English Advanced 2015 HSC exam pack (archive)

Different approaches to the question:

Many students approached each question by dealing with the concept of Discovery in relation to each specific question. This conceptual approach allowed them to analyse and explore how Discovery was represented in each text.
Some candidates used textual analysis as an approach to this question. Students used the textual forms and features of each text to support the notion of Discovery with reference to each question.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge and understanding of each text
• demonstrating a variety of ways in answering each response
• ensuring their responses were well supported by textual evidence
• demonstrating knowledge of how Discovery was represented in each text in relation to each specific question
• demonstrating an understanding of how language creates meaning in relation to Discovery.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• spending an appropriate amount of time on this section and allocating the specific timeframe required for each question
• responding to the requirements of each question
• ensuring the questions are used to guide the requirements of each response, in relation to the concept of Discovery.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• imaginatively using the stimulus in both a literal and/or metaphorical manner
• demonstrating a sense of cohesiveness and skilful control of language through a well-crafted response
• creating a character with an authentic and credible voice
• exploring the sudden impact of the Discovery in a variety of ways.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• avoiding clichéd and predictable plots
• writing in a controlled and sustained manner
• moving beyond the literal interpretation of the stimulus
• dealing with the concept throughout the response, rather than referring to it at the end.

Different approaches to the question:

Many responses included the impact of Discovery on the individual or the broader community and its lasting legacy.
One approach was to deal with both parts of the question in each text, but it was equally valid to argue that one aspect was evident in one text whilst the other part of the question was evident in the second text.
Some candidates chose a chronological exploration of the texts to respond to the ‘process of Discovery’.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• synthesising a response to the question with elements from the rubric
• knowledge of the prescribed text and a judicious selection of related text
• developing and sustaining a thesis that was well-supported through purposeful structure and textual analysis
• exploring a change or transformation that occurred as a result of Discovery
• demonstrating that the process of Discovery is dynamic.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• ensuring that they respond to the full scope of the question
• integrating discussion more successfully by making more insightful links between texts
• controlling expression throughout the response
• analysing rather than just describing texts
• selecting and referencing textual features
• referencing texts appropriately instead of relying on unwieldy acronyms.

Different approaches to the question:

Students approached the text pairings in a variety of ways. Many focused on key scenes or incidents while others explored characters and themes. Candidates displayed a holistic and detailed knowledge of the texts, discussed them in a concise and focused manner and approached the question through the lens of the module.
Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• understanding and effectively using the module to address their text pairing
• demonstrating understanding of context and applying it to the question
• showing awareness of the contemporary relevance of the social concerns explored in the text pairings
• directly answering the question asked and applying detailed, well-supported knowledge for that purpose
• writing effectively in language appropriate for purpose.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• integrating textual form and purpose rather than limiting the comparison of texts to a preoccupation with thematic concerns
• avoiding broad, sweeping statements about context
• using metalanguage inappropriately which too often served to cloud rather than clarify meaning
• addressing the question asked rather than relying on applying pre-learned general concepts
• using quotations effectively to support arguments
• developing a full and deep awareness of the values presented in the text
• including cultural and social analysis, and recognising that the concerns raised in the texts are still concerns in the current context.

Shakespearean drama – Hamlet

Different approaches to the question:

Approaches to ‘balance has been disturbed’ was seen through the contrasting values of Renaissance Humanism vs Medieval Feudalism; imbalance in morality and the natural order; corruption as a symptom of a disturbed balance; political instability with regards to Elizabethan context; Hamlet’s existential imbalance.
‘Bleak world’ was explored through: the milieu of Elizabethan society; the world of Denmark; Hamlet’s inner cognitive world.
Common examples from the play that substantiated the ‘bleak world of a disturbed balance’ were: imagery relating to sickness and disease; Claudius usurping the throne; emptiness of Hamlet’s existence; appearances vs reality.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• effectively exploring key terms from the question, particularly the disturbed balance, across the play as a whole
• developing and sustaining a thesis that addressed the question and using appropriate textual evidence as support
• connecting the Elizabethan world to that of the play and Hamlet’s inner world.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• developing a strong personal voice that articulates the ‘extent to which the perspective aligns’ with the provided description
• greater discernment of textual evidence, such as not relying on common quotes and examples
• using the terms from the question to drive the argument rather than working prepared ideas into the question
• using references to critics, stage productions or films which often detracted from the impact of the argument and personal voice.

