VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘Sunset Boulevard explores the dangers of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 95%: Constructing Hollywood as a phantasmal world governed by spectacle, performance, and artifice, Billy Wilder’s noir…
Constructing Hollywood as a phantasmal world governed by spectacle, performance, and artifice, Billy Wilder’s noir masterpiece Sunset Boulevard (1950) explores the destabilisation that occurs when fantasy becomes indistinguishable from reality. Beneath the allure of celebrity stardom and chimerical illusions, Wilder’s revelatory gothic portrayal of 1940s Hollywood exposes an industry that not only encourages the retreat into fantasy as a means of escaping obsolescence and emotional isolation, but also perpetuates a broader cultural mythology wherein fame itself is consumed as a performance, reflecting post-war America’s fixation on the American Dream as an image-based ideal of success rather than a lived reality. In doing so, the film suggests that the boundary between fantasy and reality is not merely psychologically fragile but structurally manufactured, sustained both within Hollywood and through those who participate in its illusions. While fantasy initially functions as a seductive mechanism of emotional preservation, Sunset Boulevard reveals that its complete substitution for reality results in psychological, moral, and existential disintegration. Through his fusion of noir fatalism, gothic spectacle, and meta-cinematic critique, Wilder presents fantasy as both the foundation and the downfall of Hollywood existence.
Initially presenting fantasy as a psychologically seductive mechanism of escape, Wilder suggests that the individuals situated within the unstable culture of Hollywood increasingly retreat into fantasy as a means of preserving a coherent sense of identity in the face of emotional isolation, existential obsolescence, and the ephemerality of fame. Using Norma Desmond’s unwavering immersion in her past stardom through her habitual hermitude in her decaying “great big white elephant” of a mansion, the kind that “crazy movie people built in the crazy ‘20s”, Wilder’s use of gothic mise-en-scene constructs the mansion as a suspended world of bygone silent-era glamour that is “out of beat with the rest of the world”. With the “ghost” of a tennis court that had “faded markings and a sagging net”, or a rat-infested pool that had fallen into disuse, visually reinforcing her detachment from temporal reality. By using the symbol of Norma’s mansion, Wilder illustrates how fantasy can emerge as a response to abandonment and the erosion of relevance within Hollywood’s transient industry. Rather than functioning as a simple delusion, Norma’s imagined reality becomes a means of sustaining selfhood in the absence of external validation, with her fixation on portraying the titular teenage role in Salome reflecting a refusal to relinquish the identity that once defined her existence. Similarly, Wilder exposes the aspirational dimension of fantasy using Joe Gillis’ initial pursuit of success, as Hollywood cultivates a belief that recognition and success are always attainable yet in reality most often perpetually deferred. In this sense, fantasy is not merely individual weakness, but a psychological necessity produced within a culture that equates worth with visibility and success. However, while fantasy initially operates as a form of psychological protection, Wilder progressively reveals that the Hollywood system actively sustains and distorts illusion, blurring the boundary between performance and reality.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: “High Ground argues that knowing who…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 90%: Throughout history, an individual’s sense of identity has shaped how they understand their place in the world…
Throughout history, an individual’s sense of identity has shaped how they understand their place in the world and respond to challenges. Identity provides a sense of belonging, purpose and moral direction, enabling individuals and communities to navigate conflict and change. However, when identity is suppressed, manipulated or lost, confusion, division and destruction often follow. Set against the frontier conflicts of 1930s Arnhem Land, Stephen Johnson’s film High Ground explores the profound significance of identity within a society fractured by colonial violence. Through the struggle to maintain cultural identity in the face of colonisation, the consequences of losing connection to one’s heritage and values, and the eventual restoration of identity through Indigenous law and reconciliation, Johnson demonstrates that knowing who you are is essential for individual fulfilment, cultural survival and moral clarity. While the film acknowledges the pressures that can complicate an individual’s understanding of themselves, Johnson ultimately contends that a secure sense of identity provides the foundation necessary to resist oppression, restore balance and preserve humanity. In doing so, he encourages Australian audiences to recognise the enduring importance of cultural identity and truth in confronting the nation’s colonial past.
There is no doubt that Johnson presents cultural identity as crucial because it provides individuals and communities with a sense of belonging and strength in the face of colonial oppression. By foregrounding the deep connection between Indigenous identity, Country and law, Johnson challenges colonial assumptions that Indigenous cultures are inferior or expendable. This is most powerfully conveyed during the Makarrata discussions, where Indigenous law is contrasted directly with colonial authority. Darrpa’s assertion that, “This is my lore. It comes from the soil. From Mother Earth. Yours comes from across the sea,” establishes identity as something deeply rooted in ancestry, spirituality and connection to Country. In contrast to colonial laws imposed through conquest, Indigenous identity emerges as organic, enduring and inseparable from the land itself. Johnson reinforces this distinction through sweeping aerial shots of Arnhem Land, presenting the landscape as ancient, sacred and permanent while simultaneously diminishing the presence of colonial figures within the frame. Furthermore, the use of unsubtitled Indigenous songlines reminds audiences that Indigenous knowledge and identity cannot be fully understood through a colonial lens. Whereas colonial authority seeks to define identity through power and ownership, Indigenous identity is portrayed as collective, spiritual and intrinsically connected to Country. Through this juxtaposition, Johnson compels Australian audiences to reconsider dominant historical narratives and recognise the resilience of Indigenous identity despite attempts at cultural erasure. Consequently, the film suggests that knowing who you are provides the strength necessary to resist oppression and preserve cultural continuity.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “In High Ground, good intentions can be as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Throughout history, individuals have often justified their actions through noble intentions, believing that good…
Throughout history, individuals have often justified their actions through noble intentions, believing that good motives inevitably lead to positive outcomes. However, intentions alone do not determine the consequences of actions, particularly when they exist within systems of violence, prejudice and inequality. While evil intentions are overtly destructive, well-meaning actions can also inflict significant harm when they are misguided, naïve or complicit in broader injustices. Set amid the violent frontier conflicts of 1930s Arnhem Land, Stephen Johnson’s film High Ground explores the devastating consequences of both malicious and benevolent actions in colonial Australia. Through Travis’ attempts to protect Indigenous communities, Gutjuk’s desire to bridge two cultures and Moran’s ruthless pursuit of colonial order, Johnson reveals that good intentions can indeed cause harm when they fail to challenge oppressive systems. Nevertheless, he ultimately suggests that destructive consequences arise not merely from good intentions themselves, but from the failure to accompany those intentions with moral courage and genuine understanding. In doing so, Johnson encourages Australian audiences to critically examine the legacy of colonialism and recognise that meaningful change requires more than simply good intentions.
