VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Stimulus 1 ‘Our lives begin to end the…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 80%: Life for people like me has been filled with jeers to "dig a hole" back to where I came from, accusations of…
Life for people like me has been filled with jeers to "dig a hole" back to where I came from, accusations of being an inside spy, and having people mimic the shape of my eyes when see me. Only now, however, have I realised that perhaps this prejudice doesn’t stem solely from the perpetrators.
At a soccer training session on a random Wednesday afternoon, a few fellow teammates compared me to a true legend of the sport. You would normally think this was a compliment. This man scored hundreds of goals, won several accolades, and was even regarded as one of the greatest to ever play. Certainly the greatest Asian to play. Then it dawned on me that I wasn't being compared to him for his skill, no — I was being compared to his looks. We shared the same foreign accent and the same width of eyes, and apparently it was enough to turn the soccer pitch into a comedy festival.
I stood laughing nervously with the crowd, even my fellow Asian teammates laughed. None of us wanted to ruin the vibe. Well, not me anyway, even if it was at my expense – I mean, everyone's having a laugh; what else could I do? Even if I found it offensive, the trouble of being seen as sensitive would only isolate me further from the crowd. It was a greater problem I was too scared to fight against.
This same silence carried on when I found myself sitting restlessly in the assembly hall while the same middle-aged men took to the lectern. Of all the topics, the principal chose to celebrate International Women’s Day, an event recognising the progression of feminism. Yet, on the packed tram ride home, I watched a group of boys jeer at female students. I could see the visible anxiety and nervousness in the girls’ eyes, pleading for help yet met with complete silence. It was certainly a stark contrast to the uproar of applause after the speech. So much for celebration.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Stimulus 1 ‘Our lives begin to end the…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 82.5%: Life for people like me has been filled with jeers to "dig a hole" back to where I came from, accusations of…
Life for people like me has been filled with jeers to "dig a hole" back to where I came from, accusations of being an inside spy, and having people make lines with their eyes when they see me. Only now, however, have I realised that perhaps this prejudice doesn’t stem solely from the perpetrators.
At a soccer training session on a random Wednesday afternoon, a few fellow teammates compared me to a true legend of the sport. You would normally think this was a compliment. This man scored hundreds of goals, won several accolades, and was even regarded as one of the greatest to ever play. Certainly the greatest Asian to play. Then it dawned on me that I wasn't being compared to him for his skill, no — I was being compared to his looks. We shared the same foreign accent and the same width of eyes, and apparently it was enough to turn the soccer pitch into a comedy festival.
I stood laughing nervously with the crowd, even my fellow Asian teammates laughed. None of us wanted to ruin the vibe. Well, not me anyway, even if it was at my expense – I mean, everyone's having a laugh; what else could I do? Even if I found it offensive, the trouble of being seen as sensitive would only isolate me further from the crowd. It was a greater problem I was too scared to fight against.
This same silence carried on when I found myself sitting restlessly in the assembly hall while the same middle-aged men took to the lectern. Of all the topics, the principal chose to celebrate International Women’s Day, an event recognising the progression of feminism. Yet, on the packed tram ride home, I watched a group of boys jeer at female students. I could see the visible anxiety and nervousness in the girls’ eyes, pleading for help yet met with complete silence. It was certainly a stark contrast to the uproar of applause after the speech. So much for celebration.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In sunset boulevard, Wilder suggests that…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Exploiting the repercussions on victims of the Hollywood born yet abstract villains, Wilders quintessentially…
Exploiting the repercussions on victims of the Hollywood born yet abstract villains, Wilders quintessentially American Film, Sunset Boulevard (1950), explores people's roles as a casualty or an aggressor in the film industry with the potential existence of both occurring in coincidence. While fame and decadence is present to lure people in and trap them in Hollywood, at times making them simply a martyr for the industry, throughout manipulation is poised as being dealt out and received with the human nature of serving self interest often prevailing. Furthermore, while many are seen as victims of the apparatus, the ways in which they express this on others contradicts the initial creation of monstrosity. As such, Wilders conveys that while it is possible for one to be purely a victim or villain, often individuals engage in both in different scenarios to different people.
Initially painting this industry as intrinsically conniving, Wilder permeates the lure of fame and riches as being either from or against an individual with neither being able to occur in unison. Joe Gillis throughout the film is portrayed as being pragmatic yet ambitious with his pursuit. Coming from a "$35 a day job behind a copy desk at the Dayton Evening Post", the allure of Hollywood for Joe is both utopian and as such heavily desirable, ignorant of any stipulations that may come with it. The illusion of "the pool he always wanted" is irrefusable, symbolising the life of comfort and freedom one seeks for - however, the same pool he'd strived for eventually leads to his demise. His posthumous voiceover over the irony of "the homicide squad [being] complete with… newspaper" speaks to the fragility of it all with the industry being purely transactional, forgiving to those who can provide for it. While "he had some talent", the industry made way for him but as he materialised to "a writer with a couple of B pictures to his name" he was thrown out and discarded thus displaying Wilders sympathy for victims of Hollywood's façade while scrutinizing the industry's counterfeit relationships with its people being dependent on whom is the highest bidder and most lucrative candidate. Furthermore, the agent is the epitome of an aggravator of the lure of riches. Pictured on the golf course making his putt, the agent represents an exemplar of those that fuel the animosity of the industry. His ideology that "the finest things in the world were written on an empty stomach" speaks to the expectations of Hollywood. Hidden behind a façade of sensationalism and perfection, the reality is that one is only rewarded for what they can provide, with those often announcing themselves as "your friend" are simply only in it "for the 10%" after all. As such, while Wilder proposes that one can be a victim or a villain with the deception of fame and riches, he ultimately condemns those that push the rhetoric of using it as a force for personal gain while championing those that can withstand its force.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sunset Boulevard explore the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: In Sunset Boulevard, performance isn’t simply confined to a stage, but rather a form of existence which individuals…
In Sunset Boulevard, performance isn’t simply confined to a stage, but rather a form of existence which individuals must maintain in order to survive. Billy Wilder’s 1950 film, set in post-war Hollywood, exposes an industry that celebrates dreams while quietly discarding dreamers who fail to maintain the spotlight. Wilder's portrayal of identity within an industry that demands performance, suggests that once identity becomes ceremonial, autonomy and sincerity begin to erode, ultimately motivating individuals to sacrifice their true-selves for recognition. This exploration unfolds through Norma's constructed reality, Joe Gillis’s loss of agency in chase of success wrapped in spectacle, and Max’s self-erasure as a means of sustaining Hollywood's promise.