Prose fiction – Jane Eyre

Different approaches to the question:

Some candidates focused on parts of the question, for example, ‘class conflict’ and avoided addressing ‘provocative portrait’. They did reference ‘duty and obligation’ but aligned these terms with issues of gender and patriarchy without explicitly addressing the terms of the question in their response.
Often ‘class conflict’ was not established in the thesis or sustained in their responses. It was implied at times but not specifically dealt with in a meaningful way.
Approaches were often too broad and not specific or detailed enough to explicitly answer the question. This showed lack of insight for the whole text and led candidates into a descriptive recount rather than detailed analysis of the specific sections of the text.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge of the text through patriarchal values
• using textual evidence to support analysis
• demonstrating substantial knowledge of the text.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• establishing a thesis
• expanding on ideas rather than focusing on characters
• referencing the form of the text
• demonstrating a more extensive knowledge of the text
• including a more detailed language analysis.

Prose fiction – Cloudstreet

Different approaches to the question:

One approach to the question was through the exploration of themes such as family, resilience and reconciliation to address the notion of ‘personal struggle’. ‘Moving portrait’ was explored through the families’ experiences of landscape and spirituality.
Many candidates tended to rely on predictable moments in the text and supporting evidence such as Fish’s drowning, the blackfella, Rose’s relationships and Dolly’s anorexia. More original choices of textual evidence would assist students in building and constructing more depth in their response and show their knowledge of the whole text.
The construction of the novel as a feature was not a focus in terms of addressing ‘portrait’ and ‘changing times’. This indicated a lack of knowledge or understanding.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge of the text through exploration of characters
• addressing the question confidently
• using textual evidence to support analysis
• demonstrating a knowledge of the context and language
• using clear and logical arguments.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• selecting relevant quotations and examples to support their argument
• expanding on ideas rather than focusing on characters
• referencing the form of the text
• avoiding the use of generic assertions about the text
• avoiding referencing textual integrity as a theoretical approach.

Prose fiction – Sixty Lights

Different approaches to the question:

An approach to the novel was through the character Lucy; however, the complexity of the character was not explored in depth. Contextual influences were lacking and candidates tended to recount rather than analyse the language, content and construction and make complex conceptual links between the past and present.
Whilst candidates attempted to explore the fascination of technology through Lucy’s use of the camera and fascination with how the camera captured the images, it was apparent that they did not have a strong understanding of the insights the character Lucy was experiencing and gaining through the use of the camera.
Some candidates attempted to address the novel as a ‘Bildungsroman’ and its structure. However, this was approached literally and generalised ideas were used instead of an extensive analysis of the form, narrative features and purpose of the novel.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge of the text
• understanding the protagonist, Lucy’s experiences
• understanding the significance of photography
• exploring contextual influences.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• examining the metaphors of light and technology and its impact more extensively
• linking the past and the present
• examining the form of the novel and its narrative features, in particular its lyrical qualities.

Prose fiction – In the Skin of a Lion

Different approaches to the question:

Approaches to the question rested on the way candidates dealt with ‘search’ and ‘dignity’. It was obvious ‘dignity’ was the discriminator as many responses struggled with interpreting it within the context of the text. These responses either ignored it or did not actually explore its nuances in relation to the search for dignity. Candidates defaulted to the position of using Patrick’s journey throughout the novel which showed a limited understanding of how to use the question in relation to contextual influences and generic ideas about the text.
Interestingly, some responses overlooked the opportunity of using the motif of skins in the ‘search for dignity’. This would have allowed their response to go beyond the superficial reinterpretation of Patrick’s journey and focus on historical multiplicity.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge of the text, particularly its depiction of the marginalisation of migrants
• using textual evidence to support analysis
• writing clearly and cohesively.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• addressing the whole question
• expanding on ideas rather than focusing on Patrick
• linking the form to the question
• including detailed language analysis
• overusing critics’ views which detracted from the primacy of the text.