There is no doubt that Johnson initially presents Travis’ good intentions as deeply destructive because his attempts to protect Indigenous Australians remain entangled within the colonial system responsible for their suffering. By positioning Travis as both a former perpetrator and reluctant protector, Johnson illustrates how benevolent motives cannot easily erase the consequences of past wrongdoing. Following the frontier massacre, Travis seeks redemption by helping Gutjuk and preventing further violence; however, his efforts repeatedly fail to shield Indigenous communities from harm. This moral tension is evident when Travis insists, “I’m not a tracker. I’m a soldier,” revealing his continuing struggle between duty and conscience. While Travis wishes to distance himself from colonial brutality, Johnson suggests that he remains shaped by the very institution he seeks to resist. Significantly, Johnson’s frequent use of sweeping aerial shots positions the Arnhem Land landscape as an ancient witness to human conflict, diminishing the significance of individual intentions against the enduring impact of colonial violence. In contrast to Travis’ desire to act honourably, the land itself symbolises the lasting consequences of European invasion. Furthermore, the juxtaposition between Travis’ protective actions and the repeated suffering experienced by Indigenous characters reinforces the limitations of individual goodwill within an unjust system. Johnson thereby compels Australian audiences to recognise that good intentions alone cannot undo historical injustice when systemic oppression remains unchallenged. Consequently, Travis’ well-meaning actions become destructive because they fail to fully confront the colonial structures that continue to cause harm.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: personal journey
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 72.5%: The Weight of a Final Word In the wake of my Grandad’s passing, I found myself living in a dark forest, a…
The Weight of a Final Word
In the wake of my Grandad’s passing, I found myself living in a dark forest, a landscape where the canopy of grief was so thick that the sunlight of my old life couldn't reach the floor. A constant, low-simmering depression that would frequently boil over into flashes of uncharacteristic anger. I would snap at my mum over the volume of the TV.
The most vivid memories are from the local eye hospital. I would sit on those hard, plastic chairs, swinging my legs while I watched him move through the waiting rooms. He had this way of noticing the people who felt invisible or people with a look of quiet terror. He would stop, offer a joke, or simply sit with them. The nurse knew his name before he reached the desk. I watched him cross the room towards the elderly man sitting alone, turning a hat over and over in his hands. “My wife bought it,” the man said, unpromoted. “She passed last spring.” My Grandad just nodded and sat down beside him. They didn’t speak again for a long time. I grew up watching moments like that, never realising i was witnessing the construction of a legacy,
Then the day happened. I remember staring at my phone, debating whether to call him. I was tired from school and basketball practice, and a part of me thought, I’ll just call him on the weekend when I have more energy. But some quiet, nagging instinct made me press his name.
We talked for forty minutes. He sounded tired, his breath a little shorter than usual, but his voice still had that familiar warmth. We talked about how he was going, and I remember trying to sound encouraging. "Don't worry, Grandad," I said, "you'll get better soon. We’ve still got that trip planned."
"I'm trying, Tim," he whispered. "I'm trying."
"Goodbye," I said.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "In The Merchant of Venice, the law is not…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Written in 1598, William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ reveals that the law can be both a tool for…
Written in 1598, William Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ reveals that the law can be both a tool for justice and a weapon that is used to establish power. Shakespeare exposes how the courtroom functions simultaneously as a decider of fairness and an instrument of power. Ultimately, Shakespeare uses his play ‘Merchant of Venice’ to reveal that in such Venetian societies, in the Elizabethan era, the law is ultimately used to legalise the oppression of others.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does William Shakespeare explore the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet presents love as a profoundly complex and destructive force shaped by conflict,…
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet presents love as a profoundly complex and destructive force shaped by conflict, violence, and human impulsivity. Rather than idealising love, Shakespeare explores how it is restricted by society, intertwining with hatred and influenced by both fate and personal choice. Through the tragic relationship between Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare reveals that love can inspire emotional connection and individuality, while simultaneously leading to chaos, suffering, and death. Ultimately, the play suggests that love becomes most dangerous when it exists within a world governed by violence, patriarchal control, and uncontrollable destiny.
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents love as complex by depicting the conflict between individual desire and society’s set expectations. Verona is portrayed as a society governed by patriarchal authority, violence, and family honour, where personal happiness is sacrificed for social order. From the opening scene, the feud between the Montagues and Capulets dominates public life, as the servants engage in aggressive, misogynistic behaviour, with Sampson referring to women as “the weaker vessels” and threatening to “thrust the maids to the wall.” Shakespeare constructs a hyper-masculine culture through Sampson’s crude, performative language, using sexual violence to reduce women to objects, which would provoke discomfort in the audience and expose the moral corruption underpinning Verona. Romeo initially conforms to these expectations through his obsession with Rosaline. However, after meeting Juliet, he begins to reject this social pressure, choosing love over conflict when he refuses to fight Tybalt as they are now family. Despite this, Verona’s violent culture overrides his personal desires, resulting in Mercutio’s death and Romeo’s banishment. Juliet is positioned as the ideal daughter, expected to marry Paris to strengthen her family’s status rather than for love. However, Shakespeare complicates this by portraying Juliet as intelligent, mature, and defiant. When she asks, “What’s in a name?”, Juliet rejects the importance of family identity and social division in favour of personal choice. Through Romeo and Juliet’s resistance to societal norms, Shakespeare reinforces that love becomes both liberating and destructive when individuals attempt to challenge the rigid structure that controls their lives.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Background Info: On an average day,…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 80%: In attempts to mitigate the increase of the disproportionate amount of Aboriginal children being incarcerated,…
In attempts to mitigate the increase of the disproportionate amount of Aboriginal children being incarcerated, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), published a report (2024), contending that Australia's punitive youth justice system criminalises vulnerability rather than addressing its root causes. In addressing the general public and policy makers, the organisation posits that Australia’s youth justice system is failing because it ignores the systematic social factors driving children into it. The organisation then reframes children involved in the system from criminals to vulnerable victims of circumstance. Furthermore, by contrasting the costs of incarceration against those of early intervention, the organisation highlights possible economic efficiency. Finally, the organisation denounces the violation of international human rights.