Through the portrayal of Norma Desmond, Wilder critiques an industry that commodifies talent in favour of spectacle, suggesting that authenticity erodes within a system built on visibility. Norma's repeated viewings of her old films as she obsessively immerses herself within her former glory, exposes her dependence on Hollywood's gaze in order to exist whilst establishing her life as a recurring performance. This demonstrates Norma's loss of autonomy as she constructs her reality to sustain the stardom she once possessed, suggesting that when self-hood is solely based on recognition individuals can no longer accept the truth. Moreover through the use of medium close-up shots Wilder captures Norma's anachronistic and dramatic gestures, underscoring her performative existence where she is constantly on “stage” , even in the privacy of her own home. Through this Wilder frames Norma's performance as a product of Hollywood's promise, suggesting that when illusion is fused with reality, authenticity is inevitably destroyed.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: In these stories, place is never just a…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: For many young Australians, landscape plays a significant role navigating the complex journey of understanding. In…
For many young Australians, landscape plays a significant role navigating the complex journey of understanding. In his philosophical collection of narratives (‘The Complete Stories’), David Malouf portrays place as important in shaping identity due to its rich history and heavy involvement in growth and understanding. The author highlights the misleading nature of place when it offers false promises of solace to characters, whilst also emphasising the personal connections that one can share with a place. Furthermore, Malouf showcases how place can create moments of introspection and growth, ultimately shaping identity.
Malouf’s evocative stories elucidate how the mythologisation of places can be a misleading cause of lost identity. Angus’ idealisation of ‘The Valley of Lagoons’ from a young age is created by ‘the magic of the name itself,’ illustrating an allure characterised with uncertainty. This idealisation prompts him to see others ‘who went out [to the valley] were changed’ and subsequently envision the valley as a place of transformation for him too. Due to this, he creates an unrealistic vision of the hunting trip in the valley, hoping that ‘everything [he] found unsatisfactory in [himself]... would come out [there].’ However, Malouf implies that by diverting his attention to a place that was so foreign, Angus was shaping his identity around a place lacking genuine personal connection. Through this, Malouf demonstrates that the mythologisation of place can detract from one's true identity. Whilst Angus romanticises the valley in order to fit in, Andy mythologises the city in ‘Elsewhere’ as a reminder of his past aspirations. Malouf describes his clinging ‘to a vision of himself (that)...had seemed golden and inextinguishable’ and viewed the city as a desired place to live. Andy’s failure to succeed as a rugby player saw him unable to migrate to Sydney, leaving him forever chasing ‘the exhilaration, the allure, of a faster, more crowded world.’ Malouf reveals Andy’s internal insecurity that ‘he had missed out’ as he struggled to maintain a genuine sense of self and belonging whilst also wishing for ‘something extra, something more.’ Thus, by mythologising Sydney in such a way, Malouf showcases Andy’s loss of identity and belonging due to his struggle to see where he fits in a society so large. Instead of being content with his current domestic life in the countryside, his romanticisation of the city hinders his connection to his actual life. Therefore, Malouf presents place as harmful to identity and belonging when excessively idealised.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Topic: This was the country I would go on…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: This was the country I would go on dreaming in, wherever I lay my head.” How does Malouf accentuate the importance…
This was the country I would go on dreaming in, wherever I lay my head.”
How does Malouf accentuate the importance of place?
Across ‘Every Move You Make’[QK1] , David Malouf foregrounds the idea that place is not merely setting, but a vital condition for the making and remaking of self. Malouf depicts place as something that invites transformation for characters willing to confront its uncertainties yet, when people resign themselves to place that aren’t the best for them – growth becomes stagnate and slow. The natural world functions as a site that loosens imposed expectations, yet Malouf also recognises the profound difficulty of stepping outside the identities that communities assign. Thus, it is in moments of disconnection from social strictures and renewed attention to the natural world that characte encounter insight, healing, and an emerging sense of self, as they continue ‘dreaming’ wherever they lay their heads.
