VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘I am no bird; and no net ensnares me…”…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre is a literary classic exploring the intersection between Gothic and Romantic…
Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre is a literary classic exploring the intersection between Gothic and Romantic conventions through the Bildungsroman of eponymous heroine, Jane Eyre, as she seeks freedom from societal bounds. Central to Jane Eyre is the pursuit of personal freedom from restrictive institutions, though Bronte concedes that such institutions do have a place in ensuring personal survival. Bronte employs marriage as a form of hinderance to Jane achieving personal freedom. Moreover, the ever-present notion of religion is a driving force of Jane’s desire for autonomy. Yet, Bronte acknowledges that although personal freedom is important for young females, these institutions can foster happiness rather than compromising it. Ultimately, Bronte complicates the ability for women in Victorian England to attain personal freedom without complying to some social confines.
Foundational to the novel is the social duty for women to marry, framed by Bronte as a constraint on women’s personal freedom. Indeed, through “the Honourable” Blanche Ingram, Bronte is able to encapsulate how marriage is sometimes the only option for women to survive. While she is “beautiful” and with “noble features”, Bronte reveals she has very little power and is simply “waiting to be sought”. Here, Bronte comments on the lack of leverage females have in Victorian society; Blanche’s life has simply amounted to seeking a husband, reducing her to depend on a man and largely preventing her from pursuing any sense of freedom. However, while she believes she can find financial freedom through marrying Rochester, it is evident she will simply become tethered to the pursuit of a man who does not love her . This notion of restriction even before marriage is further evinced to Bertha Mason, as a “maniac” who lives isolated on the “third story”. This setting of the “room without a window” and a “low black door” emblematise prison-like conditions, reflecting the confines of marriage. This is further reinforced through Bronte’s detailing of Bertha as “shaggy” juxtaposed to Blanche, who is “dressed in pure white” and as “brilliant as her jewels” physically presents the dichotomy of freedom between the married and unmarried woman; implying that once married, women are at the mercy of their husbands. Bronte further extends this contrast between the two characters by reducing Bertha to the androgenous pronoun, “it”, linguistically removes Bertha’s personhood and completely reduces her. It is through this that Bronte reflects the way patriarchal marriage erases female freedom, and she has had to bear the burden of Rochester’s “mistake’ of marrying her; she is now societally rejected as she is considered less pure than the other women, such as Blanche. In doing so, Bronte condemns the commodification of women in a patriarchal society advancing her view that a marriage dictated by social convention becomes a mechanism of female erasure than fulfilment.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: presenting an argument
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 95%: INTRO We award soldiers a Victoria Cross for "extreme acts of valour in the presence of the enemy." We…
INTRO
We award soldiers a Victoria Cross for "extreme acts of valour in the presence of the enemy." We celebrate them on ANZAC Day. We ask them to be the lions that protect us. But what happens when we drag that lion from the battlefield, put it in a cage, and prosecute it for having claws?
The lion in question is Ben Roberts-Smith. For years, he was our national hero. Today, he is the face of allegations that shock the conscience - acts that, by any objective moral standard, are indefensible. But we must look beyond the individual to the institution. My contention is that the hyper-fixation on one man is a convenient distraction from the systemic, institutional failures of a leadership that abandoned its duty of care. By focusing our outrage on one corporal, we are ignoring a rotted chain of command. We have turned Ben Roberts-Smith into a scapegoat to avoid confronting a much darker reality.
FIRST ARGUMENT
To understand the soldier, we must first understand the SASR. It is an elite, abnormal machine. The SAS selection process is deliberately designed around extreme physical and psychological stress, all to find those who remain "predatory" under pressure. We spend millions training these men to be the "tip of the spear," yet we are scandalised when they don't return from their tenth deployment ready for a quiet life in the suburbs. Of course, the Rules of Engagement exist to govern these extremes—but we must ask if they are being interpreted with the tactical realism they require. To judge the psychological and tactical realities of an elite combat unit as though they occurred in ordinary civilian life is a profound logical fallacy. It is the first step in creating a scapegoat for a war we no longer wish to understand.
SECOND ARGUMENT
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "She was worried that she was overstepping…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: In The Stain, Tessa Hadley explores how gender, class and societal values shape behaviour through moments of…
In The Stain, Tessa Hadley explores how gender, class and societal values shape behaviour through moments of restraint rather than open conflict. Marina’s fear that she is “overstepping the mark” establishes a society governed by unspoken rules, where moral action is complicated by social position. Hadley suggests that inequality is sustained not through cruelty but through hesitation and the desire to remain polite and feminine, as per social constructs.
Hadley presents a feminist perspective through her construction of Marina, whose anxiety is directed inward rather than expressed openly. Rather than acting decisively, Marina becomes increasingly concerned with how she might be perceived, worrying that intervening would be socially inappropriate, by doubting whether “she [knows] where to draw the line” or behaving inappropriately. This constant self-questioning highlights how women are conditioned to regulate their behaviour, prioritising emotional restraint and social harmony,
Marina’s tendency to “[put] him off gently, smiling, laughing” reflects a broader expectation that women should preserve harmony, regardless of whether they feel uncomfortable. Hadley reinforces this by noting that she “is imaginatively empathetic”.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “By then, I’d started concocting a little…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Billy Wilder’s scathing film noir ‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950) explores the hidden bleakness of Hollywood and the…
Billy Wilder’s scathing film noir ‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950) explores the hidden bleakness of Hollywood and the industry’s ultimate deterioration of its community’s integrity, hope and sense of reality. Wilder suggests that although Hollywood is ultimately constructed on deceit and immorality, honesty and morality still exists in the background of the industry. Sunset Boulevard implies that most people in Hollywood’s actions and ambitions stem from an immoral desire for financial and personal gain. Furthermore, Wilder’s film illustrates how in Hollywood, deceit is normalised and rarely seen as immoral, despite its destructive consequences. Conversely, Wilder shows that some individuals in the film industry strive to produce quality films to seek wholesome fulfillment and morals rather than for monetary gain.