The AHRC begins its critique by dismantling the notion that youth crime is a vacuum of individual choice;, rather it is a symptom of societal prejudice. By employing a hostile compounding of “poverty, homelessness, abuse, [and] mental health challenges”, the organisation attempts to overwhelm the reader with the reality of a vulnerable child's environment, suggesting that offending is basically a byproduct of such “intersecting disadvantages”. The accumulation of hardships serves to stimulate the reader’s sense of injustice, aiming to shift the blame from a child to a society that allows such conditions to exist. This textual plea is reinforced by an accompanying visual metaphor depicting a solitary child sitting under a bridge contrasting with a bright, expansive sky. The compositional choice to place the child as a small, isolated figure within the dark, functions as a visual hyperbole for the systematic prejudice that undermines them. By stripping the image of any signs of support or community infrastructure, the organisation visually manifests the “neglect” described within the text, compelling the audience to feel a protective urgency. Moreover, the report adopts an exasperated tone through the rhetorical question: “if we know the causes, why do we continue to ignore them?” Through this the organisation aims to position the government's current inaction as not merely a policy oversight, but as a deliberate and irrational neglect of “expert consensus". By labelling the current system as “not fit for purpose”, the AHRC addresses the reader as a rational observer, inviting them to view punitive measures as a primitive and ineffective response to a crisis that requires “earlier” holistic support. Therefore, the organisation asserts that the failure of the system is a choice, consequently portraying the status quo as an active perpetuation of injustice.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Childhood.
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 85%: The passing of time. Existentialism is a curious thing. My father died before I could remember, but I saw the…
The passing of time.
Existentialism is a curious thing.
My father died before I could remember, but I saw the ghost of him in my mother's eyes. In her actions too; I saw how she would rummage through his manuscripts, her arms moving rapidly before they gave out, I had always run back to my room before I was caught. But the muffled sobs and the hoarse throat deemed my mother a liar.
I was very timid growing up. I spent most of my time alone, my mother had been working extremely hard; her multiple jobs had certainly taken a toll on her. She came home late, sometimes her shadow didn't appear under the door, and her keys never hung up on the wall. I didn't question her. Who was I to do so? Her crinkled eyes and warm smile reassured me that she was holding on just fine.
I usually occupied my time with the books my father had left behind. While discussing the stupid acts of a certain character in a book with my mother, she said the most profound line 11 year old me had ever heard.
"Baby, the only way you can be happy in this wrong world, is to live the pain, instead of inflict it."
From then, I had become a plaster fit into the 'revised edits' of my mother's mould. I took her words with me wherever I went. I let those kids hit me, just so I could alleviate their stress, just so I could see that satisfied smile and the cloud behind their eyes lift.
I believed the world was wrong, I believed there was nothing better than to be the stepping stone to get someone back on track.
My mother always looked proud of me. She spoke to me in a fond way as if it was our little secret.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Illegal. In America, this is illegal"…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: “Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The…
“Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The Farewell,” critiquing the major lie in the film as morally unjust. This sets the stage for a meditation on the subjective nature of truth, and the ambiguity of lies. This dubiety is underscored through Billi, whose western view of life belonging to an individual conflicts with her familial obligation to maintain the deceit. Wang highlights the profound grief that occurs as a result of the lie, with repressed emotions and sustained guilt causing an individual experience in the suffering of the collective “emotional burden”. Yet at its core, Wang’s film is a reflection of love, highlighting a selfless love that grows as the film progresses, asserting Wang’s key takeaway that all actions as a result of love are moral.
Chinese dialogue left untranslated in the film, allows Wang to emphasise the role of one’s cultural and familial obligations in their motives to lie. This is done through Billi facing cultural disconnection through her “Chinese [not being] so good,” aligning us with Billi’s alienation, thus understanding her cultural responsibility to tell Nai Nai the truth. Cinematographer, Anna Franquesca Solano uses a wide aspect ratio to frame the family as a landscape, symbolising the collective effort every member must put in to maintain the lie. Haibin’s belief that he will “always be Chinese. No matter where [he] lives,” signifies the cultural obligations one experiences towards their home country, with Haiyan, maintaining his view that “in the East, you life is part of a whole, a family, and a society,” despite living in America for a large portion of his life. Billi’s unique cultural perspective - that life belongs to the “individual” - causes her to “feel guilty,” yet her familial obligation to maintain the performance overcomes this cultural tension. Billi is often framed away from her family and others, symbolising her isolation from the family unit due to her conflicting view of life, seen in the subway scene. Her clothing, which is often plain compared to the traditional clothing of others, further emphasises the cultural isolation she feels as her family believes she “[wants] to tell Nai Nai the truth because [she’s] afraid to take responsibility for her.” Wang explores how cultural obligations come with great sacrifice, with the wedding scene highlighting Little Nai Nai’s selflessness to leave her husband in “Shenzhen” to maintain both her familial and cultural obligation to her older sister. This altruism signifies the good-hearted nature of the lie, separating the ethical dilemma from the well intended motive. Yet the Wangs’ obligation to both the beloved matriarch and China overcomes any consequences and acts as the major catalyst in the lie.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Illegal. In America, this is illegal"…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: “Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The…
“Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The Farewell,” critiquing the major lie in the film as morally unjust. This sets the stage for a meditation on the subjective nature of truth, and the ambiguity of lies. This dubiety is underscored through Billi, whose western view of life belonging to an individual conflicts with her familial obligation to maintain the deceit. Wang highlights the profound grief that occurs as a result of the lie, with repressed emotions and sustained guilt causing an individual experience of suffering the collective “emotional burden”.” Yet at its core, Wang’s film is a reflection of love, highlighting a selfless love that grows as the film progresses, asserting Wang’s key takeaway that all actions as a result of love are moral.
