English Advanced 2016 HSC exam pack (archive)

Candidates showed strengths in these areas:

• giving clear explanations with appropriate textual references
• demonstrating a clear understanding of the requirements of a question that required a ‘contrast’
• developing an analysis based on a key aspect of the rubric; ‘the wonder of discovery’
• demonstrating an effective analysis of two texts by skilfully demonstrating multiple understandings of discovery.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• ensuring that the key terms in each question are addressed clearly in responses
• supporting points made with appropriate and well-chosen textual references
• establishing key arguments that address the requirements of the question.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• specifically and imaginatively addressing all aspects of the question in both a literal and/or metaphorical way
• skilful control of language
• establishing an evocative setting
• exploring the relationship between place and individual discovery.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• avoiding clichéd and predictable plots
• writing in a controlled and sustained manner
• dealing with the discovery concept and stimulus throughout the response.

Different approaches to the question:

A significant number of responses included a conceptual exploration of the experiences of Discovery. Students used a variety of terms from the rubric in their evaluations of the discovery process. Candidates interpreted the notions of emotional and intellectual responses through a range of synonymous terms. There was a wide range of related texts.

Approaches to the question varied. One approach to the question was to deal with both ‘the emotional and intellectual responses’ aspect of the question in each text, but it was equally valid to argue that one aspect was more prominent in one text whilst the other was more prominent in the second text. Many candidates considered how the emotional response provoked by the experience of discovery resulted in an intellectual response.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• synthesising a response to the question with elements from the rubric
• developing and sustaining a thesis which engaged with the question
• linking knowledge of the prescribed text with a judicious selection of related text
• developing a purposeful structure with considered integration
• demonstrating that the process of discovery is dynamic and diverse
• exploring the audience’s experience of discovery through the text.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• ensuring that they respond to the full scope of the question
• controlling expression throughout the response
• analysing rather than just describing texts
• selecting and analysing textual features which contribute to the argument.

Students approached the text pairings in a variety of ways. One approach was to focus on key scenes or incidents. A different but equally valid approach was to explore characters and themes. An overreliance on metalanguage often led to an obscure and ineffective response. Rhetorical terms used to impress generally did not; for example, stichomythia seems an unnecessarily complex way of referring to banter and asyndeton is not necessarily a key technique in novels. Appropriateness is the key. Students who wrote clearly and concisely using appropriate terminology were usually more successful.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating an understanding of context
• demonstrating a holistic and detailed knowledge of the texts
• discussing texts in a concise and focused manner which reflected an understanding of the specific extracts as well as a wider knowledge of the texts as a whole
• approaching the question through the lens of the module
• using the extracts as a focus in the question and consequently avoiding retelling.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• selecting relevant quotations and examples to support their argument
• avoiding the use of pre-prepared responses which demonstrate a narrow textual knowledge and focus
• demonstrating effective contextual knowledge. For most students it is a way in which to frame and organise their response. Broad, sweeping statements about context often were incorrect and mirrored a shallow textual knowledge
• avoiding a thematic study of the two texts. Comparative study must not simply be seen as thematic study. Textual form and purpose must be integrated
• avoiding conflating values and themes. They are clearly differentiated in the module statement and the rubric
• recognising the aspect of social criticism within the texts. For example, some responses correctly linked the concepts of hedonism and materialism in The Great Gatsby but did not indicate that the text was critical of these elements
• developing a full awareness of the values in the texts rather than just a narrow thematic focus, such as love or gender.

Shakespearean drama – William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Different approaches to the question:

Approaches to the question rested on the way candidates interpreted ‘ideas about truth and deceit’ while also paying attention to the fact that these ideas were ‘challenging’. Furthermore, this was explored in terms of how Shakespeare used imagery to represent these ideas. Ideas about truth and deceit were interpreted in a variety of thoughtful ways, which included the exploration of truth and deceit in relation to the ghost’s demand, Claudius’ outer calm and inner evil, questions about Gertrude’s fidelity, Hamlet’s existential doubts, the nature of fate and chance, as well as to Hamlet’s final resolution to act. The ‘challenging’ nature of these ideas were explored in terms of the way the play leaves these ideas open to doubt and qualifies Hamlet’s responses in so many ways. Not only are Hamlet and many of the play’s characters challenged by questions over what is truth and what is deceit, but so is the audience in relation to the issues the play raises. Candidates then explored how Shakespeare used imagery to represent these ideas.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• developing and sustaining a thesis that addressed the question and using appropriate textual evidence as support
• effectively exploring the link between imagery and the key ideas
• showing how a range of imagery, such as images of disease, blood, decay and fate, as well as central dramatic and theatrical images, such as the ghost, the play within a play, Yorick’s skull and the grave contributed to the central ideas of truth and deceit
• using context to frame the argument about truth and deceit, linking the play to its Renaissance world and the conflict of values at that time
• exploring the breadth of the play.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• developing a strong personal voice that demonstrates engagement with the text
• integrating a sense of the text as a piece of theatrical drama and how this shapes meaning into their analysis
• 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.

