Text Response Prompts
This thread contains practice prompts for all texts on the current VCE English Text List.
If you have more prompts to add to this list, please post below, or PM me
After Darkness by Christine PiperAfter Darkness Prompts
Discuss the significance of silence in After Darkness.
To what extent does Piper's novel show how racism negatively impacts the lives of the characters?
Friendship is the most important thing in After Darkness. Do you agree?
“What else, through my misguided loyalty had I failed to see?” After Darkness shows that loyalty is not always a virtue. Discuss.
Ibaraki is a flawed but ultimately admirable person. Discuss.
Piper shows that loss only inflicts pain and suffering. Do you agree? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
After Darkness shows the power of atonement. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
After Darkness explores the consequences of characters who are passive and do not help themselves. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
An individual's choices are dictated by their past. Explain how Piper explores this notion in the text After Darkness. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Dr Ibaraki is weak-willed, motivated only by fear and insecurity. Do you agree? [VCAA 2018]
“Time heals all wounds, you’ll see.” Is this view endorsed by Piper’s After Darkness? [VCAA 2018]
“Some things are best left in the past.” To what extent is this view supported by Piper’s After Darkness? [VCAA 2019]
Dr Ibaraki faces the same challenges in Japan and Australia. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony DoerrAll the Light We Cannot See Prompts
Discuss the importance of inner strength as shown in All the Light We Cannot See.
None of the characters in All the Light We Cannot See are deserving of sympathy. Do you agree?
To what extent does Doerr's novel warn us against imorality and selfishness?
What is the role of memory in All the Light We Cannot See?
In All the Light We Cannot See, Doerr suggests that free will is rare and comes at a price. Discuss.
All the Light We Cannot See suggests that people are more connected than they think. Discuss.
How does the novel show that war brings out the best and worst in humanity?
Discuss the symbolism of the sea of flames in All the Light We Cannot See.
To what extent does Marie-Laure protect herself in Doerr's novel?
“To shut your eyes is to guess nothing of blindness.” Discuss the significance of Marie-Laure's perspective in Doerr's novel.
The characters in All the Light We Cannot See lack agency. To what extent do you agree?
“Open your eyes and see what you can see with them before they close forever.” To what extent do characters exhibit this sentiment in All the Light We Cannot See?
How does Anthony Doerr explore the idea of war in All the Light We Cannot See? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
“Fate is pre-determined.” Discuss this statement in relation to All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Explore the use of minor characters in All the Light We Cannot See. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Discuss the similarities and differences between the journeys of Marie-Laure LeBlanc and Werner Pfennig in Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
In the novel, being different is an advantage. Do you agree? [VCAA 2019]
All the Light We Cannot See explores the human capacity to create, preserve and destroy. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine BooBehind the Beautiful Forevers Prompts
Which is worse – Meena’s present or Meena’s future?
To what extent does Boo criticise the realities of corruption in Annawadi?
Discuss the significance of opportunities in Behind the Beautiful Forevers.
"Not quite friends-rather, an unnameable, not-entirely-willing category of relationship in which two boys felt themselves bound to two boys who were dead." Discuss the significance of the relationships in Behind the Beautiful Forevers.
To what extent is the world of Behind the Beautiful Forevers divided by the binaries of justice and corruption?
Aspiration cannot triumph over adversity in Behind the Beautiful Forevers. Do you agree?
How does the narrative perspective influence your interpretation of events in Behind the Beautiful Forevers?
Do you think Boo’s text suggests that poverty breeds hopelessness, or that it inspires optimism?
In Annawadi, it is better to compete with than to join forces with your neighbours. Discuss.
What roles do imagery and symbolism play in this text?
How do minor characters in Behind the Beautiful Forevers help to convey the text’s themes and ideas?
In Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity, there is life and death but no hope. Do you agree? [VCAA 2017]
In Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity, corruption presents an opportunity for some an
+ Attachments and other options
d an obstacle for others. Discuss. [VCAA 2017]
Life in Annawadi is more about avoiding loss than about gaining profit. Discuss [VCAA 2018]
The women of Annawadi are at once the backbone and the victims of their society. Do you agree? [VCAA 2018]
In Annawadi, overwhelming poverty breeds hard-heartedness. Do you agree? [VCAA 2019]
The people of Annawadi are powerless to change their lives. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
Extinction by Hannie RaysonExtinction Prompts
Discuss the depiction of environmentalism in Hannie Rayson's play.
