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NOTE: The following compilation of VCAA essays contains medium to strong responses.
Consult the assessors’ report of each respective year for feedac! given.
These sample essays have een printed without corrections.
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VCE ENGLISH EXAM 2008
#$e can evade %reality& ut we cannot avoid the conse'uences of doing so.’
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SAMPLE A – 2008
(n our 'uest to determine and shape our perceptions of the world) we as
individuals are inevitaly guided y our own self*interests and desire to see
ourselves in a positive light. Conse'uently) we fre'uently immerse ourselves in
particular ehaviours or construct facades to avoid the lea! and mere
confronting aspects of reality. +et) in doing so) we create an alternate reality
which can spar! heated conflict with those around us) or ris! plungingcompletely into a ma!e*elieve world which appears much more enticing and
palatale than realism. ,oreover) for those see!ing to mas! and ury a past
riddled with pain and suffering) the heavy urden of guilt cannot e infinitely
escaped. Thus) for those individuals who endeavour to avoid confronting the true
nature of their actions y constructing a fantasy world) conflict is inevitaly
triggered with oth those around us) and on an internal level.
-ollowing involvement in tragic and painful events) we fre'uently see! to avoid
our ealting feelings of remorse) ut in the process) only heighten the turmoil we
must endure. /uilt revealed and eamined often in literature as an emotion and
sensation of such an unfathomale potency that it will inevitaly defy our effortsto the contrary) and encroach on our present reality. (n Enduring 0ove) (an
,cEwan draws on the notion of uncleanliness in descriing 1oe’s guilt after the
traumatic allooning incident) #li!e the feeling of not having washed.’ $ithout
dout) 1oe’s #manic osession with researching 1ed’s condition can e seen y
many) including 1oe’s wife) Clarissa) as stemming from a desire to asolve his
deep*seated remorse. ,oreover) in ,aceth) 2ha!espeare draws on a similar
motif of dirtiness in his portrayal of the heavy sense of responsiility plaguing
0ady ,aceth for her role in 3uncan’s murder. 3espite having initially scorned
her husand’s softness) elittling ,aceth as #too full o’ the mil! of human
!indness)’ 0ady ,aceth is 'uic!ly reduced to a state of lunacy) feverishlyscruing at invisile mar!s on her hands) crying #out) damned spot4’ 5lanche
too) in A 2treetcar Named 3esire) attempts to avoid memories of her role in
Allan’s death y fre'uently indulging in the escapism of athing. +et) 2tanley)
who is presented in dialogue and appearance as in inary opposition to 5lanche)
allows $illiams to highlight how we cannot avoid haunting past eperiences
ecause they will e eposed y those around us. Therefore) the notion of
uncleanliness as a metaphor for guilt encapsulates the etent to which processing
our remorse is an unavoidale) if difficult) process. 6nowledge of our past
wrongdoing is so enduring that not even the most desperate actions will cleanse it
from our minds) and failure to confront it can have disastrous repercussions.
Often) in our relations with those around us) our attempts to avoid reality can
undermine our aility to co*eist harmoniously. 5y evading elements of the truth
and creating false) deceptive facades) we can appear threatening and even
dangerous to those who possess divergent outloo!s. Certainly) the famous
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declaration made y T.2. Eliot in his poem #5urnt Norton’ that #human !ind
cannot ear very much reality)’ encapsulates the lac! of tolerance within society
for the eistence of realities which deviate from our own. 2tanley 6owals!i
eemplifies those individuals in society who favour realism and factual evidence
aout all else in achieving vindication for their view point. 5y conse'uence)
5lanche’s demure facade and false pretences aout her innocence and purity)
confessing) #( don’t want realism’ immediately come into conflict with 2tanley
who revels in eing as #common as dirt’. The rape at the culmination of the play
allows $illiams to convey to his audience the suffering and pain inflicted uponindividual who see! to avoid the dominant reality and immerse themselves in a
ma!e*elieve world. (ndeed) 2tanley’s conflict with 5lanche is in many ways)
reminiscent of the schism which emerges etween 1oe and 1ed in Enduring 0ove.
7aradoically) oth are convinced that the other is evading reality) at the
detriment to their personal growth and rationality. On one hand) 1oe is convinced
that 1ed is crouched in #a cell of his own devising’) yet to 1ed) it is 1oe who is
#trapped in a cage of reason’. The violence that erupts etween the two men
further typifies the conflict generated y individuals who are convinced the other
has aandoned reality. Thus) our efforts to escape an unpleasant perception or
outloo! are ultimately rendered futile) as they will e painfully shattered y thosearound us.
(n attempting to ease the suffering and turmoil that we eperience within reality)
we often draw upon fanciful illusions) yet simultaneously ris! losing touch with
reality altogether. Certainly) the figure of 5lanche epitomises the dangers of
daling too heavily in fantasy. (nitially constructing an #incongruous’
appearance to avoid descending to the s'ualor and poverty of 2tanley and 2tella’s
lifestyle at Elysian -ields) 5lanche 'uic!ly comes to rely so heavily on the
illusions she creates that y the play’s end) her entire grasp of reality has een
corrupted) reduced to an almost comical) pathetic figure who is portrayed as
#murmuring ecitedly’ to her #spectral admirers’. (n a similar fashion) 1ed 7arryalso loses the capaility to discern the difference etween fiction and the truth)
even constructing evidence to validate his distorted view. #/reat idea with the
curtains’) he congratulates a affled 1oe in his letter) creating physical symols of
their love to convince himself of the truth in his osession. Aove all) Auden’s
poignant) 'uestioning words in his poem #2eptemer 8) 899’) #who can live for
long in an euphoric dream’) illuminates the utter unsustainaility of a fantasy
world. Thus) despite the alluring nature of illusions) which offer an escape from
realism) it is easy to ecome so reliant on their comforting presence that reality is
completely and disastrously aandoned.
$ithin our eistences) haunting and traumatic eperiences often have such a
disturing and unsettling effect that we are tempted to ury them under a layer of
illusion or directed through. +et) in turning to fanciful constructs) we render
ourselves vulnerale to conflicts with others) who do not comprehend our
internal turmoil and the reasoning ehind our alternate reality. ,oreover) we ris!
either spiralling completely out of control into a world of delusion or facing an
even more potent sentiment of guilt and remorse than we would have otherwise.
Thus) our efforts to evade and escape reality are ultimately rendered oth futile
and dangerous) as we will e forced to face oth eternal and internal retriution.