This is lovely, well done. I think the introduction would benefit from a line that reveals how important place is through the LOSS of place (that can be how place is accentuated)
Malouf accentuates the importance of country by constructing the natural environment as an active moral force, one that both manufactures and exposes the rigid masculine identities imposed upon young men. . [QK2] [QK3] Drawing on the conventions of the coming-of-age narrative to reveal the fraught transition between youth and adulthood, Malouf illustrates Angus’s deep attachment to landscape through the ritualised “hunting trip” at the Valley of Lagoons. The valley is imagined as a crucible for masculine identity, reserved for “fellows who went out there [and] were changed.” The religious imagery of the valley as a “page of Genesis” positions it as the birthplace of masculinity. This place also becomes the terrain upon which boys measure themselves against unforgiving masculine ideals. The importance of environment is further stressed in ‘War Baby’ through Charlie’s estrangement from place. His insistence that “Vietnam and his going was the certainty he needed to give his life direction” marks his refusal [QK4] to locate meaning in the domestic landscape, revealing his reliance on spectacular, externally validated experiences to confirm his identity. Charlie “sleepwalks” rejecting the ordinary rhythms of place that demand vulnerability and presence. Katie’s fear of “ending up marrying somebody like” Stuart reinforces the determinism of rural space for women, whose small-town environments leave narrow margins for those who deviate from prescribed gendered roles. Yet, despite the town’s smallness and its restricted “places,” Malouf still offers nature as a realm through which clarity and agency may be reclaimed.
Some of your points need more support from stronger evidence – be sure you are bringing strong foundations from the text to help prove your argument and thus really hit the topic
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Together we rise Stimulus 3
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 87.5%: Good afternoon everyone, For far too long, the backbone of our nation, our Pakistani wheat farmers, have been…
Good afternoon everyone,
For far too long, the backbone of our nation, our Pakistani wheat farmers, have been forced to bear the burden of policies that push them to the brink. I do not seek pity because that will get me nowhere; however, I am here to advocate for the voiceless, because I know that my one individual voice will be silenced by government bodies, and so I hope to unify us around their cause. To remind us that not only are they farmers, but the sole providers of food on everyone’s plates. For only when we stand together with a voice so loud it reverberates across the plains to the governing bodies will we be able to challenge the unfair imports and coercive prices that crush the very people who feed our nation.
A profound sense of shame should accompany our collective inaction. It is indeed shameful to passively observe our farmers, who tirelessly toil to produce our sustenance – yet struggle to secure their own livelihoods.
It’s cruel irony that a country so deeply reliant on agriculture is marginalising the producers and impoverishing them.
Such is the gravity of this situation that emotion can easily surface. However, the path to change requires a clear understanding of the facts.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “She was worried that she was overstepping…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Tessa Hadley’s short story “The Stain” explores Marina’s anxiety about “overstepping the mark” to reveal how…
Tessa Hadley’s short story “The Stain” explores Marina’s anxiety about “overstepping the mark” to reveal how gender, class, and patriarchy quietly regulate behaviour through guilt and silence. Marina’s fear reflects how deeply she has internalised social rules that determine who may act, speak, or show kindness without suspicion.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Sunset Boulevard both challenges and…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: Sunset boulevard challenges gender expectations. Discuss Directed by Billy Wilder, the 1950 noir melodrama…
Sunset boulevard challenges gender expectations. Discuss
Directed by Billy Wilder, the 1950 noir melodrama 'Sunset Boulevard' explores the role of traditional gender norms in a rapidly changing, post-war society. Although Wilder reinforces aspects of traditional gender expectations through portrayal of female characters as hysterical, ultimately Wilder challenges widely held gender norms, presenting them as a by-product of an unethical film industry. Furthermore, the film examines the role of the general public in perpetuating traditional gender stereotypes through an obsession with gossip and scandal.
Wilder challenges traditional gender expectations several times throughout 'Sunset Boulevard', reversing the stereotype of the 1950s housewife. This is demonstrated in Norma's characterisation as being extremely wealthy yet also very dramatic, allowing her to hold power over Joe as he relies on her to be his benefactor and cannot risk losing her. This allows Norma to control even the most minute aspects of Joe's life, such as the clothes he wears and the cigarettes he smokes. This is visualised when Norma takes Joe out in her Isotta Fraschini, she asks Joe "must you chew gum?". Though he initially ignores her, Joe seemingly remembers that he cannot live comfortably without Norma, causing him to do her bidding and spit the gum out. This demonstrates Norma's infantalisation of Joe, she treats him as a mere essentially pet-training. Even Norma's use of the term 'dear' when Joe seeks to belittle him and fracture his masculinity. Whereby, Wilder portrays Joe as weak, insecure and lacking masculinity, and Norma as coercive and cold. This traditional gender stereotypes, allowing Wilder to convey the broader effects of industry on society.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Topic: This was the country I would go on…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: Across ‘Every Move You Make’, David Malouf foregrounds the idea that place is not merely setting, but a vital…
Across ‘Every Move You Make’, David Malouf foregrounds the idea that place is not merely setting, but a vital condition for the making and remaking of self. Malouf depicts place as something that invites transformation for characters willing to confront its uncertainties. The natural world functions as a site that loosens imposed expectations, yet Malouf also recognises the profound difficulty of stepping outside the identities that communities assign. Thus, it is in moments of disconnection from social strictures and renewed attention to the natural world that character’s encounter insight, healing, and an emerging sense of self, as they continue ‘dreaming’ wherever they lay their heads.
