VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Ogawa explores the dilemmas faced by…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Yoko Ogawa’s The Memory Police presents the act of memory as a profound human dilemma, where to remember is to…
Yoko Ogawa’s The Memory Police presents the act of memory as a profound human dilemma, where to remember is to remain connected to one’s humanity, history, and sense of being. Yet the act of remembering carries psychological anguish and the threat of punishment under authoritarian rule. Through her characters, Ogawa demonstrates that this tension between survival and the need for memory is intrinsic to the human condition and ultimately leaves readers questioning whether resistance can ever overcome erasure.
Ogawa’s novel follows the characters journey of trying to remember the things that have been lost despite the knowledge of the punishment that will come with the act of remembering. The Narrator delivers the statement “my mother died, and then my father died”, devoid of sentiment, blunt and disconnected, portraying that she believes these tragic events are inevitable facts of life. Ogawa presents a world where the pain of remembering and re-experiencing loss triumphs over agency, and characters would rather forget their trauma then face the regimes harsh reality. Furthermore, she further demonstrates the citizens loss of autonomy through the imagery of “no one ventured into the crosswalk”, symbolising the complete inertia experiences by society. Even without The Memory Police’s authoritarian presence, society is paralysed by fear and desperate to remain anonymous, the will to move and act completely lost to humanities natural desire to remain free of suffering and punishment. However, Ogawa reveals that dilemma is a luxury in this world, the choice between two options, as “the Inui family vanished”, symbolising the absolute end to memory. Their absence reflects the collapse of the dilemma itself, where those who are erased are freed from the struggle between remembering and forgetting, leaving the living in the torment of choosing survival over memory. Ultimately, Ogawa establishes an oppressive regime that forces a dilemma between quiet survival and remembering on its citizens, the novel acting as an analysis of human behaviour.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: I’m high ground it is impossible for…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: The film high ground which is directed by Stephen Maxwell Johnson is based on the colonisation of Arnhem Land with…
The film high ground which is directed by Stephen Maxwell Johnson is based on the colonisation of Arnhem Land with a focus on the large extent to which it is impossible for individuals to escape their past. Violence and the burden of shame and guilt make it near impossible to escape the past even if they want to, however, Johnson also suggests that moments of reconciliation offer a fragile hope of escaping this history
Johnson highlights that the violent past of white settlers is inescapable. The film argues that the violence of the past creates an unavoidable cycle that preserves trauma and is passed down through generations. In the opening scene Arnhem Land is portrayed as a place of tranquility and beauty through the use of non diegetic sound and the aerial view shot showing the sacred rock, nimbuwa. Johnson's use of the aerial shot over Nimbuwa, paired with the non-diegetic yolgnu chant, establishes the spiritual connection between the people and the land and then this harmony is permanently shattered by the colonists with the horrific violence endured during the massacre of the yolgnu tribe which leads to multi generational trauma and therefore lead to enduring resentment and fear between indigenous people and the white settlers causing more violence. The film captures the settler ideology in the blunt assertion that “you can’t share a country”, which juxtaposes indigenous peoples beliefs of a makarata and balance between the land and all that coexist on it, however this is shattered and violence is also what indigenous people turn to. All the characters are victims of a cycle of violence that they are unable to break making it impossible for individuals to escape their past
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Getting community to accept the…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 72.5%: SECTION C - Analysis of Argument Recently, residents of Amundsen have expressed their concern about the…
SECTION C - Analysis of Argument
Recently, residents of Amundsen have expressed their concern about the increase in street art they've been noticing around the town. By sharing their complaints in the Amundsen council's private social media group, Cara Ferguson, a resident but also an art therapist, responds with an opposing view. Passionately, she explains to her fellow Amundsen residents, that expression through art can have many positive effects on the artist but also the community, by sparking different thoughts and an appreciation for creativity. Ferguson believes, and intends to persuade her audience in the Amundsen council private group, that it isn't worth challenging the 'murals' as she deliberately avoids using the word 'vandalism' after sharing the definition; highlighting the contrast in the art they are seeing versus what they are describing it as; this being 'illegal'. Ferguson adamantly contends that not all art and graffiti is vandalism.
Cara Ferguson initiates her post by acknowledging that the street art has had many questions, and is even offensive to some, however is quick to condemn that the words 'vandalism', 'inconsiderate' and 'eyesore' is also extremely offensive to the artists producing these creative pieces with the intention for the town to enjoy. In an attempt to generate a sense of support and respect for the murals, she excitedly added a photo to elucidate just how creative these pieces are, which are only adding value and improving the buildings that have previously been neglected by the council. By adding that she is an art therapist, it reinforces for members of the Amundsen Council private group, that they can trust what she is stating as she is an expert in this area; further persuading them to embrace and even back the talented artists within their community. Ferguson confidently outlines the many positive effects art can have on the human mind, enticing her readers and even potentially selling them the idea that they should try art too. Becoming increasingly optimistic, Ferguson explains that art can be appreciated in many forms, creating the effect that there is something for everyone, providing examples of music, reading and television which can inspire them to be creative themselves. Ferguson has invited the members
of the Amundsen Council private group to reconsider their opinion on all forms of art, particularly to accept that murals are also another form of art that is just as enjoyable and beneficial as the ones they may involve in (music, films).
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Stephen Johnson’s High Ground challenges…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: In its profound exploration of identity, power, and the enduring consequences of colonialism in 1930s Australia,…
In its profound exploration of identity, power, and the enduring consequences of colonialism in 1930s Australia, High Ground meticulously provokes its audience to re-examine their core beliefs and values. Director Stephen Johnson crafts a nuanced narrative that delves into the intricacies of power dynamics within the context of 1930's colonial Australia. It is through the uneven, and often unjust, distribution of power the film scrutinises the complexity of identity within a colonial framework, unravelling the accepted Australian narratives of power, violence, and identity. In doing so, High Ground becomes a potent tool for Johnson to confront the persistent legacy of colonial violence, compelling viewers to reflect upon their own roles within this historical narrative.