How does Extinction show that compromise is necessary to resolve conflict?
Extinction suggests that the interest in the economy will always clash with the needs of the environment. Discuss
“They are all ‘worth saving’.” How does Extinction explore the value of life?
“[Andy] euthanises the quoll. It dies the heartbeat stops. Silence.” How does the staging of the play convey ideas about extinction and survival?
Extinction is more about revenge and betrayal than it is about love and loyalty. To what extent do you agree?
Discuss the significance of personal integrity in Hannie Rayson's Extinction.
The women in Extinction are portrayed as being weaker than the men. To what extent do you agree?
“I don't want to be with someone who would even contemplate environmental vandalism” Extinction shows us that shared values and beliefs are at the centre of good relationships. Discuss
"I use my head, not my heart." How does Extinction explore human nature.
Heather Dixon-Brown is an ambitious woman who is motivated only by self-interest. Do you agree?
All the characters in Extinction are motivated by self-interest. To what extent do you agree? [VCAA 2018]
“There is always a last one, isn’t there?” How does Extinction explore the idea that life is fragile? [VCAA 2018]
In Extinction, the characters find no resolutions to their problems. Do you agree? [VCAA 2019]
In the play, the natural world and the human world struggle to exist in harmony. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
In Cold Blood by Truman CapoteIn Cold Blood Prompts
Discuss the significance of dreams, including the American Dream, in Truman Capote's In Cold Blood.
Discuss Capote's depiction of the Clutter family in In Cold Blood.
Perry Smith, despite Capote’s authorial sympathy towards him, is really a cold and merciless monster. Discuss.
Fatherhood is inextricably tied with morality in Capote's novel. Discuss how this theme is present in the text.
What does the crime reveal about the town of Holcomb?
To what extent does In Cold Blood blur the lines between fact and fiction?
"I think it is a hell of a thing that a life has to be taken in this manner. I say this especially because there's a great deal I could have offered society. I certainly think capital punishment is legally and morally wrong.” Is In Cold Blood merely a novelistic argument against the death penalty? Discuss.
How does religion and belief affect the lives of the characters in In Cold Blood?
In Cold Blood is about tragedy. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
To what extent is Capote’s account of the crime accurate and reliable? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
How does Capote convey the horror of what happened to the Clutters? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Capote leaves the reader feeling that justice has been done. Do you agree? [VCAA 2018]
Is Capote’s depiction of dangerous crime overly sentimental? [VCAA 2018]
Capote examines the coexistence of good and evil in human nature. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
The murder of the Clutter family shakes the beliefs of everyone in the community. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
Like a House on Fire by Cate KennedyLike a House on Fire Prompts
To what extent do Kennedy's short stories celebrate the enduring strength of people?
Like a House on Fire shows that family relationships are never perfect. Do you agree?
The characters in these stories are all finding ways of “keeping up appearances”. Discuss.
Gender plays a significant role in the emotional fates of the characters in Like a House on Fire. To what extent do you agree?
Characters in these stories have little control over their own lives. Do you agree?
“The room is stiff with a charred awkwardness, with languages I can’t speak." How does Kennedy show communication issues to be central in these stories?
Although many of the characters in Like a House on Fire are dealing with physical and emotional pain, their resilience is what defines their lives. To what extent do you agree?
The characters in Like a House on Fire struggle to deal with change. Discuss. [VCAA 2018]
Although many of Kennedy’s stories paint a sad picture of the world, there are moments of hope. Discuss [VCAA 2018]
To what extent are the characters in these stories defeated by their circumstances? [VCAA 2019]
The importance of kindness and compassion is highlighted in Kennedy’s stories. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
Much Ado About Nothing by William ShakespeareMuch Ado About Nothing Prompts
Discuss the role of trickery and deceit in Much Ado About Nothing.
To what extent is the world of Messina ruled by brutality and violence in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing?
Much Ado About Nothing is about the fundamental conflicts between appearances and reality. Discuss.
Discuss the symbolism of masks in Much Ado About Nothing.
In this play, accusations of unchaste and untrustworthy behavior can be just as damaging to a woman’s honor as such behavior itself. Discuss.
