VCE English Question Thread

[Dem16]

I am about to write a context piece on Life of Galileo.....anyone got ideas?

[HopefulLawStudent]

I am about to write a context piece on Life of Galileo.....anyone got ideas?

A little vague, perhaps? Some specificity would enable us to better help you out.

[NerdyPi]

Hi guys, so I'm trying to practice analysis the wording/implications of the text for text response (for Medea), and I was wondering to what degree this is subjective, and if so, if what I've done is ok..?

My example so far are:

"when the dice of life fall badly" - implies that as a woman/wife, Medea was simply a pawn in Jason's game, who is now on the receiving end of misfortune due to both Jason's actions and chance

"old ties of affection give way to new" - implies that any feelings Jason had for Medea were simply replaceable/a passing phrase, reinforcing the idea that he is an "unfeeling monster"

If someone could tell me if this is ok, (or if not what would be the correct approach) it would be appreciated
Thanks

[Jakeybaby]

I'm just wondering if anyone has read/analysed Harwood's Ad Orientem poem? I am currently analysing this poem for an oral which I need to complete, I'm working my way through it, but it'd be awesome if someone would be able to assist in the finer details of the poem.

Thanks

[literally lauren]

Hi guys, so I'm trying to practice analysis the wording/implications of the text for text response (for Medea), and I was wondering to what degree this is subjective, and if so, if what I've done is ok..?

My example so far are:

"when the dice of life fall badly" - implies that as a woman/wife, Medea was simply a pawn in Jason's game, who is now on the receiving end of misfortune due to both Jason's actions and chance yes, though you may want to consider the extent to which the fate of the characters comes down to their own actions vs. the actions of others vs. chance. This quote has more to do with chance than Jason's actions (unless you wanted to argue that the 'dice of life' also pertains to how the Gods have determined Jason's character, but that's a bit of a messy argument.)

"old ties of affection give way to new" - implies that any feelings Jason had for Medea were simply replaceable/a passing phrase, good reinforcing the idea that he is an "unfeeling monster" I think this second point is more debatable. What is monstrous about Jason's actions, exactly? He's definitely cruel from Medea's perspective as her feelings were less fleeting, but he's not really "unfeeling" just because his loyalties/priorities have shifted. That quote implies he has new affections, not that he has no affections whatsoever. If you want to see him as a more callous/manipulative character, you definitely can, but you can also see him as just a bit of a fool who wasn't as aware or cautious of Medea's feelings as he should have been.

These are some great quotes to use in essays, though they do relate to some rather debatable elements of the text; so long as you can justify the interpretations you're delving into here, you'll be solid

I'm just wondering if anyone has read/analysed Harwood's Ad Orientem poem? I am currently analysing this poem for an oral which I need to complete, I'm working my way through it, but it'd be awesome if someone would be able to assist in the finer details of the poem.

Thanks

'For some reason I can't find this poem online at all; if you have a copy do you want to type it up or scan it, and then I can help you analyse it? If you're looking for some general analysis there's a decent discussion of some key themes (esp. the role of women) here though I'm not sure how relevant that is for this particular poem.

[Jakeybaby]

'For some reason I can't find this poem online at all; if you have a copy do you want to type it up or scan it, and then I can help you analyse it? If you're looking for some general analysis there's a decent discussion of some key themes (esp. the role of women) here though I'm not sure how relevant that is for this particular poem.

Here's the poem Lauren

All night in hospital I law
with my intemperate lover, pain.
A sister, calm in her serene
indifferent charity, sat to pray
for me, as for all suffering men,
beside my bed. Darkness and fear
rose up between me and her prayer

eclipsing the rich world of love
in which I grew, and richer trust
of lives that with my life were nourished.
And still my violator thrust
hard, hard, into a throbbing wound.
Fast in that grip I felt all cherished
images of good dissolve.