Prose fiction – Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

Different approaches to the question:

Some responses dealt with the question by focusing on kindness and cruelty and categorising characters. Many responses focused on Jane’s experiences of kindness and cruelty as instrumental in shaping her values in a Victorian patriarchal society. However the word ‘interplay’ was often overlooked and not explored in response to the relationship between kindness and cruelty.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• dealing with the effects of kindness and cruelty on the shaping of Jane’s character
• using an extensive range of characters as examples in their analysis, with judicious evidence from the text to support their analysis
• demonstrating a very good understanding of the Victorian contextual restraints on Jane’s character
• dealing with interplay through the examination of kindness and cruelty in different contexts; Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield
• showing a strong understanding of the construction of the text.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• moving beyond a limited analysis of narrative structure and features
• not limiting their handling of key words eg interplay
• not using a range of characters to demonstrate their understanding of the interplay of kindness and cruelty
• not writing responses that were descriptive and lacking textual detail
• not ignoring the shaping of Jane’s character.

Prose fiction – Tim Winton, Cloudstreet

Different approaches to the question:

Most candidates approached the notion of characterisation through the house in Cloudstreet and demonstrated a confident understanding of Winton’s entire narrative. Many responses were able to engage with the themes of stagnation and renewal as complementary concepts in a cyclical manner. Characterisation was approached as a craft of textual construction by Winton and evaluated in terms of its impact against Winton’s own context. Candidates incorporated a contextual judgement which enabled them to approach the question holistically.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• exploring characterisation as a craft used by Winton to consider the nominated key ideas and incorporated extensive textual analysis
• comprehensively evaluating textual forms and features to support a synthesised argument
• seamlessly integrating a confident understanding of 1950/1960s Australia, in particular, Western Australia, to support an argument
• exploring stagnation and renewal.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• not focusing on description of characters and key events, rather than the creation of character through characterisation
• not presenting a literal response to aspects of stagnation and renewal in the lives of characters
• not selecting textual evidence from a narrow view of the novel, with only a few key episodes highlighted.

Prose fiction – Gail Jones, Sixty Lights

Different approaches to the question:

Candidates’ approach to the question was determined by their interpretation of ‘search for continuity’ in relation to how imagery is used in the text to explore the search. Candidates found a number of ways to explore it; in most cases they used the metaphor of photography as a way to access the question. Other approaches were that photography was used to make a record of life, that photos remain static and are permanent images, so they assist with the search for continuity. Many responses were able to engage with the narrative structure through place and setting and explore the ‘search for continuity’ through the development/transformation of the character.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• using the narrative structure to explore how the character of Lucy builds her own narrative
• expertly analysing imagery through the use of photographs and photography, using appropriate techniques and insight into the significance of the representation of images
• considering the structure of the text which reflected the candidates’ understanding of how place is used to develop/transform the character Lucy
• the ability to interpret the contextual influences, in particular the female perspective.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• expanding an exploration of the type of photography that is used to explore the narrative
• avoiding descriptive responses with limited analysis
• linking analysis and exploration of ideas to meaning
• exploring contextual influences.

Prose fiction – Michael Ondaatje, In the Skin of a Lion

Different approaches to the question:

Approaches to the question rested on the way candidates interpreted ‘quest for control’ in relation to an analysis of characterisation and how it is used to explore that quest. Candidates found a number of ways of interpreting the idea, such as framing it as an individual’s search to assert and be comfortable with their own identity, mainly through the characterisation of Patrick and the class struggle for control. Other approaches included exploring the migrants’ quest to take control over their own version of the history of colonial Canada, through the characterisation of people like Temelcoff, Alice and Clara and, at a metanarrative level, of the various ways that the narrative works, as a fragmented postmodern narrative, to explore ideas about control of the story (through the characterisation of a number of key figures).