High Ground's meticulous dissection of entrenched colonial narratives culminates in the validity of violence through justice, exposing the deep-seated legacy and its multifaceted consequences. By employing the recurring motif of the high ground, not just as a strategic advantage in warfare, but as a metaphorical representation of the colonial powers' perceived superiority and dominance. This is starkly exemplified in Travis's reflection, 'when you've got the high ground you control everything,' a line delivered with a tone of hardened conviction. Here, Travis unknowingly encapsulates the very essence of colonial ideology, highlighting the inherent power imbalance and the ruthlessness with which it is maintained. The strategic use of high-angle shots and panoramic views in these moments visually reinforces this dominance, creating a sense of vastness and control that the colonial forces exert over the land and its Indigenous inhabitants. However, the film subverts this colonial narrative through its depiction of Indigenous characters navigating and reclaiming these spaces. In addition, the inclusion of symbols such as traditional Indigenous art, placed in stark contrast with the utilitarian architecture of colonial buildings, serves to deepen the film's critique of colonialism. These moments are crucial, as they challenge the colonial assertion of power and highlight the resilience and strength of Indigenous cultures. Thus, not only highlighting the cultural dissonance but also underscoring the richness of Indigenous cultures and the violence of cultural erasure perpetuated by colonial forces. Therefore, High Ground dismantles established ideas around identity, belonging, and power, compelling the audience to confront their own values and reconsider their stance in the light of historical and ongoing injustices.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: toppdale aa
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 75%: Recent matters surrounding the decline of local entertainment venues have led to discussions about the value of…
Recent matters surrounding the decline of local entertainment venues have led to discussions about the value of community spaces in regional towns. In response, Ava, the marketing manager of Toppdale Cinema, publishes a social media post on the Toppdale Community Voice page discussing the importance of preserving the town’s historic cinema in the face of growing competition from streaming services. In it, Ava passionately and at times nostalgically contends that the cinema is not merely a place to watch films but a cornerstone of community life that unites people through shared experiences. Targeting an audience of Toppdale residents and local families, Ava encourages readers to visit the theatre to ensure its longevity and future in the community.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Robbie Arnott’s novel ‘Flames’ explores…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Robbie Arnott's novel ‘Flames’ invites post-colonial Australians to renew their perspective of transformation to…
Robbie Arnott's novel ‘Flames’ invites post-colonial Australians to renew their perspective of transformation to end the intergenerational issue of self-destruction and disconnectedness. Arnott illustrates the disconnect of characters, the importance of coexistence and connectedness for a purposeful being. Initially, Arnott focuses on a dysfunctional family to illustrate the harm in response to the trauma of death. Arnott uses Levi’s character to demonstrate the male tendency to control and externalise grief through destructive behaviours. Arnott illustrates human greed through Allen Gibson’s possession by the cormorant, suggesting that nature will always be more powerful than humans. By tracing the broken relationship between siblings Levi and Charlotte McAllister, Arnott ultimately suggests that true transformation arises not from control, but from reconnection.
Arnott constructs that Levi McAllister's obsessive need for control over the response of grief encourages self-destruction. Arnott positions readers to perceive Levi’s desire for control as destructive over his mother's death. The supernatural return of Edith McAllister in ‘Ash’, ‘who returned two days after her ashes were spread on the Notely Fern Gorge’ drives Levi’s obsession to gain control over his sister. Levi’s fear that Charlotte also wants to continue their family's tradition is expressed through the motif of ‘the black patch of green’ on the lawn ‘glued to’ Charlottes ‘mind’ which symbolises theas he ‘wondered what form she would take when she returned to him.’ This evokes readers to sympathise with Levi, but also creates tension that his obsession may lead to self-destruction. This drives Levi to further externalise his grief through the act of building a coffin for his sister, swearing to ‘bury her whole and still and cold’, as a way of preventing Charlotte from returning in the same form of their mother. As a result, Charlotte runs away in pursuit of freedom and independence. In doing this, Arnott exposes how Levi’s inability to cope with the loss of his mother transforms his grief into a cycle of self destruction.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: I’m high ground it is impossible for…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: The film high ground which is directed by Stephen Maxwell Johnson is based on the colonisation of Arnhem Land with…
The film high ground which is directed by Stephen Maxwell Johnson is based on the colonisation of Arnhem Land with a focus on the large extent to which it is impossible for individuals to escape their past. Violence and the burden of shame and guilt make it near impossible to escape the past even if they want to, however their are moments of reconciliation and hope that illustrates the possibility of individuals to change and escape their past
Johnson highlights that the violent past of white settlers is inescapable. The film argues that the violence of the past creates an unavoidable cycle that preserves trauma and is passed down through generations. In the opening scene Arnhem Land is portrayed as a place of tranquility and beauty through the use of non diegetic sound and the aerial view shot showing the sacred rock, nimbuwa. This is then a stark contrast to the horrific violence endured during the massacre of the yolgnu tribe which leads to multi generational trauma and therefore lead to enduring resentment and fear between indigenous people and the white settlers causing more violence. The film captures the settler ideology in the blunt assertion that “you can’t share a country”, which juxtaposes indigenous peoples beliefs of a makarata and balance between the land and all that coexist on it, however this is shattered and violence is also what indigenous people turn to. All the characters are victims of a cycle of violence that they are unable to break making it impossible for individuals to escape their past
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Trevor Noah explore the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Recounting a childhood suppressed by the confinements of a racist regime, Trevor Noah’s comedic memoir, Born A…
Recounting a childhood suppressed by the confinements of a racist regime, Trevor Noah’s comedic memoir, Born A Crime, exposes the racially divisive society left in the wake of apartheid that formed entrenched social barriers between ethnic groups. In criticising the resulting consequence of this oppressive strata as the dispossession of self for coloured people through the weaponization of speech, Noah ultimately concedes how these challenges can be transgressed through language as a means of mutual understanding.
