VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: I had to analyse an introduction for…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 70%: To open her opinion piece, Bennet declares that the current gambling reforms imposed by the Albanese government…
To open her opinion piece, Bennet declares that the current gambling reforms imposed by the Albanese government are important, but they lack the magnitude and substantial impact required for Australia’s level of loss. Bennet’s analogy of this ratio, “the equivalent of throwing a bucket of water onto a bushfire”, seeks to minimize the government’s reforms and show how much is really being done, to the audience. The use of “bushfire” signifies the widespread, unpredictability and chaotic nature of gambling throughout all of Australia, while “bucket” shows the lack of action toward the reforms and there minimal impact. Reading this, the audience may feel as though the reforms imposed by Labor and Albanese truly aren’t as impactful as they were made out to be. Following this, the revelation could cause distress and frustration throughout the readers toward Labor’s lack of urgency. Bennet also utilizes the metaphor, “there’s a casino in everyone’s pocket” to show the accessibility of modern day gambling and how the ease in it’s utilization aids Australia’s high gambling loss and addiction rates. The comparison of between something known for loss and widely regarded as somewhere to waste
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: The consequences of the first Arab -…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: The First Arab–Israeli War (1948–49) was a turning point in Middle Eastern history. Beginning after Israel…
The First Arab–Israeli War (1948–49) was a turning point in Middle Eastern history. Beginning after Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, the war involved the invasion of Israel by Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Although the fighting ended in 1949, its consequences shaped the political, territorial and humanitarian future of the region. The most significant consequences were the establishment and expansion of Israel, the displacement of Palestinians through the Nakba, and the continuation of the Arab–Israeli conflict due to the failure to achieve a lasting peace.
One of the most significant consequences of the war was the survival and territorial expansion of the State of Israel. Despite being a newly established nation, Israel successfully defended itself against the invading Arab armies through the effective organisation of the Haganah into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), strong military leadership, and the arrival of Czech weapons supplied with Soviet approval. By the end of the war, Israel controlled approximately 78% of the former British Mandate of Palestine, considerably more than the 55% allocated under the United Nations Partition Plan. At the same time, Jordan annexed the West Bank while Egypt occupied the Gaza Strip, meaning no independent Palestinian state was created. This victory secured Israel's existence as a sovereign nation and permanently altered the political map of the Middle East, while leaving unresolved territorial disputes that would contribute to future conflicts.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Stimulus 3 “[Playfulness is] not about…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 97.5%: Play on. I used to think the farm was the whole world, something I have spent the rest of my life trying to…
Play on.
I used to think the farm was the whole world, something I have spent the rest of my life trying to get back.
I’ll never forget soaring over the paddocks as our car sped along the gravel road, the dry river beds that were peppered with trees blurring into craters on a distant planet. In my head we weren’t driving, we were on a rocket ship, flying past asteroid belts and stars. There was a sudden jolt as the rocket crashed – a pothole. I rubbed my eyes and the toxic smell of rocket fuel left the tip of my nose, the galaxies I could almost touch faded away, as the green of the paddocks crept its way back into my vision.
I often catch myself thinking about it differently now, watching James stare out the car window as though the paddocks might still become something else. It is how we first learn the rules of the world while still remaining entirely ourselves.
Scrambling out of the car I craned my neck to take a good look at the castle. “Let the games begin,” I would say to myself. I shaped the castle so its towers stood firm and proud, its drawbridge like a mouth was closed up tight. I’d reach my hand out and place it on the beautiful limestone walls, the bumps getting stuck in the grooves of my little palms. I jerked my hand away as rust fragments scattered towards the ground, not a castle at all – just the corrugated iron walls of the shed.
The metal squeaked as I forced my way in; dust particles danced through the air, burning the surface of my eyes. The musty stench of the shed crept its way up my nose and forced a powdery cough out of me. I turned the corner and gasped when the dazzling sea of blue scales from my sleeping dragon revealed itself to me. The sounds of its snores made the walls of the shed rumble.
Every twist of the throttle fed it, and it answered with a furious snarl that tore the silence. It wasn’t a dragon at all, just my blue motorbike that my little legs were quickly outgrowing.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Samantha Harvey's, Orbital, the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Samantha Harvey's 2023 contemporary realist novel, Orbital analyses the influence of both predestination and choice…
Samantha Harvey's 2023 contemporary realist novel, Orbital analyses the influence of both predestination and choice in shaping the lives of individuals to a significant extent. Harvey conveys the impacts of fate in determining one’s future while uncovering the lack of choice people have over their own lives due to the power of external factors and its influence on life’s circumstances. Ultimately, Harvey examines the ability for destiny to shape a person’s lives, while uncovering the restriction caused by the lack of discretion.