1,070 words
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SAMPLE B – 2008
The other day as ( sat completing one of those 'ui;;es that promises to tell you
what personality you have and how your life will turn out) ( was confronted with
a 'uestion that truly perpleed me. Now) unsurprisingly it was hardly the
'uestion itself that ( found challenging ut rather what it demanded of me< $hat
is your worst childhood memory= ( sat dumfounded) unale to thin! of a single
memory. Now) don’t get me wrong) (’m sure ( have encountered manyeperiences which would fit the ill here) ( did have to survive as the youngest in
a family of !arate !ids mind you) >lac! elts nonetheless4?. 5ut despite rac!ing
my rains so diligently that ( was in desperate need of a panadol afterwards) the
now overly lan! page stared ac! at me. $hy can’t ( rememer= 3oes it mean
that ( have no personality= That my life lac!s meaning=
These were the 'uestions that plagued me long after the 'ui;*earing trashy
taloid had een sent to the recycling heap so ( sought out some trusted friends to
help with my dilemma and discovered that such lapses in memory) particularly
with respect to difficult or unearale circumstances are perfectly normal. (n fact
psychoanalyst 2igmund -reud discovered this tendency to evade difficult realities
many years ago @ it’s called denial. ,any literary tets and psychoanalytical
ournals have since dealt with the ideas which underpin such a desire to evade
reality and eamined the reasons ehind this tendency. Tennessee $illiams’ A
2treetcar Named 3esire is one such literary tet) wherein the romantic
protagonist 5lanche 3u5ois presents a falsified image of herself so as to create
#magic’ and portray #what ought to e the truth’ rather than truth itself. 5lanche
see!s to gloss over aspects of her past which she finds unappealing or difficult to
deal with) a practice that many psychologists elieve to e not only natural ut
also a crucial aspect of our humanity) enaling us to overcome the challenges
with which we are invarialy presented and persevere in life. $e need to e aleto withdraw from our reality sometimes) to regain our strength and to cling to the
hope and optimism that the harsh eternal world threatens all too often. Bncertain
of mind) feele of ody) our capacity to control) to some etent the reality in
which we find ourselves) our opportunity for escapism may sometimes prove the
only thing from which we are ale to draw strength.
5ut how far can this withdrawal from reality e ta!en efore it represents our
sumitting to a fictional eistence= ow far can 5lanche go in upholding her
fraudulent portrayal efore she egins to elieve it and accept it as her actual
reality= -or 5lanche) a denial of reality leads her to spin a we of lies and deceitand though she herself recognises the differences in her constructed and actual
reality) ac!nowledging that she is motivated in her actions y an innate desire to
reignite the spotlight of love which she so suddenly discovered in her husand)
and later) so tragically lost) does that ma!e the tric!ery acceptale= ow can
others recognise what aspects of a person’s character are genuine and which are
faricated when such a meticulously construed image is so diligently proected=
$ill reality invarialy catch up with 5lanche or is it actually possile to
completely evade our true reality=
7sychologists concur that to see! to completely reconstruct reality is a perilous
endeavour and one which will invarialy result in a cruel awa!ening. Even if a person is aware that they are misguiding others) psychologists argue) the
disappointment which they will inevitaly feel when those who they have sought
to deceive discover that truth) is not something that this awareness prepares them
for. (ndeed this proves eerily true in 5lanche’s case as her hopes are dashed when
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her rother*in*law) 2tanley 6owals!i sees through 5lanche’s fragile veneer and
conveys the truth of her past to his friend. 5ut is 2tanley right in his desire to
completely destroy the reality which 5lanche has created for herself and in doing
so force her into the cruelly right light of truth= (s it true that the truth is always
etter=
(ndeed) where do we draw the line etween fact and fiction= ( am reminded in my
musings here of another literary tet) Doert 3rewe’s autoiographical memoir
The 2har! Net which attempts to reconstruct his childhood eperiences growingup in 7erth at the time of the Nedland 6iller) Eric Edgar Coo!e. 3rewe elieves
that Coo!e had denied his reality to such and etreme that he was leading a life
of fiction) trying to repress the reality of his physical deformity and the pain of a
life wherein he was constantly ecluded from society. The ramifications of this
descent into denial are undenialy and star!ly clear in Coo!e’s case and lead him
to wrea! destruction and pain on others so as to alleviate his own feelings) ut
where does this leave the rest of us=
7erhaps the est that we can do is to see! to deny only the most difficult) the
most painful memories) momentarily. $hen we allow ourselves to contemplatehardships) without allowing these hardships to overwhelm us) we are left with a
healthy alance and one which is constructive in contriuting to our aility to
meet and overcome hurdles in our life. -ollowing my contemplations of the way
that we evade reality) ( myself proved ale to recall difficult childhood
eperiences from the dar! recesses of my mind and if you prove similarly ale to
demonstrate an awareness of the difficulties you have endured) you may find that
you are ale to loo! ac! and smile at your strength.
948 words
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SAMPLE C – 2008
The paper lantern cast a deep lavender silhouette across the room. Duy sighed to
herself as she too! in her reflection) arely a shadow in the stage mirror. 7eople
would often as! why she preferred her ma!e*up room so dar! ut what did she
care= 2he had ma!e*up artists to do the o so why should she worry= 5esides) it
gave the room an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue.
2he loo!ed to the wall and saw the framed newspaper cuttings of herself smiling
her rilliant smile ac! at her with the title< #0ights4 Camera4 Action4 +oung)
eautiful and talented Duy Douge ta!es the spotlight4’
2he had loved< she still loved the feeling of adrenaline pulsing though her as she
entered the stage< the audience waiting in hungry anticipation ready to devour
every morsel of her ody) her voice. And to thin! that after all these years no one
suspected her of eing over 4 >$ell) she hadn’t put on an ounce in over 8F
years4?
2he stood up and watched her silhouette turn to the side. 2he eamined her legs)
her ac! and then her arms) carefully not to frown so as to preserve that eauty
which she had maintained so well for over F years. 2till perfect) she thought.
2ighing with satisfaction) she drew a !ey out of her purse and swiftly opened the
ottom drawer of her des!) searching for what she needed. (t was her refuge) a
retreat into a pool of memories< of youth) of young love. 2he egan to pour the
whis!ey into an unremar!ale lue mug. 2he reminisced gleefully< the sensation)
the colourful and right lights pouring in at you from all sides) until you were
illuminated in light and it was ust you and the spotlight) you and your world. 2he
would often delve far into the minds of her characters without a thought of ever surfacing. (t was ust one character to another< there ust wasn’t time to e #out of
character’. 2he laughed lightly) now that was show usiness) she smiled.
(t was curious though) the act of performing. There was a definite sense of
pretending) of faricating life into the world of the ma!e*elieve. Of drawing
audience memers in) the tale of the hero indulging their inner most passions and
desires...
ad life een a lie= ad we een lying or ust telling little white lies to help us on
our way= And if we were lying) who was it that we were rally lying to= Theaudience= Each other= Ourselves=
2he dismissed the topic aruptly and poured another mug of whis!ey. 2he sipped
it slowly) li!e sweet syrup) soothing golden and light.
The audience would never !now she had drun! efore the performance) they
never did.