Opening his memoir with the Immorality Act 1927 — an absurd legislation that allegedly forbade the sexual intercourse of two people from different ethnic groups, Noah discloses a dehumanising system that categorises individuals by their race. In the first two prefaces of the memoir, Noah seemingly applauds the “genius of apartheid” and how it was “perfect racism”, contextualising the extent of its oppression by praising its cruel achievements. Paired with his renaming of the event as “apart hate”, Noah drags a distant western audience to the depths of his South African childhood where they too must navigate through this brutal reality. His exposure of the ethnic hierarchy consisting of “different levels of rights and privileges”, all of which are determined from the government’s perception of one’s outward appearance, further substantiates his denunciation of the systematic oppression that ensued as a result of a divisive nation. Echoing this racial disparity, quoting the legal definition of what constitutes a white person, “one who in appearance… is obviously a white person”, Noah colloquially undermines how ridiculous and “completely arbitrary” the system was. By utilising the words “promoted” and “demoted” which have objectifying connotations of levelling up and down, people’s entire lives are reduced to the colour of their skin, Noah condemns the superficiality of race, portraying it as a social construct. If a person can ‘change’ their race, then this fabrication only serves one purpose: to fuel The National Party’s political advantage and their policies of white supremacy. This is further critiqued in Noah’s disparaging explanation of the infamous “pencil test” where one’s living situation is controlled by the government’s “eye-balling” of one’s outlook. In accentuating this preposterous apparatus, Noah contextualises a racially divided society for a western audience who is otherwise unaware of these limiting practices.
In consequence to this categorical system, Noah exposes how this then heightens the oppression inflicted upon biracial South Africans. With Noah “[defying] easy categorisation”, he criticises the implementation of a baseless regime for hindering his ability to connect with others who feared “[disavowing] the tribe”.This notion of a ‘tribe’ elicits a deep-rooted connection between a group of individuals, bounded by ancestral relations and a
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: how does Oedipus the king present the…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 80%: Search for courses, books or documents Guest user 0 followers 0 Uploads 0 upvotes Home My Library AI Notes Ask…
Search for courses, books or documents
Guest user
0
followers
0
Uploads
0
upvotes
Home
My Library
AI Notes
Ask AI
AI Quiz
Chats
Recent
Courses
Studylists
English
Oedipus The King (Final Exam Notes) - Key Ideas and Analysis
0
reverence…Great laws tower above us’ p209 L954In Episode 5 Sophocles reminds his audience of the authority of the gods to determine mankind’s life through Creon.‘it’s better to ask [the god] precisely what to do… I assume, even you will obey the god’s decrees.’ p246-7 L1579 -1581In the exchange between the Leader and Oedipus, divine power that directs human lives is acknowledged – Leader – ‘As for the search [for Laius’ killer] Apollo pressed it on us – he should name the killer’ p174 L317‘Quite right, but to force the gods to act against their will-no man has the power.’ p174 L319Sophocles conveys that mankind’s freedom lies in the gift of free will to make choices to determine his life, however, free will carries a responsibility to make moral and humane choices. Sophocles’ motif of light, underpins Oedipus’ exertion of his will as a man of action, as he confidently asserts that he will ‘bring it all to light [himself]’ 167. L150Oedipus’ determination to uncover the truth and the choices he makes in asserting his free will, confront him with his destiny Oedipus’ exertion of free will by leaving Corinth, places him on a trajectory that inexorably leads to his preordained fate. He reveals to Jocasta that he killed Laius - ‘I brought down these piling curses on myself’ p206 L906Oedipus to Jocasta – ‘What - give up now, with a clue like this? ...Not for all the world!’ ‘I must know it all, must see the truth at last.’ p222 L1160Sophocles creates horror and pity within Athenians and his contemporary audience, allowing them to experience catharsis through the deeper understanding, that is derived from Oedipus' tragedySophocles suggests that freedom of choice often brings pain.Sophocles’ choice of onomatopoeia in Jocasta’s agonised cry ‘Aieeeeee- man of agony’ p223 L1176 confronts the audience with the pain and suffering that often accompanies mankind’s choices.Messenger - ‘The pains we inflict upon ourselves hurt most of all.’ p235 L1360In his determination to find irrefutable evidence from the Shepherd Oedipus’ worst traits emerge, including rage and violence. Oedipus’ peripeteia is enacted as he violently forces the Shepherd to reveal his knowledge. ‘[Oedipus] was born for pain’ p232 L1305 Sophocles positions the audience to pity Oedipus’ anagnorisis and perceive his nobility as he takes responsibility for his own actions.‘all burst to light!...let me look my last on you! I stand revealed at last – cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands!’ p232 L1306
Sophocles conveys Oedipus as a courageous figure through his action in blinding himself – symbolically a submission to the universe and acknowledgement of man’s ignorance.‘’all the pain I caused’; ‘Blind from this hour on’ p237 L1406-1410‘my dark power, what a leap you made!’ p239 L1448‘Apollo – he ordained my agonies…but the hand that struck my eyes was mine, mine alone – no one else – I did it all myself!’ p241 L1467-70Sophocles allows the audience to perceive the logical rightness of Oedipus’ choice to take responsibility and live with the agony of his blindness.‘What I did was best – Don’t lecture me, no more advice. I, with my eyes, how could I look my father in the eyes when I go down to death? Or my mother…Worse yet the sight of my children’ p243 L1499-1505Sophocles encourages the audience to pity and respect Oedipus through Creon’s direction to the guards.‘have you lost all respect for human feelings? ... Get him into the halls…Kindred alone should see a kinsman’s shame. This is obscene’ p245L1459-66In the denouement Oedipus honours the divine order with a recognition that fate is irreversible.‘Well let my destiny come and take me on its way!’ p246 L1598Sophocles choice to conclude the Exodus with a direction that the Chorusaddress the audience directly, allows him to highlight his view that the gift of free will may lead mankind to become the architect of his own demise, as he confronts forces that cannot be overcome and only death ends suffering.The Chorus praises the strength and dignity of mankind, as they call upon the audience to withhold judgement, by reminding them to ‘look on Oedipus. He solved the famous riddles with his brilliance’ p251 L1678The Chorus deliver the lesson that human destiny lies beyond man’s control by a further reminder that, ‘Now what a black sea of terror has overwhelmed him…‘count no man happy till he dies, free of pain at last’ p251 L1684Blindness Sophocles conveys that only the gods hold the power of true knowledge symbolised by sight. As such his characters display various types of blindness symbolic of ignorance. Sophocles motif of sight, blindness, light and darkness underpins the playCharacters refuse to see the truth (wilful blindness) , or wish they had never seen it. The characters suffer agony when the truth is finally revealed and they understand their misjudgement of the power of the god Apollo. Ironically Tiresias who is physically blind sees the truth and wishes he did not. ‘How terrible - to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees!’ p176 L359-60Wilful blindness is displayed by Oedipus, Jocasta and Creon.