Through the characterisation of the crewmembers, Harvey reveals how predestination and fate are able to manipulate the events of individuals' lives. Harvey’s implementation of a metaphor through the declaration that it was "written in the stars" for Anton to go to space, is used to convey the ability for fate to determine this would occur. The inescapable passion ignited as the consequence of fate in his life is explored, by showcasing his arrival to space and validating his sense of predetermination. Additionally, his positioning in space allows for the impacts of destiny to be enhanced and the influence of fate to be proven. Thus, Harvey’s illustration of the impacts of fate is conveyed through the events in Anton's life. Moreover, Harvey implements a hyperbole within the novel to highlight the substantial influences of fate, ultimately analysing how Roman had "decided to be a cosmonaut in the womb". This conveys how his fate had been determined at a young age, and led to a psychological drive within him allowing him to foster his admiration for space as a child and determine the trajectory of his life. Harvey emphasises the outcome that predestination played in the determination that Roman would go to space by framing how his role as a cosmonaut is the product of predetermination as opposed to active choice. Consequently, Harvey underscores the notion that the impacts of predestination lead to significant occurrences in individuals' lives.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Hughes presents a despairing view of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Within a society shaped by racial segregation, Langston Hughes’ ‘Selected Poems’ presents a largely despondent view…
Within a society shaped by racial segregation, Langston Hughes’ ‘Selected Poems’ presents a largely despondent view of America, lamenting how America’s founding ideals and promises are persistently undermined by the systemic oppression of marginalised groups. However, whilst his poetry emphasises the disillusionment of American society, it also highlights the strength in finding elements of resistance and hope to endure and overcome racial injustice. Depicting the realities of oppression and marginalisation in the South, Hughes critiques the ways in which discrimination becomes embedded in the American landscape, and illustrates the resultant fracturing of individual and cultural identity in the hopelessness that comes from being denied the overarching promises of America. Yet, whilst the poet presents American society as despairing and bleak, he also emphasises the strength in finding optimism and hope for a non-discriminatory future, conveying how such enables marginalised populations to resist despite the presence of persistent systemic oppression.
Lamenting the bleak realities of the American South, Hughes illustrates how racism becomes embedded within everyday life and the American landscape in order to demonstrate that discrimination extends beyond individual acts to shape an entire society. Mourning how the consequences of systemic oppression in catalysing widespread racial violence ultimately corrupt the American landscape itself, the poet depicts the “blood in the Georgia dusk”, highlighting how what once was a place of beauty is now tainted by the “blood” of both marginalised populations and white citizens. Through the metaphor of the remnants of racial terror in the “dusk”, Hughes alludes to the idealised beauty advertised in the American South, with dusk representing a stereotypically peaceful time of solace and calm. Criticising how the oppression of African Americans results in the contamination of the values America claims to prioritise, Hughes ultimately presents racial discrimination and hypocrisy as having the power to distort the environmental foundation of a celebrated state. Reinforcing how systemic oppression disrupts the beauty and solace within civilisations, ‘Silhouette’ utilises visual imagery of the “blue bayou” resembling a “pool of fire” to emphasise the contrast between the peaceful guise of a society and the realities of the racial violence and lynchings taking place within American society. Through depicting the “bayou”, a body of water typically symbolising peace and stillness, as a “pool of fire”, Hughes fortifies his lamentation that peace and beauty are unattainable in an environment where racial segregation is brutally manifested through African Americans being “put…on a rope” and “pull[ed] higher”. Illustrating how the impacts of racism are embedded in facets of everyday life in America, the juxtaposition of “blue” and “fire” criticises the way in which even aspects of solace and peace are corrupted by the reality of systemic oppression lingering under a facade of the idealised South. Whilst Hughes utilises nature-based imagery to lament the ways in which oppression erodes a society’s identity, ‘Porter’ transitions from a physical landscape to a social lens, depicting a “mountain / Of yes, sirs” to emphasise how individuals are actively forced into submission, accentuating the presence of racial violence within a population. Through conveying the “mountain” built on verbal compliance, Hughes critiques how systemic oppression degrades human agency, ultimately highlighting how modern racial hierarchies are underscored by generations of slavery and unconscious conformity. Overall, Hughes critiques the way in which racial discrimination impedes a society’s ability to effectively fulfill its founding ideals, lamenting how generations of compliance have resulted in systemic segregation corrupting the perceived beauty and solace of the American South.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “In The Queen, power is sustained through…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Stephen Frears’ film The Queen (2006) explores the fragile nature of power within the modern British monarchy…
Stephen Frears’ film The Queen (2006) explores the fragile nature of power within the modern British monarchy following the death of Princess Diana. While Queen Elizabeth II possesses formal constitutional authority, Frears demonstrates that the monarchy’s survival depends less on political power and more on the performance of symbolic leadership. Through the Queen’s adherence to tradition, Tony Blair’s strategic management of public perception, and the overwhelming influence of media and public emotion, the film reveals that the monarchy must continually perform its role to maintain legitimacy. Ultimately, Frears suggests that in a modern democratic society, power is sustained not through authority alone but through the ability to perform relevance and emotional connection.