Chinese dialogue left untranslated in the film allows Wang to highlight the cultural disconnection Billi, whose “Chinese isn’t so good,” experienced towards her family and China, aligning us with Billi’s alienation. This emphasises lying as a result of cultural and familial obligations. Cinematographer, Anna Franquesca Solano uses a wide aspect ratio to frame the family as a landscape, symbolising the collective effort every member must put in to maintain the lie. Haibin’s belief that he will “always be Chinese. No matter where [he] lives,” signifies the cultural obligations one experiences towards their home country, with Haiyan, maintaining his view that “in the East, you life is part of a whole, a family, and a society,” despite living in America for a large portion of his life. Billi’s unique cultural perspective - that life belongs to the “individual” - causes her to “feel guilty,” yet her familial obligation to maintain the performance overcomes this cultural tension. Billi is often framed outside the shot, with her clothing, often plain compared to the traditional clothing of others, further emphasising the cultural isolation she feels as her family believes she “[wants] to tell Nai Nai the truth because [she’s] afraid to take responsibility for her.” Wang explores how cultural obligations come with great sacrifice, with the wedding scene highlighting Little Nai Nai’s selflessness to leave her husband in “Shenzhen” to maintain both her familial and cultural obligation to her older sister. This altruism signifies the good-hearted nature of the lie, separating the ethical dilemma from the well intended motive. Yet the Wangs’ obligation to both the beloved matriarch and China overcomes any consequences and acts as the major catalyst in the lie.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Illegal. In America, this is illegal"…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: “Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The…
“Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The Farewell,” critiquing the major lie in the film as morally unjust. This sets the stage for a meditation on the subjective nature of truth, and the ambiguity of lies. This dubiety is underscored through Billi, whose western view of life belonging to an individual conflicts with her familial obligation to maintain the deceit. Wang highlights the profound grief that occurs as a result of the lie, with repressed emotions and sustained guilt causing an individual experience of suffering the collective “emotional burden”.” Yet at its core, Wang’s film is a reflection of love, highlighting a selfless love that grows as the film progresses, asserting Wang’s key takeaway that all actions as a result of love are moral.
Chinese dialogue left untranslated in the film allows Wang to highlight the cultural disconnection Billi, whose “Chinese isn’t so good,” experienced towards her family and China, aligning us with Billi’s alienation. This emphasises lying as a result of cultural and familial obligations. Cinematographer, Anna Franquesca Solano uses a wide aspect ratio to frame the family as a landscape, symbolising the collective effort every member must put in to maintain the lie. Haibin’s belief that he will “always be Chinese. No matter where [he] lives,” signifies the cultural obligations one experiences towards their home country, with Haiyan, maintaining his view that “in the East, you life is part of a whole, a family, and a society,” despite living in America for a large portion of his life. Billi’s unique cultural perspective - that life belongs to the “individual” - causes her to “feel guilty,” yet her familial obligation to maintain the performance overcomes this cultural tension. Billi is often framed outside the shot, with her clothing, often plain compared to the traditional clothing of others, further emphasising the cultural isolation she feels as her family believes she “[wants] to tell Nai Nai the truth because [she’s] afraid to take responsibility for her.” Wang explores how cultural obligations come with great sacrifice, with the wedding scene highlighting Little Nai Nai’s selflessness to leave her husband in “Shenzhen” to maintain both her familial and cultural obligation to her older sister. This altruism signifies the good-hearted nature of the lie, separating the ethical dilemma from the well intended motive. Yet the Wangs’ obligation to both the beloved matriarch and China overcomes any consequences and acts as the major catalyst in the lie.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Characters in Twelfth Night misunderstand…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: In Shakespeare’s 1602 romantic comedy Twelfth Night he explores consequences of characters who misunderstand…
In Shakespeare’s 1602 romantic comedy Twelfth Night he explores consequences of characters who misunderstand themselves more so than though than those around them. As Elizabethan society was governed by rigid expectations surrounding gender, hierarchy and appearance, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night constructs a world in which identity is unstable and genuine self-knowledge becomes increasingly difficult to sustain. Therefore, Shakespeare presents self- misunderstanding as more pervasive and consequential than misunderstanding others through revealing how characters misreadings of the external world emerge from deeper failures of self-knowledge, desire and identity. Within theatrical world of Illyria governed by disguise, hierarchy and emotional excess, Shakespeare insinuates self-deception is not merely temporary or an individual flaw, but a structural condition of a world governed by performance and illusion that prevents genuine self-knowledge or transformation. Thus, he encourages Elizabethan audiences to reflect on their self-awareness and limitations in rigid world around them that prohibit truth and authenticity.