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating knowledge of the text, particularly its depiction of the migrants’ varied histories and Patrick’s personal development
• exploring the craft of characterisation (the way that Ondaatje shapes our understanding of the nature of each fictional person, and their role within the novel)
• knowledge of the postmodern, fragmented narrative structure as a metaphor for characterisation and story telling
• using textual evidence to support analysis
• writing clearly and cohesively
• exploring a variety of vivid images, representative moments, associated motifs and poetic idioms, rather than merely retelling the story of each character as it develops within the novel

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• addressing the whole question, by linking the given textual feature – characterisation – to the central idea – ‘quest for control’, to develop a clear argument
• widening the scope of the use of the concept of control – not just through class
• referring to characters rather than characterisation
• expanding on ideas rather than focusing on Patrick’s story
• including detailed language analysis of form and language and the construction of the text that represents the quest, such as the skin motif and the use of the epigraph to make connections between quest and the form
• not overusing critics’ views which detract from the primacy of the text.

Drama – Anton Chekhov, The Seagull

Different approaches to the question:

Most candidates approached this question through a thesis around self vs social determinism, particularly as a mindset. The notion of tension was often inconsistently addressed, with candidates referring to the concept as a technique, the outcome of resistance to change, or synonymous with being unfulfilled or passive. The underlying concept of conventional vs unconventional (particularly social and artistic conventions) was often linked to concerns around the Russian intelligentsia and broader contextual concerns that related to resistance to change.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• placing the notion of tension (including insights into relieving the tension, and the tension of the audience) at the heart of the thesis around resistance to change, as opposed to tension being an afterthought or aftereffect
• using detailed textual references from across the entire play that enhanced the thesis
• providing an original, thoughtful and conceptual argument that explicitly connected tension to resistance to change
• judiciously selecting contextual information that was directly connected to issues and characters in the play
• controlled expression and syntax with broad vocabulary that demonstrated a well-developed understanding of the metalanguage of drama.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• addressing the notion of tension
• consolidating an argument throughout the response
• not repeating textual references across the response
• acknowledgement perceptive concepts (eg self-actualisation, vagaries of the human condition) and developing these ideas
• finding correct examples of tension that have arisen from resistance to change.

Film – Orson Welles, Citizen Kane

Different approaches to the question:

Candidates demonstrated knowledge of Welles’ construction of ‘ominous settings and images’ with an emphasis on Welles’ craft as a filmmaker. Some candidates were able to take the nominated aspect of Welles’ ‘critique of society’s obsession with power’ and develop critical analysis that delved into his contextual concerns. Many candidates interpreted the protagonist, C F Kane, as a representation of ‘society’s obsession with power’. An alternate but equally valid approach to the question used the context and values of the text when exploring ‘society’s obsession.’ Some offered a synthesised consideration of all components of the question, with an emphasis on textual form and features as a significant part of their response to the question.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating a strong understanding of the plot, characters and contextual concerns beyond C F Kane and analysing scenes that were most applicable to the question
• applying the nominated idea of ‘power’ as a significant component of their critical analysis using discerning examples to explicitly engage with the question
• critically analysing and synthesising the features of film, looking at the impact of ‘ominous’ aspects of the mise en scene including lighting, depth of field and camera angles, in order to make this analysis well-informed
• demonstrating a strong personal engagement with the question, critically engaging with the breadth of the text, and therefore sustaining an authentic voice throughout the response.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• constructing integrated analysis of the text that demonstrates a capacity to apply knowledge of the film as a whole, rather than an isolated treatment of one or two scenes
• applying all nominated aspects of the question to the analysis, moving beyond plot recount and a description of C F Kane’s character
• avoiding over reliance on dialogue to explain C F Kane’s need for ‘power’, developing a more integrated exploration of the function of key dialogue in the film in terms of the question
• developing a more comprehensive treatment of ‘images’ and ‘settings’ of the film, rather than describing isolated objects such as the ‘snow globe’ or the window at Kane’s childhood home, which were often referenced without any justification of how they could be interpreted as ‘ominous’
• selecting scenes for analysis that supported their argument and representing one’s own personal engagement, rather than using scenes that were simply iconic.

