VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Oedipus is an admirable man. Do you agree?
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Whilst Oedipus is initially admired by Thebans for his proactive leadership and unshakable pursuit for justice, his…
Whilst Oedipus is initially admired by Thebans for his proactive leadership and unshakable pursuit for justice, his impulsive temperament and hubris ultimately render him an unadmirable man. In the prologue, Sophocles originally frames Oedipus as a compassionate and decisive leader, as he affirms to the people of Thebes that "you can trust me" and that they now have "me to fight for you". His unwavering self-assuredness in his ability to cure the problems of the Theban people portrays Oedipus as a stable and reliable individual, qualities celebrated in a leader. Oedipus' admirability is further amplified through his dedicated inquisition for truth and justice. After receiving the Oracle of Delphi from Creon, with Apollo instructing him to "drive out the pollution", Oedipus instantly promises to "bring it all to light myself", ensuring that the full truth will be unveiled. Later, Oedipus' curse on
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Oedipus is an admirable man. Do you agree?
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Whilst Oedipus is initially admired by Thebans for his proactive leadership and unshakable pursuit for justice, his…
Whilst Oedipus is initially admired by Thebans for his proactive leadership and unshakable pursuit for justice, his impulsive temperament and hubris ultimately render him an unadmirable man. In the prologue, Sophocles originally frames Oedipus as a compassionate and decisive leader, as he affirms to the people of Thebes that "you can trust me" and that they now have "me to fight for you". His unwavering self-assuredness in his ability to cure the problems of the Athenian people, portrays Oedipus as a stable and reliable individual, qualities celebrated in a leader. Oedipus' admirability is further amplified through his dedicated inquisition for truth and justice. After receiving the Oracle of Delphi from Creon, with Apollo instructing him to "drive out the pollution", Oedipus instantly promises to "bring it all to light myself", ensuring that the full truth will be unveiled. Later, Oedipus' curse on the
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Oedipus is an admirable man. Do you agree?
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Whilst Oedipus is initially admired by Athenians for his proactive leadership and unshakable pursuit for justice,…
Whilst Oedipus is initially admired by Athenians for his proactive leadership and unshakable pursuit for justice, his impulsive temperament and hubris ultimately renders him an unadmirable man. In the prologue, Sophocles originally frames Oedipus as a compassionate and decisive leader, as he affirms to the people of Thebes that "you can trust me" and that they now have "me to fight for you". His unwavering self-assuredness in his ability to cure the problems of the Athenian people, portray Oedipus as a stable and reliable individual, qualities celebrated in a leader. Oedipus' admirability is further amplified through his dedicated inquisition for truth and justice. After receiving the Oracle of Delphi from Creon, with Apollo instructing him to "drive out the pollution", Oedipus instantly promises to, "bring it all to light myself", ensuring that the full truth will be unveiled. Later, Oedipus' curse on
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Standing up against tyranny
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 67.5%: Fellow citizens, Today, I stand before you not as a dissenter, but as a seeker of truth in a world shrouded…
Fellow citizens,
Today, I stand before you not as a dissenter, but as a seeker of truth in a world shrouded by the illusion of perfection. The speech we heard earlier extolled the virtues of our so-called utopia, a place where order and harmony reign supreme. But I ask you, at what cost?
We are told that our society is the pinnacle of human achievement, yet our voices are stifled, our freedoms curtailed. The promise of security has become a cage, and the pursuit of uniformity has erased our individuality. We are expected to conform, to accept the doublespeak that masks our reality. "Peace" is enforced through surveillance, "harmony" through suppression, and "unity" through fear.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘What was lost in the collapse: almost…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Emily St John Mandel presents how perspectives can shift after undergoing a major traumatic event within society…
Emily St John Mandel presents how perspectives can shift after undergoing a major traumatic event within society through her novel Station Eleven, a non linear story that follows how interconnected lives before and after a devastating flu pandemic explore how art, memory, and human connection can sustain society beyond its collapse. The author critiques the way individuals act in the post collapse world, revealing whether or not they allow themselves to see elegance in a world where everything is lost. Through the perception of the beauty in art, Mandel demonstrates how creativity can help characters to maintain their will to endure hardships during the post collapse world. Moreover, the novel captures how strong connections are built when faced with adversity, accentuating the beauty in the form of friendship. However, the novel challenges this through the villainisation of Tyler Leander, in response to the trauma of the pandemic, he finds the worst in himself and instead finds beauty in the idea of power, control, and dominance.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: in relation to the text m. e.…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 70%: After 120 days in the belly of the Queen Victoria, Meabh had arrived in the new colony. She couldn't help but…
After 120 days in the belly of the Queen Victoria, Meabh had arrived in the new colony. She couldn't help but resent the flat dry land[1] which yielded no resemblance to the green hills of Ireland to which she held a fierce native fondness for.