Shakespeare reveals how character misunderstand themselves more deeply than others because of the socially performative world of Illyria that facilitates illusion. Orsino’s internalised performative deception – shaped by Petrarchan love conventions dominant in the period - reveal how he misunderstands the nature of his own emotions as he treats love as an aesthetic performance to be enjoyed rather than a genuine connection with Olivia. Through the implied allusion to Narcissus “if music be the food of love, play on” that frames love as something to be enjoyed or prolonged, rather than acted upon serves to further critique aristocratic culture that rewarded performative love over genuine emotional awareness. Consequentially, his lack of understanding of Olivia throughout the play originates in his inability to recognise he is in love with the idea of Olivia rather than Olivia herself. This is emphasised by metonymy point in Feste’s song “come away, come away death” to represent Orsino – the object of desire that is replaced by the desiring object. Shakespeare also depicts Olivia participating in figurative disguises through her excessive mourning as she vows to “abjure the company and sight of men” for 7 years. Whilst this performance aligns with early modern expectations of female chastity and virtue, Feste verbally unmasks Olivia to undermine her authenticity. As Feste repeatedly address Olivia as “Madonna”, he ironically invokes her as the virgin Mary, and in doing so exposes her supposed virtue as exaggerated and performative. By reframing her sorrow as irrational rather than virtuous, Feste dismantles the moral authority of her self-presentation, revealing it as an emotional disguise sustained for social recognition rather than genuine feeling. Consequentially, when she falls in love with Cesario – a non-existent identity – Shakespeare suggests her misunderstanding of Cesario stems form her inability to recognise her own emotional instability. This is exemplified to portray her love for Cesario that has been “caught” so “quickly might catch the plague” as an uncontrollable sickness that strikes people, hence emphasising her desire as a projection rather than perception of Cesario. Moreover, Malvolio’s fantasy of becoming “count Malvolio” reveals how his greatest deception is self-generated. His instant belief in Maria’s letter that “I could marry this wench for this device” exposes the extent to which he misunderstands Olivia not because of her actions, but from misunderstanding of his own position, character and real desire. Thus, Shakespeare critiques the rigid social hierarchies that encourage individuals to define their worth through status, ambition and social expectations, highlighting how self-deception is a structural feature of human consciousness made visible through the play’s comic apparatus that leads to misunderstanding of others.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Illegal. In America, this is illegal"…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: “Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The…
“Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The Farewell,” critiquing the major lie in the film as morally unjust. This sets the stage for a meditation on the subjective nature of truth, and the ambiguity of lies. This dubiety is underscored through Billi, whose western view of life belonging to an individual conflicts with her familial obligation to maintain the deceit. Wang highlights the profound grief that occurs as a result of the lie, with repressed emotions and sustained guilt causing an individual experience of suffering the collective “emotional burden”.” Yet at its core, Wang’s film is a reflection of love, highlighting a selfless love that grows as the film progresses, asserting Wang’s key takeaway that all actions as a result of love are moral.
Chinese dialogue left untranslated in the film allows Wang to highlight the cultural disconnection Billi, whose “Chinese isn’t so good,” experienced towards her family and China, aligning us with Billi’s alienation. Emphasising lying as a result of cultural and familial obligations. Cinematographer, Anna Franquesca Solano uses a wide aspect ratio to frame the family as a landscape, symbolising the collective effort every member must put in to maintain the lie. Haibin’s belief that he will “always be Chinese. No matter where [he] lives,” signifies the cultural obligations one experiences towards their home country, with Haiyan, maintaining his view that “in the East, you life is part of a whole, a family, and a society,” despite living in America for a large portion of his life. Billi’s unique cultural perspective - that life belongs to the “individual” - causes her to “feel guilty,” yet her familial obligation to maintain the performance overcomes this cultural tension. Billi is often framed outside the shot, with her clothing, often plain compared to the traditional clothing of others, further emphasising the cultural isolation she feels as her family believes she “[wants] to tell Nai Nai the truth because [she’s] afraid to take responsibility for her.” Wang explores how cultural obligations come with great sacrifice, with the wedding scene highlighting Little Nai Nai’s selflessness to leave her husband in “Shenzhen” to maintain both her familial and cultural obligation to her older sister. This altruism signifies the good-hearted nature of the lie, separating the ethical dilemma from the well intended motive. Yet the Wangs’ obligation to both the beloved matriarch and China overcomes any consequences and acts as the major catalyst in the lie.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: A river runs not through strength but…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 87.5%: Motion is the measure of becoming. In year 12, everything feels like it’s supposed to matter all at once.…
Motion is the measure of becoming.
In year 12, everything feels like it’s supposed to matter all at once. Your grades, your future. The way teachers speak to you like you’re already halfway into adulthood, while a part of you still feels like you’re figuring out how to exist. Every SAC carries weight, every decision feels permanent, and worst of all every failure, no matter how small, echoes louder than it should.
At least that’s how it feels for me.
I’m in year 12 right now, and nothing seems to be finished. Not my notes, not my understanding, not even the person I'm supposed to be by the end of this year. Everything is in progress, half written notes, incomplete practise exams, plans that look good written down but don’t always happen the way I imagine.
There is this constant feeling that I should be further along than I am.
Opening up my results used to feel rewarding; it felt like a moment where everything I’d worked for made sense. It used to make me feel proud, like I’ve achieved something, like all those hours spend studying was worthwhile. But now it feels like a knife to the gut, like I’ve being struck by thousands of needles; even seeing the notification “grades are out” is enough to ruin my entire mood. It feels like the results reach me before I reach them, like the disappointment is already waiting.
Everyone talks about “staying on top of things” like it’s a stable place you can reach and just exist in. But for me, it feels more like trying to stand up right on something that keeps shifting, as soon as I think I’ve caught up in one subject, another slips. As soon as I feel confident about one topic, I realise how much I still don’t know.
It’s exhausting.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "Illegal. In America, this is illegal"…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: “Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The…
“Illegal. In America this is illegal” Billi exclaims in Lulu Wang’s 2019 semi-autobiographical comedy drama “The Farewell,” critiquing the major lie in the film as morally unjust. Setting the stage for a mediation on the subjective nature of truth, and the ambiguity of lies. This dubiety is underscored through Billi, whose western view of life belonging to an individual conflicts with her familial obligation to maintain the deceit. Wang highlights the profound grief that occurs as a result of the lie, with repressed emotions and sustained guilt causing an individual experience of suffering the collective “emotional burden”.” Yet at its core, Wang’s film is a reflection of love, highlighting a selfless love that grows as the film progresses, asserting Wang’s key takeaway that all actions as a result of love are moral.