Wilder reveals that many people in Hollywood act upon their selfish financial needs, rather than working with morality and integrity. His film suggests that many people sacrifice honest relationships and authentic, meaningful filmmaking for material gain. The mise-en-scene of the opening scene, where Joe is seen sitting on his unmade bed in his bathroom while trying to write scripts, “two a day,” which “didn’t sell,” demonstrates the hidden struggles of most people who try to succeed in Hollywood. Through this, Wilder critiques the harsh nature of Hollywood as an industry, illustrating the difficulty it takes to succeed in Hollywood. The messy state of Joe’s bedroom mirrors his psychological state, alluding to the stress put on individuals who are trying to succeed in the industry. This also suggests that Hollywood’s unforgiving environment often forces individuals to prioritise self-preservation through rushed, unthoughtful work over taking time to create quality films. Wilder builds upon this idea through Joe “concocting a little plot of [his] own” as Norma offers him a place to stay and a job as an editor for her script ‘Salome’ which he calls “bad writing.” Joe’s prioritisation of a “plot” over being honest with Norma and telling her the script isn’t good highlights the normalisation of deceit in Hollywood, and the tendency of individuals to prioritise their selfish desires rather than honest filmmaking. Hence, Wilder warns against the pervasive manipulation in Hollywood. As a result of this deceit and immorality, people’s relationships are inauthentic, illustrated through Wilder’s construction of Norma and Joe’s transactional relationship and the symbolism of the gold cigarette case that Norma gives to Joe as a gift. Their rocky power dynamics in their relationship highlights that many partnerships in Hollywood are dependent on the individual needs of their members, such as Norma’s desire for validation and Joe’s desire for financial security, rather than genuine attraction or love. The gold cigarette case symbolises the prominence of manipulation through opulence and money in Hollywood. Thus, Wilder uses their dynamics to critique the systemic destruction of pure relationships in Hollywood that stem from immoral desires and manipulation. Sunset Boulevard aims to disprove the glamorous, desirable face of Hollywood and criticises the commodification of relationships in capitalist societies.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does The Memory Police suggest that…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 95%: Yoko Ogawa’s 1994 dystopian novel ‘The Memory Police’ set on an unnamed island where objects, memories and…
Yoko Ogawa’s 1994 dystopian novel ‘The Memory Police’ set on an unnamed island where objects, memories and eventually aspects of human identity are erased, reinforcing the notion that memories play an important role in giving life meaning. Through the systematic disappearances, the oppressive rule of the Memory Police and the relationships between characters, Ogawa suggests that memories are fundamental to preserving identity, sustaining human relationships and enabling the possibility of hope. Ultimately, the novel argues that without memory, people become disconnected from themselves and others, leaving life empty and devoid of purpose.
Through the oppressive presence of the Memory Police, Ogawa argues that human agency and meaning cannot exist in a society where the past is being actively and forcefully dismantled. Ogawa emphasises the systemic nature of this erasure through R, who observes that “the island is run by men who are determined to see things disappear”. This suggests that the loss of meaning is not a natural process, but a deliberate act of historical suppression. By forcing the disappearance of material objects, the Memory Police ensure that the meaning those objects once provided, such as the joy of birdsong or the fragrance of a rose, is permanently stripped from the citizens’ collective memory. Furthermore, as this meaning is no longer permitted in public life, it must be hidden away. R describes the secret room where he preserves his memories as being “like a cave floating in the sky”. This imagery suggests that while the room is a sanctuary for memory, it is also a place of isolation. The fact that the meaning of the past can only exist in a space that feels as though it is “floating” and disconnected from reality highlights the tragedy of the island: to remember is to be removed from the world. Ultimately, Ogawa suggests that a life of meaning becomes an impossibility when nature refuses to allow the past to be grounded in the present.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: write a speech about something you are…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 60%: “Are you xenophobic?” “Please explain”, Yes Pauline hanson you as a federal politician who stands up at…
“Are you xenophobic?” “Please explain”, Yes Pauline hanson you as a federal politician who stands up at parliament and makes xenophobic statements need me to clarify what xenophobia is, this interview is one of Australia's most iconic pop culture moments, while many like myself laughed at this meme a couple years ago I no longer find myself cracking a smile. The tides have shifted the menacing threats against immigrants particularly people of colour have escalated. Guys guys join in on the flashy new trend, all the biggest influencers are doing it, its called being a widely accepted racist political party disguising themselves as nationalist. “them job taking curry munching rascals”, yes Dazza from townsville, we hear you and we will protect you from them job hungry bastards.
The influencer getting paid the big bucks is Trump and his ICE bots, he is closely followed by Britans Nigel Farage, Canada's Mamie Bernier, and many more. But the world's most underrated influencer is our very own Pauline Hanson who has been in the game since 1994, yes why join the trend when you can start it. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party’s rise in popularity is a sign of retrogression in Australia’s culture, deepening the fracture in national multiculturalism and misleading the wider Australian community by redirecting their growing discontent to immigrant communities.