Drama – The Seagull

Different approaches to the question:

Approaches to ‘entrapment’ were seen through: resisting changes in theatrical conventions from the old to the new; the physical setting of the countryside, isolation from the city; human relationships in the play, specifically how characters are trapped by their feelings/emotions/artistic process; being trapped in mediocrity; existentially through the notion that life is a performance (on and off the stage).
Approaches to ‘seemingly ordinary world’ were commonly seen through: the setting of the countryside vs the city; contextual connections to Russian intelligentsia and melodrama; suspending disbelief in reality through action off stage; and the subverted structure with Act 4 as anticlimactic .
Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• including references to specific scenes and events in the play
• demonstrating a strong grasp of the notion of ‘seemingly’ in relation to characters’ perspectives of events
• understanding of Chekov’s context, including subversions of conventional Russian melodrama and how the text reflects his context
• understanding of the notion of ‘entrapment’, particularly the concept of existential entrapment
• identifying the ‘seagull’ as a symbol of ‘entrapment’, particularly as a static piece of art.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• ensuring all key terms from question are included in their response and that there is a balanced exploration; the notion of ‘ordinary’ was more strongly addressed than ‘seemingly’
• engaging personally with the play through the crafting of a sustained voice that evaluates ‘the extent to which’ their perspective aligned with the provided description.

Film – Citizen Kane

Different approaches to the question:

‘Confronting portrayal’ was treated by most students as Welles’ ground-breaking cinematography; however, some students treated this as an avenue to explore the contextual background underpinning the film.
The uneven treatment of ‘vanity and loss’ resulted in responses that tended to explore ‘loss’ more effectively. ‘Vanity’ was most often explored through Kane’s hubris and self-aggrandisement and successfully tied to the maintenance of a public facade. 
Other successful approaches were through: loss of the relationships with Susan Alexander and Jebediah Leland; lost moral values as a result of obsession with material possessions; lost sense of self; an ambiguous sense of truth; and loss of ideals due to a pursuit of the American Dream, which was particularly used to highlight the changing world.
The most common examples from the film were the breakfast montage, Susan’s opera career and News on the March.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• selecting the most relevant parts of the film to demonstrate examples of ‘a confronting portrayal of vanity and loss’
• showing a conceptual understanding of ‘vanity and loss’
• insightfully discussing how Welles used cinematic conventions to convey confronting images of vanity and loss
• personally engaging with an interpretation of the film; linking conceptual understanding of Welles’ purpose to the impact of a changing world.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• using textual evidence to support a developing argument
• engaging with the key concepts of the question more explicitly
• avoiding redundant commentary and biographical information about Orson Welles that was irrelevant to the question
• avoiding generalised statements about vanity and loss.

Poetry – T S Eliot: Selected Poems

Different approaches to the question:

Approaches to ‘uncertainty’ were seen through: humanity’s lack of identity and sense of self; difficulties with social relationships; uncertainty of the mind; disillusionment with religion and faith; the complexity of existentialism through the notions of fate and destiny. There were many confident and quite sophisticated responses to the text.
The ‘turmoil of modern life’ was explored as: humanity’s loss of spirituality in a secular milieu; the decadent and destroyed world from industrialisation/urbanisation/sordid landscapes/lack of community; the banality of existence; the literary shift from Romanticism to Modernism. A common feature was the allusion to Dante’s Inferno as representing the ‘turmoil of modern life.’

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating a well-developed understanding of the Modernist context in relation to key terms from the question
• aligning their personal understanding to the provided perspective
• analysing the poems perceptively with very well-chosen textual references supporting their ideas and evaluation
• providing examples of ‘uncertainty’ across a range of poems.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• responding to all aspects of the question
• distinguishing between ‘modern life’ and ‘Modernism’
• avoiding a line-by-line analysis and/or explanation of the poems
• avoiding the use of Eliot’s biographical details as a means to address the question.