As her poor mother had died of sickness, her father fallen victim to the same illness some years prior, Meabh had set out to find work , where it was now abundant. Australia.
With a sorrowful goodbye to her homeland, Meabh Kelly had endured the 120 [2] long days and nights on the careless sea. At night, the hands of men groped through the darkness. In the day, as the cruel sun shone, seawater smothered her cracked lips as disease clung [3] to the scuttling rats.[4]
Sea salt stuck to her itchy skin as she arrived in Sydney harbor, her hair knotted and clumped with salt. In desperation for a warm bed and a shower Meabh set out to find work.
Not one week after arriving in the port Meabh took a position as a maid in a doctor's house. A paper had advertised the job on a newly erected lamppost; she had called the house and been hired that same day. A cab had been organized to take her to a the newly established settlement out of Sydney, a town named Cadwell.[5] [6] [7]
Dr. Allbones was a new resident of Cadwell, where his house functioned as both clinic and home[8] to him and his young wife.
When Meabh had arrived, she was surprised to see Mrs. Allbones herself awaiting her by the doorstep. "Good evening Meabh, welcome to Caldwell!”. Meabh had taken immediate notice of Mrs. Allbones feminine quality and plush persona. She didn't speak as such but cooed [9] in sweet tones, her saccharine [10] voice could put the most diligent soldier to rest[11] . At the sight of her mistress Maebh’s was reminded of the tales her mum had told her around the darkening hearth, whispering of sirens and selkies. Creatures with sweet voices and inhuman beauty.
“I'm glad you have come” Mrs. Allbones breathed in her gentle tone, “it's hard to get people willing to leave the city and come to Cadwell, and I've been oh so desperate for a good maid. It’s much more difficult to lace up a dress by yourself.” Amused by herself Mrs. Allbones let out a breathy laugh.
Mrs. Allbones prattled continuously [12] as she showed Meabh about the rooms as if there was no partitioning [13] between her thoughts and voice.
The house was a grand and new residence which had been styled in that new colonial way[14] . It stood in the center of town among the shopfronts. On the first floor was the room used to see patients where at the center of the room was a clean steel examining table while cupboards against the walls held strange and usual equipment. The study doubled as a library and each bookshelf was pushed tightly together and crammed with medical journals and a plethora of other genres. “Your welcome to read these anytime you like, I have read these myself many times over” Ms. Allbones had said with a enthusiastic lilt in her sweet voice. Meabh nodded along, she didn’t bother mentioning she wasn’t able to read.
On the second story Dr. and Mr. Allbones room was cushioned in soft hues contrasting against the hardwood furniture. It was obvious that Dr. Allbones had let his impressionable wife decorate and the room swarmed with flowery scents and pretty rugs and furnishings. Mrs. Allbones had guided Maebh through each room, all a similar shape and styled but decorated uniquely. Yet amongst all the rooms there was no nursery. How uncommon for such young newlyweds[15] Maebh had thought!
Mrs. Allbones was different from all other doctors’ wives Meabh had seen in Dublin. She lacked the churlish smirk and dismissive glance[16] that those women[17] wielded.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: in relation to the text Lady Audelys…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 65%: After 120 days in the belly of the Queen Victoria, Meabh had arrived in the new colony. She couldn't help but…
After 120 days in the belly of the Queen Victoria, Meabh had arrived in the new colony. She couldn't help but resent the flat dry land which yielded no resemblance to the green hills of Ireland to which she held a fierce native fondness for.