2he ust felt safe in this world. 2he didn’t live for the outside world anymore) ust
the thrill of the past) the real magic within. 5eing ale to retreat ac! to the F’s)
the time of glamour) spotlights and fame. er time.
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The drug would wor! 'uic!ly) luricating her mind in the comforting li'uid
shield of her memories. 2ometimes) it ust helped to simply num the pain< all
the pain) of loss) of love...
No. 2he wouldn’t thin! of that now. 2he hastily wiped away the signs of wetness
efore they smudged her mascara and smiled in the mirror.
#( used to e Tennessee’s favourite)’ she said to the fading shadow.
2uddenly) she caught a glimpse of something red hiding in the shadows. (t washer first stage dress) ruy red with a lace odice at the ac!. $hy4 2he even had
the same pearl nec!lace to wear4
This dress had made her) had given her the name #Duy Douge’. 2he smiled a
devilish smile and 'uic!ly slipped into the red dress. (t was a old) dar! flame)
screaming seuality and seduction.
Clipping on her pearl nec!lace and sliding on a white feather oa) Duy egan to
glide unevenly across the room. #No) no please don’t stand up for me)’ she said to
her admiring audience. #$hat= Doses) for me= $hy) now that is etravagant.’
2he stumled to the des! and this time pic!ed up the whole ottle) tossing it
down in one swig. $ith faintly hysterical humour she egan to dance the two
step) a 'uic! rustle dance) tossing her feather oa around her. 2urrounding her
was the chorus) her orchestra) her audience) cheering her) applauding< #Encore4
Encore4’ they shouted.
Around and around she spun) until all the colours of the room ecame one< a
fusion of lilac and dar!ness. 0aughing hysterically she danced) the ottle nearly
slipping from her grasp. 2he raised the feather oa aove her head twirling it
around in rhythmic movements as the world around ecame dar!er and dar!er.
(n a matter of moments Duy fell) the scarf wrapping around the paper lantern
and tearing it off) the violent harsh light rippling through the lavender mist.
Crippled y the sudden rightness) Duy staggered to her des!. /raing hold of
her mirror she hauled herself up to see an old woman) staring ac!) mascara
smudged and streaming along her worn face.
2uddenly this face was contorted with rage) as she threw herself against the
horrifying image. -or a moment glass hung) suspended in the air and glitteringli!e fairy dust. And then) nothing. Clutching her leeding hand she loo!ed up at
her ro!en reflection.
895 words
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VCE ENGLISH EXAM 2009 #$e do not see things as they are. $e see them as we are.’
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SAMPLE A – 2009
,usical Chairs
#3o you thin! it was a safe day to e out flying a alloon) ,r /add=’ the man
as!ed) surveying though clear spectacles 1ames /add) who was sitting at the
front of the room.
#( @ well) yes)’ /add replied) sweat shining off his forehead. #( mean) ( !new there
was a it of wind) ut oviously ( didn’t epect @ well) noody epects
something li!e that to happen to them.’
#And was the alloon in good wor!ing order=’ the man with the glasses in'uired.
#+es) asolutely)’ answered /add firmly. #(’ve een flying for years) ( wouldn’t @
( couldn’t @ ma!e a mista!e li!e that. (t ust all happened so 'uic!ly) and ( tried to
organise @ ut it was chaosGand then it was ust 3r 0ogan hanging on Guntil he
couldn’t hang on any longer.’ There was an audile sniff from the seated crowd)
and a pale woman with dar! hair pulled ac! lin!ed ac! tears. On either side of
her) two small children watched their legs swinging under the ench. -orwards)
ac!wards. -orward) ac!wards.
#Than! you) ,r /add)’ egan the man with the glasses. #( would now li!e to hear
from arry /add) grandson of ,r /add.’
A young oy made his way up to the seat at the front) replacing /add. e was
accompanied y an older woman.
#Now)’ said the man with the glasses) adusting the volume and pitch of his tone.
#Can you tell me what you saw=’
#( was going for a alloon ride and it was fun ut it didn’t stop and ( was scared)
and it !ept going higher and ( got more scaredG’
#+es) yes) that’s how you felt)’ interrupted the man) #ut what did you see=’
#NothingG( was in the as!et and ( shut my eyes ecause there was so much
screamingG’ he trailed off) his voice cho!ing with rememered terror. The
woman net to him shushed him and rued his arm.
#Very wellGyou’ve een a very rave oy)’ sighed the man with the glasses
automatically. The oy was led ac! to his family) who were waiting to catch him
with tissues and words of comfort. (t was li!e a game pf musical chairs) where
noody !new when to stop) and each time the music played) it was slightly
different. (n the front row a woman with startlingly green eyes held the hand of aman net to her.
#All ( !now is) if we’d sorted ourselves out and anded together) we might’ve
een ale to sort it out)’ /reene said) running a hand distractedly through
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thinning grey hair. #5ut that /add pilot panic!ed) and only me and 0acey !ept
our heads together. Then people started to let goGnot me4’ he added hastily. #5ut
other people were acting funny afterwards)’ he finished evasively.
#Can you please eplain what you mean y @ ’
#$ell he laughed4’ /reene eclaimed) pointing an accusatory finger at a man in
the front row. #1oe Dose) he loody well laughed4 Now that’s odd) if you as! me.
There’s 0ogan) hanging on for life) and he laughs4’
1oe rose to spea!) ut the woman net to him placed her hand on him) wary
caution in her emerald eyes. #7lease) ,r Dose) you will have your chance to
spea! shortly)’ stated the man with the glasses. #(s there anything else) ,r
/reene=’
#$ellGno. ( didn’t let go) utGno) that’s aout it.’ And so the music died away)
and another person was called to e the focus of the espectacled man.
#(t wasn’t li!e that4’ urst out 1oe angrily.
#Very well. 7lease eplain the) in your own words) what it was li!e.’
#There was no chance) no timeGit was surreal) as if watching something in a
cartoon. That’s the laugh. Adrenalin) dangerGwe all perceive and respond to
these stimuli differentlyGand that was ustGmy response.’ There was a pause.
#And ( didn’t let go first)’ he said suddenly) loo!ing out at the crowd as if for
validation. 5ut this was nothing new to them. That statement) #( didn’t let go
first)’ was one of the few elements consistent with each witness< even if) under
the microscope of reason) it oviously could not hold true for them all.
#7lease) need ( remind you all) that this is an in'uiry)’ egan the man with the
glasses) with some easperation. #And the aim of an in'uiry is to otain an
oective account of what happened. -ree from speculation or innuendo) and
removed from personal ias as far as possile. (t is not) however) a goal to
portion lame. Dather to conclude whether or not changes to current procedures
are necessary in order to avoid accidents of a similar nature occurring.’