A cock crowed, and the sister rose,
yawning, to raise the window blind--
a row of cypress, scalpel-clean,
crowning a near-by hill, incised
the first of morning. Clear between
each cypress and its neighbour glowed
a winecup space of light defined

by the dark trees. Those winecups brimmed
with a new day's untasted wine:
I drank, until my spirit leapt
high on the morning's tranquil crest
and drunken sang its hope, and blessed
all suffering and rejoicing men.
I slipped from pain's embrace, and slept.

[Dem16]

A little vague, perhaps? Some specificity would enable us to better help you out.

I am looking at doing imaginative but i need some ideas to respond to the prompt - 'The strengths and weaknesses of an individual surfaces when they encounter conflict'
I prefer to use the characters and ideas in the book, Life of Galileo, rather than an external example.
Any ideas?

[oooo]

Question: if I'm given a prompt asking me to discuss 2 characters specifically, should I expand it so I talk about all characters, or just stick with the 2? The prompt I need help with is based on 1984; 'How is Winston different from Julia?'.

[Maz]

Question: if I'm given a prompt asking me to discuss 2 characters specifically, should I expand it so I talk about all characters, or just stick with the 2? The prompt I need help with is based on 1984; 'How is Winston different from Julia?'.

Hey,
hopefully, I can provide some assistance 
I would really stick to the two characters specifically. this is kind of like haveing a question based on setting, but then doing a paragraph on language with no link to setting. You can definitely talk about these two characters and then branch it to others through their relationship, however, don't have your focus on the other character; stay close to the character you are asked about 
This is probably the best way to maximise the 'answering the question' criteria. Take special care that when linking, keep say 85-90% of the focus on the two characters you are talked about, and only say 10% on the others.
I'm sorry, I am not familiar with your text. However here is an example i just made up to give you an idea. This is about The Great Gatsby

Furthermore, Fitzgerald here again combines the generic conventions of characterization with point of view to convey Nick’s moral judgement of tort law in regards to the negligent behaviour of the upper class; who seem to only give shallow thought towards any idea that does not have a direct influence upon them. As Nick ‘shake(s) hands’ he condemns Tom’s brutish indifference, which pertained a likeness to negligence. Thus, Tom’s calamitous recklessness is analogised to that which would be felt when ‘talking to a child’. Nick concludes that it would be ‘silly not to’ shake hands with him, portraying Tom as decrepitude, exactly like ‘a child’ would be. Thus conveying the minimal attention society, during the 1920s, placed upon anything unrelated to materialism and wealth.

Analysing this, you can kind of see that Tom is the focus. I don't ever discuss Nick's behaviour or the 'hows' and 'why' relating to him. However, I do use him and his point of view as an aid to convey Tom's characterisation, and how he being wealthy makes him be portrayed in the eyes of the narrator
I hope this clarified something for you. If not feel free to inquire 

[blacksanta62]

Hey guys, I'm writing a context (I&B) expository essay with the following prompt:
"Sometimes we need to accept change in order to grow"

I'm trying to give the essay more depth by finding ideas where it might not be true. I'm thinking that sometimes "people have the ability to develop and grow without the need for change" i.e. change can be avoided and still result in growth. However, I can't think of any examples where this is true. Can anyone lend some examples from novels you've read or examples that you can think of? Thank you

[Callum@1373]

Question, I only received a 19/20 for my oral yet that contradicts my feedback:

"Callum, you carefully put together an excellent speech, incorporating all the features of oral language that were required in a seamless way. Your use of hand gestures was subtle but appropriate, your anecdotes and rhetoric were not overdone and your facial expressions showed your interest without over-acting. It was admirable that you didn’t need to rely too heavily on your cue cards. The content of your speech was well researched and strongly structured. Overall, your audience was thoroughly won over to your point of view. If it were up to me, I would be funding science immediately!"

Is this worth asking for a remark or is there something I am missing?