Poetry – Christina Rossetti: The Complete Poems

Different approaches to the question:

Candidates approached ‘giving voice’ as meaning Rossetti being avant-garde in her context; cautioning her audience.
‘Dilemmas of desire’ was addressed as both Rossetti and her personas: longing/yearning for a voice; silent suffering of Victorian women; isolation; temptation; social acceptance; sexual and economic desire; religious and spiritual desire. Some candidates attempted to adapt prepared responses to suit the question, ignoring the notion of voice and redirecting discussion towards beauty and art.
‘Strict social expectations’ was explored through references to the Industrial Revolution; the duty of women in the literary world; textual form of the sonnet; uncompromising patriarchy; the tragedy of marriage; internal suffering.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge and understanding of physical desire in a range of Rossetti’s poems
• linking Rossetti’s context (pre-Raphaelites and literary movements) and the body of work
• demonstrating a breadth of knowledge of all poems set for study with effective textual references.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• avoiding a narrative approach to answering the question, for example, outlining the relationship between Laura and Lizzie in Goblin Market; the objectification in The Artist’s Studio; the changing relationships in Maude Clare.
• addressing social expectation in terms other than gender stereotypes
• demonstrating a more holistic understanding of the nature of Rossetti’s desire(s), rather than simply sexual.

Poetry – W B Yeats: Poems selected by Seamus Heaney

Different approaches to the question:

Approaches included looking at the uncertainty of the future through the notion of foresight; an existential uncertainty; uncertainty as derived from changes in Yeats’s context; uncertainty of self and relationships; uncertainty reflected in Yeats’s subversion of poetic forms and stylistic devices.
‘Changing times’ was approached contextually and focused on shifting ideologies (Modernism); Ireland’s relationship with England (and the uprising); changes in Yeats’s relationships; chronological differences in Yeats’s life; changing religious paradigms.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of all poems and the capacity to utilise different poems to build a strong argument
• integrating detailed textual references from a range of poems to create a fluent argument
• demonstrating a strong understanding of Yeats’s context and how his personas reflected his deep uncertainties about the world around him
• discussing Yeats’s use of imagery as a Symbolist poet.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• addressing the concept of ‘provocative portrayal’ in relation to the impact of Yeats’s work on individuals across contexts, particularly the nature of provoking
• avoiding tokenistic references to key terms from the question in the last few sentences of paragraphs
• avoiding simply outlining the failed romance with Maud Gonne
• understanding the significant complexities of Yeats’s ideas.

Nonfiction – Virginia Woolf: A Room of One’s Own and Three Guineas

Different approaches to the question:

Approaches tended to focus more on contextual influences rather than significant analysis of issues and form.  An idea that was consistent throughout was ‘gender relations’ in both A Room of One’s Own and Three Guineas. Discussions were often thematically driven.
Some candidates demonstrated an unbalanced approach to both texts; often A Room of One’s Own dominated the responses rather than making conceptual links between the texts.
References to Woolf’s stylistic choices and how these reflected the context of changing times were infrequent – a key aspect of the module that was not addressed in responses.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge of the context
• understanding gender relations
• demonstrating detailed textual knowledge
• demonstrating a personal voice.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• referencing both of Woolf’s texts
• focusing on stylistic choices in both texts, particularly form
• making conceptual links between the text
• analysing both language and form.

Nonfiction – Speeches

Different approaches to the question:

Conceptual approaches were systematic and considered both descriptors, ‘passionate and insightful’ holistically as part of their response. These responses approached the ‘perceived injustices’ in terms of the speakers’ use of rhetoric and their intellectual purpose to engage the intended audience.
Candidates more effectively addressed ‘insightful’ than ‘passionate’ in the majority of responses. Strong focus was given to rhetorical devices.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge of the selected speeches
• demonstrating an insightful understanding of the impact of the speaker’s context
• integrating textual evidence seamlessly to support their argument and exploring a wide range of rhetorical techniques used to enhance the power of the speech
• embracing all aspects of the question to develop a synthesised argument.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• selecting relevant quotations and examples to support their argument
• selecting judiciously to best suit their thesis to the question
• analysing the textual features of the speeches in relation to the question
• considering the question holistically in framing a response.