Malouf amplifies the importance of country and the natural environment by framing it as an agent that shapes subjectivity rather than a passive stage for human action. Drawing on the conventions of the coming-of-age narrative to reveal the fraught transition between youth and adulthood, Malouf illustrates Angus’s deep attachment to landscape through the ritualised “hunting trip” at the Valley of Lagoons. The valley is imagined as a crucible for masculine identity, reserved for “fellows who went out there [and] were changed.” The image of the valley as a “page of Genesis” positioning it as the birthplace of masculinity. This creative space also becomes the terrain upon which boys measure themselves against unforgiving masculine ideals. Malouf complicates this idealisation through the intrusion of the “Chillagoe train” that “pours out smuts,” suggesting how human institutions and rigid gender coding intrude upon and contaminate even the most sacred landscapes. The importance of environment is further stressed in ‘War Baby’ through Charlie’s estrangement from place. His insistence that “Vietnam and his going was the certainty he needed to give his life direction” marks his refusal to locate meaning in the domestic landscape, revealing his reliance on spectacular, externally validated experiences to confirm his identity. Charlie “sleepwalks” rejecting the ordinary rhythms of place that demand vulnerability and presence. Katie’s fear of “ending up marrying somebody like” Stuart reinforces the determinism of rural space for women, whose small-town environments leave narrow margins for those who deviate from prescribed gendered roles. Yet, despite the town’s smallness and its restricted “places,” Malouf still offers nature as a realm through which clarity and agency may be reclaimed.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘How does Tessa Hadley explore the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: In An Abduction, Tessa Hadley presents the transition from childhood to adulthood as sudden, unsafe, and shaped by…
In An Abduction, Tessa Hadley presents the transition from childhood to adulthood as sudden, unsafe, and shaped by gendered power. Through Jane Allsop’s experience, Hadley suggests that this threshold is not crossed through choice or maturity, but through vulnerability, isolation, and male entitlement. Using a feminist and psychological lens, the story shows how a young girl’s desire to feel grown-up exposes her to exploitation rather than empowerment.
Jane’s position on the edge of childhood is established immediately in the line “Jane Allsop was abducted when she was fifteen and nobody noticed.” Her age places her firmly in a liminal space between child and adult, while the fact that “nobody noticed” highlights her social invisibility. This emotional neglect leaves Jane unprotected, making her transition into adulthood occur without guidance or care. Rather than being supported, Jane is left to navigate adult experiences alone, emphasizing the vulnerability of girls at this stage.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: The Memory Police is as much about memory…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: Yoko Ogawa’s novel, ‘The Memory Police’, explores a dystopian world in which memory loss is enforced through the…
Yoko Ogawa’s novel, ‘The Memory Police’, explores a dystopian world in which memory loss is enforced through the disappearances of objects, which gradually take away key parts of people’s individual identities. This is emphasised throughout the novel as each disappearance is accompanied with a loss of meaning in specific memories related to the gone object. Ogawa illustrates this through the disappearances of perfume, birds, and novels, as each loss also severs part of the narrator’s relationship with those close to her, and therefore part of her identity.
From the very beginning of the novel, Ogawa demonstrates the disconnect between those able to retain their memories and those who cannot through the narrator’s memory of her mother’s stories. This difference in understanding acts as a barrier between them, as her mother ‘who was at her most lively’ when talking of perfume, while it was ‘no more than a few drops of water’ to the narrator. The lack of significance associated with the perfume for the narrator ultimately impairs her later ability to recall her mother’s story of the objects, as if ‘those memories… [had] dissolved’, leaving only the memory of her mother. This lack of memory therefore also taints the narrator’s understanding of her mother’s life, as although she can remember her as a person, she could not remember key parts of her memories, which made up her identity. Ogawa uses the narrator’s limited memory of her mother to illustrate the role of memory in understanding parts of other’s identities, which can be lost without the ability to retain them.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: sunset boulevard shows that fame is a…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Billy Wilder’s film “Sunset Boulevard” exposes fame not as a source of fulfillment, but as a consuming force that…
Billy Wilder’s film “Sunset Boulevard” exposes fame not as a source of fulfillment, but as a consuming force that leads individuals on a perilous journey towards self-destruction. Through the character of Norma Desmond, Wilder presents a figure who represents the inability to relinquish a past identity, unable to accept that her fame has faded decades prior. Unable to move forward and live her life she becomes trapped in the past, clinging to the past memories, and dreaming of a comeback. Norma Desmond’s pursuit of fame leads to isolation, depression, and madness. Wilder showcases this perilous journey through visual motifs, particularly the set design of Norma's mansion, which is filled with photographs that demonstrate her profound refusal to accept reality.
