activities against the Hapsey backdrop, Tanley reaffirms that the wetlands serve as a source of connection and community for locals, warning of the societal stratification which would occur from its loss.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In sunset boulevard, romantic…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950) is a film noir that interrogates the dark underbelly of Hollywood,…
Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950) is a film noir that interrogates the dark underbelly of Hollywood, exposing its obsession with fame, power, and self-delusion. Central to this critique is the way the film represents romantic relationships: not as authentic connections grounded in reality, but as arrangements steeped in illusion, manipulation, and fantasy. Through Norma Desmond’s desperate clinging to past stardom, Joe Gillis’s opportunistic submission to a toxic liaison, and Betty Schaefer’s idealistic yet equally compromised attraction to Joe, Wilder demonstrates that romance in the world of Sunset Boulevard is less about love and more about sustaining illusions.
Norma Desmond epitomises the destructive power of fantasy, with her love for Joe serving not as an expression of mutual affection but as a projection of her delusional world. A faded silent film star, Norma lives in an isolated mansion, frozen in the illusion that she is still adored by millions. Her relationship with Joe is less a romance than an enactment of fantasy: she treats him as both a lover and a surrogate audience, a vessel through which she can reanimate her lost glory. Norma’s declarations of love are theatrical, melodramatic, and scripted, revealing that her attachment to Joe is an extension of her broader illusion of relevance. When Joe attempts to break free and confronts her with the truth, Norma’s inability to distinguish between performance and reality culminates in violence, exposing how destructive it is when romance becomes inseparable from illusion.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: We can have a kind of sympathy as well as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: We can have a kind of sympathy as well as a kind of distaste for both Norma Desmond and Joe Gillis in Sunset…
We can have a kind of sympathy as well as a kind of distaste for both Norma Desmond and Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard. Do you agree?
Billy Wilder’s 1950s acerbic film noir, Sunset Boulevard, is orchestrated as a cautionary and eye-opening tale that exposes the brutal toxicity of Hollywood. The director presents the gulf between Hollywood’s celebration of youth and its erasure of obsolescence that fatefully leads to the demise of the principal characters who seek their own respective desires. Wilder’s melodrama encourages the audience to become ambivalent and conflicted on the opinions of the characters. The exploration of exploitation and the various power dynamics invigorates appeals of hatred and empathy. It is also the ethical considerations of one’s mischievous actions that can argue the outlook of their characters. Lastly, it is fundamentally the grand scheme of the film industry that alleviates the vain emotions of hate for these characters.
Wilder’s coordination of deception and the acts of controlling another incites the audience to despise Norma Desmond. The director initially introduces the themes of manipulation and control through a recurring motif of the “contraption on her finger”. The utilisation of the minor prop married with the soliloquy of Joe depicts how he was “caught, like the cigarette” in Norma’s trap and was ultimately under her reign. Joe, who has passively surrendered his authority right into Norma’s hands, his existential defeat encourages empathy towards Joe and hatred towards Norma, who has benefitted psychotically. The director’s implementation of a symbol paired with a metaphor of the estranged and exotic companion further dictates the relationship of Joe and Norma. Joe, who approaches the “great big white castle” is unaware of his role, being the replacement of the “organ grinder” Norma isolates herself with. Wilder’s exploration of the characterisation of Norma is clever, where he contrasts Norma’s lack of acknowledgement for human life, the callousness she conceals to present the true femme fatale in this film noir. The antagonist is coldly represented through mise-en-scene and the lack of consideration for humans detaches any positive emotions and only encourages disdain.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sophocles presents the search for…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: In Sophocles' classic tragedy, Oedipus The king, the playwright establishes a problematic microcosm in which human…
In Sophocles' classic tragedy, Oedipus The king, the playwright establishes a problematic microcosm in which human beings must negotiate contrary forces, in order to survive. In Oedipus The King, Sophocles highlights that destruction results from inescapable forces and uncontrolled search for truth. Sophocles warns that seeking knowledge and challenging divine authority precipitates a path to ruin, it also highlights admirable determination, ultimately making the pursuit for truth both heroic and dangerous. Within the play the defiance of celestial forces creates a condemned path that leads to one’s demise. Furthermore, the discovery of truth forces self-recognition, exposing moral failings that catalyses destruction. However, while the pursuit for truth leads to destruction, Sophocles also presents this as admirable which suggests courage and determination to uncover the truth.