2
out of 8
End of document
Was this document helpful?
More from:
English
Discover more from:
English
VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education)
Grade: 12
999+ documents
10
'Rainbow’s End' - Reading Guide
'Rainbow’s End' - Reading Guide
English
100%
(43)
9
Bad dreams and other stories
Bad dreams and other stories
English
100%
(38)
4
Final EXAM Rubric
Final EXAM Rubric
English
100%
(31)
6
Camels in HG
Camels in HG
English
100%
(32)
11
Macbeth Key Quotes pdf
Macbeth Key Quotes pdf
English
97%
(199)
3
Memory Police Quotes
Memory Police Quotes
English
100%
(29)
More from:
Greek Theatre
by
Emma Mc
Greek Theatre
by Emma Mc
42 documents
7
Quote - Oedipus the king
Quote - Oedipus the king
English VCE
100%
(33)
3
Oedipus The King Quick Quotes
Oedipus The King Quick Quotes
VCE English
100%
(17)
7
Untitled document-3 - Metalanguage for Oedipus the King
Untitled document-3 - Metalanguage for Oedipus the King
English as additional language or dialect (EAL/D)- Unit 4
100%
(13)
8
Oedipus The King
Oedipus The King
English
100%
(13)
3
Analysed vases - OCR A-Level grade notes on all the prescribed sources for the module, notes
Analysed vases - OCR A-Level grade notes on all the prescribed sources for the module, notes
Greek Theatre
100%
(12)
5
Greek Theatre Notes-Bacchae, Frogs, Oedipus quotes and critics
Greek Theatre Notes-Bacchae, Frogs, Oedipus quotes and critics
Classical Civilisation
100%
(11)
Recommended for you
10
'Rainbow’s End' - Reading Guide
'Rainbow’s End' - Reading Guide
English
100%
(43)
6
Camels in HG
Camels in HG
English
100%
(32)
28
High Ground Viewing Log
High Ground Viewing Log
English
100%
(27)
16
Rainbows End - Quote Table and Summary
Rainbows End - Quote Table and Summary
English
97%
(320)
5
High Ground quotes
High Ground quotes
English
100%
(22)
4
Characters + quotes HG
Characters + quotes HG
English
96%
(156)
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: writing about protest: write a text…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 60%: If not now, when: I found out equality was not guaranteed when I was 5 and at a friends birthday party. I was…
If not now, when:
I found out equality was not guaranteed when I was 5 and at a friends birthday party. I was the only girl there and when time came to cut the cake I locked eyes with the birthday boy and ran across the room, I hid in the arms of my father. The knife hit the bottom of the tray, looking back now I feel as though the sound should have been louder. The boy ran to me and reached past my father, he kissed me on the cheek. The parents cooed and my classmates looked on in exaggerated disgust at me and cheered for their friend. I did not know it then but I look back now and wonder why he was allowed to come to me when I had run, why my discomfort was treated as the punchline. I am not a garish victim, I am a girl, who now knows I have never been equal. Not even young and innocent was I to be spared the whims of boys. That cost me something small, I learnt to keep more of a distance between the boys and me, realising they were m brothers friends not mine; I was invited as an extension of the men in my life.
The cost grows larger as I do, now I am 17 and I am not allowed at the park down the street alone because what if... That question has always filled me with such contempt, if the chance is so high there must be a problem isn't this so? But no. No, because my father sat me down before I entered high school and said your body will change and men will notice you. Take pepper-spray and call me when you are out, and then he will tell me feminism is redundant in the same breath. Why must I prepare myself to account for mens bad behavior? Why should I alter the presentation of my body to compensate for a man's' lack of control. They'll say it is for our protection, that we should be mature and responsible and then let their sons out into the world nary a warning
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard examines…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 77.5%: Critiquing the increasingly artificial and superficial world of Hollywood in a post World-War 2 America, Billy…
Critiquing the increasingly artificial and superficial world of Hollywood in a post World-War 2 America, Billy Wilder’s film noir Sunset Boulevard examines the capacity for individuals to suffer the distatrous consequences of unchecked ambition. To explore this idea, Wilder condemns those who become obsessed with the pursuit of ephemeral fame and success in an industry predicated on exploitation, underscoring the psychological turmoil faced by those who become fixated upon their own image. Specifically, Wilder suggests that ambition can result in the dangerous consequence of a disconnection from reality. Moreover, he warns against the destructive nature of ambition causing a loss of identity. Ultimately, Wilder highlights how dangerous ambitions can cause the creation of fabricated relationships on those seeking ultimate success and power. Thus, Wilder's grueling and unsettling portrayal of Hollywood’s Golden Age reveals its true destructive nature from unchecked ambition, a nd emphasises the importance of staying true and grounded in an increasingly artificial society.