Chinese dialogue left untranslated in the film allows Wang to highlight the cultural disconnection Billi, whose “Chinese isn’t so good,” experienced towards her family and China. Emphasising lying as a result of cultural and familial obligations. Cinematographer, Anna Franquesca Solano uses a wide aspect ratio to frame the family as a landscape, symbolising the collective effort every member must put in to maintain the lie. Haibin’s belief that he will “always be Chinese. No matter where [he] lives,” signifies the cultural obligations one experiences towards their home country, with Haiyan, maintaining his view that “in the East, you life is part of a whole, a family, and a society,” despite living in America for a large portion of his life. Billi is unique in the film, such that her cultural view of life belonging to an “individual” causes her to “feel guilty,” yet her familial obligation to maintain the performance overcomes this cultural tension. Billi is often framed outside the shot, with her clothing, often plain compared to the traditional clothing of others, further emphasising the cultural isolation she feels as her family believes she “[wants] to tell Nai Nai the truth because [she’s] afraid to take responsibility for her.” Wang explores how cultural obligations come with great sacrifice, with the wedding scene highlighting Little Nai Nai’s selflessness to leave her husband in “Shenzhen” to maintain both her familial and cultural obligation to her older sister. Yet the Wangs’ obligation to both the beloved matriarch and China overcomes any consequences and acts as the major catalyst in the lie.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Hadley suggests everyday experiences lead…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Individuals are in a constant state of evolution, continually gaining new perceptions on themselves and the world…
Individuals are in a constant state of evolution, continually gaining new perceptions on themselves and the world during the unremarkable rhythms of everyday life. Tessa Hadley’s ‘Bad Dreams and Other Stories’ offers insight into how meaningful introspection is often triggered by intimate moments of solitude rather than overtly dramatic events. Hadley ultimately displays how seemingly mundane experiences can be a catalyst for deeper change.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Systemic racism is evident and thriving in…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Chloe Hooper‘s expository text, “The Tall Man“ examines the death of Cameron Doomadgee and the events that…
Chloe Hooper‘s expository text, “The Tall Man“ examines the death of Cameron Doomadgee and the events that preceded and followed his passing, shedding light on the systemic injustice and neglect experienced by Indigenous Australians. Throughout the text, Chloe Hooper contends that systemic racism is not only an integral aspect of “The Tall Man”, but an amalgamation of socio-economic disadvantage entrenched historical racism experienced by the Palm Islanders. Chloe Hooper first illuminates the colonial foundation Palm Island was built upon, and then how it has prevailed into Palm Islander then explains how these injustices manifest into systemic racism. Thus, Chloe Hooper constructs abroad or societal comment on how the injustice of the past still impact Indigenous Australians today.
Initially, Hooper reveals that the systemic racism at the heart of The Tall Man stems from the entrenched historical racism embedded in Palm Island’s colonial foundations. Hooper notes how Palm Island was a place where “40 different groups [were] forced to co-exist,” highlighting how Indigenous Australians were stripped of their distinct cultural identities. The colonial mindset adopted by non-Indigenous authorities, which forced diverse Indigenous groups into one controlled space, reflects a blatant disregard for their cultural differences and autonomy, demonstrating how control and assimilation were embedded within institutional structures rather than being isolated acts of prejudice. This notion of historical racism is furthered when Hooper describes early Palm Island as an “open-air jail”. The words “open air" connote a sense of freedom and liberty, juxtaposed with the word “jail”, emphasising the oxymoronic nature of the island as a place designed to confine and control Indigenous Australians, reinforcing how this marginalisation was systemically enforced through government policy and surveillance. Additionally, Hooper reveals to readers that the Palm Islanders were assigned an “Aboriginal Protector”, and that they were not “always upstanding”. Here, the concept of a white saviour complex is imparted on the community and serves as a way to surveil them, while also reflecting how authority figures were institutionally empowered to control Indigenous lives. When Hooper adds that they were not always upstanding, readers are compelled to infer that these “protectors” were perpetrators of mistreatment and abuses of power, highlighting how systemic racism operates through institutions that both enable and protect such behaviour. Thus, Hooper ultimately reveals that the historical foundations of Palm Island are not merely reflective of past racism, but form the structural basis of the systemic injustices that continue to marginalise Indigenous Australians in the present.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: vce crafting text on the future and…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 70%: Entry 1: 29/04/2125 I can't remember the last time I was outside. The last time I felt the rain on my bare…
Entry 1: 29/04/2125
I can't remember the last time I was outside. The last time I felt the rain on my bare skin, the last time I felt the breeze through my hair.
I remember the day they announced it. That the government planned on building "silo" style societies underground, where all would live. Sustainable housing districts. What a lie. But I was only a kid then. I couldn't understand.
They told us that it would heal the earth, especially after man's dependence on AI lead to accelerated climate change, to the point where whole countries were uninhabitable. Cities were swallowed by heat. There weren't even any crops left.
I remember everyone I knew celebrating. There was finally a solution to the madness created. June 10th was the day the first district moved in, we all heard about how clean they were, how futuristic, how safe it all was. The broadcasts showed happiness, joy and optimism.
It was all so believable.
Entry 2: 13/05/2125
Recently, I've been reminiscing about moving day. I try to remember the good parts. The excitement in the air, the shouting of other kids, so excited to see their new homes for the first time. Not the fear in the air. The solemn expressions on our parents' faces. The coughing and wheezing of the sick.
I remember when I first stepped foot into the silos. The robots gave us our new id bands, and assigned us to our new living spaces. Our new homes. Floor 144, Room 19. They additionally handed out work rotations, food schedules, school hours. It felt as if everything had already been determined for us. We couldn’t choose anything. And if we broke the rules, our id bands would immediately be deactivated. The cameras were always on.
That first night was terrifying. I recall hearing a constant buzz through the walls, the vents blowing air across my face, as if the silo was alive.
Entry 3: 27/05/2125
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: people often shrink them selfs to fit in
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 95%: The hedges in our street were always cut into obedient shapes. Squares. Circles. Clean edges. Every Sunday…
The hedges in our street were always cut into obedient shapes.
Squares. Circles. Clean edges.
Every Sunday morning, men stood outside with silver shears, shaving away the stray branches that reached too far into the light. Grass clippings gathered at their feet like something dead. By Monday, the street looked artificial again — trimmed into something respectable.
My mother hated it.
“Plants are supposed to grow wild,” she used to mutter while watering the jasmine climbing our fence. “People only cut things when they’re afraid of what they become.”
I never understood what she meant until high school.
That was when I learnt beauty had rules.
Not the obvious kind printed across billboards or glowing from phone screens, but quieter rules. More dangerous ones. The kind hidden inside the way people looked at you for half a second too long after hearing your name.