P1: Pauline Hanson's vindictive speeches and press runs are built from ignorant and baseless research rather than substantive policies which tackle the root cause of crises and protect Aussie values. Pauline Hanson like all notorious dictators is a fiery charismatic character, people rarely listen to what she says but rather how she says. Her cultivation of follower adore her for her legitimising and voicing their thoughts and concerns, throughout her 32 years in politics she often used hateful and discriminatory speech to express these thoughts, she has openly labelled Muslim immigrants as "violent primitive peoples” and she has famously told Senator Mehreen Faruqi to “pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan”. The tactic of scapegoating minority groups is by no means new, Adolf hitler spread widespread antisemetic propaganda as the cause of germany's economic devastation, Saddam Hussein who persecuted ethnic and religious minorities including the Kurdish people's, to strengthen his regime. One thing all these dictators have in common is to consolidate power by scapegoating a specific racial or religious group, sounds familiar right?.Using these tactics Pauline Hanson has built her political influence by exploiting the fears and insecurities of Australians, convincing struggling families that migrants rather than policy failures, are responsible for job shortages, the housing crisis and rising cost of living. Fear may win elections but it will never solve Australia's Australia's problems.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: this is my oral piece can you tell me…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 60%: [Chunk 1 — Hook + Persona] You're doing the weekly shop with your mum. She picks up a bottle of olive oil. A…
[Chunk 1 — Hook + Persona]
You're doing the weekly shop with your mum. She picks up a bottle of olive oil. A flashy yellow "Down Down" sticker sits on it so of course, it goes in the trolley. Except in May this year, the Federal Court found Coles had been raising the price, holding it just long enough, then dropping it back down and calling it a discount. Thirteen out of fourteen tickets examined were ruled misleading. And it's not just Coles Woolworths is facing the exact same allegations in court right now, for the exact same trick. This isn't a small operator cutting corners. Coles and Woolworths together make up roughly two out of every three dollars spent on groceries in this country. This isn't a story about one bottle. It's millions of dollars in manufactured trust.
Honourable judges, teachers, and fellow students I'm speaking to you today not as a lawyer, not as an economist, but as someone who trusts this exact shop with my own family, who has stood in front of that same yellow sticker and believed it. And I want to show you how this plays out twice: once on the shelf, and once on the screen. Because if we let both slide, we're teaching an entire generation that being lied to is just the cost of buying something.
[Chunk 2 — Influencer story]
Now picture this: you're scrolling, and someone you follow raves about a product, so much that you're keen to tell your friends. Except this March, the ACCC handed down Australia's first ever fine for exactly this kind of deception. A company called Photobook Shop had been paying influencers with free products, then instructing them not to mention it. In one case, they took a review that admitted the product was "a bit fiddly" and cut those words out, so all that was left was the praise. It looked organic. It wasn't. Adding to this, when the ACCC swept 118 influencer accounts, 81 per cent were flagged as potentially misleading.
[Chunk 3 — Who's affected + concession/rebuttal]
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Should AI be allowed in classrooms?
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 87.5%: Why AI belongs in our classrooms Hook: Imagine it is 1972. A student walks into a classroom carrying a clunky…
Why AI belongs in our classrooms
Hook: Imagine it is 1972. A student walks into a classroom carrying a clunky plastic box with glowing red numbers: the first pocket calculator. At the time teachers were horrified. They claimed it would “rot the brain” and destroy our ability to think.
[PAUSE] Yet today, in almost every VCE math classroom, that tool isn't just allowed-it is indispensable. Today we stand at a similar crossroads with generative AI. We can either retreat into the past, or we can lead our schools into the future.
Contention
As a student currently enrolled in the VCE program I can personally say that AI tools such as ChatGPT should not only be allowed in schools but should be integrated into our curriculum. To ban AI is to ignore the reality of our modern reality and to disadvantage students who are about to enter a workforce where AI literacy is no longer a choice, it is a requirement.
Argument 1 (logic and the workforce)
If we take a look at this through a lens of pure logic, the argument for a ban quickly falls apart. According to recent data from the Australian Department of Education, a staggering 75% of high school students” are already utilising AI within their day to day lives. Throughout history, logic tells us that when a tool reaches near universal adoption, prohibition is no longer a viable strategy but more so a fantasy.
Argument 2 (Why? Higher order thinking and work efficiency)
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Write a piece on personal journeys…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 90%: The beats of the ceremonial kompang pervade my thoughts as I sit rigid on the pelamin (the wedding dais), my…
The beats of the ceremonial kompang pervade my thoughts as I sit rigid on the pelamin (the wedding dais), my face hidden from view with an ornate fan by my mother seated next to me. She is crying, her tears running tracks through her makeup. Ironically, I do not cry. I look straight ahead, my eyes seeing everything, yet nothing. The fan is beautiful, silver and gold flowers on maroon fabric that looks like the grating, scratchy songket I was made to wear (“Suck in your gut, sayang, there we go.”). A wall of my most trusted female relatives and friends form before me, stopping the groom’s procession. Do they know? I do not think so. Better if they didn’t. My pain will be the one thing I alone will own.