Wilder presents the ultimate destructive consequences of ambition by illustrating how the pursuit of fame can cause a pathological delusion that disrupts an individual’s connection to reality. To explore this idea, Wilder utlisies the complex arc of Norma Desmond and her inability to separate fantasy from delusion due to her succumbing to ambition. Indeed, as Joe first enters the “neglected house” and meets Norma for the first time, he recognises her from her past successes and tells her that she “used to be big” - to which Norma replies “I am big, it’s the pictures that got small”. Her tone of unshakeable certitude along with the close-up shot of her chin raised in a disdainful manner thus depict her as an artifical construct and an individual whose entire life has been intrinsically linked to her bygone career, creating a delusional world that she lives in as a direct consequence of her extreme ambitions of becoming a film star again. Consequently, the final scene of the film when Norma is on her way to her arrest for the murder of Joe is a portrayal from Wilder to display Norma’s final tragic descent into insanity and delusion that underpin her idea that she is still the “greatest star of them all”. Here, her vulnerable tone when mistaking Max for De Mille through her claim that she is “ready for [her] close up”, accentuated by her ability to break the fourth wall, paired with the dramatic score composed by Franz Waxman, suggests that her delusional mindset that causes her excessive use melodramatic gesticulation and to act as if she is in a film is what leads her down a path of insanity and ultimately her arrest for the murder of Joe. Therefore, through Norma’s disconnection from reality, Wilder highlights the dangers of extreme ambitions causing profound delusion. However, Wilder further emphasises his beliefs through the juxtaposition of Norma with Betty. Betty functions as an embodiment of the American Dream with grounded ambitions, thus counteracting Norma’s extreme ambitions. Characterised by her jocular tone when describing her failed acting career and how the directors “did not like [her] nose” but it was only for them to “not like my acting”, revealing how she is not defined by her dreams and is able to accept reality, even when it does not go her way. Reinforced by the mise-en-scene of Betty’s confident, relaxed posture to reveal how she is completely accepting of her circumstances and is complacent with her unfulfilled ambitions. Therefore through Betty, Wilder invites his audience to see how ambition does not always have dangerous consequences.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Noah explore the long-lasting…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Introduction: Although the apartheid had ended, it left remnants of oppression that would linger in the lives of…
Introduction: Although the apartheid had ended, it left remnants of oppression that would linger in the lives of South Africans. This sentiment is portrayed within Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime to show its long-lasting effects of institutionalised racism that still plague lives years after. Set during post-apartheid era, Noah’s memoir explores the insidious nature of the system that is built for people to fail by leaving individuals no choice but to repeat the cycle of suppression. Noah utilizes metaphors from the society’s perception to deconstruct the flawed foundation that the judicial system is built on. Furthermore, Noah explores the irony in Abel’s use of violence being his demise and Patricia ending up fulfilling his patriarchal role instead of him. The author also uses his experience of being an ambiguous profile in race division to scrutinize how it lacks cohesion and logic.
BP1: Noah exposes the enduring legacy of racial division in South Africa by scrutinizing the injustices in the judicial system and how it can leave victims powerless. In the prison vignette, Noah encounters the oppressive reality of many prisoners, whose lives uncover the failure of the judicial system. At first ‘the incredible Hulk’ was seen as a ‘dangerous’ figure but opened up to his lost sense of purpose in post-apartheid, as he ‘[grew] up in apartheid’ under the authority of ‘slave labour’. However, the ‘Hulk’ lacked ‘education’ or ‘skills’ that apartheid denied him, so in turn did not possess the ‘tools’ to help him transcend the oppression even if it was no longer present. The author illuminates how racial division had stripped individuals of their opportunity and dignity as they are left with nothing as they were built for the sole purpose of ‘slave labour’. This scrutinises the failure of the judiciary system in protecting the victims of apartheid as individuals like ‘Hulk’ would inevitably end up ‘back in jail’ after committing ‘petty crime’. Noah utilizes the metaphor of ‘the Hulk’ to explore the insidious nature of systematic oppression. The author presents the societal perception of the prisoner as ruthless and an uncontrollable force, thereby reflecting the institutionalised injustice. This perception of framing the ‘Hulk’ as a monster, shows the psychological imprint on society from racial division. This not only strips him of his individuality but frames him through the lens of a preconceived label that evokes fear, thus ostensibly justifies his imprisonment. Therefore, Noah exposes the paradox of the flawed structure of the judicial system that results in the imprisonment of victims from racial division in post-apartheid South Africa. Noah is also able to make the unfortunate reality of prisoners more accessible, by contrasting it with a pop-culture reference bridging the cultural disconnect while still accurately highlighting the social limitations imposed upon black South Africans by apartheid. Ultimately, Noah exposes the prevalent legacy of racial division in post-apartheid South Africa with the unjust judicial system that seeks to banish the victims of institutionalised racism.
BP1 (2): Noah exposes the social inequalities caused by racial division trapping individuals in cycles of oppression even after the dissolution of apartheid. The Mulberry Tree vignette is potent in illustrating the societal inequalities that reinforce the racial division of apartheid. After Noah is bullied, he convinces Abel to seek revenge and during its climax he is seen ‘venting his rage on a
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: how do characters in oedipus the king…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: In Oedipus the King, Sophocles shows how people respond differently when faced with crisis. Each character’s…
In Oedipus the King, Sophocles shows how people respond differently when faced with crisis. Each character’s reaction reveals something about their values and flaws. While Oedipus tries to control every situation with pride and determination, others like Creon, Jocasta, Tiresias, and the Shepherd act with reason, restraint, or compassion. Through these contrasts, Sophocles highlights how pride and denial can lead to destruction, while empathy and balance can bring understanding.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Trevor Noah explore the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: Trevor Noah’s 2016 comedic memoir, ‘Born a Crime’, explores the racially divisive society set in South Africa…
Trevor Noah’s 2016 comedic memoir, ‘Born a Crime’, explores the racially divisive society set in South Africa post-Apartheid that formed entrenched social barriers between ethic groups. While Noah strongly criticizes the resulting consequence of the Apartheid, Noah reveals how these challenges can be use as a tool to overcome adversity as a means of mutual understanding. Noah exposes the division and the effects from the result of Apartheid. Further, Noah delves into the oppression inflicted upon South Africans. However, Noah concedes that language can cause challenges to be transgressed, ultimately a beneficial result of the Apartheid.