Ali.
Too ethnic.
Too western suburbs.
Too loud.
By Year Eight, I had already begun reducing myself into something easier to consume.
Teachers shortened my name without asking. Friends flattened my accent into cleaner syllables. I stopped bringing leftover curry to school after somebody asked why my food “smelled like the train station.” I learnt to laugh immediately after making certain jokes, just so people knew I understood I was different before they could point it out themselves.
That became my talent.
Shrinking before others had the chance to shrink me first.
At school, beauty existed in strange forms.
It existed in effortless confidence. In boys who loosened their ties perfectly and girls whose messy buns somehow looked intentional. In expensive shoes untouched by rainwater and skin that looked permanently sunlit. Even their imperfections felt rehearsed.
During lunch, groups scattered themselves across the courtyard like carefully arranged advertisements. The attractive people occupied the centre tables near the basketball courts where sunlight reached first. Everyone else existed around the edges.
And somehow, people always knew where they belonged.
I learnt that too.
In English class, students laughed when I mispronounced the word “epitome.” I laughed with them even though my face burned hot enough to feel it behind my ears.
“Nah, say it again,” one boy grinned.
The teacher smiled politely, waiting for the moment to pass.
So I repeated the word wrong on purpose the second time because it felt less humiliating if the mistake looked intentional.
That afternoon, I went home and searched up pronunciation videos alone in my room with headphones on.
After that, I spoke less in class.
On the train to school every morning, the city transformed station by station. The further east we travelled, the cleaner everything became. Graffiti disappeared. Cafés replaced corner stores with metal shutters. Girls stepped onto platforms wearing shoes so white they looked untouched by weather.
Even the silence sounded expensive.
I used to watch my reflection in the train window as we crossed the river.
Somewhere between stations, I always started editing myself.
My posture straightened.
My voice softened.
My vocabulary changed shape.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Shakespeare presents marriage as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: In life, humans have a natural tendency to keep secrets, which hinders both relationships and self-understanding.…
In life, humans have a natural tendency to keep secrets, which hinders both relationships and self-understanding. Throughout Tessa Hadley’s anthology ‘Bad Dreams and Other Short Stories’, she explores the 20th century and modern day Britain’s stance on secrecy and gender roles. Her stories can be read as a cautionary tale that warns against the deteriorating effect that secrecy has on relationships with others. She uses secretive characters to portray how restricting self-expression can limit one’s individuality and freedom, uncovering a patriarchal society’s expectation for women to keep their individualism hidden while remaining silent and subservient to men. Additionally, keeping secrets from oneself limits self-understanding, where a refusal to acknowledge their secrets leads to the neglect of an individual’s identity. But ultimately, Hadley empowers individuals to accept their secrets and confide in others to maintain a healthy relationship.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How is imagery used to explore the nature…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Linda Pastan’s Poem The Happiest Day explores her thoughts about the fleeting nature of happiness. Specifically,…
Linda Pastan’s Poem The Happiest Day explores her thoughts about the fleeting nature of happiness. Specifically, the speaker laments not cherishing the joyful moments with her parents, her children, and her partner, and reflects upon cherishing small moments of happiness amidst turmoil in the world. Therefore, through the use of familial imagery, recurring naturalistic imagery, as well as cinematic imagery, the speaker creates a reflective, melancholic tone to highlight the ephemeral, volatile and relative nature of happiness, and that one should cherish it more, even though it may seem insignificant.
Firstly, in lines 1-15, the speaker introduces the recurring imagery of nature and familial imagery in a retrospective perspective to highlight the tranquility of the earlier days with her parents and children, illustrating the transient nature of happiness. The speaker begins in an optimistic tone, using colorful naturalistic imagery in “a moment of lilac or dogwood”. She also uses juxtaposition and enjambment in “so many promises are made/” with “it doesn’t matter if a few are broken” to highlight her reflective string of thoughts about her carefree past, which deepens the loss of these happy memories. She then utilises a retrospective perspective to describe her parents “hover(ing)” in the background”, further enhancing her reflective tone. Then, she likens her parents to “the houses I have grown up in” in a metaphor, but hints at their growing age through the kinetic imagery of “torn down later”, reflecting the ephemerality of her happiness. She focuses on her children, comparing them to “the new smell of lilac”. The recurring imagery of nature is used to show her children’s innocence and youth, which is then contrasted as she describes their growing up through “their roots were shallow” and “would be easily transported”, reflecting the transience of her children’s naivety. The somber, melancholic tone from “how could I have guessed” and “that was something I knew but didn’t believe” hints that she has regrets on not treasuring the familial memories when her children “were asleep/ or playing”. Thus, through the use of naturalistic imagery and familial imagery, the speaker describes the tranquility of her earlier days with her parents and children, highlighting the fleeting nature of happiness.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Shakespeare presents marriage as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: ] Cost-of-Living Crisis Oral Presentation “How much more are we supposed to take?” I’m tired of hearing that this…
] Cost-of-Living Crisis Oral Presentation
“How much more are we supposed to take?”
I’m tired of hearing that this is just “part of life” when people around me are living paycheck to paycheck, skipping meals, working multiple jobs, and still struggling to survive.
I’m so exhausted of watching families stress over rent, parents sacrifice their own needs for their children, and Australian youth gradually lose hope for their future.
The cost-of-living crisis isn’t just a headline or a statistic. It’s something people like me are living through every single day.
How much more are we supposed to take?
Well today, I'm done staying silent.
Good afternoon everyone,
"I stand here today as a casual retail worker, someone who works hard every week but still struggles to get ahead. When I look at the news and see that the median rent in this country is now $650 a week, I don't see a 'statistic'—I see the $120 I have left in my bank account after my landlord takes his cut."
I stand here not just as one person experiencing this crisis, but as a voice for millions of Australians being crushed under the weight of rising living costs. I am speaking directly to our government and national decision-makers, the people responsible for forming our economy as well as to every Australian who is witnessing this crisis unfold and feels powerless to share their opinion on it.