Norma Desmond's unyielding attachment to her faded stardom is most potently revealed through her decaying mansion, which functions as a suffocating shrine meticulously preserved with countless photographs and memorabilia from her past. The house itself acts as a physical manifestation of Norma’s mind, a space where the past is not just remembered, but obsessively preserved. This profound delusion is perfectly captured in her defiant declaration to Joe: 'I am big! It's the pictures that got small!' This line reveals Norma's complete refusal to accept the reality of her faded stardom, creating an alternate reality where she remains the ultimate star and the industry itself has declined. This mindset is a core psychological peril of her attachment to fame. Therefore, Norma's psychological entrapment serves as Wilder's primary warning that the journey to preserve fame is fraught with the peril of losing oneself completely to illusion.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: sunset boulevard shows that fame is a…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Billy Wilder’s film “Sunset Boulevard” exposes fame not as a source of fulfillment, but as a consuming force that…
Billy Wilder’s film “Sunset Boulevard” exposes fame not as a source of fulfillment, but as a consuming force that leads individuals on a perilous journey towards self-destruction. Through the character of Norma Desmond, Wilder presents a figure who represents the inability to relinquish a past identity, unable to accept that her fame has faded decades prior. Unable to move forward and live her life she becomes trapped in the past, clinging to the past memories, and dreaming of a comeback. Norma Desmond’s pursuit of fame leads to isolation, depression, and madness. Wilder showcases this perilous journey through visual motifs, particularly the set design of Norma's mansion, which is filled with photographs that demonstrate her profound refusal to accept reality.</p><p>Norma Desmond's unyielding attachment to her faded stardom is most potently revealed through her decaying mansion, which functions as a suffocating shrine meticulously preserved with countless photographs and memorabilia from her past. The house itself acts as a physical manifestation of Norma’s mind, a space where the past is not just remembered, but obsessively preserved. This profound delusion is perfectly captured in her defiant declaration to Joe: 'I am big! It's the pictures that got small!' This line reveals Norma's complete refusal to accept the reality of her faded stardom, creating an alternate reality where she remains the ultimate star and the industry itself has declined. This mindset is a core psychological peril of her attachment to fame. Therefore, Norma's psychological entrapment serves as Wilder's primary warning that the journey to preserve fame is fraught with the peril of losing oneself completely to illusion.</p><p>However, Wilder extends this cautionary tale beyond the immediate psychological entrapment of Norma, revealing how the parasitic nature of fame can similarly corrupt and consume those drawn into its orbit, as exemplified by the cynical yet ambitious screenwriter, Joe Gillis. Initially seeking a mere escape from his financial desperation, Joe slowly relinquishes his creative integrity and self-respect, becoming entangled in
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "A real home is where real people are…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: "Home is where the heart is." Jane Harrison's play, Rainbow's End, is a stirring and poignant exploration of the…
"Home is where the heart is." Jane Harrison's play, Rainbow's End, is a stirring and poignant exploration of the significance of home. Set against the background of 1950s Australia, where racial segregation of whites and Indigenous Australians runs rampant, Harrison closely focuses on the familial relationships between three Indigenous women and how they navigate the cruel oppression of colonial sovereignty. As a physical location, home is manifested in the contrast between the dilapidated yet comforting home of the Dears family and the modern but superficial houses belonging to the Woolthorpes. Harrison additionally explores the Indigenous understanding of home through community relationships and kinship groups. The idea of a home is tested through the harsh criticisms wrought about by the ill treatment of Indigenous individuals by the white government. Finally, Harrison ends with a sense of optimism and manifests to the reader that home can simply be where you are happy, imbuing within them the searching question about what constitutes a true home.
Home is initially illustrated through the rundown yet comfortable humpy that the Dear family lives in. Despite a devastating flood, Nan, Gladys and Dolly are shown to clean and repair their home, with Dolly finding linoleum for the floor and Gladys retrieving a "crappy old bookcase" for their new encyclopedias. Their determination to maintain a homely environment is characteristic of their domestic pride, reflecting the importance they place in their physical manifestation of a home. When the government inspector visits, he remarks on the whiteness of their sheets and compliments Nan's masterful crocheting of her "pillow shams". Nan and Gladys are also shown to be resourceful and efficient as they chop wood, make clothing, and use native plants for meals; as a result, their home is made as warm and homely as possible. Harrison contrasts this idea of a physical home to the houses inhabited by the Woolthorpes. These houses are superficial in comparison, filled with "new-fangled" consumer goods and a "big fake Christmas tree", implying the superficial nature of their household and family values. Furthermore, Errol's father's insistence on being referred to as "sir" implies emotional distance within their familial relationship, indicating that there is little to no air of homeliness in their cold houses. Harrison is subtle in her criticism of the seeming importance placed on such types of houses, but this is revealed through the contrast of positive and negative connotations applied to them respectively. Thus, Harrison illustrates how it is not about the physical manifestation of a house, it is the warmth inside that is important in making a house into a home.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: "In We Have Always Lived in the Castle,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 92.5%: In her final, chilling novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson masterfully explores the…
In her final, chilling novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson masterfully explores the insidious relationship between the individual and the collective, probing the origins of alienation. While the Blackwood sisters, and particularly the fiercely protective Merricat, construct a world that appears to be a self-designed refuge, Jackson’s narrative compellingly argues that this insularity is not a genuine choice but a deeply ingrained psychological defence mechanism forged by the relentless hostility of a fearful and judgmental society. The villagers’ ingrained prejudice, Merricat’s ritualistic behaviour as a response to this threat, and the climactic destruction of the Blackwood home all serve to demonstrate that the sisters' isolation is ultimately a sentence imposed by the outside world, not a sanctuary chosen from within.
Jackson establishes from the outset that the villagers' animosity is a pre-existing condition, a deep-seated and irrational prejudice that positions them as the primary aggressors. Merricat’s twice-weekly trips to the village are depicted as fraught expeditions into enemy territory, where she is met with “looks of hatred.” The persecution is not subtle; it is a communal and ritualised act, embodied in the cruel children's chant: "Merricat, said Connie, would you like a cup of tea? Oh no, said Merricat, you'll poison me." This taunt reveals that the village’s judgment is not only fixed but also passed down through generations, becoming part of the local folklore. Their fear and hatred are directed not just at the unresolved crime but at the Blackwoods’ very existence—their wealth, their seclusion, and their perceived arrogance. This pervasive hostility forces the sisters into a defensive posture, proving that the foundation of their isolation is not a desire for solitude but the necessity of deflecting constant, external aggression.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: sunset boulevard shows that fame is a…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: The film “Sunset Boulevard”, directed by Billy Wilder, exposes that fame is something that consumes people rather…
The film “Sunset Boulevard”, directed by Billy Wilder, exposes that fame is something that consumes people rather than fulfilling them. Norma Desmond’s life is the perfect example. Norma, once a celebrated silent film star becomes unable to accept the reality that her fame has faded long time ago. Unable to move forward and live her life she becomes trapped in the past, clinging to the past memories, and dreaming of a comeback. Norma Desmond’s pursuit of fame leads to isolation, depression, and madness. Wilder showcase the consequence of pursuing fame through the set design in which the entrance of the mansion is filled with photos demonstrating Norma’s refusal to accept reality.