And so the game continued. ,ore players were called. A pair of lovers sang of a
guilty affair) a professor of aerodynamics hummed aout laws of physics) and a
meteorologist whistled aout high pressure systems. All melodies comining) oining together in contrapuntal dissonance and harmony) to create a symphony
of truth) a synthesised reality) woven from many disparate threads to form a
whole. This continued until the man with the glasses decided that the symphony
was complete. And so the music ended.
#No single action rought aout the death of 3r 1ohn 0ogan)’ he egan. #is
death was the result of a series of events which regrettaly culminated in the loss
of a rave man.’ e paused) loo!ing down at his musical notation of the
symphony. #5ut it is clear to me that some stops must e ta!en. -irstly) the flying
of a alloon in such dangerous conditions constitutes a severe lac! of udgementon ,r 1ames /add’s ehalf. ( therefore call for the revo!ing of his piloting
license.
-urthermore) it ehoves to ensureG’
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On either side of their mother) two young children lost the rest of his words. The
world of adults was a confusing and painful place. Their attention was held y
something much more interesting. Bnder the ench) their small legs continued to
swing li!e pendulums. -orwards) ac!wards. -orwards) ac!wards.
998 words
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SAMPLE B – 2009
The grey car screeched to a halt) stuc! in the rush*hour traffic of ,elourne on a
dri;;ly) grey winter evening. (n doing so the cd scratched) the music momentarily
pausing efore the street melody pic!ed up once again. As the soft piano chords
and acoustic guitar filled the silence) ( turned and remar!ed) #2alvador 3ali once
said that the only difference etween him and a mad man was that he wasn’t
mad.’ ( laughed) thoroughly amused y the distinction.
#Oh yeah=’ the driver replied. #$ell) the only difference etween me and
2alvador
3ali is that ( !now the definition of mad.’
0oo!ing out the window at the myriad of cars surrounding me) all cloa!ed in
dar!ness as the sun said its last faint goodyes) ( wondered if the distinction
could really e that easy.
2alvador 3ali) a master of the surrealist school) was a man who devoted his lifeto 'uestioning and challenging our perceptions of normality) of acceptaility and
most importantly of eauty. e too! the mundane) the ordinary) the simple and
sometimes the rather ugly and he transformed it all into something with meaning.
Or after something that escapes our conventional understanding and forces us to
loo! eyond what we epect and try and comprehend what is outside of
ourselves. ,aye the man who turned losters into a telephone or @ as legend has
it @ saw the disintegration of time in the melting of cheese was right in arguing
that #what we christen to e reality may turn out to e a more elaorate illusion
that the world of our dreams.’
As ( stared out into the indiscernile dar!ness) humming the piano chords thathad een accompanying my musing) ( wondered ust how much of my reality
eists eternal to me. ow much of what ( !now can actually eist and e
comprehensile outside of my own eperience=
5lanche 3u5ois once said) #( want magic @ yes that’s what ( want) magic’.
Tennessee $illiams’ delicate heroine lived out #what reality should e’) 5ut hers
was a different eperience to mine. er life was polarised etween desire and
death) love and money. 5lanche has !nown sorry) death) love and seual desire
eyond my limited eperience. ers was a reality once illuminated and then
dimmed. (f she were to spring out of the maestic literature of $illiams andeperience the reality of the modern world) would our realities e congruent= (
thin! not. 2he and 3ali are two souls that enale their emotions) desires and
eperiences to manifest themselves within their realities to the point of distortion.
They have oth !nown death) 3ali through the death of a young rother whom he
tried to encapsulate and 5lanche the death of a lover she could never replace.
5oth have !nown seual desire< 3ali painted lam shops hanging in e'uilirium
on his lover’s ody to sudue his appetite whilst 5lanche lost herself in
#intimacies with strangers’. 5eyond this though) oth have felt forces eerted
upon their realities to change. 3ali painted himself lue to eplore who he
thought he was inside) whilst 5lanche clinging desperately to what others
perceived of her put on #pastel colours’ and tried to #glow’. And they have oth
encountered conflicting realities< 3ali’s isolation from the surrealist school and
the overwhelming of 5lanche’s glowing pastels y 2tanley’s discordant old
primary colours.
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2till humming the sweet melodic song to myself) the car lurched forward
rea!ing away from the usy night streets of ,elourne and into the enveloping
dar!ness of the suurs. The 'uestion) ( thought) was not only what ( defined
madness to e) ut also @ and maye more importantly @ how 3ali’s reality
defined madness for him. -or the collapse of 5lanche’s eternal understanding
into the dream*li!e reality within her) has long een viewed as one of the most
eautiful disintegrations of literature. $e all rely on the !indness of strangers in
one way or the other to reaffirm our own elief in our realities. $e must all !nowreality through the lenses of our eperiences and our values. 5lanche could not
tolerate delierate cruelty) whilst 2tella happily continued to live with a
physically ausive husand. $hilst we may 'uestion 2tella’s reality we can never
understand them for 2tella’s reality is fiated upon the love she feels and not the
pain.
(t is the role of artists such as 3ali and female heroines such as 5lanche and
2tella not to simulate a reality for me) ut rather to enlarge my understanding of
myself and my reality through my own interpretation as distinct from a movie
adapted) an art critic and indeed the author itself. No ( do elieve) dear reader)that your understanding of the piece ( have ust written will e 'uite different
from the eperience ( had writing it.
The only difference etween me and 2alvador 3ali is that...( am not 3ali.
803 words
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VCE ENGLISH EXAM 2010 #2ometimes people find themselves living in a world created y other people.’
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SAMPLE A – 2010
#There is an oective reality out there ut we view it through the spectacles of our eliefs attitudes and values.’ 3avid / ,yers.
ence reality is fic!le and seldom consistent) ust as similarities etween the
realities of others seldom arise. Our eliefs) attitudes) values and ideals all
contriute to the individuals perspective and thus are the determining and
constituent factors of one’s suectivity. Our suectivity) the specific and
defining factor of the individual) is shaped y the individuals circumstances.
-urthermore) the suectivity of human eperience and emotion relate to this
perspective of reality which is specific to the individual. 7erspective alone
however is not the only influence in the individuals version of reality) rather) the presentation of reality has an e'ual influence in contriuting to the way in which
that which is oective or impartially so continually eludes the individual. Deality
may e #constructed’ or manipulated to further detract from that which is real)
and oective and presented as a version reality.
ollywood eemplifies the #manipulation’ and #construction’ of reality and how
the suse'uent presentation of this #constructed world’ detracts from that which
is oective. ollywood presents a #constructed’ reality which is reflective of the
manipulation of the editors) directors) and film crews which construct it. E'ually
however) this version of reality is constructed in parallel with the dreams)
fantasies and endeavours of the intended audience) as ollywood see!s to gratifyits audience with a version of reality deemed palatale and satisfying. This
#constructed’ world and indeed its #constructed’ characters emody perfection in
the physical and are often the oect to which a viewer aspires yet for many it is a
reality unattainale. The characters emody the aspects at the viewers li!e in
which the viewer is lac!ing. ence) a ollywood eperience is fulfilling at this
sense of lac!) these insecurities which are ultimately instilled y ollywood. As
ollywood’s presentation of reality is for many unattainale) the viewer lives
vicariously) eperiencing no through their own perspective ut rather through that
of their idealised film star) the life which they wish to ut are unale to lead.