Through the irony of Apartheid’s legal absurdities, Noah exposes the dehumanising racial system of South Africa as an arbitrary social construct design to benefit white South Africans. Noah opens his memoir with the Immorality Act 1927, an absurd law that illegalises the sexual intercourse of two people from difference skin colour. Here, Noah discloses a humanising system that categorises individuals by their race, viewing it as “perfect racism”, establishing the sterile, inhumane nature of the system. Paired with Noah applauding the “genius of apartheid”, he imparts the audience the cruelty depths of Apartheid where they too must navigate through this brutal reality. As Noah written this as a memoir, this contextualizes the extent of Apartheid oppression, revealing real life events that happened in real time, demonstrating the cruel challenges set by the Apartheid and human nature. Echoing this racial disparity, quoting the legal definition of what constitutes a white person, an individual “who in appearance… is obviously a white person”, Noah undermines the how ridiculous and “completely arbitrary” the system was. By opening the memoir how Apartheid is a categorizing and hierarchy system, Noah portrays how race is a “social construct”, substantiating the systematic oppression that ensued as a result of a divisive nation. In the end, Noah contextualises a racially divided society for readers who are unaware of these unethical practices, as written in a memoir, he aims to educate others about these challenges.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: sunset boulevard suggests that fame leads…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 65%: Wilder exposes the corrosive impact of fame on relationships, revealing them to be founded on dependency rather…
Wilder exposes the corrosive impact of fame on relationships, revealing them to be founded on dependency rather than genuine connection. Capturing this through the suffocating mise-en-scene of Norma's mansion, "crowded with Norma Desmond's", Wilder symbolises how fame has entrapped her in self-obsession and emotional reliance on others to preserve her illusion of stardom. Her isolation is quickly translated through her decaying mansion's external grandeur, juxtaposed with hollow internal state, reflectant of Norma's confinement which fuels her dependency on Joe. Though on the outside Norma may appear dominant over Joe as she dramatically exerts herself in remnant of her "glory days", internally her inferiority is evident in her pursuit of Joes validation". In an attempt to "feel wanted again", Norma relies on Joe for the sake of nurturing her delusions rather than forming a valid bond. Through this encapsulation of her seclusion, Wilder frames the audience to perceive her former fame as the
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: writing about personal Journeys Title:…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 87.5%: Our house had a pulse I once called a problem. Teaspoons rattled in drawers. The windowpanes hummed. My…
Our house had a pulse I once called a problem.
Teaspoons rattled in drawers. The windowpanes hummed. My brother - three years older, kind but relentless - drummed in the box room he’d claimed with gaffer tape and posters. He stuffed a pillow in the kick, nested tea towels on the toms, and mouthed through my door, “after six?”
I wore earplugs, wedged a towel under the gap, and ran the fan for white noise. Still, the beat found me: through floorboards, through ribs, through the fragile grammar of study. I’m the one polishing a key for Oxford. He’s the one wearing sticks down to frayed straw.
Mum kept a ledger in her head - shifts, bills, bulk rice - smiling like someone holding a kite in the wind. We loved each other with staples and tape, homemade magic and hand-me-downs. unrepentant. We wanted the same end – to leave this. We only argued about the route:
He leaves a crumpled gig flyer on my textbooks with a ring of coffee like a moon-phase: “Come if you can – the second set’s the good one.”
I go, pretending I’m only collecting data: sticky carpet taxonomy, the sociology of pub chatter, and a field note on Melbourne at low tide. He doesn’t see me; he’s busy making a net out of time, catching the band each time the singer slips. At the break he mouths “after six?” out of habit, and I show him the earplugs like a joke we both own.
Outside the bar, the tram clangs its in-patient bell and a southerly combs the street. I leave before the last set because there’s a past paper waiting and a house that hums when I open the gate. The final thing I hear from the footpath is him counting in, four numbers that sound, in that moment, like a promise.
The southerly sharpens the air, forcing my eyes glassy. I stand beneath the streetlight’s hush, pretending its beam is enough protection. It's not the kind of place most mothers would choose their kids to stand at night, but it’s the kind of place we learnt to stop questioning. I read over the flyer again - the band name split by a tired crease. The same thoughts again, quite as they are, drum through my mind; be useful, give Mum a break, bury the sticks before they bury you.
Walking in, the house still hums, Not quieter, just different, empty throughout. A sickening feeling sweeps over me, the house is never empty. No noise to block out, no talking to shout over. A note lies stranded on my desk, “HOSPITAL NOW, IT’S SERIOUS” it reads, with it lies a crumbled $20 note, for an Uber I assume.
~
The emergency ward hums like a bad reverb, the sterile wisp surrounding. Fluorescents flicker and buzz overhead, casting everyone in an unforgiving light. The smell - metal, bleach, and something sharper - settles at the back of my throat. I walk past a woman holding her wrist like it might break again, a boy with blood matted into his curls, two cops hunched over at the desk like they’d been there all night.
A nurse walks me past curtain after curtain, each one
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Wilder critique the world of…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 80%: Produced in an era plagued by insecurity and glory, Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard offers the audience a dark,…
Produced in an era plagued by insecurity and glory, Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard offers the audience a dark, satirical exploration of the glamorous facade of Hollywood. Wilder reveals the industry’s capacity to codify its stars, showing how success depends on commercial appeal. Additionally, Wilder exposes the fleeting nature of fame, demonstrating how stars are left in the past after they cease marketability. Furthermore, Wilder critiques the transactional nature of Hollywood’s star system, unveiling the moral compromises associated with success in the industry. Ultimately, Wilder criticises Hollywood’s ability to commodify and discard stars, revealing how fame can be both an intoxicating allure and destructive trap that erodes one’s autonomy.
Throughout his film, Wilder criticises the Hollywood industry by exposing the commodification of stars whose value is determined solely by their youth, beauty, and commercial appeal, revealing how the industry treats actors as objects that can be replaced once they are no longer profitable. This is made evident in Norma’s obsessive beauty regime, where she endures a harsh series of cosmetic treatments to look more appealing when she returns to the industry. By demonstrating Norma’s desperate attempts to appear youthful, Wilder suggests that for Hollywood, an actor’s worth lies solely in the condition of their face, rather than her ability to act. Furthermore, rather than owning her public image, Norma is deluded into believing that her self-worth is dictated by how she appears to the industry. This delusion is reflected through the old portraits and films Norma surrounds herself with, clinging to the value that Hollywood once saw in her. Through this setting. Wilder portrays how Hollywood strips stars of their identity and autonomy, replacing personal worth with a commercialised image. In addition, Joe’s remark that “there’s nothing wrong with being fifty unless you're acting twenty five” further aids Wilder to further underscore the industry’s obsession with age and youthfulness. When Norma appears at Paramount studios to confront DeMille, she is ridiculed for her attempts to remain part of a youth driven industry that has already forgotten her, reflecting the age based discrimination embedded into the Hollywood system. Wilder employs this scene to expose how Hollywood not only commodifies stars, but also sculpts them invisible once they are no longer profitable, highlighting Hollywood’s capacity to dispose and replace its actors.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Compass is the way.