Frears initially portrays the monarchy as an institution grounded in traditional authority, yet this authority quickly proves insufficient in maintaining public support. The Queen firmly believes that her power derives from constitutional duty and centuries of royal protocol, demonstrated when she insists that the royal family should maintain privacy and avoid public displays of emotion following Diana’s death. Her belief that the monarchy must remain dignified and restrained reflects a traditional understanding of authority based on hierarchy and institutional continuity. However, Frears contrasts this rigid perspective with growing public dissatisfaction, revealing that authority alone cannot sustain power in a rapidly modernising society. The Queen’s isolation at Balmoral symbolises the monarchy’s detachment from contemporary public expectations. Through this contrast, Frears suggests that traditional authority is increasingly inadequate in an era shaped by media scrutiny and emotional public engagement.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Speech - Oral Presentation, Contention…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 67.5%: Can you believe that in Australia, the national youth offender rate was 1,650 per 100,000 young people aged…
Can you believe that in Australia, the national youth offender rate was 1,650 per 100,000 young people aged 10–17? Many child development experts in the health and legal field support raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14, as a necessary step to decrease crime and support youth. Greetings, classmates and Mrs Goro , Today, I urge you to consider why we as a community must prioritise the safety and support for the youth in decreasing crime rates to foster a safe and friendly environment for all children and teens in Australia.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Speech - Oral Presentation, Contention…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 60%: Can you believe that in Australia, the national youth offender rate was 1,650 per 100,000 young people aged…
Can you believe that in Australia, the national youth offender rate was 1,650 per 100,000 young people aged 10–17? Many child development experts in the health and legal field support raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14, as a necessary step to decrease crime and support youth. Greetings, classmates and Mrs Goro , Today, I urge you to consider why we as a community must prioritise the safety and support for the youth in decreasing crime rates to foster a safe and friendly environment for all children and teens in Australia.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "My mother wanted her child beholden to no…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: While some characters have the illusion of freedom, Noah reveals that patriarchal norms continue to restrict their…
While some characters have the illusion of freedom, Noah reveals that patriarchal norms continue to restrict their autonomy, inspiring them to fight for a freer future for the next generation. Noah demonstrates this through the characterisation of Patricia, Trevor’s mother and the overall structure of the book. Through majority of the book, Patricia appears to be as ‘free’ as she can be while living as a black woman with a mixed child under apartheid. Patrica has a car which was rare, as “there was maybe one car for every thousand people”, and this car provided both Patricia and Trevor a sense of financial freedom, where they would “drive through fancy neighbourhoods” allowing them an opportunity to ignore own financial burdens and grasp a sense of the financial freedom that the white South Africans had. Patrica was able to provide small glimpses of freedom to Trevor by way of the car, through “sitting with the white people” in white church and demonstrating strong connections with religion and faith, teaching Trevor that freedom was possible, and because she herself knew she wasn’t free, she provided him these experiences to better set him up for the future. It is suggested that Patrica was not truly free, despite appearing so, through the overall structure of the book. The majority of the book contains sparce mentions of Abel, Trevor’s stepfather, and he only reappears towards the end of the book, despite
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "My mother wanted her child beholden to no…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Noah demonstrates that some characters in ‘Born a crime’ may appear to be free, when in reality they may be…
Noah demonstrates that some characters in ‘Born a crime’ may appear to be free, when in reality they may be restrained or controlled by other covert factors. Noah demonstrates this through the characterisation of Patricia, Trevor’s mother and the overall structure of the book. Through majority of the book, Patricia appears to be as ‘free’ as she can be while living as a black woman with a mixed child under apartheid. Patrica has a car which was rare, as “there was maybe one car for every thousand people”, and this car provided both Patricia and Trevor a sense of financial freedom, where they would “drive through fancy neighbourhoods” allowing them an opportunity to ignore own financial burdens and grasp a sense of the financial freedom that the white South Africans had. Patrica was able to provide small glimpses of freedom to Trevor by way of the car, through “sitting with the white people” in white church and demonstrating strong connections with religion and faith, teaching Trevor that freedom was possible, and because she herself knew she wasn’t free, she provided him these experiences to better set him up for the future. It is suggested that Patrica was not truly free, despite appearing so, through the overall structure of the book. The majority of the book contains sparce mentions of