Norma Desmond's unyielding attachment to her faded stardom is most potently revealed through her decaying mansion, which functions as a suffocating shrine meticulously preserved with countless photographs and memorabilia from her past. The house itself acts as a physical manifestation of Norma’s mind, a space where the past is not just remembered, but obsessively preserved. This profound delusion is perfectly captured in her defiant declaration to Joe: 'I am big! It's the pictures that got small!' This line reveals Norma's complete refusal to accept the reality of her faded stardom, creating an alternate reality where she remains the ultimate star and the industry itself has declined. This mindset is a core psychological peril of her attachment to fame. Therefore, Norma's psychological entrapment serves as Wilder's primary warning that the journey to preserve fame is fraught with the peril of losing oneself completely to illusion.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Truman Burbank is ultimately in control of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: Acknowledging the concept of ‘The American Dream’ during the late 1900s, ‘The Truman Show’ by Peter Weir,…
Acknowledging the concept of ‘The American Dream’ during the late 1900s, ‘The Truman Show’ by Peter Weir, accentuates the restraint one has on their life through exploitation and control. Even though this film showcases that, if persistent enough, an individual can shape their future, the mythical land of Seahaven demonstrates that fantasy can be easily mistaken for reality. To begin with, Truman’s lack of privacy obstructs his freedom of choice, especially when his every move is being watched. Additionally, Christof and his crew use fear and manipulation to prevent him from leaving the island for their own selfish gain. However, even with all these hindrances, Truman still manages to do what he wishes, which conveys that Christof and the media’s powers are limited. Overall, ‘The Truman Show’ encourages its audience to beware of all deceitful planning behind the impression of ‘reality’.
Throughout ‘The Truman Show’, Peter Weir displays the media as deceptive and scheming when restricting the weak from their freedom. Christof and his crew are characterised as figures with the ambition to regulate the life of Truman. Truman’s urgency to find ‘Lauren’ is shown in a high angle shot. After hearing him mention Fiji, Truman’s colleague’s quick thinking led him to point out that Seahaven won the title, “best on earth”. This reveals how carefully they watch Truman’s every move, with no privacy or respect, just for him to stay in Seahaven. This perception of the crew can be further shown when they state that Truman is heading towards “Lancaster Square”. The close-up on Truman’s face proved how alarming it was to assume that he was being followed, not to mention the 5000 cameras installed. This impersonal view of Truman having no free will could be further accentuated when he was separated from his allegedly dead ‘father’. The moment his eyes fell on Kirk and he uttered “Dad”, a businessman, a lady with a dog, and other obstacles made sure he was nowhere near his father. A dramatic soundtrack, along with multiple points of view, paired well together to make this scene, highlighting that Christof will prohibit anything that will interfere with his plan. Additionally, Truman’s unpredictable movements while being “spontaneous” caused the crew to find a way to make it nearly impossible for him to leave, this included “[blocking]” their way at “every turn”. This conveys that, even if Truman wanted to do anything, he couldn’t, as Christof’s empowerment meant that he was someone who was toyed with only for increased viewership. Ultimately, Weir delineates the media as a corporation that limits the discretion of individuals by deceiving them that there is only one way.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “In Sunset Boulevard, identity is shown to…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 92.5%: In Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder portrays identity not as a stable inner truth but as a performance shaped by…
In Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder portrays identity not as a stable inner truth but as a performance shaped by external validation, surveillance, and the pressure to remain visible. Set against the artificiality of Hollywood, the film suggests that individuals do not simply act on screen: they learn to act in life, constructing selves that can be watched, approved, and preserved. Through film noir aesthetics—voice-over fatalism, shadowed interiors, and carefully staged mise-en-scène—Wilder reveals how performance becomes a survival strategy, until it collapses into self-deception. Through Norma Desmond’s theatrical self-mythology, Joe Gillis’s cynical role-playing, and Betty Schaefer’s restrained authenticity, Sunset Boulevard argues that when identity is built as spectacle, it becomes increasingly fragile and self-destructive.
Norma Desmond represents the most extreme fusion of identity and performance, as her sense of self depends entirely on being seen. Norma insists she is “still big,” dismissing her irrelevance by claiming that “the pictures got small,” a line that exposes her desperate need to control her own narrative. Wilder reinforces this manufactured identity through her mansion, which functions like a private studio set: grand yet decaying, lit with noir shadows that preserve glamour while concealing deterioration. Even Norma’s routine—screening her silent films and commanding Max to stage her life—demonstrates that her “self” is something curated rather than lived. The famous assertion that she “had faces” suggests her identity was never singular; it was a series of images designed for consumption. By the final sequence, Norma no longer distinguishes between her body and the camera’s gaze, stepping forward to announce, “I’m ready for my close-up,” as though her existence depends on cinematic framing. Wilder implies that when identity is sustained through performance alone, it eventually devours reality, leaving the individual trapped in a role they can no longer remove.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Discuss the extent to which Oedipus's…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Written in the midst of the Peloponnesian War, Grecian playwright Sophocles’ 429 BCE tragedy ‘Oedipus the King’…
Written in the midst of the Peloponnesian War, Grecian playwright Sophocles’ 429 BCE tragedy ‘Oedipus the King’ explores the facets and fragility of human identity, cautioning audiences against the blinding nature of hubris. Adhering to the conventions of a Greek tragedy hero, Sophocles depicts the pervasive and fatal plague attacking Thebes as the initial driving force behind Oedipus’s quest, garnering sympathy for his plight. However, this honourable incentive eventually deteriorates to reveal Oedipus’s need to preserve his facade of heroism, exposing cracks in his leadership. Ultimately, Sophocles’ depiction of Oedipus’s relentless pursuit of truth illuminates the ruinous nature of humanity, exploring the tension between noble motivations and destructive consequences.