The beats do not falter. They grow louder, closer, until they settle beneath my skin, a second pulse that does not belong to me. Each strike of the kompang feels like a reckoning, the walls closing in, a narrowing of choice. The women before me laugh, their voices light, teasing, bargaining for passage in language and ritual older than us all. Their bodies form a barrier, but it is a gentle one, meant to be crossed. Everything here is meant to give way.
Everything except me.
This was never meant to be my life. Not him. Not like this. Not now.
It began, as most things do, quietly. A suggestion over the dinner table, like we were only discussing the weather. “He is a good man,” my mother said, not unkindly. “Stable, pious. He will take care of you.” My father could only nod, refusing to meet my gaze. It was never framed as a question, only a sequence of reasonable steps laid out so logically that refusal would seem irrational and ungrateful.
He is a good man. That has always been the problem. But I did not love him the way a wife is meant to love her husband. There is nothing to point to, nothing to refuse without sounding cruel. Just small things – the way he speaks for me without noticing, the way my silences become agreement in his presence, the way my world, around him, felt already decided. A life where I am safe, provided for, and slowly, carefully, reduced.
I told myself I had time. That there would be space later for me to grow into whoever I was meant to be.
But time, I have learned, is something other people decide for you if you do not claim it yourself.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: write a pursuasive speech on the topic…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 87.5%: Before you leave the house tonight, make sure your phone is charged. Walk the lit road, not the shortcut.…
Before you leave the house tonight, make sure your phone is charged. Walk the lit road, not the shortcut. Keep your keys between your fingers, just in case. Hood up, music off, eyes up. Text me when you get there and don't leave your drink alone. Wear something that covers you, you wouldn’t want to suggest anything, but not so long you'll trip if you have to run. Always scream fire, never help.
We don't hand this list to boys. We have never handed this list to boys. We give it to girls before they're old enough to understand why, and by the time they're old enough to ask, they've already memorised it. Nobody decided what to hand boys instead. The manosphere decided for us.
Over the last decade, an ecosystem of podcasts, forums and posts built itself around that gap, telling boys that women are objects for their entertainment, showing emotion is weak and for girls, and feminism is the reason they feel lost and can’t get a girlfriend. This is the manosphere, and it did not create misogyny, but it has industrialised it and turned something that once needed a search to find into something that finds our youngest generations first.
The manosphere is not a single website or a single man. It is a misogynistic, global subculture operating across platforms that UN Women describes as being “characterised by anti-feminist, misogynistic viewpoints and the promotion of rigid, aggressive models of masculinity”. Andrew Tate is one such model. This ‘man’ has publicly stated that he is “absolutely a misogynist”, and posted a video stating his response to an accusation of cheating by a woman would be to “bang out the machete, boom in her face, grip her up by the neck … and you go f her”. He is currently being charged with 10 criminal offences including assault, rape, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain. He has collectively ten million followers. Boys are still searching his name. This is who is raising our boys while we aren't looking.
When a culture repeatedly tells young boys that showing emotions and vulnerability is for girls, and men should toughen up and deal with it, it should not surprise us when those boys grow into men who respond to vulnerability with violence. Police recorded 40,087 reports of sexual assault in 2024, the highest number on record. But a separate ABS survey tells a more confronting story. 92% of women who'd experienced sexual assault never came forward. Thousands of Australian women trapped in a blanket of fear and silence, a silence the manosphere is built to justify. The manosphere didn't pull the trigger; these men did. What it did do was provide them with a loaded gun and spare bullets. Bullets aimed at women and the very movement fighting for their rights.
Feminism is not a textbook definition; it is the apparently radical belief that the girl walking home tonight deserves to do so without a list of rules. The idea that women are people, not vessels for someone else’s dinner, children, and desires. Yet these forums, podcasts and ‘male advocates’ have twisted this word to fit their own misogynistic views. The manosphere didn't just discredit feminism; it took a word that once described the idea that women deserve the same treatment, opportunities and freedoms as men, instead rebuilding it into a threat aimed at men.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: write a pursuasive speech on the topic…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 87.5%: Before you leave the house tonight, make sure your phone is charged. Walk the lit road, not the shortcut.…
Before you leave the house tonight, make sure your phone is charged. Walk the lit road, not the shortcut. Keep your keys between your fingers, just in case. Hood up, music off, eyes up. Text me when you get there and don't leave your drink alone. Wear something that covers you, you wouldn’t want to suggest anything, but not so long you'll trip if you have to run. Always scream fire, never help.
We don't hand this list to boys. We have never handed this list to boys. We give it to girls before they're old enough to understand why, and by the time they're old enough to ask, they've already memorised it. Nobody decided what to hand boys instead. The manosphere decided for us.
Over the last decade, an ecosystem of podcasts, forums and posts built itself around that gap, telling boys that women are objects for their entertainment, showing emotion is weak and for girls, and feminism is the reason they feel lost and can’t get a girlfriend. This is the manosphere, and it did not create misogyny, but it has industrialised it and turned something that once needed a search to find into something that finds our youngest generations first.
The manosphere is not a single website or a single man. It is a misogynistic, global subculture operating across platforms that UN Women describes as being, “characterised by anti-feminist, misogynistic viewpoints and the promotion of rigid, aggressive models of masculinity”. Andrew Tate is one such model. This ‘man’ has publicly stated that he is “absolutely a misogynist”, and posted a video stating his response to accusation of cheating by a woman would be to “bang out the machete, boom in her face, grip her up by the neck … and you go f her”. He is currently being charged with 10 criminal offences including assault, rape, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain. He has collectively ten million followers. Boys are still searching his name. This is who is raising our boys while we aren't looking.