Elective 1: Representing people and politics

Different approaches to the question:

Many candidates approached the question by arguing political motivations were not ambiguous and thus able to achieve the ultimate goal of control. A different but equally valid approach was that control was not taken literally but rather examined as an act of representation. Others focused on the goals within the text and those of the composer.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge of the texts through judicious selection of evidence
• demonstrating clear understanding, and discussion of, representation through a strong and sustained thesis
• using well-considered and sophisticated related material.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• organising and structuring ideas
• analysing representation rather than describing techniques
• taking a conceptual approach to the module, elective and question, rather than a plot or character-driven response
• selecting appropriate related material
• understanding and control of language.

William Shakespeare, Henry IV Part 1

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• using the text to support their discussion of Shakespeare’s compositional choices with regard to the context, themes and characterisation.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• widening their focus beyond solely the motivations of characters and the issue of control within the plot.

Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating an understanding of representation and how context influences motivations and compositional choice in the attainment of control.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• showing understanding of representation rather than just focusing on character.

Arthur Miller, The Crucible

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating a strong understanding of personal and social context and its influence on compositional choices in the pursuit of control.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• moving beyond the control sought by individual characters.

Barry Levinson, Wag the Dog

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• analysing the representation of motivations for the purpose of political control.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• engaging with the elements of the question rather than just focusing on representation.

W.H. Auden, Selected Poems

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• discerning use of contextual information and a balanced evaluation of the statement and the act of representation.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• selecting the prescribed poems that best suit the question
• demonstrating a deeper understanding rather than a shallow and superficial approach to the question.

Henry Reynolds, Why Weren’t We Told?

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• engaging with the elective and the idea that this was a political text, in order to demonstrate a strong evaluation of the statement.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• engaging with the question rather than just the representation of truth and/or the issue of racial conflict.

Elective 2: Representing people and landscapes

Different approaches to the question:

Many candidates agreed with the statement in a straightforward response, acknowledging that ‘experiences of landscape may be diverse, but the influence on identity is always profound.’ A small number of candidates chose to challenge the statement, either partially or in its entirety. Some candidates challenged the notion of ‘diverse landscapes’ in The Art of Travel because of de Botton’s personal/cultural context, but agreed with it for the related text.

Many approached the question by looking at both the positive and negative consequences of relationships/experiences with landscape. Another equally valid approach was the notion that diverse experiences of landscape informed identity. Some candidates looked at the impact of landscapes on the identity of the composer or looked at cultural and social identity, rather than just personal identity. Some responses demonstrated a strong conceptual understanding of types of landscapes, including philosophical, psychological, emotional and imagined, whilst others interpreted the question literally.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge of the texts through judicious selection of evidence
• demonstrating clear understanding and discussion of representation through a strong and sustained thesis
• selecting and using well-considered and sophisticated related material.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• structure and organisation of ideas
• analysing representation rather than describing techniques
• providing a conceptual approach to the module, elective and question.

Melissa Harrison, Clay

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• considering the evocative form of the novel as a means to explore the concept of identity in relation to natural rhythms.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• avoiding literal treatment of the text
• looking at the landscape in a superficial manner.

Colm Toibin, Brooklyn

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• engaging with the form of the text in order to wholly explore the statement.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• discussing ideas other than just plot and character.

Patrick White, Tree of Man

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• engaging strongly with the statement through an exploration of textual form.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• focusing on aspects other than plot and character in order to respond to the statement.

Rolf De Heer, Ten Canoes

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• showing a clear delineation between representation, meaning and the link to landscape which was seen from a social and/or cultural perspective.

Candidates need to improve in these areas

• focusing on the film in relation to the concept rather than the elements of film.

Judith Wright, Selected Poems

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• taking a holistic approach to both the statement and, by extension, the poems under the umbrella of the module.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• avoiding simply focusing on the persona and their relationship to the landscape.

Alain de Botton, The Art of Travel

Candidates showed strengths in these areas:

• demonstrating deep knowledge and understanding of the text, module and elective
• analysing representation in both the prescribed and related text, with a strong understanding of how meaning is deliberately shaped and the impact it has on the responder
• using a diversity of appropriate related material that linked to the module and elective, rather than being similar subject matter to the set text.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• answering all parts of the question
• developing a clear thesis rather than simple repetition or rewording of the question
• considering the text holistically and making careful, appropriate selection of aspects/examples that are appropriate to the question and to the argument.