Through the quick establishment of the death-stricken Thebes, Sophocles initially positions Oedipus’s motivations behind his pursuit as noble, impressing upon the readers his sense of civic duty. Drawing from the Athenian Plague looming over citizens in 429 BCE, Sophocles opens the play In Media Res, allowing for the omission of explicit plague depictions to be replaced with the audience’s personal experience - introducing an immediate sense of urgency, chaos, and grief. This formation of a bond between audience and narrative elicits sympathy and dependence for Oedipus, casting his desperation to find Laius’s murderer as not only admirable, but necessary. This nobility is further exemplified through Oedipus’s exchange with Tiresias, in which Oedipus’s show of humility demonstrates his true values of civic duty. Disregarding aristocratic hubris, Oedipus ‘begs’ Tiresias ‘on [his] knees’ to help cure Thebes of its miasma, citing ‘the love of god’ to stop Tiresias from leaving. This defiance of the rigid hierarchy which permeated Ancient Grecian society characterises Oedipus as a noble and selfless leader. Furthermore, Sophocles’s construction of Oedipus’s sense of duty reflected the mistrust of Athenian leaders following the dismissal of beloved general Pericles, presenting his audience with an ideal leader. Oedipus’s moral righteousness is reinforced when he attempts to exile Creon for treason, citing his expulsion ‘for [his] sake, for Apollo’s’, and ‘for [Thebes]’s.’ Oedipus’s self-acclaimed alignment with the view of the gods indicates Oedipus’s belief in his own integrity, as the word of the gods was then considered a moral framework. Thus, while Oedipus’s pursuit of truth may lead to corruption and shame, Sophocles positions Oedipus’s initial motivation as genuinely noble.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “You could present yourself as you wanted…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 72.5%: David Malouf’s The Complete Stories explores the tensions between inner identity and external expectation,…
David Malouf’s The Complete Stories explores the tensions between inner identity and external expectation, particularly through characters shaped by memory, displacement, and unspoken restraint. Across his short fiction, Malouf presents individuals who often suppress their authentic selves to fulfil an artificial sense of belonging, survival or understanding from others, suggesting that identity is neither fixed nor easily attained. Therefore Malouf suggests that many characters struggle to find their true selves because the identities they present are carefully constructed responses to fear, memory, and social expectation. Overall, through restrained narration and moments of psychological introspection, Malouf argues that clarity of self is rarely achieved through performance or conformity, but through an uneasy confrontation with one’s inner truths.
Through his short fiction, Malouf reveals how societal and historical expectations exert a quiet but powerful pressure on individuals, encouraging an emotional restraint that ultimately obscures, rather than clarifies, their sense of self. In War Baby, Charlie’s desire to wear his father’s “greatcoat” as he prepares for Vietnam serves as a defining attempt to replace internal confusion with supposed "certainty." By donning this literal and symbolic uniform, Charlie seeks a journey hidden beneath someone else’s shadows, hoping to "close off an open and indeterminate future" that has left him in a "state of suspension" for seven years. Malouf utilises the motif of the coat to suggest that young men often pursue a "manly ideal" not out of conviction, but as a desperate flight from the "puzzle of what [they are]." This is further emphasised through figures like Cliff, who “glowed so convincingly in the aura of them”; his presence reinforces the seductive power of a stoic persona that promises a sureness Charlie lacks. Similarly, in The Valley of Lagoons, Angus’s wish to be “Like Stuart even” demonstrates how the pressure to conform forces individuals to ignore their own moral compass. Even though Angus fears Stuart’s “vicious” nature, he craves the relief of a pre-written masculine script that would resolve his unsatisfactory internal life. Malouf frames these initiations, the hunt and the war as a “sacred" performance of a deliberately flattened voice, designed to mask the internal universe of the individual. Consequently, Malouf reveals that societal expectations leave individuals suspended in ghostly and distorted reality. By attempting to "present [themselves] as [they] wanted to be seen," these characters do not find their true selves; instead, they construct a surreal façade that juxtaposes the anticlimactic reality of their existence. Ultimately, the authorial message posits that the true self is often sacrificed for the safety of a social mask, leaving the characters doomed in search for their true inner selves
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “You could present yourself as you wanted…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: David Malouf’s The Complete Stories explores the tensions between inner identity and external expectation,…
David Malouf’s The Complete Stories explores the tensions between inner identity and external expectation, particularly through characters shaped by memory, displacement, and unspoken restraint. Across his short fiction, Malouf presents individuals who often suppress their authentic selves to fulfill a fake sense of belonging, survival or understanding from others, suggesting that identity is neither fixed nor easily attained. Therefore. Malouf suggests that many characters struggle to find their true selves because the identities they present are carefully constructed responses to fear, memory, and social expectation. Overall, through restrained narration and moments of psychological introspection, Malouf argues that clarity of self is rarely achieved through performance or conformity, but through an uneasy confrontation with one’s inner truths.