1ust as ollywood constructs reality and presents this to others) so to do faceoo!
users who display doctored or visually enhanced images of themselves in a id to
e considered more appealing and more attractive. Bltimately such users see! to
alleviate the insecurities of their own imperfections which ollywood instils)
eploits and manipulates. The advocacy of these users to present a false version
of reality) a constructed visual person) is a y*product of ollywood’s portrayal
of perfection. (ndeed) such individuals inspire to emody the perfection which
their idealised ollywood stars do. (n doing so) these individuals eist in a
created world) a world encouraged and integrated y that which ollywood
instigates.
Doert Altman’s #The 7layer’) y way of its metafictional 'ualities lurs the line
etween reality and fiction. An eample of this metafiction to #a!eas Corpus’
#the film within a film’ which proves to e the constructed product of #The
7layer’) wherey presenting #The 7layer’ itself as that which is oective) instead
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they are Altman’s constructed version of reality which is confused and undefined.
-urther eemplifying this metafiction is the casting and characterisation) wherey
actors play themselves alongside others who play characters. (n essence those
that play themselves are presented to e real and those playing characters<
constructed. #The 7layer’ therefore) ironically analyses #ollywood’ and displays
the manner in which this film presents the constructed world at #a!eas Corpus’
as the product of yet another constructed reality< that of /riffin ,ill.
/riffin ,ill through his ehaviour portrays the way in which the human mind) ust as ollywood is capale) constructs a version of reality thoroughly detached
from the truth) from that which is oective. ,ill #constructs’ 3avid 6ahane to e
his stal!er a fallacy which ,ill was adiment to e truthful. This false elief was
the product of anonymous postcards for which ,ill elieved 6ahane was
responsile. The psychological anomaly) his intense paranoia and pervasive
mistrust in those around him) was the result of these postcards) postcards which
were indeed facilitating in ,ills construction of a false reality. The anonymous
individual responsile for the postcards was directly attriutale to ,ills reality)
hence those around us the reality which the present) our circumstances which
contriute to our perspective) directly) influence one’s own version of reality.
Deality is fic!le and seldom consistent) it is suect to constant manipulation)
alteration in its presentation) and the filtering effect of the individuals
suectivity. Deality itself may e constructed ut indeed such a reality is not
oective or impartially so. 2uch construction and manipulation of reality may e
the direct influence of those around us or those who li!e ollywood present a
version of reality. (n essence however our version of reality is the product of our
suectivity.
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SAMPLE B – 2010
(t’s different sunlight @ one which imparts ustice upon the world @ that enters
courtrooms) and it’s cutting through the crumpling shadow of a man that is Eric
Edgar Coo!e. (ronically) it is almost an inustice that he is to commit the single
murder alone * it is well !nown and widely accepted that he is responsile for si
of 7erth’s murders over the past four years) possily more. is gutless) loody
!illings have shattered this city’s innocence and culture. Our windows and doorsare now loc!ed) whereas once we had the freedom of openness. 2alty ocean mist
would find no arrier to eploring the corners of our homes. No longer. The foul
actions of one man have eaten away at our freedom. Our world has een forever
changed.
Everyone in the room is staring at him @ at us. The accusing stares of the
prosecution) the witnesses) the victims’ families not only center on him) ut they
also sear into me as if () in some way am responsile for his gruesome crimes @
the crimes which have destroyed the 7erth which they once !new. ( feel guilty. (
am guarding a murderer @ one who has utchered their family and friends. One
who doesn’t deserve the privilege of someone protecting them.
(t is light on the legal system that we must sit here and watch him have his
moment in the sun) for he has forever shaded ours. No more do we sleep on our
verandas< the cool) even rushing of the waves filling our ears has een replaced
with gunfire and sirens. There is no need to put the families of the victims
through this ordeal @ the man is a murderer and should e committed) and then e
convicted of murder) that much is certain. The voices of the prosecution and
magistrate are dreary and drawn out. 2urely everyone must !now that there is
only one possile outcome to this farce. Even he seems to !now it. e revels in it
@ he is cruel smile unfading as he surveys the photographs of his loodiedvictims @ the means y which he has ta!en our innocent) eachside world and
crafted it into one of misery and despair. (t is incomprehensile to me as to how
one so devoid of good is formed. is murders have challenged my faith) and
though no one wishes to comment on such religious issues at present) a
communal rethin! of our eliefs is sure to follow in the aftermath of this man’s
murderous rampage. The man is evil) something ( !new not to e possile on
Earth. e must have nothing to lose) ( dout he would even e married) even if
he wasn’t so malformed in ody. Out of the corner of my eye ( can see his twisted
mouth ittering as he laughs at the photographs of his loodied victims. is lac!
of remorse is chilling) and his amusement at his handiwor! and suse'uent stateof affairs is not secret to onloo!ers< their ga;e forming into a glare of disgust. (t is
unsettling) ( feel uncomfortale eing in the same room as him) let alone sharing
the individual attention which he is paid. (’m desperate for the magistrate’s final
worlds @ the inevitale committal.
(t’s a different sunlight that enters courtrooms. 7olice) lawyers) the 7ress) they’re
all strea!ed y it. (t’s the sunlight of ac!nowledgement. ( can feel its rilliant)
luminous rays through this heavy) lue suit ( inherited when my father died. (
rememer him wearing it home one night. (n his drun!en rage he straps my
mother with the uc!le end of this very elt and loc!s her outside for the night. (
protest) only to have this dull) lue tie pulled around my nec! and tightened @ he’s anging my head against the wall @ it’s still wrapped tight when ( wa!e up.
+es @ this suit has een party to monstrous acts. 7erhaps it’s only apt that (’m
wearing it. ( am a monster.
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2plashed with sunlight) they’re all watching me now. (’m not a #misfit’ anymore)the world accepts me now) (’m numer one. -inally (’m eing recognised @ after all) ( have changed their lives. They all thought that they were superior to me @ they thought the world was theirs @ ut the tides have turned) they’re not so highand mighty anymore. They !now (’ve seen them in their cars) through their windows) on their verandas @ they !now the power (’ve held. #5irdmouth)’they’d never call me that anymore) particularly not those posh girls from3al!eith) they’re all too scared. (’m too good for those girls anyway. They laughat me) ut (’m too smooth for them. Too clever. Their arrogance faded as soon asthey stopped uilding those huge windows in houses) and when padloc!s eganappearing on doors. 5ut that couldn’t stop me. ( still rememer the eact house
plans from the newspapers @ my memory is eceptional.