When a culture repeatedly tells young boys that showing emotions and vulnerability is for girls, and men should toughen up and deal with it, it should not surprise us when those boys grow into men who respond to vulnerability with violence. Police recorded 40,087 reports of sexual assault in 2024, the highest number on record. But a separate ABS survey tells a more confronting story. 92% of women who'd experienced sexual assault never came forward. Thousands of Australian women trapped in a blanket of fear and silence, a silence the manosphere is built to justify. The manosphere didn't pull the trigger, these men did. What it did do was provide them with a loaded gun and spare bullets. Bullets aimed at women and the very movement fighting for their rights.
Feminism is not a textbook definition, it is the apparently radical belief that the girl walking home tonight deserves to do so without a list of rules. The idea that women are people and not vessels for someone else’s dinner, children and desires. Yet these forums, podcasts and ‘male advocates’ have twisted this word to fit their own misogynistic views. The manosphere didn't just discredit feminism, it took a word that once described the idea that women deserve the same treatment, opportunities and freedoms as men, instead rebuilding it into a threat aimed at men.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sophocles show leadership is flawed?
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: The classic Greek Oedipus the King depicts the governing system of the Thebes as problematic. Set against the…
The classic Greek Oedipus the King depicts the governing system of the Thebes as problematic. Set against the plague stricken Thebes, Oedipus, as the king of the state, initially attempts to handle the crisis; his effort, however, raises more questions about his background and legitimacy as ruler, eventually leading to his downfall. Through the play, Sophocles not only depicts the Thebe’s ruling system as problematic through Oedipus’ absolute power and lack of recognition from the god. Opening with the scene in which Oedipus is being worshipped by the masses due to their desperation towards the disaster, Sophocles also implies the flaw of the Thebans for their dependence on other people. Written in 428 BCE Athens, a state known for its democracy politics. At the same time, the state has been under Pericles’ rule for decades with cults developed around him. Through the tragedy, Sophocles aims to make his Athenian audience realise the fact that their leadership has been developed beyond the system the state relied on and hence calling for restoration.
Through Oedipus’ interaction with other characters, Sophocles reveals the flaw of letting leaders hold absolute power that could lead to paranoia. For example, over his agon with Creon when accusing him for plotting against him. Despite Creon’s appeal to logical thinking, Oedipus persists in his own judgement as when “[his] enemy moves against [him] quickly, [he] must move[s] quickly too, [he] must.” Through the use of repetition of the word “must”, Sophocles highlights Oedipus’ determination to act as he believes he is racing against time for maintaining his throne. As a leader with absolute power, Oedipus’ position often provokes people’s jealousy, making it at risk of taking over by others. This, however, develops Oedipus’ paranoia and his persecution on innocent people. As Oedipus is being questioned “what if [he] is wholly wrong”, he simply responds that “No matter, [he] must rule.” Through Oedipus’ authoritative tone, Sophocles illustrates the tyrant features that are present on Oedipus. His immediate response “no matter” indicates his dismissal of his duty. His insistence on maintaining his position as ruler implies his addiction to power due to his resolution of safeguarding it under any conditions. Back in the 4th century BCE in Athens, the political system was designed to ensure power was shared by every citizen. By depicting Oedipus as a tyrant, Sophocles explains the fact that power without separation would inevitably develop into tyranny driven by both fear and addiction by the ruler. While creating catharsis, Sophocles suggests to his Athenian audience to cherish their democracy. Hence, The leadership of the Thebes is presented as problematic for its authoritative feature.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: On the text : Lady Audley secret ·…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 65%: After 120 days in the belly of Queen Victoria Meabh had arrived in the new colony of Austlain. She couldn't…
After 120 days in the belly of Queen Victoria Meabh had arrived in the new colony of Austlain. She couldn't help but resent the flat dry land which yielded no resemblance to the green hills of Ireland to which held a fierce native fondness for.
As her poor mother had fallen ill and died, her father was a victim of the illness some years prior, Maebhe had set out to find work , where it was abundant. In Australia.
And so with tearful goodbye to her young siblings, Meabh Kelly had endured the 120 at sea. At night the hands of men groped through the darkness and in the day seawater soaked your cracked lips as disease clung to the sctuttling rats.
Not one week after arriving in the port of Sydyney Meabh had traveled to a newly established settlement where she had been assigned as one of the house servants of the local doctor.
A cab had been arranged to take her from Sydney port to her new master residence. Dr.Allbones was a recent resident of the town of Caldwell where his house functioned as both clinic and home to him and his young wife.
When Meabh had arrived she was surprised to see Mrs. Allbones herself awaiting her by the door step. “Goodevening Meabh, welcome to Cadwell!”. Meabh had taken immediate notice of Mrs. Allbones femmine nature. Mrs. Allbones didnt speak as such but cooed in sweet tones. Her saccharine voice could put the most diligent soldier to rest.
“I'm glad you have come” whispered Ms. Allbones in her gentle tone “it's hard to get people willing to leave the city and come to Cadwall”.
Mrs. Allbones prattled continuously as she showed Meabh about the rooms as if there was no partitioning between her thoughts and voice.
The house was a grand and new residence which had been styled in that new colonial way and was in the center of town among the shopfronts. On the first floor were rooms used to see patients as well as the kitchen and palour. On the second story The west wing of the building's second floor was Dr. Allbones rooms, dining room and study while the east was the servants quarters. No nursery, Maebh had noticed. How uncommon for such young newlyweds!