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 87.5%: The final curtains are falling on Year 12, and my compass won’t settle; the needle jitters under the…
The final curtains are falling on Year 12, and my compass won’t settle; the needle jitters under the classroom lights. Above the stage, a banner spells the title: “Finding My Way.” The words look like instructions. My compass trembles as if it’s heard its name. Teachers offer the familiar mantra-“your ATAR does not define you”-as though syllables could quiet the low-frequency hum of months of early mornings and late nights. For most, there’s nostalgia in these last moments: hushed library chatter, frantic last-minute revisions, high-strung laughter. For me, the corridors echo with a cheerfulness I can’t reach-the sound of other lives happening behind glass. “Where are you heading after this year?” hovers like a fly, a reminder that my parents’ carefully drawn map can’t solve my direction. Making them happy would be a victory, yes. But taking their route would be like walking a sensitive bomb across quiet ground.
I sit at my desk, its timber a faithful companion since Year 8. Its surface is a map of my schooling: the ghost of a coffee ring, the faint etching of a forgotten formula, the smooth depressions where my elbows have rested a thousand hours. Scattered across it lie the artefacts of effort-practice exams with pages softened by wear. I finally tried-but why? Doubt lingers like a cold shadow. Yet as I push through paper after paper, I realise it is the momentum itself-the stubborn persistence, the small, solitary wins-that is changing me. Each page is a calibration: tap the case, steady the needle, take a new bearing. Still, the question returns, quiet and insistent: what bearing will you set? My answer comes, casual and evasive-“I’ll find out later”-small talk with a ghost. This is my personal journey’s frame: Challenge, Choice, Change-learning to set my own bearing when every magnet pulls the other way.
My eyes sting—a clean proof I can still feel beyond the dull ache of pressure. In the silence of this year, I’d almost forgotten the
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Rainbow's End suggests that family…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Cultural differences result in altering stances between particular interests of the characters, therefore leading…
Cultural differences result in altering stances between particular interests of the characters, therefore leading to difficulties in agreement. Due to the unique and different generations that are displayed during the play, values and motivations are greatly impacted. Towards the beginning of Rainbow's End, Gladys' indirect desire to be accepted within white society is portrayed through her persistent interest to meet the queen. Her question of "Where's my white gloves?", as Nan Dear replies with "Don't need white gloves to pick beans" presents her clear dismissiveness towards all aspects of white culture, including the white gloves being presented by Harrison as a form of European attire. Moreover, Nan Dear's strict value of ensuring stability within the family household is further depicted as she demands Gladys to "Pass those", referring to Dolly's magazines. Gladys immediately proposing that "They're Dolly's" outlines how she prioritizes the feelings of her
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent are the lives of the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Written in 1962, Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle explores the limitations placed upon the…
Written in 1962, Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle explores the limitations placed upon the aristocratic Blackwoods as a result of the patriarchal and formal society they live in. Narrated by the psychologically damaged mind of Merricat, Jackson explores how unrelenting gender roles and rigid social norms lead to a bleak society in which the identity of individuals are suppressed. Ultimately, Jackson works to not only condemn the harsh patriarchal norms societies are based upon, but also demonstrate the liberation and freedom can be achieved through a rejection of these conventional societal values.
Jackson depicts both the women of the village and the Blackwood family as being restricted by expectations of conformity through their formal and rigid interactions with the world. During Mrs. Wright and Helen Clark's 'dutiful' visit to the Blackwood house, Merricat notices Mrs. Wright's 'trembling' hands and her 'hesitat[ion] over the plate' offered by Constance. The visibly fraught state of Mrs. Wright highlights the social obligations she must fulfil, despite any legitimate concerns of her personal safety, for the sake of social formalities. Jackson expands on their in their mother's portrait, which was 'looking down' on Constance, symbolizing both the social duties she had inherited from her mother, despite her agoraphobia, while also highlighting the spirit that now lives on in Constance's body, forcing her to embody her mother's spirit. However, Jackson also explores the limitations of social duties through Mrs. Wright's 'timid' demeanor when she is given the change to take a 'glance' at the Blackwoods' infamous dining room. Her morbid curiosity, only surfacing in the confines of the house, serves to emphasize the identity Mrs. Wright must hide in the face of general society, her meek demeanor highlighting her awareness of the fact the actions are deemed unacceptable to greater society. Therefore, through Mrs. Wright's and Constance's prevailing social duties, Jackson underscores the oppressive nature of social etiquette created by rigid societal norms.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Rainbow's End explore traditional…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 67.5%: Jane Harrison writes 'Rainbow's End' as a direct response of 1950s Australia. The play utilizes the characters to…
Jane Harrison writes 'Rainbow's End' as a direct response of 1950s Australia. The play utilizes the characters to demonstrate the power imbalance of white people and black people and the lasting impacts. Harrison includes Errol to provide an example of a traditional white Australian family, highlighting the power structure. Gladys's career of picking is a direct contrast to the bank manager and his ignorance towards Gladys. However Rainbow's End also displays more modern concepts at Gladys takes a stand in an attempt to assert dominance.
The typical white power structure of colonisation in Australia is portrayed by Errol. During a discussion between Dolly and Errol, Errol reveals that he must refer to his father as "sir". This instantly introduces male dominance within white families as Errol's family use formal language towards one another. Errol presents this idea again when he proposes to Dolly that she should move away with him. He believes he has the right to tell her she needs to move. This authority is traditional within white families.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Vicki Laveau-Harvie’s memoir…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 62.5%: Within a memoir that reflects the long-term impacts of an unhappy childhood, Laveau-Harvie’s, The Erratics,…
Within a memoir that reflects the long-term impacts of an unhappy childhood, Laveau-Harvie’s, The Erratics, portrays the at times inescapable memories and obligations that surrounds one’s family dynamics. The author exhibits the scars and emotional damage that she and her sister carry as a consequence of the toxic family dynamics and offers through er non-linear memoir an exploration of the role that an unhappy childhood plays on one’s past and present.