( see fear and uncertainty in their eyes) their attention is unwavering. ( hope this
is drawn out for as long as possile. They only have themselves to lame. They
cast me from their world) their society. (t’s not their world now though. ( am in
control) and they fear me ecause of this. Even my guard is nervous of me. ( find
it very amusing @ (’m eginning to laugh. Everyone is watching me nowG
everyone ecept that young ournalist at the 7ress tale. $hat is he doing= $hy
don’t ( have his interest too= ah @ he’s fainted) no wonder he’s not payingattention to me. ( recognise him) its 3rewe’s oy @ Doert @ ( haven’t seen him in
years. Nice !id) always trying to impress me. ( rememer he was pumping up his
i!e tires on the way to North Cottersloe 5each in a pin! usiness shirt. (f only
everyone !new how good my memory is. #2carorough 5each’s the est’ ( told
him. ( was one of the est openwater swimmers at the clu) plenty of practise on
the way home from the emassy of course. The water was my world. ( had
con'uered it) ( could hide from the harsh words of the Nedlands girls in it) ut
there is no need to hide now.
e’s come around) aout time too @ he must have een out for at least 8
minutes. e’s the same as ( rememer: e still wants to impress someone< he’s
still trying to ecome a man. e wants to e what ( am @ recognised. e wants
igger) etter things< the world at his fingertips. e’s staring at me through the
sunlight now. ( see more fascination than fear or uncertainty in his eyes. ( li!e
him.
( thin! (’ll win! at him. ( wonder if he recognises me.
ow aout that @
e does.
1,120 words
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VCE ENGLISH EXAM 2011 #2hared eperience does not mean that people see things the same way.’
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SAMPLE A – 2011
Deality is ultimately suective in nature. As Doert 3rewe states in the novelThe 2har! Net) #memory may falter) and portraiture is a highly suective
endeavour ut ( have tried to tell a truthful story.’ -or Doert loo!ing ac! upon a
past life with newly gathered eperiences) to retell his past with the perspective
initially associated with it would have een nigh on impossile. (ndeed this
suective nature of reality leads itself into the possiility of multiple realities
which can do eist at one time. The /ree! philosopher 7lato argued that an
#oective view’ on reality will continue to evade us as we remain trapped in our
own suectivity. As a result we will never estalish one #truth’ as people will
continue to hold their own uni'ue perspective of the world and their place in it.
Our morals) our eliefs) eperiences and values all help shape the s!ewed lens
through which we see the world. Our world view is the changing intersection of
the world and our interaction with it. No two people can live the same life nor
share the same eperiences and as a result each of us will continue to hold a
different perspective of the world and our place in it. 5lanche 3u5ois in
Tennessee $illiams’ A 2treetcar Named 3esire lived a life at 5elle Deve that
shaped her view of the way things #ought to e’. owever this perspective did
not fit with the harsh and often rutal nature of life in New Orleans. 2tanley
destroyed the faHade of which 5lanche lived y. 5lanche was punished for
rea!ing herself free from the commonly accepted view of reality held y those
in New Orleans. owever) had her version of reality een accepted y someodysuch as ,itch her story may have ended 'uite differently. The eample of
5lanche serves highlight the eistence of multiple realities. The clash of realities
etween 2tanley and 5lanche underlies the significance of morals) values)
eperiences and eliefs in shaping and moulding our perspective of the world.
,emories are unreliale< many fade over time ut it is often memories of oy and
pain that stic! with us over our lifetime. ,oments of great success or moments of
great personal loss. (t is the significance that these moments played in our lives
that allow these memories to shape the person that we ecome. +et while
memories shape us) we too shape our memories. The eperiences that we gather over time inevitaly alter the original perspective that is originally associated
with a memory. ,emory is a reflection of our perception. The novel 2pies
highlights the role in which our everchanging perspective shapes and modifies
previous moments in life. -or 2tephen) as a child the elief that 6eith’s mother
was a /erman spy was very real and yet loo!ing ac! with the !nowledge that
she was not immediately changes 2tephen’s perspective. At the time the oy’s
#mission’ was highly dangerous and secretive ut again loo!ing ac! with new
eperiences and !nowledge it is merely an eample of #oys) eing oys’.
5lanche’s view of the past as well shaped her view of the way things #ought to
e’ as did 2tanley’s rough past forge his violent and aggressive nature. Their
reflections on the past led to their clash of realities and 5lanche’s tragic end.
Again) these eamples serve to highlight the ultimately suective nature of
reality. This suective notice allows us to alter our perception of previous events
which in turn shape who we are in the present. This too can lead to the eistence
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of multiple realities and will continue to result in human eings having their own
uni'ue perspective of what is reality.
An #oective reality’ will continue to evade us as human eing while we remain
trapped in our own suectivity. This is what is argued y the /ree! 7hilosopher
7lato in his #Allegory of the Cave’. $ithin the story prisoners are ound y
chains on oth their arms and legs so that all they see is the wall directly ahead of
them. A flame ehind provides light allowing the formation of shadows on the
wall as people pass through the cave. This is what forms the prisoner’s reality)anything else is non*eistent. $hile the prisoners never leave the cave) does this
ma!e life outside the care any less real= 7lato argues that we as humans are yet to
reach the limits of our understanding as a result of our suectivity. $ho is to say
that the universe does not epand forever= -rom a religious perspective while we
cannot physically see our /od that does not mean that there is neither a eaven
or a ell. (t is this suectivity that will forever halt us from otaining a certain
#truth’ or an #oective reality’. This is what leads to one event eings seem as a
multitude of ways and for us as human eings to continue to hold our own uni'ue
perspective of what is reality.
Deality is ultimately a suective endeavour. This suectivity leads itself into the
possiility of the eistence of multiple realities serve to highlight the fragile and
tenuous group that we have as a common reality. $e should always 'uestions our
reality in order to roaden) deepen and etter our understanding of the world and
our place in it.
882 words
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SAMPLE B – 2011
3ear 2ir)
3avid 6ahane’s scathing comments in his article >The Age) 8st Octoer? were)
if not a call to arms) certainly a call to pen for me) a longtime lover of the film
industry. is suggestion that people who sit in a cinema of a ollywood
loc!uster share the same thought) feelings and emotions than!s to the clever manipulation of ollywood producers) was) 'uite fran!ly) insulting. e reveals
the eight ingredients which have een mied together y ollywood to provide
audiences with a #shared eperience’ @ one that will e palatale to all. They are:
se) nudity) violence) hope) fear) suspense) laughter and happy endings. e
deludes himself into thin!ing that he has lown the lid off some secret
closelyguarded y money*hungry movie moguls. e elieves that these movies
are manipulating the minds of the audiences around the gloe and teaching us to
thin! the same way and share the same values. $ell) 6ahane) the shared
eperience of watching a movie does not mean that people see things the same
way.