Through his short fiction, Malouf reveals how societal and historical expectations exert a quiet but powerful pressure on individuals, encouraging an emotional restraint that ultimately obscures, rather than clarifies, their sense of self. In War Baby, Charlie’s desire to wear his father’s “greatcoat” as he prepares for Vietnam serves as a defining attempt to replace internal confusion with supposed "certainty." By donning this literal and symbolic uniform, Charlie seeks a journey hidden beneath someone else’s shadows, hoping to "close off an open and indeterminate future" that has left him in a "state of suspension" for seven years. Malouf utilises the motif of the coat to suggest that young men often pursue a "manly ideal" not out of conviction, but as a desperate flight from the "puzzle of what [they are]." This is further emphasised through figures like Cliff, who “glowed so convincingly in the aura them”; his presence reinforces the seductive power of a stoic persona that promises a sureness Charlie lacks. Similarly, in The Valley of Lagoons, Angus’s wish to be “Like Stuart even” demonstrates how the pressure to conform forces individuals to ignore their own moral compass. Even though Angus fears Stuart’s “vicious” nature, he craves the relief of a pre-written masculine script that would resolve his unsatisfactory internal life. Malouf frames these initiations, the hunt and the war as a “sacred" performance of a deliberately flattened voice, designed to mask the internal universe of the individual. Consequently, Malouf reveals that societal expectations leave individuals suspended in ghostly and distorted reality. By attempting to "present [themselves] as [they] wanted to be seen," these characters do not find their true selves; instead, they construct a surreal façade that juxtaposes the anticlimactic reality of their existence. Ultimately, the authorial message posits that the true self is often sacrificed for the safety of a social mask, leaving the characters doomed in search for their true inner selves
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Is Oedipus best described as a true hero,…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Sophocles’ fifth century play, Oedipus Rex, limns a titular character at odds with his foreordained demise.…
Sophocles’ fifth century play, Oedipus Rex, limns a titular character at odds with his foreordained demise. Oedipus desires to be a true hero for the people of Thebes, and yet he bears the responsibility for the patricide haunting Thebes, thereby rendering his search for the truth redundant. Despite this, he is somewhat heroic, as he courageously desires to save Thebeians from the plague that threatens their crops and lives. However, prone to self-aggradisation, Oedipus goes against the will of the Gods who rule his peoples’ wellbeing, demonstrating that he is an unstable leader and subsequently flawed hero. To rid Thebes of its disease ultimately requires Oedipus’ banishment, the culmination of his fatally limited heroism and inability to protect his people.
Although Oedipus’ bid to rid Thebes of the plague is ultimately futile, he exhibits a genuine and courageous heroism in his initial promise to protect his citizens. The opening of the play sees the Priest of Zeus, in suppliance, asking Oedipus to save Thebes from the plague, to which he responds that his “spirit grieves” for “the city, myself and all of you”. Sophocles opens in such a manner to establish the king’s earnest regard for his people, with his “spirit” grieving connoting a deeper, resonant sense of worry. Moreover, the tricolonic “city, myself and all” establishes Oedipus’ attitude toward his responsibilities; rather than separating the polis and himself, he lists both equally in closeness and importance. Thus, Sophocles prefaces the establishment of Oedipus’ brave and heroic desire to find the truth, by first adducing his earnestness to protect his people. Further, upon his discovery that clearing Thebes of disease requires vengeance on former King Laius’ murderer, Oedipus promises that he will “bring it all to light myself”. Here, the idiomatic “bring it… to light” implies that Oedipus not only intends to resurface the truth, but collectively brighten the lives of his struggling citizens, whilst “myself” implies that Oedipus bears the sole responsibility for his kingdom with pride. By this point, Sophocles implies that Oedipus’ faith in his own ability to protect all of Thebes is not yet hubristic, but rather a courage indicative of heroism. This is as Oedipus is fuelled by the affirmation of his people, with the Priests’ earlier plea for protection endowing him with a sense of confidence. Sophocles demonstrates Oedipus’ goodness of character and heroism by characterising him as using the reliance of his people to propel himself towards justice rather than narcissism.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: “She was worried that she was overstepping…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 82.5%: Tessa Hadley’s short story “The Stain” from Bad Dreams explores how working-class women like Marina experience a…
Tessa Hadley’s short story “The Stain” from Bad Dreams explores how working-class women like Marina experience a persistent anxiety about “overstepping the mark,” as moral responsibility, care, and deference are imposed upon them by social and class hierarchies. Through limited third-person narration, symbolic imagery, and domestic space, Hadley exposes how Marina’s ethical sensitivity becomes a burden rather than a virtue, trapping her between personal discomfort and the unspoken rules of classed politeness.
Hadley’s use of limited third-person narration immerses the reader in Marina’s internalised anxiety, positioning her consciousness as a site of moral conflict. The blurring of thought and dialogue—created through the omission of quotation marks and the use of em dashes—collapses internal reflection and external speech, forcing the reader to experience Marina’s hesitation in real time. This narrative technique mirrors Marina’s fear of articulating moral judgement, as her thoughts remain suspended rather than resolved. When Anthony insists that “you can’t condemn anything, unless you were there,” the narration does not explicitly rebut him; instead, Marina’s unease lingers unresolved, compelling the reader to inhabit her discomfort. This controlled ambiguity denies the reader moral closure, reinforcing how Marina’s class position prevents her from asserting ethical authority without fear of social transgression.