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Contention: Feeding artificial food to…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 62.5%: The short opinion piece regarding bird feeding by Daphne Lower was published on 2nd October, in a forum…
The short opinion piece regarding bird feeding by Daphne Lower was published on 2nd October, in a forum called Strapleton Community Voice. She argues that feeding artificial food to native birds should be prohibited as it could harm and create imbalance in the bird population. She expresses her concerns when a man with two children was feeding bread to the wild ducks completely ignoring the ‘DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS’ sign. The writer sympathetically appeals to her primary target audience of those who love feeding wild animals without knowing the consequences. It could be said that they also appeal to a secondary audience of everyone in the Strapleton Community. Included above the piece is a photograph of the ‘DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS’ sign to justify her claims that the area is prohibited from bird feeding.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “She was sleepwalking along the giddy…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Billy Wilder’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ exposes Hollywood not as a land of opportunity, but a treacherous landscape…
Billy Wilder’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ exposes Hollywood not as a land of opportunity, but a treacherous landscape where the pursuit of fame corrodes identity, morality, and sanity. Through Joe Gillis’ moral compromise, Norma Desmond as she “sleepwalk[s]… along the giddy heights of a lost career,” and the industry’s ruthless self-preservation, Wilder’s 1950 melodrama and gothic noir reveal the seductive illusion that is the film industry. Ultimately, Wilder warns that pursuing stardom is not merely risky, but profoundly dangerous, demanding sacrifices that few will survive intact.
From the onset, Wilder exposes the moral peril of pursuing fortune within the business that Hollywood is. From the opening sequence, our posthumous narrator’s fate is already sealed: the swimming pool, associated with fortune and status is disrupted by a lifeless corpse within. Particularly, a low angle shot captures our protagonists’ face as he sardonically narrates the scene forming a stark symbol of ambition rewarded with annihilation. Already a casualty of an exploitive system, Joe’s aftermath reinforces the film’s fatalism, denying audiences the optimism of an escape or redemption for its anti-hero. Joe’s early encounters with Hollywood reveal an industry that is hostile to genuine creativity. Evidently, Joe’s interaction with the profit-driven producer Sheldrake emphasises the commercialised reality behind the Hollywood façade. Sheldrake, response to Joe’s pitch, bluntly and mercilessly rejects it, and by extension the creativity that is associated with it. Particularly, Sheldrake is vulnerable to his own personal struggles of needing to “[re]mortgage the ranch” while a subsequent “set of ulcers” testify for the mental strain of the situation. The moment is critical: Wilder conveys that artistic autonomy is suffocated where the industry sees no immediate opportunity for revenue, but also that those with power remain vulnerable to the desperation that comes with chasing Hollywood success. In light of his financial despair, Joe enters a Faustian bargain with Norma, exchanging honesty and integrity for wealth and security. Framed through noir conventions, Wilder’s femme fatale offers short-term salvation for Joe, but causes his subsequent destruction. However, Wilder does not condemn Joe’s opportunism; rather, he critiques a system that incentivises moral compromises. Specifically, Hollywood perpetuates a myth that fortune is attainable through talent and hard work, yet rewards those who are most willing to exploit others and abandon principle. Joe’s pursuit of wealth proves to be an empty and deadly journey. As he bitterly reflects, he “always wanted a pool… the poor dope.” In sum, Wilder subverts the Hollywood myth suggesting that it’s fortune can only be attained where significant cost and consequence is incurred.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: many people fear ai they shouldnt
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 87.5%: As the rise of artificial intelligence continues to reshape modern society, debate surrounding the…
As the rise of artificial intelligence continues to reshape modern society, debate surrounding the relationship between human capability and machine intelligence has moved to the forefront of public discourse. In his New York Times opinion piece, "Many People Fear A.I. They Shouldn't", published on 31 July 2024, David Brooks contends that AI will never truly replace humanity because it cannot replicate the extraordinary complexity of the human mind. Instead, Brooks argues that artificial intelligence should be embraced as a complementary tool that enables people to become "more human." Adopting an intellectually authoritative yet optimistic tone, Brooks seeks to reassure his predominantly humanistic and liberal arts-oriented readership that their anxieties surrounding AI stem not from the technology itself, but from an underestimation of humanity's unique capacities.