As her poor mother had died of sickness, her father fallen victim to the same illness some years prior, Meabh had set out to find work , where it was now abundant. Australia.
With a sorrowful goodbye to her homeland, Meabh Kelly had endured the 120 long days and nights on the careless sea. At night, the hands of men groped through the darkness. In the day, as the cruel sun shone, seawater smothered her cracked lips as disease clung to the scuttling rats.
Sea salt stuck to her itchy skin as she arrived in Sydney harbor, her hair knotted and clumped with salt. In desperation for a warm bed and a shower Meabh set out to find work.
Not one week after arriving in the port Meabh took a position as a maid in a doctor's house. A paper had advertised the job on a newly erected lamppost; she had called the house and been hired that same day. A cab had been organized to take her to a the newly established settlement out of Sydney, a town named Cadwell.
Dr. Allbones was a new resident of Cadwell, 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 doorstep. "Good evening Meabh, welcome to Caldwell!”. Meabh had taken immediate notice of Mrs. Allbones feminine quality and plush persona. She didn't speak as such but cooed in sweet tones, her saccharine voice could put the most diligent soldier to rest . At the sight of her mistress Maebh’s was reminded of the tales her mum had told her around the darkening hearth, whispering of sirens and selkies. Creatures with sweet voices and inhuman beauty.
“I'm glad you have come” Mrs. Allbones breathed in her gentle tone, “it's hard to get people willing to leave the city and come to Cadwell, and I've been oh so desperate for a good maid. It’s much more difficult to lace up a dress by yourself.” Amused by herself Mrs. Allbones let out a breathy laugh.
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 . It stood in the center of town among the shopfronts. On the first floor was the room used to see patients where at the center of the room was a clean steel examining table while cupboards against the walls held strange and usual equipment. The study doubled as a library and each bookshelf was pushed tightly together and crammed with medical journals and a plethora of other genres. “Your welcome to read these anytime you like, I have read these myself many times over” Ms. Allbones had said with a enthusiastic lilt in her sweet voice. Meabh nodded along, she didn’t bother mentioning she wasn’t able to read.
On the second story Dr. and Mr. Allbones room was cushioned in soft hues contrasting against the hardwood furniture. It was obvious that Dr. Allbones had let his impressionable wife decorate and the room swarmed with flowery scents and pretty rugs and furnishings. Mrs. Allbones had guided Maebh through each room, all a similar shape and styled but decorated uniquely. Yet amongst all the rooms there was no nursery. How uncommon for such young newlyweds Maebh had thought!
Mrs. Allbones was different from all other doctors’ wives Meabh had seen in Dublin. She lacked the churlish smirk and dismissive glance that those women wielded.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: This os an oral
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 87.5%: Should AI tools be used in policing and surveillance in Australian cities? Five hundred dollars. Four demerit…
Should AI tools be used in policing and surveillance in Australian cities?
Five hundred dollars. Four demerit points. And a grainy, black-and-white photo of a hand on a steering wheel. Last week, my friend opened a letter from Victoria Police that claimed he was breaking the law. The catch? He wasn’t even holding a phone.
And it’s not just him. A few months ago, 22-year-old Queensland software engineer Hugo Burton also received a fine after an AI camera incorrectly detected that his passenger wasn't wearing a seatbelt properly, even though they were wearing it correctly. The mistake led to a costly and time-consuming court appearance.
This could be you or me, or any other Victorian in a driver’s seat.
Assalamualikum 12D
These cases raise questions worth asking ourselves.
Is the system ready to be deployed in our streets?
Today I will be discussing why Australia should reconsider its use of AI in policing and surveillance .
As a daily commuter myself, I strongly condemn the current use of AI surveillance across Australian cities. The evidence clearly demonstrates that these systems are still unprepared, costing us our privacy, making unfair mistakes and more importantly eroding our trust in the government.
First and foremost, AI surveillance strips us of our privacy in public places. Every day, as commuters, we move through various different places assuming that we are not being watched or tracked. Unfortunately, that's not really the case. You are being monitored in every single place, whether you like it or not, and it is being stored in some random companies database. Just because you're in public doesn't mean being tracked, catalogued, or stored in some database we never agreed to.