Mrs. Allbones was different to all other doctors wife Meabh had known. She lacks the churlish smirk and dismissive glance that those women possessed.
Ms. Allbone was casual with all her servants, and flirted freely, although not intentionally. She acted in a way which made Meabh had wondered what Ms. Allbones had been before she had become a doctor's wife.
Meabh was gracious of Mrs. Allbones liberality. Mrs. Allbone was as precious within her treatment of maebh as she was in her appearance.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Power is a burden not a privilege. Is this…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Sophocles’ Oedipus the King consistently revealed the harsh brutalities that come with power throughout the play,…
Sophocles’ Oedipus the King consistently revealed the harsh brutalities that come with power throughout the play, but also the benefits and privileges of members with great power experience. Power creates responsibility and commitments that some are not capable of, and it can also create status which blinds people from realising their fate. However, the status it does come with creates a hierarchy system where members worship individuals with great power, acting as an ideal lifestyle and a great privilege.
Oedipus the King consistently epitomised the responsibility of being an individual with greater power, and the pressure that is created as a result. At the start of the play when the priests ‘prayed to [him]’ (Oedipus) to save a barren Thebes, it immediately demonstrated the pressures that came with the king's status. Sophocles uses the plague as an example to demonstrate the difficult task ahead, which to highlights the hardships that come with power, and the never-ending issues arising. To further evaluate the responsibility, they believed ‘he cannot equal the gods’, illustrating the task at hand was something only the gods could fix, but instead the pressure was poured on himself. This conveyed the message that the citizens of Thebes could not directly interact with the gods they worshipped, and as a result relied on Oedipus as the next best resort, creating immense workloads on Oedipus as he had to supposedly bear the weight of divine expectation. Furthermore, the flaw of power was that one had to stay true to their commitments. When Oedipus commanded that Laius’s killer would ‘be banished from Thebes’, it created a promise to the public that the murderer would be gone, and the city would heal from the plague according to the prophets of Apollo. Ironically, the anagnorisis revealing Oedipus himself was the killer resulted in self-banishment with Creon’s command, and this was the final step in his downfall. Ultimately, Sophocles epitomised the harsh brutalities that came with power, through the tragic circumstances of Oedipus.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: This is for the Presenting Argument SAC. I…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: "Australian Society is united through our shared values" That is the official line from the department of home…
"Australian Society is united through our shared values"
That is the official line from the department of home affairs. But, if we look at the history of our country - a graveyard of discarded values ranging from the White Australia Policy to the Stolen Generations, it's clear that these values are just a semantic vacuum. They aren't a foundation for unity; they are a rhetorical shell which the powerful fill with whatever meaning is politically convenient.
If a set of values can be completely inverted in a single lifetime, why should we believe that today's values unite us, and are here to stay?
Let's take a moment to examine a few of the "values" that we share. They include "mateship", "a fair go for all" "mutual respect" and "respect for the law".
But, my question to you is, when did these values become Australian?
When the Eastern States of Australia were ravaged by floods, 27 people lost their lives, and over 20,000 homes were flooded. According to Bill Shorten, this is where he saw what "he loves most about this country - Australian spirit". Mr Shorten claims that Aussies were doing everything to help their neighbours. From "shovelling muck" to "providing a shoulder to cry on".
But, let's be real. Helping a neighbour, whose house is underwater isn't an Australian trait. It's just a human one.
Do we really think that when disaster strikes nations around the world, people just stand around without helping each other because they don't have 'Australian Spirit'?
When a Tsunami hit Japan, we saw a nation of volunteers working in silence to rebuild.
Helping a neighbour isn't 'Australian Spirit', it's Human spirit
We are taking a global baseline and trying to claim it as a local invention. If our 'values' are just generic requirements for being a good person, then the term 'Australian Values' becomes a semantic void. It's a title that sounds like a foundation, but holds no specific meaning.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: ARGUMENT ANALYSIS TEXT 2 Putting…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 85%: Following the Minns government’s trial to remove shark nets from Sydney beaches, Rachel Merton MLC published…
Following the Minns government’s trial to remove shark nets from Sydney beaches, Rachel Merton MLC published the opinion piece “Putting people before sharks a net gain for all” in The Daily Telegraph on 29 July 2025. As a Liberal member of NSW parliament, Merton writes from a political perspective and strongly criticises the Labor government’s decision. Her piece is mainly directed towards NSW residents, beachgoers, local businesses and people who are concerned about beach safety. Merton contends that removing shark nets is irresponsible because it puts environmental concerns above human safety, and she argues that shark nets should remain in place until other alternatives can provide the same level of protection
Merton argues that the Minns government’s decision to trial the removal of shark nets is dangerous because it risks the safety of NSW beachgoers. She immediately describes the decision as a “reckless capitulation to green ideology”, using attacking and critical language to make the government appear weak and careless. The word “reckless” suggests that the government is not thinking properly about the consequences of its decision, while “capitulation” implies that Labor has surrendered to environmental pressure rather than standing up for ordinary citizens. This creates an angry and serious tone, encouraging the audience to feel that the government has betrayed beachgoers. Merton further states that the government is “gambling with lives”, which positions the removal of shark nets as a life or death issue rather than just an environmental policy. By using this fear-based language, Merton pushes NSW residents to believe that keeping shark nets is necessary to protect families, swimmers and children. Therefore, Merton develops her contention that removing shark nets is irresponsible because it places citizens in danger
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Personal Journeys
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 72.5%: How would you define yourself? Chinese? Australian? Indian? Croatian? For many teenagers nationality…
How would you define yourself? Chinese? Australian? Indian? Croatian? For many teenagers nationality represents who they are. For me it used to be Argentinian and Chinese, but my identity is more than a language.