Brooks opens his argument by reframing anxiety surrounding AI, presenting it not simply as a technological concern but as evidence of society's diminishing appreciation for the complexity of the human mind. Through the contrasting metaphors of the mind as a "computer" and as "its own universe," Brooks rejects the reductionist belief that human cognition can be replicated through algorithms. While the image of a computer evokes mechanical imitation and predictable information processing, the metaphor of a "universe" suggests limitless complexity, creativity and consciousness. This deliberate contrast encourages readers to reconsider the assumptions underpinning their fears of AI, positioning such anxieties as the product of an "impoverished view" of humanity. Rather than alienating his audience, Brooks appeals to their intellectual pride by inviting them to recognise the richness of human cognition beyond computation. Furthermore, Brooks employs extensive enumeration when describing humanity's ability to "love," "bond," "seek goodness," "create beauty," and "find meaning." The cumulative effect of this catalogue overwhelms readers with the breadth of uniquely human experiences, exposing AI's comparatively narrow capabilities as fundamentally inadequate. By constructing humanity as emotionally, morally and spiritually multidimensional, Brooks reinforces the notion that consciousness cannot be reduced to code, ultimately persuading readers that AI is incapable of replacing the essence of human existence.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: many people fear ai they shouldnt
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 90%: As the rise of artificial intelligence continues to reshape modern society, debate surrounding the relationship…
As the rise of artificial intelligence continues to reshape modern society, debate surrounding the relationship between human capability and machine intelligence has moved to the forefront of public discourse. In his New York Times opinion piece, "Many People Fear A.I. They Shouldn't", published on 31 July 2024, David Brooks contends that AI will never truly replace humanity because it cannot replicate the extraordinary complexity of the human mind. Instead, Brooks argues that artificial intelligence should be embraced as a complementary tool that enables people to become "more human." Adopting an intellectually authoritative yet optimistic tone, Brooks seeks to reassure his predominantly humanistic and liberal arts-oriented readership that their anxieties surrounding AI stem not from the technology itself, but from an underestimation of humanity's unique capacities.
Brooks opens his argument by reframing anxiety surrounding AI, presenting it not simply as a technological concern but as evidence of society's diminishing appreciation for the complexity of the human mind. Through the contrasting metaphors of the mind as a "computer" and as "its own universe," Brooks rejects the reductionist belief that human cognition can be replicated through algorithms. While the image of a computer evokes mechanical imitation and predictable information processing, the metaphor of a "universe" suggests limitless complexity, creativity and consciousness. This deliberate contrast encourages readers to reconsider the assumptions underpinning their fears of AI, positioning such anxieties as the product of an "impoverished view" of humanity. Rather than alienating his audience, Brooks appeals to their intellectual pride by inviting them to recognise the richness of human cognition beyond computation. Furthermore, Brooks employs extensive enumeration when describing humanity's ability to "love," "bond," "seek goodness," "create beauty," and "find meaning." The cumulative effect of this catalogue overwhelms readers with the breadth of uniquely human experiences, exposing AI's comparatively narrow capabilities as fundamentally inadequate. By constructing humanity as emotionally, morally and spiritually multidimensional, Brooks reinforces the notion that consciousness cannot be reduced to code, ultimately persuading readers that AI is incapable of replacing the essence of human existence.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: many people fear ai they shouldnt
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 77.5%: As the rise of artificial intelligence continues to reshape modern society, debate surrounding the…
As the rise of artificial intelligence continues to reshape modern society, debate surrounding the relationship between human capability and machine intelligence has moved to the forefront of public discourse. In his New York Times opinion piece, "Many People Fear A.I. They Shouldn't", published on 31 July 2024, David Brooks contends that artificial intelligence will never replace humanity because it cannot replicate the extraordinary complexity of the human mind. Rather than viewing AI as a rival, Brooks argues that it should be embraced as a complementary tool that ultimately enables people to become "more human." Through an intellectually authoritative yet optimistic tone, Brooks seeks to reassure his predominantly humanistic and liberal arts-oriented audience that their fears surrounding AI are both misplaced and rooted in an underestimation of humanity itself.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: many people fear ai they shouldnt
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 70%: As the rise of artificial intelligence has surged, it has prompted a widespread debate over the relationship…
As the rise of artificial intelligence has surged, it has prompted a widespread debate over the relationship between human capability and machine intelligence which has moved to the forefront of public discourse. The opinion piece “many people fear ai they shouldn’t” publish on 31st July 2024 in a New York times column by David Brooks, contends that AI will never truly replace humans because it cannot replicate the complexity of the human mind, and instead will serve as a complementary that allows us to be more human. With an intellectually grounded tone, Brooks aims to persuade humanistic and liberal arts oriented individuals who have this unnecessary fear of Ai instilled in them.