According to The Guardian, Clearview AI , a facial recognition software, scraped over fifty billion photos from social media platforms like Facebook. It did this without gaining permission from users and offered the resulting tool to Australian police forces for trial.In 2021, our own privacy regulators ruled this illegal and ordered the company to delete Australian’s images and to immediately stop collecting more.However there is no evidence suggesting that Clearview ever complied with the regulator and in 2024, regulator simply gave up pursuing the case stating that they lacked the necessary resources.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Shakespeare presents marriage as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: The Age Opinion Piece Following the Australian Federal Police's decision to charge Victoria Cross recipient, Ben…
The Age Opinion Piece
Following the Australian Federal Police's decision to charge Victoria Cross recipient, Ben Roberts-Smith, with alleged war crimes committed during his service in Afghanistan, debate has intensified over whether Australians should continue to honour one of the nation's most decorated soldiers. In his opinion piece, Waleed Aly adopts an initially measured and critical tone before becoming increasingly reassuring and ultimately patriotic to argue that Australians must stop viewing the Ben Roberts-Smith case through a political lens and instead place their trust in the justice system. Writing for the predominantly progressive readership of The Age, published on 10 April 2026, Aly seeks to convince readers that respecting due process and preserving confidence in Australia's legal institutions is far more important than engaging in partisan debate. Aly encourages readers to view impartiality as both responsible and essential to national unity.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: 'We're a great nation. Let's remind…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 72.5%: The Bondi massacre at the end of 2025, in which 15 Jewish people were killed, has sparked debate about who we…
The Bondi massacre at the end of 2025, in which 15 Jewish people were killed, has sparked debate about who we are as a nation, our values, what we stand for, and what we are expected to uphold as citizens. In response, McGuinness has written an opinion piece, ‘We’re a great nation. Let’s remind ourselves why that is,’ published in The Age on the 4th of January 2026. He adopts a disappointed tone to express to his moderate to progressive-leaning audience that Australia needs to rearticulate its guiding principles and redefine Australia as a nation so that there will not be a repeat of the Bondi massacre. Building a strategic sequence of arguments, the author attempts to downplay the complaints of Australian citizens compared to other countries, urging the reader to reconsider their complaints, recognise the benefits of living in Australia, and show their appreciation and gratitude through living out the values of the country.
McQuinness opens by contextualising why Australia needs to redefine itself with the example of the Bondi massacre, during which “fifteen Jewish people were slain by Islamist terrorists.” The use of negative connotations of “slain” and “terrorists,” the author is reminding the reader of the horror of that day, encouraging them to question, if Australia is a “great nation,” as mentioned in the title by McGuinness himself, and how the nation allowed this to happen, encouraging the reader to agree with the authors contention that Australia does need to rearticultate it’s values. Hence, positioning them to be more open-minded to the following arguments that the author is to present. He also uses the positive connotation of “wonderful” to characterise the good things about Australia, highlighting that when something negative happens, the public may tend to become hyper-fixated on that, but McGuinness passionately reminds the audience that Australia is a “successful” country, particularly in comparison to others, promoting the audience to be more appreciative and grateful of the country that they live in, rather than picking apart each and every flaw. The following arguments that McGuiness presents are examples of Australia’s prosperous position compared to other countries, encouraging gratitude from the reader, and giving them a reminder of how lucky they are to live in Australia.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard is more than a critique…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 92.5%: Billy Wilder's scathing film noir 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) explores the hidden darkness of Hollywood, and how it…
Billy Wilder's scathing film noir 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) explores the hidden darkness of Hollywood, and how it impacts individuals' identities, ambitions and personalities. Despite its inherently critical nature, Sunset Boulevard deconstructs the experiences faced by individuals in their pursuit of success and of their identities. Through his critique of Hollywood's commercial values, Wilder exposes the industry as an exploitative system that commodifies those who fuel its success, discarding them once they are no longer profitable. Building on this critique, Wilder examines how individuals construct illusions to preserve their sense of identity and sustain their pursuit of success, ultimately warning that detachment from reality can lead to self-destruction. However, moving beyond condemnation, Wilder acknowledges cinema's power to offer escape and fulfillment, affirming that artistic integrity and creative expression create a more authentic sense of identity than fame or commercial success.