I was born and raised i n Buenos Aires and though I knew many people, and was in many groups, my favourite by far must’ve been table tennis. In table tennis I didn't need words — my paddle said everything. After training, I'll sit together with my Chinese and Argentinian friends eating empanadas and dumplings off a small table, laughing in two languages, proud of both. In Buenos Aires, being Chinese and Argentinian wasn't a contradiction. It was the best thing about me.
Though Argentina was a beautiful place- my beautiful home, it was also a broken one. Inflation, corruption, and safety issues led to deep disappointment. The final straw for my parents was when I was robbed at knife point on a night returning from table tennis training. It killed the last bit of hope for my parents. So we moved to Melbourne when I was twelve. We packed our languages, our recipes, our traditions and my paddle — everything that couldn't fit in a suitcase but came anyway — and with a grief that felt strangely like hope, we left Argentina behind. My parents were carrying the weight of our future even while knowing that they'd have to bear uncertainty, sacrifice and the risk of failure. Luckily Australia gave the stamp for our passports and I finally got the chance to live in Australia. I'd heard so many stories about it. Australia felt like another universe. It was stable, safe and most importantly, full of hope for the future.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent is Medea a play about the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Euripides presents Jason’s hubris as the primary catalyst for tragedy, illustrating how his pursuit of 'social…
Euripides presents Jason’s hubris as the primary catalyst for tragedy, illustrating how his pursuit of 'social reputation' leads to a blind disregard for the 'sacred oath' that once bound his family. Throughout the events of the play, Jason attempts to justify his actions of betrayal as logical, arguing that it will ensure that his family would “live comfortably”. He uses pragmatic language to frame himself as a man focused on his family and their future, stating that the intention of his marriage was to “make [them] safe” and to “provide security for [their] family”. These words are an attempt to present his betrayal as a necessary action to benefit the safety of his family; however, Jason’s true desires lie within his overwhelming obsession with his own reputation and kleos, solidifying a glorious future for himself. Euripides constructs an agon between Medea and Jason, demonstrating the clash between the pride of the two characters. In this debate, Jason highlights his desire to
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Multiculturalism is fundamental to our…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 75%: The onset of a number of anti-immigration protests in early 2025 has sparked debate about whether…
The onset of a number of anti-immigration protests in early 2025 has sparked debate about whether multiculturalism is a part of Australia’s identity. Dr Anne Aly’s opinion piece “Multiculturalism is fundamental to our Australian identity”, published on her official government ministerial website (16/10/2025), adopts a disappointed tone to argue that the singling out of Australia’s Indian community during these protests is saddening because multiculturalism is fundamental to the country’s identity. Targeting an audience who would be interested in the opinions of a progressive, multicultural politician, she seeks to express the meaningful contribution of migrants, specifically Indians, within our communities.
Aly opens by establishing a sense of shared values and a connection with her audience to display her own love and appreciation for the multiculturalism in this country. By highlighting that she was “dismayed” seeing the anti-immigration protests, she proudly expresses her disapproval of this behaviour to establish to the reader that she is a politician who they can trust and connect with because of her passion and support for diverse communities. Paired with her unshakeable mindset that Australia has an “inalienable right to belonging”, the author is attempting to showcase her fearless support for people of multicultural backgrounds, showing that she will not allow people to be told they do not belong. This is to build the audience's support for her, not only as the author of this article, but as a politician, because they’re encouraged to feel safe, supported and fairly represented by someone who holds similar values to theirs.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: It is vital to pursue knowledge in Oedipus…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Sophocles’ Oedipus the King portrays the importance of knowledge in ancient Greek society, but also the harsh…
Sophocles’ Oedipus the King portrays the importance of knowledge in ancient Greek society, but also the harsh realities and tragedies it can unveil. Knowledge was power, and was believed to be the solution to everything, and it also helped build up status for members creating a hierarchy system. However, some knowledge can be detrimental and best if locked away, as it can ruin people’s lives and completely change one’s perspective of their surroundings.
Through a dying, barren Thebes, Oedipus’s first thought was to send Creon to Delphi to obtain knowledge from the gods to save his beloved city. Oedipus wanted to know ‘what [He] might do or say to save our city’, showcasing his reliance on knowledge from prophets and gods to be the solution to stop the plague. The emphasis on the word ‘our’ was deployed by the Sophocles to showcase the city was everyone’s and not just Oedipus’s own. To the children and chorus addressed, this would create a treasure-like perspective on knowledge, and it was portrayed as the solution to save their city. Furthermore, knowledge is prioritised when Oedipus’s speech to find Laius’s killer takes a sudden shift in tone, when Oedipus claims the guilty ‘will escape the brunt of charge’, if surrendered. This statement was likely not true as Oedipus was a man of aggression, but obtaining the information about the murderer was so vital to him that he was willing to supposedly let the killer go free. Sophocles embedded this into his play to uproot the sheer importance of obtaining knowledge through mercy shown by a man who was an aggressor and had an extreme hubris. This further contributed to the idea that information from the gods was deemed to be the highest priority behind decision making in ancient Greek society, and the belief that the gods were always correct was evident throughout it. Ultimately, Sophocles’ play strongly epitomised the importance of obtaining knowledge, especially from the gods, as it was believed to be the solution to every problem.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: VCE persuasive oral - not part of…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 82.5%: "You need to learn to be bored." Growing up, it was my parents' favourite phrase. In fact, we still have this…
"You need to learn to be bored."