Brooks opens his argument by reframing the anxiety surrounding ai, diagnosing it as a technological concern, but as a symptom of diminishing human potential. Brooks does this through his usage of metaphors like “computer mind” or “the mind is its own universe”, he presents this as a sterile and impoverished reduction. He contrasts them together as describing the mind as a universe- unlimited, infinite,- and the computer as something which simply copies and replicates. By doing so, this makes the audience feel insulted if they hold onto this fear. Brooks is essentially accusing his readers of underestimating themselves and their brains. This is a clever manipulation as he makes the readers feels “superior” in a way if they reject the ideology of fearing AI. Moreover, brooks enumeration to depict Ai’s capability seem laughably insufficient. He is using sheer volume and variety to expose the “Impoverished view” he critisied earlier. By enumerating the diverse, instinctual and transcendental functions of the human mind, brooks creates a stark to a singular binary function of Ai. He again frames the human experience as something so impenetrable to be reduced to mere code. The cumulative effect of him listing emotional, biological and existential capabilities, brooks forces his readers to confront the impossibility of replicating human essence. Brooks uses enumeration to emphasise the irony of those who underestimate the human mind the incorrigible nature of our consciousness, he highlights that ai lacks the biological and moral capacity to “think”.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sluiter use cinematic techniques…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Through the journey of Ayaan, an Asylum Seeker, Allies Sluiter portrays the barrier between Ayaan and the…
Through the journey of Ayaan, an Asylum Seeker, Allies Sluiter portrays the barrier between Ayaan and the Australian land as the absence of familiarness, trust and safety because Asylum seekers get horrible treatment when being found, including deportation, harm, or even death at times.
In the first scene, the director includes a long shot camera angle of Ayaan walking alone in the desert. Through the focus on the empty environment and Ayaan being the small person moving, Sluiter conveys the vulnerability and lack of power in Ayaan and the sense of danger and isolation that Ayaan is under to the viewer. The framing demonstrates the presence of Ayaan being in a foreign country creates disconnection, as she has minimal knowledge of her surroundings.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In Regeneration, homecoming proves…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Pat Barker’s historical novel Regeneration exposes the devastating psychological fissure of the First World War,…
Pat Barker’s historical novel Regeneration exposes the devastating psychological fissure of the First World War, contending that the romanticised dream of homecoming is entirely illusory because the combatant discovers that both he and the domestic sphere have altered beyond recognition, transforming repatriation into a secondary form of exile. Although the surface of civilian life promises an idyllic sanctuary of healing and restoration, Barker unmasks a grim psychological reality where the threshold of the home becomes a site of estrangement rather than asylum. Finally, the narrative reveals that this alienation is absolute, as the permanent alteration of both the civilian populace and the returning soldier shatters any possibility of genuine reintegration, leaving the traumatised individual permanently adrift in a society that refuses to comprehend his fractured reality.
Barker locates the sustaining fiction of the trenches in an idealised fantasy of domesticity, the dream of an unchanged home that keeps the combatant sane amid the horror. Portraying the domestic sphere not merely as a physical location, but as an internalised emotional anchor, she designs it to preserve sanity against the onslaught of mechanised warfare. Capturing this through the haunting perspective of the mute officer, the author figures his mutism as a physical manifestation of repressed trauma, yet his inner life remains tethered to a pre-war identity. Noting that this mute individual had effectively "left home when I was five" to enter the rigid, emotionally sterile pipeline of British boarding schools, the novel offers a biographical detail that highlights how the concept of home was already an elusive, mythologised construct long before the outbreak of hostilities. Operating as a vital psychological defence mechanism, this distant memory of domestic stability fuels the soldier's desperate "decision to return" to a state of perceived innocence and safety. Moving beyond the singular trauma of mutism, Barker extends this reliance on domestic mythology to the broader military hierarchy, framing the medical apparatus of Craiglockhart War Hospital as a mechanism designed to facilitate this impossible restoration. Cast as a surrogate paternal figure, the psychiatrist bears a therapeutic mandate to render the psychologically fractured soldier "fit to return" to civilian life, an ironic phrase that masks the institutional objective of combat reclamation. Collapsing under the weight of wartime reality, this administrative desire for domestic rehabilitation exposes the state's true intention: not the preservation of the individual, but his eventual "return to France" to rejoin the industrial slaughter. Converting the comforting myth of a domestic haven into a coercive tool of the state, this cyclical process ensures that the soldier remains trapped between the physical terror of the frontline and the psychological manipulation of the home front. Consequently, this initial, desperate clinging to the fantasy of a welcoming homeland sets the stage for a devastating psychological rupture when the physical return is finally attempted.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: oral speech on anti immigration protests
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 77.5%: What does it mean to be a true Australian? If you had asked that question in the 1800s, many people would…
What does it mean to be a true Australian? If you had asked that question in the 1800s, many people would have described a aboriginal or Torres strate islander person, the first people of this land. If you had asked that same question in the 1900s, many people may have pictured someone with fair skin, sun tanned from the Australian climate and perhaps with long hair. Today however, there is no single image of a “true Australian”. Australia has become one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world, and being Australian is not defined by appearance, ancestry or background. A true Australian can be anyone who calls this country home and contributes to its community. So why would anyone feel the need to protest against diversity?