Discuss the significance of mirroring and doubles in Much Ado About Nothing.
How does Shakespeare use language to explore the idea of love in Much Ado About Nothing?
How does Much Ado About Nothing convey the damaging consequences of betrayal?
“All hearts in love use their own tongues.” Discuss the importance of language in the play.
To what extent does Shakespeare criticise notions of valour and honour in Much Ado About Nothing?
"Beauty is a witch, Against whose charms faith melteth into blood.” Nothing is as it seems in Much Ado About Nothing. Do you agree?
How do male and female notions of honour differ in Much Ado About Nothing? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
“She’s but the sign and semblance of her honour, / Behold how like a maid she blushes here!” (Claudio, Act 4, Scene 1)
In Much Ado About Nothing, the central problem is the characters' failure to see beyond outward appearances. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Discuss how Shakespeare blends the comedic and the tragic in this play. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
To what extent does Shakespeare endorse Messina’s social order? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Nine Days by Toni JordanNine Days Prompts
“We all die alone." How does Nine Days explore the idea of loneliness?
Jordan suggests that appreciation of family is integral to personal happiness. Discuss.
Discuss the importance of family in Nine Days.
To what extent does Rayson's text criticise stereotypes of masculinity?
Nine Days shows us people can choose whether they end up happy or not. Do you agree?
There is more tragedy in Nine Days than there is joy. To what extent do you agree?
Connie’s fate is determined by others. Do you agree?
At its core, Nine Days is a story about moral conundrums and moral hypocrisy. Discuss.
Nine Days shows that sometimes things make more sense from a distance. Discuss.
Nine Days shows that despite the march of time, modern life is still essentially bleak.’ Discuss.
"it means nothing that these people have vanished into thin air and will never be seen again." Nine Days is about death, but it is also about life. To what extent is this true?
"Your memory fades... But not the pictures… that’s what I like about them. They last forever." Discuss the importance of memories and recollection in Nine Days.
"How I hate that man. Dying and leaving me alone to look after everyone." Jean has no control over her life. Discuss.
In Nine Days the strong suffer because of the inadequacies of others. Do you agree?
“Each of us is thinking about someone we’ll never see again. That’s what war means.” Discuss the representation of war in Nine Days.
How is the concept of loss dealt with in Toni Jordan’s Nine Days?
In Nine Days the men’s lives are just as miserable as the women’s. Discuss.
"It seems that all my life I’ve had nothing I’ve desired.” In Nine Days, women have little or no control over their lives. Do you agree?
"That’s the only reason I leave her." In Nine Days, deception is a means of survival. Discuss.
How does the use of multiple narrators influence the reader’s response to Nine Days?
In Jordan’s novel, seemingly insignificant decisions have major consequences. Do you agree? [VCAA 2019]
How does Nine Days explore the relationship between the past and the present? [VCAA 2019]
Old/New World: Selected Poems by Peter SkryzneckiOld/New World Selected Poems Prompts
Skrzynecki's poems explain how we come to belong. Discuss.
Barriers and boundaries are central to Skrzynecki's poems. Discuss.
Discuss the significance of the past and its memories in the poetry of Peter Skrzynecki.
Skrzynecki’s poetry is concerned with the plight of the immigrant. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
According to Skrzynecki, the human journey is both difficult and joyful. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
The natural landscape is fundamental to the human experience in Skrzynecki’s poems. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
The human experience is riddled with tragedy. Discuss how this is demonstrated in Skrzynecki’s poetry. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
“You create new memories / as you travel / but old ones follow you” Skrzynecki’s poems are about looking forward and looking back. Discuss. [VCAA 2017]
Skrzynecki’s poems reveal meaning and beauty in life’s ordinary moments. Discuss. [VCAA 2017]
Skrzynecki’s poetry explores the connection between landscape and personal identity. Discuss. [VCAA 2018]
“and Time’s revenge hardly seems bitter at all.” How does Skrzynecki’s poetry confront the inevitability of ageing and death? [VCAA 2018]
Skrzynecki’s poetry offers readers a positive view of life. Do you agree? [VCAA 2019]
In his poetry, Skrzynecki describes his world as one of merging cultures. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
Persepolis by Marjane SatarapiPersepolis Prompts
What does Persepolis suggest about the value of family?