[kimmytaaa]

Hi
I am doing Every Man in this village is a liar, just wanted to know if what my teacher wrote is correct. The prompt is 'Complete survival is rare in times of conflict'
1.   Physical survival
2.   Emotional/social survival
3.   Benefits

Stack’s experiences in the plethora of actions across the Middle East highlight her exposure to gross cordnits? (I have no idea what this word was?) of physical violence.. While every man in this village is a liar offers the uncontrollable difficulties that herald in war and violence that ensues, more recent fears that have spread to Europe further this position on violence and its in-discriminatory efforts.
Extending the expression of physical unrest that plagues EMITVIAL, emotional and social scars further exemplify how absolute resolution is rare in times of conflict.
Localised in a more Australian context, the wide-reaching social and emotional harrowing consequences of domestic violence compounds the examples offered in EMITVIAL.

Thanks

[Alter]

Question, I only received a 19/20 for my oral yet that contradicts my feedback:

"Callum, you carefully put together an excellent speech, incorporating all the features of oral language that were required in a seamless way. Your use of hand gestures was subtle but appropriate, your anecdotes and rhetoric were not overdone and your facial expressions showed your interest without over-acting. It was admirable that you didn’t need to rely too heavily on your cue cards. The content of your speech was well researched and strongly structured. Overall, your audience was thoroughly won over to your point of view. If it were up to me, I would be funding science immediately!"

Is this worth asking for a remark or is there something I am missing?

A 19/20 is an amazing score. There doesn't need to be anything inherently wrong with your oral for you to not get a perfect score. In fact, basically any perfect score in a piece of English assessment should rarely be attainable, because it implies the work could not be improved in any way. I wouldn't take your result so harshly, because it really is a good score.

I can't make a fair judgement because I haven't actually heard what you presented. Maybe it was the best speech to ever go down in history, but your teacher probably just felt is was 'really good' as opposed to being flawless. Who knows? Maybe it will even be the highest score within your cohort. If it's really bugging you, ask your teacher what you could've done to move up to a 20, but don't enter the conversation with the expectation of moving your score up or arguing you did what she mentions in response, as it won't be healthy for your future work!

Just my 2 cents. Keep up the good work.

[HasibA]

it is reasonable to analyse the font choice in a language analysis, or should i steer clear of it? is there reall a hierarchy of language techniques ? for example, i hear rhetorical questions are far too commonly used, so its preferred to vary the techniques analysed.

what is highest mark you can get in a text response if you have very limited references/quotes to your text? more so, if you have like 1 quote per paragraph, but your essay rocks, can you still get a 10 or nah?

with context- if the assessors can't find the link between the prompt and your story, but you incorporate nice ideas/language choices etc., are you destined to receive a far lower mark than if the link was mroe clearer?

thank you- sorry if the questions ive asked have been unclear!

[Swagadaktal]

it is reasonable to analyse the font choice in a language analysis, or should i steer clear of it? is there reall a hierarchy of language techniques ? for example, i hear rhetorical questions are far too commonly used, so its preferred to vary the techniques analysed.

what is highest mark you can get in a text response if you have very limited references/quotes to your text? more so, if you have like 1 quote per paragraph, but your essay rocks, can you still get a 10 or nah?

with context- if the assessors can't find the link between the prompt and your story, but you incorporate nice ideas/language choices etc., are you destined to receive a far lower mark than if the link was mroe clearer?

thank you- sorry if the questions ive asked have been unclear!

Um you should probs wait for a big baws to answer this (HLS or Lauren) - but ima give you this piece of advice.

It has to flow naturally - if your piece calls for a rhetorical question then you put in that rhetorical question. If ur text response begs for an overused quote coz it fits so nicely and it proves ur point - then use it...
There is no quote limit but obviously u dont wanna under quote - you just need to put as many as needed. There's no number to give you. You just gotta see what works and what doesnt...

Soz this is pretty vague but this is the answer you need to understand imo

- if HLS, Lauren or any other big baws says otherwise then I'd probs follow their advice coz they're way better than i