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: The Memory Police suggests that oppression…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Yoko Ogawa's The Memory Police is a dystopian sci-fi novel which acts as an allegory for the dangers of…
Yoko Ogawa's The Memory Police is a dystopian sci-fi novel which acts as an allegory for the dangers of succumbing to political oppression. Throughout her novel, she demonstrates how while people do rise as a result of purposeful intimidation, it's secondary to passivity from the affected population. She does this through the idea that people are in fact afraid and feel powerless, but also due to people forgetting their core values, and their failure to commit to passing on tradition is why oppression takes charge.
Ogawa begins by definitively establishing that a key reason why authoritative governments thrive is through harnessing fear to enforce conformity (even if that fear is not from them). From the opening of the novel, Ogawa illustrates the shame associated with being someone who remembers through the narrator's mother. The fact objects such as 'perfume' are 'hidden' away despite the current absence of the Memory Police demonstrates the societal pressure to blend in with others, and the fear of scrutiny, even without the risk of punishment. It's only once the mother 'receives a letter' and 'disappears' does the risk of being someone who remembers become realised. Ogawa utilises this first chapter before the current day to reinforce her point that authoritative governments thrive and harness existing fear to push forward their own agenda, and poses the question that if people who remembered were not afraid to discuss it and go against the grain, would the Memory Police been so powerful? The illustration of the Memory Police building on existing fear as they brutally kidnap people and ‘bystanders turned to look disapprovingly, they were afraid of creating a disturbance.’ Here, Ogawa directly draws a parallel between societal disapproval and fear, use of the word 'disapprovingly' clearly insinuates that these bystanders are against both the actions of the Memory Police, but also to an extent against the actions of the people being kidnapped. In either direction, it leads to the Memory Police being able to continue their pursuit of power as people are afraid to intervene and either face disapproval from peers, or ‘draw the attention of the Memory Police.’ Finally, Ogawa doesn't discount the real danger people face as a sensible reason to go into hiding. She explores loss both through the direct ‘removal’ of objects, but also through the more subtle 'vanishing' of people, such as R. R's moving into the 'safe house'...’beneath a rug’ illustrates a key turning point in the novel where while people such as R or the Inui family do openly disapprove of the disappearances and previously did so openly — such as in R's office's lobby, are now ‘forced into hiding out of fear’ for their life. Whilst Ogawa does demonstrate the risk of going into hiding as furthering progressing authoritative regimes, she ultimately shows she agrees with the decision as R survives. Ultimately, Ogawa decisively warns that implicit societal disapproval fosters an environment where people are afraid to speak up, enabling authoritative forces to take charge and force those who aren't to be so.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Background Information: The nation’s…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 72.5%: The concern for Australia's future has prompted a group of young Australian leaders to host the summit Vision…
The concern for Australia's future has prompted a group of young Australian leaders to host the summit Vision 2050, inviting the country's wealthiest people. Billie Pearce, an entrepreneur and one of the organisers of the summit, has given a speech to the powerful and influential guests in an optimistic voice, encouraging them to build their legacy through contributing to Australia.
From the outset, Pearce employs a sincere and upfront tone, applauding the efforts of her guests in achieving their wealth and power. Through referring to her listeners as the "brightest minds" and "most accomplished," Pearce begins by positioning them to view themselves as influential and powerful individuals who have "earned their place in leading the country." However, the sense of honour and accomplishment is then immediately undercut as Pearce reveals that it is those who "made a difference" that are remembered in history. Following with the imagery of the names of individuals engraved onto different places in the community. Pearce destabilises the notion among the wealthy, that they have solidified their name in history through their financial achievements, instead accentuating that it is those who contribute have a positive impact on the community that are truly remembered.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘In Hollywood, careers are fleeting.’ To…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 100%: Set in post-war America during Hollywood’s transition from silent film to talkies, Billy Wilder’s scathing film…
Set in post-war America during Hollywood’s transition from silent film to talkies, Billy Wilder’s scathing film noir ‘Sunset Boulevard’ exposes Hollywood as an industry where corruption and immorality is prominent and often required for success. Sunset Boulevard suggests that success in Hollywood is difficult to achieve and often ephemeral, however, individuals with immense authority and profitability can have solidified careers in the industry. Wilder suggests that unrealistic and dynamic societal standards that are enforced in Hollywood cause careers to be unstable. This instability causes working-class careers to be inherently unfulfilling and undervalued. Contrarily, individuals at the top of Hollywood’s hierarchy are able to have permanent careers in the industry due to large impact and power.