Poetry – T S Eliot, T S Eliot: Selected Poems

Different approaches to the question:

Candidates approached the notion of fragmentation both structurally and thematically. Fragmentation was seen through structural discord and linguistic experimentation of the poetry. It was also discussed to scrutinise the changing context of Eliot’s world and to highlight the alienation of such a world. Responses gave emphasis to broken imagery and layered allusions to highlight the fractured experiences of a post-World War One world. This was seen in the grief, misery and callousness of contemporary civilisation.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• ability to discuss in detail issues of alienation such as the emptiness and shallowness of modern life and the difficulties of communication
• understanding of the way that context affected the poems, for example the way the set poem mirrors Eliot’s own quest for spiritual salvation and the world’s redemption
• judiciously choosing poems and evidence from the suite of poems and evaluating the effect of poetic usage on the responder
• tracing Eliot’s philosophical journeys through the suite of poems
• demonstrating a strong sense of personal response to the poetry and its construction in order to convey Eliot’s purpose.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• avoiding a line by line discussion of the poems
• being aware of Eliot’s context and not just relying on biographical details or providing a literal commentary on Modernism
• knowing and understanding the full suite of poems
• using critics effectively to enhance the arguments that developed in terms of the question
• engaging with the question in sufficient depth and not just providing either brief responses or generalised arguments not linked to the specifics of the question.

Poetry – Christina Rossetti, Christina Rossetti: The Complete Poems

Different approaches to the question:

The term ‘specific’ was treated inconsistently in relation to setting. Many candidates approached this through a contextual lens, focusing on the gendered assumptions of Victorian society, whilst others centred on individual settings within the poems; details of the funeral setting in After Death featuring heavily. Many candidates addressed the notions of absence and grief across a range of poems; the treatment of both notions was balanced in most responses.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating a strong conceptual understanding of how specific settings reveal either abstract and/or concrete examples of absence and grief across the suite of poems
• using detailed textual references that showed depth of knowledge of Rossetti’s contextual concerns, and were linked to the development of ideas
• providing an original and thoughtful argument that integrated absence, grief and setting
• evaluating poetic forms and features including a broad range of techniques that were skilfully unpacked and connected to the question
• demonstrating a strong personal voice and engagement with Rossetti’s purpose and construction.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• not just dealing with absence and grief on a literal level and just identifying specific instances of absence and grief, as opposed to an exploration of Rossetti’s broader concerns
• not making generalised or limited reference to setting across the poems, rather than specific introspection
• considering specific techniques, as well as evaluation of these techniques
• having knowledge and understanding of all poems set for study.

Poetry – William Butler Yeats, W B Yeats: Poems selected by Seamus Heaney

Different approaches to the question:

Some candidates approached the “personal and political concerns” in an integrated manner, whilst others chose to explore these concerns discretely from one another. Candidates approached “contrast” in terms of poetic form(s), as well as contrast between the personal and political concerns. Many candidates demonstrated a strong understanding of Yeats’ context, and how this affected his personal and political concerns. The chosen poems allowed a variety of pathways into the question.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• a focus on the specifics of the question; an integration of the notions of personal and political concerns as interconnected through the poems, rather than treated as individual concerns
• addressing contrast in a variety of ways, with a strong sense of Yeats’ poetic construction
• seamlessly integrating context to enhance the argument where necessary
• providing a clear voice that demonstrated a personal engagement with the suite of poems and the question that was sustained throughout the entire response
• judicious selection of textual references that were directly related to the question of personal/political, and were skilfully evaluated in terms of the impact on the responder.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• not conflating the poet with the persona and often including unnecessary biographical details about Yeats, especially in regards to Yeats’ relationship with Maud Gonne
• not focusing on the personal and political concerns.at the expense of losing the notion of contrast
• not just explaining techniques but analysing their effect
• using critics in tokenistic ways which do not enhance the thesis
• not writing responses which are brief and underdeveloped, and which lose focus with the elements of the question, instead relying on generally commentary about the poems.

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

Different approaches to the question:

The most common response was through the framework of the patriarchy and gender roles, which was often limited to a thematic approach. Candidates needed to extrapolate contextual influences in relation to their comparison of context. Candidates sometimes demonstrated a narrow view and understanding of social views and how Woolf used her voice to provoke action and challenges to social attitudes. Some responses recognised and conceptually engaged with the notion of personal voice through writing and education.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• examining voice in the texts through a conceptual approach
• demonstrating an understanding of context through the examination of feminist concerns
• exploring the purpose of the literary form effectively as a force for challenging the contextual patriarchal values
• using judicious textual evidence which supported the analysis of the argument and ideas in the texts
• synthesising all aspects of the question.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• integrating or exploring in depth evaluative connections between the texts
• not simplifying key terms of the question (prevailing social attitudes and social voice) leading to generalised responses
• not using descriptive paraphrasing which affects the detailed analysis of the texts
• demonstrating how form is used to create the personal voice
• having a stronger awareness of the purpose of the texts and their respective contexts.