Persepolis is a uniquely true story of a young woman coming of age amidst war and conflict. Discuss.
The central purpose of Persepolis is to recognise the importance of telling stories as a means to never forget. Discuss.
Discuss Marjane's perspective of feminism and the patriarchy in Persepolis.
Discuss the symbolism of jewels and jewelry throughout the novel.
Marjane is a character who is conflicted in many ways. Discuss.
How and why does Marjane Satrapi use the conventions of the graphic novel to create meaning in Persepolis? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
"It wasn’t only the government that changed. Ordinary people changed too... It’s fear that makes us lose our conscience." Discuss Satrapi’s depiction of Iran and the Islamic Republic in Persepolis. [ATAR Notes Text Guide
What impression are we given of Marjane’s identity in Persepolis? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Discuss the proposition that Marjane Satrapi focuses efforts too strongly on humanising the Iranian peoples to mount an adequate response to the Islamic Republic. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
“Always keep your dignity and be true to yourself.” To what extent does Marji follow her grandmother’s advice? [VCAA 2018]
How does Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood explore what it means to live in fear of
persecution and oppression? [VCAA 2018]
How do Marji’s parents seek to protect her from the realities of revolution? [VCAA 2019]
“Bad people are dangerous but forgiving them is too.” What role does forgiveness play in the text? [VCAA 2019]
Pride and Prejudice by Jane AustenPride and Prejudice Prompts
Discuss the different kinds of prejudice that are evident in Austen's novel.
Pride blinds the characters in the novel to their true feelings and the true feelings of one another. Discuss.
Family is the most important thing to the characters in Pride and Prejudice. Do you agree?
Pride and Prejudice suggests that marriage is about security rather than love. DIscuss.
How does Austen critique society's elitism in Pride and Prejudice?
The characters' fixation on the significance of marriage is ultimately detrimental. Do you agree?
To what extent is love shown to conquer all in Pride and Prejudice?
Elizabeth is a highly sympathetic character in Pride and Prejudice. To what extent do you agree?
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” To what extent does Austen critique patriarchal norms in her novel?
Discuss the significance of the relationships between the women in Pride and Prejudice.
"My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.” To what extent does Darcy respect Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice?
What do the various relationships between Austen’s characters tell us about love, marriage, and society?
Social class is shown to be an extremely limiting factor in the lives of the characters in Pride and Prejudice. Do you agree?
Do the women in Pride and Prejudice need to marry in order to be happy?
To what extent does Elizabeth's values differ from those of her family?
The best description for the Meryton society is materialistic and fickle. Discuss.
In Pride and Prejudice, Austen suggests that marriage is about security rather than love. Do you agree? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
To what extent does Austen use satire to comment on the role of class in her society? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
What role does family play in Pride and Prejudice? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
How does Jane Austen explore the significance of gender roles in Pride and Prejudice? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Rear Window by Alfred HitchcockRear Window Prompts
Discuss the pervasive presence of voyeurism in Rear Window.
To what extent is Jeff an antihero in Hitchcock's Rear Window.
Jeff and Lisa are fundamentally incompatible as a couple. Do you agree?
Discuss Hitchcock's use of symbolism in the film Rear Window.
To what extent are Jeff's suspicions justified in Rear Window.
“I’m not much on rear window ethics.” The sanctity of domestic privacy supersedes the importance of public responsibility. Is this the message of Rear Window?
In Rear Window, women are merely objects of a sexist male gaze. To what extent do you agree?
“Of course, they can do the same thing to me, watch me like a bug under glass if they want to.” Hitchcock’s Rear Window argues that it is human nature to be suspicious. To what extent do you agree?
Rear Window contends that the home is not a safe place for anyone. Discuss."
Rear Window strongly advocates traditional gender roles To what extent do you agree?
In Rear Window, all of Hitchcock's characters are equally worthy of sympathy. Do you agree?
Jeff is primarily an observer of life, unable to establish real relationships. Do you agree?
Rear Window explores the human need for love and connection. Discuss.
Lars Thorwald is not the only villain in Hitchcock’s film. Discus
To what extent is the film Rear Window a critique of voyeurism? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
“Look Miss Fremont, that feminine intuition stuff sells magazines, but in real life it’s still a fairy tale.” In Rear Window, the female characters are underappreciated by the men in their lives. To what extent do you agree? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
In Rear Window, every character suffers from unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and disappointment. To what extent do you agree?