,ovies are) for me) something very personal. They provide two hours in which (
can escape the realities of my world: the starvation in Africa) the war in
Afghanistan) terrorism in 7a!istan) the gloal financial meltdown...( see my
world through the eyes of the media and watch as 1ulia /illard implements a
caron ta) refugees wait ehind ars for a chance of freedom. These are many of
the sad realities of life and ( forget aout them for two lissful hours in the world
of ollywood. (t is a fantasy world constructed for me) where the perfect man
does eist and good can defeat evil...owever) ( am not so simple minded that (
simply morph into ollywood’s views and values. The minds of an audience do
not merge into one. ,ovies mean something different for everyone.
( grew up with the magic of ollywood. ,ovies have always een a part of my
life. $e were the first home on the street with a colour television and overnight
we ecame the most popular house in the neighourhood. Their motivations were
ovious) to admire the magic of colour and to oin us on our great escape into the
world of ollywood. ,y father loved movies.../one $ith the $ind) a story of
the sassy 2carlett O’ara set amongst the ac!drop of the Civil $ar’ They 3ied
$ith Their 5oots On) the last adventure of /eneral Armstrong Custer and my
childhood favourite) The $i;ard of O;) a movie which saw 3orothy and Toto
enter a world #somewhere over the rainow’. +ou see) my father was a child of the /reat 3epression. e escaped the hard realities of his life @ the hunger) the
poverty) the suicide @ y sitting in a dar!ened cinema which illuminated hope and
happiness. The movies they showed were eacons of hope for a generation
dar!ened y the despair of depression. ( can only imagine what 6ahane must
thin! of these movies...ollywood #trash’) unrealistic and romanticised versions
of reality. -or me) they are a memory of my childhood and a symol of support
and hope.
The power of movies etends eyond the silver*screen and into other art forms.
0oo! at 1ohn 6eats) for eample) a man who could #fly upon the viewless wings
of poetry’ and soar into the world of his -ancy. This was necessary for a man
whose young life was shrouded y death’s threatening promise. 7oetry was to
6eats what movies were to my father: an escape route. $hen you read the
glorious language of 6eats you too) can fly eyond the realm of reality and into a
constructed one. 5ut does this mean that we see the same things= -eel the same
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way= ( highly dout it. Art is a powerful thing. (t was strong enough to lift 6eats
to a higher world of eternal oy and eauty. (t is also very personal and can affect
people in an infinite numers of ways. That’s the eauty of the human rain. (t is
so comple and we each carry a different one’ capale of imagining) creating and
eperiencing different things.
Of course as we get older our rains egin to mature and walls eing to form. (
am slightly ealous of my five*year*old daughter’s ama;ing aility to dream and
to imagine. Christmas morning is one time at my house when reality is dissolvedand 2anta’s illusionary magic infiltrates my home. (t is a shared eperience for
myself) my husand and daughter @ we wa!e up at Iam) open presents eat
together and enoy the magic of Christmas together. owever) my daughter sees
it in an entirely different way to me and my husand. ( protect the secret of 2anta
ruthlessly ust to see her loo! of charming incredulity at the sight of the half*
eaten carrots and empty eer can. er naivety is so eautiful. 2he readily accepts
the reality the world has created for her as truth. 6ahane must) too) elieve that
audiences of ollywood loc!usters are li!e my five*year*old daughter:
ignorant) naJve and ready to elieve anything. Bnfortunately) ( am older now and
( can draw the lines reality that ollywood has lurred. ow can 6ahane suggestthat an entire cinema sees the same things= $e all watch the movie) yes) ut we
see it differently. ( went to the movies only last wee! and was sitting in a cinema
of young children) proaly still elievers is 2anta Claus) and old people with
white hair) the memory of the depression proaly still lingering their minds.
3o not generalise a ollywood audience) 6ahane. ,ovie eecutives and
produces may target audiences ut they most certainly hit different spots.
+ours)
1ohn 2mith
943 words
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VCE ENGLISH EXAM 2012 #Our fantasies can e more powerful than our reality.’
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SAMPLE – 2012
7DE7AD(N/ -OD TE 2O7OCA0+72E
5y ,ichael 0eunig
#,an can never get enough of what he doesn’t need to ma!e him happy.’ @ Eric
offer
2pring has finally arrived ringing forth a sense of hope for humanity that
seemed somewhat inhiited y the preceding winter months. The land glistens in
all its natural glory) ut why waste my morning in the sun when ( can spend it
drowning in the punitive glow of a thousand fluorescent lights= On this particular morning) ( find myself casually duc!ing in and out of stores in Chadstone
shopping center #Chaddy’ @ the holy sanctum of the modern consumer.
The domed glass roof and tac!y palm trees only accentuate the vast gap etween
life and this soul destroying cathedral to emptiness. This shrine to
massconsumption and #mass*mindedness’ is the haitation of the modern
consumer. #(ndigenous people have long said that the uni'ue and comple 'uality
of the land significantly forms the authenticity of the culture and people.’ No
wonder the gap etween authenticity and a synthetic fantasy is ecoming
increasingly lurred.
Everyone loo!s anaesthati;ed. 2occer mums harouring pram loads of snot*nosed
preschoolers whilst sipping s!inny lattes. -at people with an etra large uc!et of
fried chic!en in one hand and a grant pret;el in the other. Consume consume
consume... that’s what it’s all aout. ( enter into a mild da;e as ( lan!ly weave
my way through the endless rows of pointless speciality stores) oserving the
oundless supply of new fangled gadgets and gi;mos @ each one screaming at me
to give in to temptation.
#The rot of conformity sets in’. Cheap clothes) processed food and anything with
a remote control is the only way to distract the consumer from the vacancy of his#wilting soul’. e can e seen trying on a pair of luury trousers or handing his
credit card to the dreadloc!ed lady ehind the ench with the scented candles.
7rocurement is his herroin. The effect is not lasting) however) soon the fantasy
will wear off and once again) he will find himself on the mad pursuit to attain his
net hit.
As ( enter one of the saundry !itchen supply shops) ( find myself uncontrollaly
reaching for my ac! poc!et at the sight of that radiant 'uesadilla ma!er. After
all...( am only human.
,an has ecome trapped in the fantasy in which the ac'uisition of pointless
material items is the !ey to a happy life) our so*called happiness measured y the
economic indicators of society. #$e have delayed our souls with all sorts of toic
un! and chaos’ in pursuit of happiness) however) is the consumer genuinely
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happy when the fantasy wears off and he sits alone on his designer couch in sil!
paamas= 1ust as the great poet*philosopher 0ao T;u claimed that #True art does
not loo! li!e art’) perhaps the same can e said aout happiness.
#The alienation that we feared is the very alienation we end up creating for
ourselves and society’. #$hat consumerism destroys it replaces with crude
synthetic sustitutes for life and personal truth.’