The cost-of-living crisis is one of the most serious and detrimental challenges facing Australia today. While many politicians discuss economic figures and statistics, ordinary Australians are facing a very different reality: a reality where necessities are becoming increasingly difficult to afford.
The first thing we need to understand is why this crisis is happening.
The cost-of-living crisis did not appear overnight. Rising inflation, global supply chain disruptions, the ongoing economic effects of COVID-19, international conflicts affecting energy prices, and a shortage of affordable housing have all contributed to making everyday essentials more expensive.
People ask me all the time at work: "Why is this happening?" We hear the same buzzwords on the news every night—inflation, supply chain issues, global conflicts. But I don't need a news anchor to tell me things are changing. I see it every shift I work. I see the price tags on the milk and bread being swapped out for higher ones week after week. I see the "out of stock" signs for the cheap staples.
The experts at the Bureau of Statistics say food prices rose by about 3.4% last year. But standing at that register, watching a parent’s face fall when the total comes up, or seeing them quietly ask me to put the fruit back because they’ve hit their limit? That 3.4% feels like a lie. It feels like a mountain that’s getting steeper every single day, while our wages are stuck at the base camp. Knowing why the price of fuel is up doesn't make it any easier to choose between filling the tank or filling the fridge.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'Shakespeare presents marriage as…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: Whether it is Beatrice's ascetic disdain of saccharin romance, Claudio's fickle romantic affections or even Don…
Whether it is Beatrice's ascetic disdain of saccharin romance, Claudio's fickle romantic affections or even Don John's brazen malevolence, Shakespeare's 16th century tragicomedy, Much Ado About Nothing illuminates the importance of marriage within Elizabethan society and explores the profundity that all characters see within it. Regardless of their initial view, be it of arrogant aversion or gracious acceptance, the cast all come to see the value that it can provide, for some are 'too wise to woo peaceably' and others who simply 'suffer love'. Accepted as almost a universal truth, marriage is seen as the natural end goal within the progression of a person's life. Marriage is often linked directly to one's social status, as marrying another binds their image with one's own. One can even use marriage as a tool to further one's own ideals, by feeding ones hubris or destroying another's reputation, asserting the influence that it holds upon social acceptance.
In spite of initial reluctance to participate in marriage due to various matters of pride, all characters eventually come to accept the value and inevitability of it. By the conclusion of the all play, Benedict and Beatrice overcome different obstacles in order to reach the happy ending, looking 'pale with love.' Don Pedro's predication that, 'the savage bull doth bear the yoke,' demonstrates Shakespeare's use of foreshadowing to allude to the merry conclusion. Benedick does eventually 'think upon the savage bull,' with Claudio to 'to tip thy (Benedick's) horns with gold', manifesting this augury in a way which completely undermines his initial assertion that 'if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns and set them in my forehead.' Don Pedro's declaration that 'I shall thee, 'ere I die, look pale with love,' denoting that he wishes nothing more than to see Benedick fall in love, overtly illustrates the effect of being in love to the people around oneself, as Don Pedro believes that marriage would greatly add to his image of Benedick, and that it is all but guaranteed to happen. In doing so, Shakespeare intends to portray the notion of marriage as one that's consistent with every man and women, regardless of their hubris and stubbornness. The two marriages conclude the play on a positive, upbeat note where Don John is 'ta'en in flight' and that they 'have a dance 'ere we are married.' Unequivocally, a successful marriage is displayed as being synonymous to achieving true happiness and receiving social praise and an event that is emblematic of the final stages of a person's development.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Write a creative piece with the theme…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 90%: I've been underwater for seventy-four days. Not the drowning kind, not lungs-filling, thrashing panic, but…
I've been underwater for seventy-four days.
Not the drowning kind, not lungs-filling, thrashing panic, but something quieter. Like gravity's been turned up, and the world drags just a little harder on my limbs. Sounds come muffled. Colours dulled. As though I'm watching my life through a thick pane of glass.
They say grief is a tide, a rhythmic thing that eventually retreats to give you room to breathe. But sometimes, it stays. Stagnates. Thick and cold and constant, the water soaking into your clothes, your chest, your thoughts. Becomes a weight pressing at your spine, folding itself into the gaps of your day. It fills you up until there's no room for anything else.
We used to come to the reservoir in the summers. On those scorching, breathless afternoons where the sky was a bruised indigo and the earth parched into a thousand cracks. He'd always be the first in, flinging himself forward without hesitation. Just limbs and laughter and a splash that echoed off the rocks. I used to hang back. Pretend I wasn't afraid of how deep it was.
He said he liked how things sounded beneath the water, how the world got quiet, like it was whispering something just for us. He said it made him feel suspended. Weightless. So why, now that I'm stuck here, does it feel so crushing?
The last time we came here together, he stayed in the water longer than anyone should have. I sat on this same ledge, watching him float on his back with his eyes closed, arms wide, like he was trying to take up as much sky as possible. You're going to drown, I told him. Not today, he said. He was always so certain of that.
I come alone now.
I don't swim.
I just sit on the edge, shoes off, heels pressed against the rough concrete, toes skimming the water. I don't speak. There's no one left to listen. And the silence isn't soft anymore. It claws at the inside of my head. It howls.
A woman walked past with a dog once, while I was sitting here. She smiled at me the way people smile at someone who looks like they need it. "Beautiful spot," she said. I nodded. She moved on. She had no idea I was underwater.
I still reach for my phone, sometimes, without thinking. My thumb ghosts over his name before I remember. His contact's still pinned. The last message he sent still unopened. I haven't brought myself to read it.
Sometimes I think it says something ordinary. Something like on my way or pick up milk. Something so small it would make the whole thing unbearable. Other times I think it says something I needed to hear. Something I still need. I keep it closed because once I read it, I have to know which one it is. It feels like a trap door. Like the minute I open it, something will fall out that I can't hold. His profile picture is a cruel artifact: a crooked smile, sunlight caught in his hair, a boy the universe never taught to be afraid, or maybe one who had learned to wear fearlessness so well that even I believed it. I wonder now if there were things he didn't tell me either. Whether beneath his particular kind of loud, he was also sometimes quietly underwater.