Growing up, it was my parents' favourite phrase. In fact, we still have this rule in my family, a rule I'm sure many of you have too: if we're at the dinner table, our phones must be switched off. As a child, I regarded this as torture. My parents were forcing me to endure what felt like every child's worst nightmare: boredom. Yet, what I didn't realise then was that my parents weren't punishing me, they were teaching me something essential.
With the rise of "iPad kids", we are watching attention, creativity and resilience diminish as children increasingly avoid boredom. As teenagers, we see them everywhere: toddlers clutching screens in prams, cafes and cars, during the most formative stage of their life. That’s why parents must stop allowing children to avoid boredom, as learning to tolerate it is essential for healthy development.
Firstly, constant digital stimulation has made children intolerant of boredom. Boredom is the uncomfortable feeling of low mental stimulation; one we instinctively try to escape. For today's children, that escape is only a swipe away. Every swipe on a device triggers the release of dopamine - the brain's feel-good chemical. Flooding a child’s mind with this artificial reward leads to what neuroscientists call the "dopamine-deficit state" – and if that sounds alarming, it's because it is. In this state, real life can no longer meet children's unnatural baseline of stimulation and boredom becomes harder to tolerate.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: VCE persuasive oral - not part of…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 82.5%: "You need to learn to be bored." Growing up, it was my parents' favourite phrase. In fact, we still have this…
"You need to learn to be bored."
Growing up, it was my parents' favourite phrase. In fact, we still have this rule in my family, a rule I'm sure many of you have too: if we're at the dinner table, our phones must be switched off. As a child, I regarded this as torture. My parents were forcing me to endure what felt like every child's worst nightmare: boredom. Yet, what I didn't realise then was that my parents weren't punishing me, they were teaching me something essential.
With the rise of "iPad kids", we are watching attention, creativity and resilience diminish as children increasingly avoid boredom. As teenagers, we see them everywhere: toddlers clutching screens in prams, cafes and cars, during the most formative stage of their life. That’s why parents must stop allowing children to avoid boredom, as learning to tolerate it is essential for healthy development.
Firstly, constant digital stimulation has made children intolerant of boredom. Boredom is the uncomfortable feeling of low mental stimulation; one we instinctively try to escape. For today's children, that escape is only a swipe away. Every swipe on a device triggers the release of dopamine - the brain's feel-good chemical. Flooding a child’s mind with this artificial reward leads to what neuroscientists call the "dopamine-deficit state" – and if that sounds alarming, it's because it is. In this state, real life can no longer meet children's unnatural baseline of stimulation and boredom becomes harder to tolerate.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'You can trust me. I am ready to help ..'…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Sophocles's 430BC tragic play Oedipus The King explores the various influences that catalyse suffering,…
Sophocles's 430BC tragic play Oedipus The King explores the various influences that catalyse suffering, particularly societal responsibilities as a King. Sophocles further partially suggests that the emotional downfall is a result of strong desire. Oedipus The King is a play, created by Sophocles to act as a competitor in an Athenian play competition. Sophocles disolays strong emotive experiences through language and theatrical conventions. Thus aided by the passionate nature of the play, Sophocles explores the causes of Oedipus's emotional and physical downfall.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: oral presentation about gambling…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 97.5%: Intro Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch…
Intro
Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch with your mates. Before a single player's even touched the ball, you've already seen three ads telling you the odds, pushing a bonus bet, or promising money back if your team loses the first quarter. That is not an exaggeration. That is just what watching footy looks like in Australia right now.
Gambling ads have wormed their way into every part of our sporting culture, and the damage goes way beyond annoying. Australians lose more per person on gambling than any other country on Earth, over a thousand dollars per adult, every single year. And these companies are chasing people who can't even legally place a bet yet, which is most of us in this room. So, here's my position. Gambling advertising is a deliberate strategy built by an industry that profits off addiction, and it needs to be banned. Not paused. Not phased out. Banned.
Argument 1: Normalisation
My first point is this. Gambling ads have normalised betting so completely that for our generation, watching a match and having a bet feel like the exact same activity. Odds flash up mid-game, bookies' logos sit on our favourite jerseys, and ad breaks turn into betting infomercials with a bit of footy squeezed in between.
And it's working exactly how they want it to. The Australia Institute found almost one in three kids aged twelve to seventeen have already gambled. Think about that: one in every three children. That's especially alarming because it shows betting has become normalised through sport before young people are even old enough to gamble legally. The moment they turn eighteen, that figure jumps to one in two. Last year alone, more than 900,000 teenagers gambled. That's enough people to fill the MCG nine times over. Together, they lost an estimated $231 million.
This isn't just a statistical trend; it is a lived reality. Consider the experience of many young Australians, including a close friend of mine, who started with a "harmless" two-dollar bet on the footy back in Year 11, just for a laugh with the boys. Fast forward to now, and he reckons he can't watch a game properly unless he's got money on it. That's not him being weak-willed. That's exactly what years of gambling ads are built to do: tell him that having a bet means you belong.