$e learn to applaud this fantasy and #shun the real thing’. ( hope (’m not aroundwhen the world wa!es up from this ostentatious fantasy to find no authentic
happiness in sight. $hen the #mania posing as KhappinessL’ wears off) all we left
with is that pathetic collection of miniature warships that we got on sale at 5ig
$.
#(t is not unusual these days to hear that the world is coming to an end.’ $ith the
doomsday fast approaching) the Apocalypse a fre'uent topic of conversation) we
may as well spend up and indulge in this fantasy while we still can. Muesadillas
anyone=
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VCE ENGLISH EXAM 2013 #0osing touch with reality is often dangerous.’
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SAMPLE – 2013
(t is crucial to !eep in touch with reality. The ris! of falling into dangerouscircumstances is heightened when individuals choose to ignore reality) or are not
allowed to see the truth) and instead emrace illusion. Arthur ,iller’s vision of a
post war America out of touch with reality due to the influences of the
aspirational American 3ream displays this through the character of $illy 0oman.
,ore recently) the /loal -inancial Crisis has highlighted how vital it is to
remain fied on reality) while 1ulian Assange and the $i!ilea!s movement have
given contradictory messages on ust how dangerous illusions are.
$illy 0oman is a struggling salesman on the verge of retirement) struggling with
financial epenses and aout to lose his o. The American 3ream) which promised so much for Americans in the aftermath of $$(( @ a luurious house) a
perfect family) an enoyale o and an endless supply of money @ had eluded
$illy. +et he fooled himself into thin!ing it hadn’t. e maintains that he is #vital
in New England’ when in fact he is aout to lose his o) and ac!nowledges that
#usiness is tough) it’s murderous) ut not for me of course4’ This remar!ale
denial of the truth is particularly dangerous for $illy) as he ris!s losing the
support of his own family over the mounting saga of illusion. is son 5iff laels
him a #phony old fa!e’) implying that $illy is consciously choosing to ignore the
actual circumstances of his life in favour of a more comfortale illusion created
y the intangile American 3ream. Arthur ,iller highlights ust how dangerous
losing touch with reality is through $illy) with the salesman havinghallucinations) flashac!s and contradicting himself regularly. e laels 5iff a
#la;y um’ efore immediately changing his opinion to 5iff eing a #hard
wor!er’. The ludicrous nature of such illusion is what ,iller see!s to highlight.
$hen a person confuses reality with illusion) the dangerous mi that develops
wea!ens the aility to distinguish what is real and what is not. $illy’s wife 0inda
acts as ,iller’s mouthpiece in the novel) warning that #attention must e paid’ to
those who ignore the fact that the aspirational American 3ream is in fact no
wor!ing as hoped. 0osing touch of reality is certainly dangerous @ ,iller sees it
as responsile for creating a consumerist culture living paychec! to paychec!)
while the urden of mortgage ring honest wor!ing people to their !nees. ,iller warns that a solution must e found) or that the nation of America will sin! into
an illusion that will pose a terrile threat in the future.
That threat emerged in the form of the /loal -inancial Crisis in late ) as the
American 3ream created suprime lending crisis conspired with the urst of the
housing price ule to send America fumling into recession. -or decades)
speculators and hedge fund operators had played a dangerous game) trading dets
and investing stoc!s they held in principle. The an!ers played with institutions
they foolishly thought were #too ig to fail’. ow wrong they were. The financial
sector lost trac! of the reality of investment and ranched out into dangerous
uneplored methods of lending. ,eanwhile) ,iller’s nightmare materialised as
the pulic over*spent and over*orrowed) defaulting on loans and putting the
an!s to the sword. The people hadn’t stayed firmly in reality. The an!s had
ecome slac! in approving loans. The government didn’t have any control. A
dangerous game was played and lost< millions found themselves unemployed)
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clutching at the i7ods and No!ias as capitalism itself ro!e. (t was as if a young
child had thrown a toy away with anger @ the American nation had lost touch
with reality) its terrile conse'uences. +et the American pulic did something
unthin!ale. They didn’t act li!e $illy 0oman had) li!e Arthur ,iller
pessimistically thought. The people) instead of continuing on) waiting for the
American 3ream to swoop down) an eagle dressed in an American flag) and save
them all) marched on the financial institutions in $all 2treet. Thus) the
worldwide Occupy movement egan. The intentions of those with the idealistic
vision of the #99P’ ta!ing power ac! from the elite were good in nature) yetthey were unfortunately not realistic. The protestors themselves lost trac! of
reality and thought they could enact lasting change. 2'uatters and serial
protestors don’t enact lasting change) as the media coverage depicted the
movement. No 0ehman 5rothers figures were charged with financial crimes. The
8P remained in power. The fallout from the /-C showed that collectively)
America had to stic! to the true circumstances) the true potential for change)
instead of foolishly thin!ing of few to!en protests would change history.
Closer to home) infamous hac!er 1ulian Assange has een living dangerously.
Through $i!ilea!s) which he founded) he pulicly aired the dirty laundry hiddenwithin the secret government cales etween nations. e founded $i!ilea!s
hoping for transparency) eing worried) li!e ,iller was) of a gloal society losing
trac! of reality with government hiding the truth. $i!ilea!s was ale to move the
curtains of illusion of the geopolitical stage) yet Assange himself has fallen into
the very part he was attempting to fill in. 2tuc! in 0ondon’s Ecuadorian Emassy
due to pending etradition for rape charges to 2weden) Assange thought it wise to
run for a 2enate seat in the Australian -ederal Election in 2eptemer) 8. e
won 8.FP of the vote in Victoria. ( suppose that eing stuc! on the other side of a
planet isn’t a good way to campaign. That said) $i!ilea!s) lost touch with reality
too< party memer 'uiet due to a lac! of transparency. (t was all very ironic) and
goes to show that however much changes is desired) stic!ing your head in thesand li!e Assange did) losing touch with any form of logical through) is not going
to win you elections or pulic support for that matter. $i!ilea!s is ecoming
irrelevant) and Assange’s poorly constructed solution to the lac! of diplomatic
cales to air as resulted in a pulic relations disaster. $i!ilea!s lived dangerously
yet ultimately stepped across the line into a world of illusion they wanted to
destroy forever.
(t is essential to maintain a firm grasp of reality. The sanity of society rests on the
premise that the maority of individuals so. Arthur ,iller saw that the American
3ream was causing a whole generation to shroud themselves in illusion and ris! terrile damage to their personal welleing) financial staility and family. The
/-C displayed this too. The funeral of capitalism) a system once thought
impregnale >at least till China came along? and) li!e its monstrous financial
institutions) #too ig to fail’) occurred ecause ureaucrats) an!ers and
consumers were foolish enough to lose trac! of reality with dangerous
conse'uences. 1ulian Assange’s actions suggest that all the good intentions in the
world are not enough if you do not practice what you preach. Deality must e
!ept in a tight grasp @ the financial security) the political transparency and health
of society depend upon it.
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