Jeff’s fascination with looking at others stops him from truly looking at himself. Do you agree? [VCAA 2018]
How does Hitchcock create an atmosphere of suspicion in Rear Window? [VCAA 2018]
In Rear Window, Hitchcock presents a cynical view of relationships. [VCAA 2019]
Lisa is the real hero of Rear Window. Do you agree? [VCAA 2019]
Runaway by Alice MunroRunaway Prompts
How do Munro's short stories explore the struggle to forge one's own identity?
To what extent do the characters in Alice Munro's Runaway lack control over their lives?
How does Munro use parallels in her short story collection?
The quest to find meaning in life is at the heart of Alice Munro's Runaway. Discuss.
Alice Munro's short stories are united by notions of entrapment and escape. Discuss.
Although the characters in Munro's short stories have a desire to run away, they also have a strong desire to return. To what extent do you agree?
The female characters in Munro's Runaway struggle to escape the confines of society. Do you agree?
Discuss the significance of temptation in Alice Munro's Runaway.
Station Eleven by Emily St John MandelStation Eleven Prompts
Discuss how Mandel's views on life and death are shown in Station Eleven.
There is no hope to be found in Station Eleven. Do you agree?
To what extent are characters in Station Eleven trapped by their pasts?
Discuss the significance of foreshadowing in Station Eleven.
Although the Prophet has power over others in the novel, he is ultimately unable to have any power over his own life. To what extent do you agree?
Station Eleven is ultimately optimistic about humanity's future. Do you agree?
How does loss affect the characters in Station Eleven?
How does Mandel use multiple perspectives to tell the story of Station Eleven?
Station Eleven suggests that beauty can be found in unlikely places. Do you
agree?
Readers cannot sympathise with any of the characters in Station Eleven. To what extent do you agree?
The novel suggests that for individuals to thrive, we need to do more than survive. Do you agree? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Despite the extreme difficulty of their situation, none of the characters in Station Eleven succumb to fear or pessimism. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
How does Mandel use a shift in time to explore her ideas in Station Eleven? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Mandel depicts both beauty and savagery in the world of Station Eleven. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
“[…] survival is insufficient.” What is more important than survival for the characters in Station Eleven? [VCAA 2019]
“Always these memories, barely submerged.” Station Eleven demonstrates that nothing is ever completely lost. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
Stories We Tell by Sarah PolleyStories We Tell Prompts
The film explores why stories provide people with a means of coping. Discuss.
Discuss the significance of the autobiographical nature of Stories We Tell.
Who are the storytellers in Sarah Polley's film?
Family is the most important thing in Stories We Tell. To what extent do you agree?
Stories We Tell is dominated by a chorus of voices and perspectives. Discuss.
How does Polley's film explore the importance of truth?
Families create their own narratives. How is this idea shown in the film?
Stories We Tell suggests that meaning is always subjective. Do you agree?
The truth about the past is often hard to pin down. How does Stories We Tell reveal the family’s story? [VCAA 2018]
"To save all hurt, why not leave things as they are?" Why does Sarah not “leave things as they are”? [VCAA 2018]
How does Polley’s documentary show the far-reaching impact of family secrets? [VCAA 2019]
Stories We Tell portrays the interplay between loss and hope. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
The Golden Age by Joan LondonThe Golden Age Prompts
Sullivan tells Frank: “In the end we are all orphans.” In this text, children learn that they are alone, even within their families. Discuss.
The Golden Age is as much about gain as it is about loss. Do you agree?
The Golden Age depicts a group of outsiders who create their own community despite the difficulties facing them. Discuss.
The Australian society of the post-war period depicted in The Golden Age was parochial and xenophobic in its treatment of the ill and refugees from the war. Do you agree?
Despite the suffering and loss associated with illness, The Golden Age expresses a resilient spirit of hopefulness in characters such as Frank and Elsa. Discuss.
The characters in The Golden Age show determination to make something of their lives despite fraught relationships. Discuss.
The refugee and the polio patient share a common experience of exile, expulsion and being the focus of illusory fears. Discuss.