Wilder illuminates Hollywood's exploitative nature through his criticism of the industry's capitalist values. The film suggests that the industry mistreats its members, often leaving them struggling. Wilder's characterisation of Joe as a struggling man desperate for success in Hollywood who "grinds out 'two original stories a week'," and his conversation with his financial advisor who says "the finest things are written on an empty stomach" highlights the relentless nature of Hollywood to new or unsuccessful writers. The metaphor of Joe's "empty stomach" being his chance for success suggests that Hollywood forces individuals to struggle financially in their pursuit of success, highlighting the industry's prioritisation of financial gain over the well-being of those in it. Hence, Joe's frequent production of stories suggests that he is unable to create meaningful work due to the pressure to be profitable. Similarly, Hollywood discards and mistreats previously successful stars of the industry such as Norma, who is described as being "a million years old" and no longer "belonging" in the spotlight. Her rejection from the industry as she ages past its beauty standards further illustrates the commodification of people in Hollywood, suggesting that once individuals are no longer deemed profitable, they are discarded from the industry. Through this, Wilder critiques society's unforgiving beauty standards and their overarching role in success in Hollywood. As a result of this commodification, individuals are left to struggle mentally, symbolised by the absence of locks on doors in Norma's Mansion. Wilder's allusion to Norma's depression adds complexity to previously successful Hollywood stars, suggesting that their lives after success are often unhappy and unfulfilled as a result of the destructive standards of the system. Thus, Wilder excoriates Hollywood's relentless treatment of individuals who are deemed unsuccessful or unprofitable, exposing its prioritisation of monetary gain over the treatment of those who fuel its success.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Defence lawyers using mental health as…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 75%: In recent years, there has been increased scrutiny on the court, especially in Victoria, on its orders of…
In recent years, there has been increased scrutiny on the court, especially in Victoria, on its orders of suppression as the media and the public advocate for transparency within the judicial system. Rebekah Cavanagh weighs in on this debate in her opinion piece titled, “Defence lawyers using mental health as an excuse to hide the names of accused his ridiculous” (2026) where she contends that the increasing misuse of suppression orders is not staying true to the Open Courts Act as the public is not provided the right to know the proceedings of the court. In a largely indignant, but occasionally sarcastic tone, Rebekah reaches out to socially engaged readers and the greater Victorian population to inform them of the exploitation of the court system that occurs in order to maintain secrecy through a predominantly condemnatory argument.
On the outset, Cavanagh opens with three consecutive quotes that serve as examples of lawyers attempting to suppress information. By stacking these phrases as verbatim evidence, she showcases her experience in courtrooms that has lasted for a “decade”, establishing her credibility and thus allowing the reader to be more receptive to her following arguments. The sarcasm serves as an early tonal signal to clearly communicate to the audience of the piece’s highly critical register and to prime them to view “suppression” and “kicking journalists out” in the bitter way Cavanagh does. By stating that suppression does not give a “chance to test any evidence”, she bolsters her contention that the orders are undermining the values of the court system as verdicts should be carried using unbiased logic that relies on empirical knowledge which the orders potentially take away, positioning readers to view lawyers and the judiciary with skepticism.
Subsequently, Cavanagh promotes the benefits of journalists in courtrooms by showing its representation of the government’s Open Courts Act. She appeals to the audience’s sense of justice by linking journalism to “legislation” which intends to base her argument in the country’s legal system and hence, strengthens her authority. This is further enhanced by the use of the modal verb, “should”, which presents her wish for journalists to be “welcomed” as a right. In the following paragraph, Cavanagh juxtaposes her ideal with the metaphorical “veil of secrecy” as she adopts an accusatory register. This dichotomy enables the audience to evaluate the discrepancy in the two situations of “information we are privy to”. By explaining the Open Courts Act beforehand, she provides readers with the information to realise the exploitation that Cavanagh intends to expose, by themselves, creating a stronger understanding of her argument.
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.