The memoir sheds light on Vicki’s sense of repressive coping as she attempts to overcome the pain of her past through the distancing of her emotions, repression of her memory and her geographical separation. Narrating that "I feel reasonably safe because I do not carry a lot of my past. My sister carries it for me”, Laveau-Harvie highlights the distinct ways that people process their pasts. Indeed, while she finds her way forward by not dwelling on the trauma that raises the “grief” inside her, her sister in contrast appears to be stuck, carrying the unresolved emotional weight. Certainly, Vicki’s sister is still trapped by their trauma "her foot in the bear-trap of (their) childhood”. This metaphor underscores how the painful memories of their unhappy childhood still holds the sister captive which in turn has left her volatile with “rage”. Moreover, while Vicki chooses to leave Alberta and escape to Australia narrating that she went to “far flung places”, the sister by contrast remains in Canada “trying to see over (the parents’) rejection.” Therefore, Vicki uses geographical distance to help her to escape from the haunting memories and the threat of her mother’s presence. Indeed, by physically distancing herself from her trauma, the geographical separation from Canada to Australia serves as a physical barrier, allowing her to escape the haunting memories and the impending presence of her mother.
The memoir is forwarding of the idea that only when the past is dealt with and faced, can the abuse and trauma from childhood be overcome. Laveau-Harvie explores the depth of her psychological suffering though her reference to the underlying grief that she struggles inwardly with. The image of a deeper layer that both, her and her sister hide within, is reflected through the memoirist’s acknowledgement that “Scratch me and you get grief.... Scratch my sister at your peril however, because you’ll get rage, a geyser of it’. This exhibits the contrast between the two sisters where despite them both carrying scars from their childhood well into their adulthood, the actual emotional ramification differs between each sibling. Vicki’s sister is clearly more emotional in her behaviour feeling everything too strongly and bitterly and “cry(ing) out from the heart” when faced with her mother’s cruel antics. This suggests that despite their shared past trauma and the bond between them to be there for each other as “blood calls to blood”, the two sisters, are divergent in their
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Title: Follow the leader Stimulus:…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 77.5%: They gathered before sunrise. A slow wave of bodies spilling into the plaza. Each carrying signs, umbrellas,…
They gathered before sunrise. A slow wave of bodies spilling into the plaza. Each carrying signs, umbrellas, their fists, and something less visible: conviction.
From my desk on the fifteenth floor, the glass warped them into one big collection of light and movement. One here to say we will not be ignored.
The office lights came on behind me. Another day. Another crisis to ignore.
This was the problem with working for one of the biggest uranium mining companies in the nation.
An email from management pulsed across my screen: Disruption expected. Do not engage. Remain calm.
But I couldn’t stop watching.
Below, faces tilted upward. Even from here, I could sense their breath turning white in the early air. Their signs blurred in the distance, but their rhythm – the rise and fall of voices carried itself upward like heat.
By mid-morning, the building locked its doors. The glass thickened the world into silence. Through it, I saw a woman place her palm against the entryway – not angrily, not striking – but calmly, as though she could will the wall to soften.
Her expression was calm, almost kind.
For a moment, I mirrored her gesture – hand against glass – and felt warmth through the chill pane.
I pulled back quickly. No one noticed. My colleagues stayed glued to their screens, expressions vacant.
Behind me, my oh so beloved workplace leader’s voice cut through:
‘Everyone listen up. We have a very big day ahead of us, and what’s outside is only a distraction. Follow my lead and instructions, and all will be okay.’
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Stimulus: “If you fell down yesterday,…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 72.5%: To fall is human — but to rise again is defiance. When injustice persists, to rise together becomes protest.…
To fall is human — but to rise again is defiance. When injustice persists, to rise together becomes protest. My name is not what matters today — what matters is that I stand here as an ordinary Australian, a citizen who refuses to stay silent while others suffer. I speak to you — fellow citizens, voters, parents, students — because your voice has power. Together, our voices can do what governments refuse to: protect, heal, and shelter those who have nowhere else to go. To ignite a movement of protest that demands dignity — through safe shelters, accessible healthcare, and nourishing food — for those who have lost everything. Because to remain silent is not neutrality; it is complicity. For too long, governments have turned compassion into a crime and fear into policy. We gather to say: not in our name.
Every day, refugees fall — to persecution, displacement, and neglect — yet they rise again, crossing oceans and borders in search of safety. Their courage should inspire action, yet too often, it is met with indifference. Picture a young boy on a wooden boat, his knees tucked to his chest, the sea tossing beneath him as his mother whispers a prayer he cannot hear over the wind. The salt stings his lips; fear tightens his throat. Behind him lies a homeland reduced to rubble — ahead, a horizon that promises both hope and rejection. This is not a political statistic. It is a human story. I have seen those faces — tired, frightened, and hopeful — behind wire fences that were meant to protect, not imprison. According to the UNHCR, more than 117 million people worldwide are forcibly displaced — a number that continues to climb as war, persecution, and climate crises worsen.
Yet governments, including our own, respond not with compassion but with cruelty. Australia’s offshore centres on Nauru and Manus Island have been condemned by the United Nations for causing “severe physical and mental suffering”. When the world’s leading human rights body labels our policies as inhumane, it shatters the illusion of the “fair go” we so proudly preach. How can a nation that built its identity on mateship and equality justify the torment of those who come to us in desperation? This condemnation is not just a stain on our reputation — it is a mirror held up to our moral failure. And if we, the citizens, do not rise to challenge it, then we too become part of that failure. Let this injustice be our call to action — to protest not just for refugees, but for the integrity of our nation’s soul.
This is not protection; it is punishment. It is the weaponisation of fear against the world’s most vulnerable. A nation that prides