“The shock and violence of polio, the instant transformation of it, reminded her of a cruel trick of sorcery in a fairy tale. As if an evil monster had demanded the fairest in the land.” The Golden Age demonstrates that people always resort to vague metaphors to express the impact of illness. Do you agree?
Olive Penny embodies the quiet heroism of the women who cared for the most vulnerable groups in times of crisis. Discuss.
London shows that the power of poetic language transcends its immediate circumstances in personal suffering, whether in illness or war, to achieve moments of lasting grace. Discuss.
The polio outbreaks of the post-war period coincide with a moment of defining change in Australian society. Discuss.
The fate of the Gold family shows that a society must be judged by how its treats the sick and the vulnerable. Do you agree?
It is largely loneliness which defines the struggles of the children in The Golden Age. Discuss.
In what ways is The Golden Age a novel of displacement?
Isolation in The Golden Age exists in many oppressive forms. Discuss.
One’s identity cannot be fully understood when confined and restricted. How does London show the importance of being outside in The Golden Age? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
In The Golden Age, “nostalgia was everywhere.” None of the characters live in
the present, because they are overwhelmed with a nostalgia for another era. To what extent is this true? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Love is the only element holding Elsa together and helping her to recover. Do you agree? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Joan London’s novel, The Golden Age, presents the contention that love is a force powerful enough to triumph over loneliness. Do you agree? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
“Years later, when you think you have recovered, it comes back.” Characters in The Golden Age are haunted by their past. Discuss. [VCAA 2017]
The Golden Age is about trying to live with change and uncertainty. Discuss. [VCAA 2017]
In London’s novel, to have a sense of belonging means everything. Discuss. [VCAA 2018]
At the Royal Perth Hospital and the Golden Age, Frank struggles with more than just polio. Discuss. [VCAA 2018]
The Golden Age explores Frank’s gradual realisation that he can rely only on himself. Do you agree? [VCAA 2019]
In the end, love saves the characters in The Golden Age. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
The Lieutenant by Kate GrenvilleThe Lieutenant Prompts
“Sir, your orders were a most gravely wrong thing, I regret beyond words my part in the business.” Rooke’s crisis of conscience forces him into conflict with the governor. Discuss.
How is Rooke’s sense of identity changed by his experiences in New South Wales?
Communication, not discovery, is at the heart of The Lieutenant. Do you agree?
Intransigence and a sense of superiority ultimately prevent unity in The Lieutenant. Do you agree?
Grenville's novel argues that individual morality is a superior characteristic than loyalty to country. Discuss.
Fear is the cause of all struggles in The Lieutenant. Do you agree?
The Lieutenant demonstrates how an individual's true self emerges in the face of
conflict. Discuss.
The Lieutenant shows the catalysts for miscommunication and misunderstanding
between the First Fleet and the local Aboriginal population. Discuss.
"But a man could not travel along two different paths." How is Rooke's conflict of conscience explored in The Lieutenant?
"The intention of evil was there which is all that God see when he looks into our hearts." Grenville explores the importance of intention over action in The Lieutenant. Discuss.
How do Rooke’s conversations with Tagaran change his view of the world and his place in it? [VCAA 2017]
The Lieutenant explores the choices characters make when confronted with circumstances that are unfamiliar. Discuss. [VCAA 2017]
Rooke is an observer rather than a participant. Do you agree? [VCAA 2018]
In The Lieutenant, the struggles in the colony arise from fear. Discuss. [VCAA 2018]
For the characters in Grenville’s novel, language is both an obstacle and an opportunity. Discuss.
The Lieutenant portrays a struggle between obedience to authority and adherence to personal values. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
The Women of Troy by EuripidesThe Women of Troy Prompts
The forces that control our lives are as unpredictable in their behaviour as any capering idiot. Discuss the role of fate in The Women of Troy.
The Women of Troy was a play before its time, dealing with the previously unconsidered victims of war. Discuss.
Euripides is relentlessly unforgiving in his portrayal of female victims suffering in the midst of male warfare. To what extent do you agree?
How does Euripides use language to portray loss and suffering in The Women of Troy?
"There is one thing worse than fear – that is fear without reason!" Despite the circumstances that befall them, characters in The Women of Troy exercise great strength. To what extent do you agree?
In The Women of Troy, the men are fuelled by duty and obligation whilst it is the women that feel the true heartache of tragic circumstances. Discuss.