Wilder’s film exposes how Hollywood’s ever-changing beauty standards cause individuals, particularly women, to be disposable in the industry. Sunset Boulevard illustrates the commodification of females in the industry for their attractiveness, leading to success that declines with age and shifting beauty norms. The high angle shot of Norma, a washed up silent film star, in the spotlight at DeMille’s studio as a worker tries to “get a better look at” her, and DeMille telling him to “put that light back where it belongs,” highlights that Norma only “belonged” when she was young and beautiful, rather than aged. Through his symbolism of the spotlight, Wilder aims to demonstrate the temporary nature of fame due to unforgiving beauty standards. The depiction of Norma undergoing a montage of gruelling beauty treatments in preparation for “cameras that would never turn” highlights the immense effort it takes to maintain success in Hollywood as a woman. Her tragic character, deluded and depressed due to her forgotten career as an actress in Hollywood, exemplifies the harsh treatment of females who no longer fit beauty standards in the industry. Norma’s preparation for her inconceivable film further demonstrates her self-destruction caused by her disposal from her past career. This suggests that Norma’s deluded state is misunderstood, and that her declined mental health is a result of her ephemeral success in the film industry. Wilder reinforces the damaging nature of beauty standards in his characterisation of Betty, a foil to Norma, who was once an aspiring actress and got surgery after not getting a role because the casting directors “didn’t like [her] nose,” demonstrates the difficulty of launching a career in Hollywood due to unrealistic, overly enforced beauty standards. Despite the initial depiction of Betty as a love interest archetype, reinforcing her undeniable attractiveness, Wilder uses her nose to symbolise the idealistic expectations of the industry for women. By positioning Betty and Norma as foils, yet still both victims to the gruelling, damaging beauty standards of the film industry, Wilder transforms their individual hardships into a systemic critique, exposing how these ideals damage identity and careers.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: This is a oral presentation on the…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 90%: The cost of a roof This time last year I spoke on the cost of living, the price of groceries, the bills, and…
The cost of a roof
This time last year I spoke on the cost of living, the price of groceries, the bills, and the everyday struggle to keep your head up. And most importantly rent and how aussies are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Today the median house price in our cities has hit over a million dollars. But this isn't an accident of the housing market, it's a self-inflicted crisis. It's the result of decades of choosing to treat homes like banks and a business instead of homes for people. For our generation, the "Australian Dream" isn't a goal anymore. It's a life sentence of rent.
We're told that if we work hard, we'll get ahead. But data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare or (AIHW for short) shows a different daunting reality, homeownership for people aged from 25-35 is plummeting. And there's a simple reason. Our legal and tax system, through specific policies like Negative Gearing, has rigged the game. The Sydney Morning Herald recently pointed out that tax breaks have been a 'losing streak' for the public for nearly a century. We have created a system where it is legally more profitable for an investor to buy their fifth home than for a family in Dandenong to buy their first, creating a situation where the law rewards wealth over people's work.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent does The Memory Police…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Ogawa implies that memory is fundamental to autonomy, moral judgement and the resistance individuals can mount…
Ogawa implies that memory is fundamental to autonomy, moral judgement and the resistance individuals can mount against authoritarian regimes. Ogawa highlights the disconnect citizens of the island face from their own individual agency and decision-making. This erosion of self is a direct result of the unreasonable surveillance and punishment the Memory Police enforce, which ultimately removes the islanders' ability to challenge their oppression. The Memory Police transform the idea of remembrance into a criminal offence, accentuating the lack of autonomy citizens are provided and thereby removing their ability to resist injustice. The narrator describes the Memory Police as “men who are determined to see things disappear,” a description that highlights the regime's unreasonable authority by framing their actions not as a duty, but as a personal, obsessive mission to erase existence itself. Ogawa’s lexical choice of “determined” illustrates the relentless nature of the Memory Police and their lack of moral judgement in comprehending the mass erasure of a functioning society. They weaponize the act of retention, systematically stripping away objects to ensure the islanders become “accustomed to these losses.” Furthermore,