"O gods!…Gods are treacherous helpers, yet when our world had collapsed, it seems suitable to call upon the gods." Discuss the role of the gods in The Women of Troy.
Euripides’ play Women of Troy mainly focuses on the true cost of wars. To what
extent do you agree with the statement?
Women of Troy demonstrates that there is no real winner in wars. Discuss.
How does Euripides use language to portray the loss and suffering of Hellenic women in Women of Troy?
Characters in Women of Troy are all driven and motivated by their sense of duty and
obligation. To what extent do you agree with the statement?
Hecuba’s greatest pain stems from the deaths of her children. Discuss the statement.
While Helen’ selfishness should be condemned, the audience can still condone her
actions due to the circumstances she is in. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Euripides argues that fate and fortunes are not preordained, and tragedies do not
incriminate. To what extent do you agree with the statement?
It is impossible to sympathise with Helen because she is the most mischievous character of the play. Do you agree?
Women of Troy explores the ways in which a character’s true self might emerge in
time of tragedy. Discuss.
In Women of Troy, The Chorus’ only role is to act as the representative of Hellenic
women. Do you agree?
Hecuba is the victim of fate, making her a tragic hero. Do you agree.
Love is a dangerous passion that can lead to tragic consequences. Does Women of
Troy support this statement?
It is possible for the audience to sympathise with Helen because of her love for Paris.
Do you agree?
There is no villain in Women of Troy because everyone in the play suffers. Do you
agree with the statement?
Discuss the role of dishonesty in Euripides’ Women of Troy.
In his dramatic tragedy, Euripides conveys the harsh truth that war affects all
of society. To what extent is this statement true for Women of Troy? [ATAR Notes Text Guide
Discuss how Euripides’ Women of Troy explores the notions of hope and despair. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Language has the power to challenge perspectives and affirm ideas. To what
extent is this statement true for Women of Troy? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Women of Troy is set in ancient Greece, but its messages are timeless. Do you agree? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Euripides’s play warns of the dangers of displeasing the gods. Discuss. [VCAA 2019]
Even though the women of Troy are defeated, they retain their dignity. Do you agree? [VCAA 2019]
Things Fall Apart by Chinua AchebeThings Fall Apart Prompts
Okonkwo doubts the power of his ‘chi’ (personal god) leaving him caught between fate and freewill. Discuss the roles that these forces play in the novel.
In what ways is Okonkwo a tragic hero?
How does Okonkwo's relationship with his children reveal his flawed world view?
Many of the representations of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart can be seen through the character of Ikemefuna. Discuss.
"It was not the same Chielo who sat with her in the market… Chielo was not a woman that night." How are the dual natures of humanity and spirit being explored in this text?
The District Commissioner is going to title his work 'The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Niger.' How does this title relate to Achebe’s description of the tribes?
What is the role of women in the novel?
There is often contrast between the Igbo laws and traditions and personal opinions. How do these coexist in the novel Things Fall Apart?
Discuss the importance of tradition in Things Fall Apart.
How does Chinua Achebe use characterisation of colonial characters to represent contrasting views of colonialism in his novel Things Fall Apart? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
To what extent does family and kinship play a central role in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
What different roles do women take on in Things Fall Apart? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
To what extent are Okonkwo’s personal beliefs surrounding masculinity and gender responsible for his downfall in Chinua Achebe’s 1958 novel, Things Fall Apart? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
William Wordsworth Selected PoemsWilliam Wordsworth Selected Poems Prompts
Discuss Wordsworth's conception of childhood as reflected in his poems.
How do Wordsworth's poems explore the significance of ageing?
Wordsworth's poetry is concerned with all that is beautiful. To what extent do you agree?
Discuss the power of memory in Wordsworth's poetry.
Wordsworth poetry worships nature. Do you agree.
Discuss Wordsworth's use of motifs and symbols in his poetry.
How does Wordsworth's use of poetic devices convey meaning?
Explore how Wordsworth represents nature in his poetry. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
In his poetry, Wordsworth depicts a conflict between multiple conceptions of childhood. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
How is Wordsworth’s attitude to death explored within his poetry? [ATAR Notes Text Guide]
Wordsworth celebrates the spirit of the individual in his poems. Discuss. [ATAR Notes Text Guide]