Nonfiction – Speeches

Different approaches to the question:

A common approach to the question was to analyse audience and purpose of the speeches, interpreting them as a means of advocating for social change through ‘language and learning’. One approach to the question positioned the language of the speeches themselves as a learning experience. Many candidates showed a capacity to interpret the term ‘significance’ relative to the speechmakers’ contexts and core values. Many responses also presented a balanced analysis of the prescribed speech and one other speech of their own choosing, and provided a strong personal voice that confidently and consistently engaged with the terms of the question. In some cases, candidates needed to draw stronger connections between the speeches, using the nominated aspects of the question to do so.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• making connections between the language of the chosen speeches and the context in which they were written
• examining how specific and relevant features in the chosen speeches, especially in Lessing’s speech, worked to create a purpose
• demonstrating a strong, personal voice that engaged with the demands of the question, especially in Lessing’s speech
• integrating well selected and detailed textual references that acknowledged rhetoric and the form and features of the speeches
• judiciously selecting speeches which complemented the capacity to answer the question
• drawing on the values embedded in the speeches to meaningfully discuss social change
• demonstrating an awareness of audience when looking at the function of rhetoric to bring about social change.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• addressing the thematic and contextual complexities that shape the speeches
• making meaningful and relevant connections between the speeches
• preparing to write on a nominated speech, rather than relying on only part of what is considered a whole text.

Different approaches to the question:

Many candidates approached the question by showing the effect of powerful political figures on the ‘ordinary people’ within texts in responses that generally confirmed the statement. A different approach was to explore the dynamics of power within texts, looking at the complex relationship between the powerful and the powerless. A valid approach was to challenge the question, arguing that the powerful ultimately were dependent on those that they lead. Some candidates argued successfully that, through dissent, ordinary people were able to access power.

Candidates showed strengths in these areas:

• establishing and maintaining a thoughtful thesis
• understanding the composers’ purpose; how it is revealed by their representation of ideas and how that impacts upon an audience
• selecting evidence and using it judiciously in a sustained and developed response to the question
• writing in a controlled and deliberate manner to enhance textual discussion.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• moving away from explanations of content, driven by plot and character, towards more conceptual material
• writing in a way where elements of the texts are integrated into a sustained argument
• building a sophisticated evaluation based on the comparison of features in their prescribed and other related text.

Elective 1: Representing people and politics

William Shakespeare, King Henry IV, Part 1

Students approached the concept of politics in diverse ways, with specific comments on political rhetoric, political dichotomy, political hierarchy, political structures and the conflict between personal and public political perspectives.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• clearly articulating a perceptive position on the view of the question in a sustained thesis
• demonstrating recognition of context and the composers’ impact on the audience through a perceptive understanding of the module, elective, question and texts
• skilfully evaluating well-selected aspects of representation to foreground the composer’s purpose. Parallels were drawn between the composers’ purpose and means of representation
• developing an integrated textual discussion to deepen their analytical commentary on the nature of politics.
• skilfully evaluating representation by both composers in a purposeful, sustained, and often integrated manner and selecting detailed textual evidence judiciously to substantiate their discussion
• making purposeful and skilful language choices to communicate the thesis and arguments in a succinct and articulate fashion, without being verbose
• responding with well-structured, fluent and developed sustained arguments.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• exploring all aspects of the question, including a focus on the module concept of representation and the relationship between people and politics
• demonstrating an awareness of Shakespeare’s purpose and consideration of his choice of form and its impact on audience
• selecting textual references that reflect a broader understanding of the texts, to allow for deeper analysis and evaluation
• not limiting responses to discussion of more simplistic textual features such as plot and characterisation which reduces the capacity to connect the analysis to representation
• carefully selecting the related text to allow for a more meaningful connection to the question and prescribed text
• demonstrating a more confident control of expression and elevation in vocabulary.

Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

In general, approaches to ‘the ultimate powerlessness of ordinary people’ were delineated through an exploration of the features of a totalitarian regime and characterisation.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• demonstrating a perceptive understanding of Huxley’s satirical purpose as a deliberate construct in a thesis-driven response which evaluated how conditioning was used to control of the masses
• drawing upon the broader values of Huxley’s context in the evaluation of the representation in core and related texts
• skilfully focusing the argument on Huxley’s representation of the characters of John the Savage, Bernard Marx and Lenina and their varied responses to totalitarian control
• analysing the ‘powerlessness of ordinary people’ through the power constructs of Brave New World and the ways ‘ordinary people’ were subjugated to total control through the World State, hypnopaedia and soma
• displaying discernment in their choice of textual detail from Brave New World and a broad variety of other related texts and drawing strong connections using evaluative statements and an integrated structure. The choice of related material often allowed candidates the opportunity to extend and challenge the thesis established in Brave New World
• writing responses which were well structured and sustained with confident control of language.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• understanding the broader scope of political power, political systems in the 1930s and how this affected the composer’s purpose in constructing the representation
• selecting textual references that support an exploration of how representations are deliberately constructed, rather than paraphrasing quotes and recounting
• choosing related material which supports an in-depth exploration of representation and people and politics.

Arthur Miller, The Crucible

Approaches to this question focused more clearly on the allegorical context of Salem representing McCarthyism and the impact of theocracy. Powerlessness was generally dealt with effectively in terms of how hysteria and manipulation could either change the power of ordinary people, like Abigail and Putnam, or destroy ordinary people, like Proctor and Giles.

Some candidates focused on the ‘powerlessness of ordinary people’ and overlooked the word ‘ultimate’.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• perceptively developing a thesis that focused on Miller’s didactic purpose, form and the ideas of the politics of theocracy as an allegory for his own context
• exploring notions of sexual politics and/or the power of the court as a subversive and corrupt element for ordinary people
• demonstrating detailed understanding of the characters as symbolic and the setting as a microcosm within the text
• skilfully addressing the question by incorporating depth of insight into Miller’s purpose, form and the elective, usually via characterisation, setting and stage directions
• developing a sustained, integrated argument with judicious selection of textual material and discerning choice of related material.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• exploring notions of how politics and people are represented rather than a literal recount of the text
• selecting textual references which further their argument rather than including lengthy quotes
• demonstrating an understanding of Miller’s use of the dramatic form and his purpose in creating a contextual allegory.

Barry Levinson, Wag The Dog

Some candidates approached the question by agreeing with the statement, while other candidates argued the opposite. Many candidates agreed with the statement for their prescribed text and argued against it with their related text.

The approach to 'politics' was largely addressed through an analysis of the characters Brean and Motss and the power of media. Other approaches included the composers' use of political satire to further their purpose.

Many candidates clearly defined who the 'ordinary people' were within each text and clearly articulated who held the power. In many instances candidates successfully argued 'to what extent' in both the prescribed and related texts.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• perceptively addressing all elements of the question in a cohesive, integrated analysis of the prescribed and related text which was sustained and balanced throughout the response
• demonstrating a clear understanding of how their text explored key characteristics of the module and elective
• skilfully evaluating well-selected aspects of representation to argue and evaluate the composers' purpose through a clear definition of politics in a range of ways
• developing an integrated response by choosing relevant textual evidence from both the prescribed and the related text to support their thesis
• skilfully evaluating the use of form as well as film and language techniques to either agree or disagree with the statement
• presenting a well-structured, fluent, succinct and articulate argument .

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• exploring all elements of the question, module and elective by shaping a clear and sustained thesis
• selecting textual references which support the thesis and demonstrate deeper understanding of the composers' purpose
• demonstrating understanding of composers' context and choice of form
• selecting related material which has relevance to the prescribed text, beyond basic thematic concerns
• identifying representations of politics outside of the media
• addressing the question rather than recounting the plot.

W.H.Auden, Selected Poems

Many responses explored how Auden’s poetry was influenced by his strongly held opinions on political independence and the fight against fascism. Most candidates identified citizens as the ‘ordinary people’.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• exploring how Auden represented his disillusionment with autocratic government and policies that demeaned people
• demonstrating a deep appreciation of the composer’s independent voice
• evaluating how his work was influenced by his personal context
• presenting an insightful evaluation of at least two prescribed poems through judicious selection of textual evidence and providing examples that enhanced the thesis and in particular addressed the question.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• developing a thesis that explores authorial intent, rather than providing a commentary on isolated textual references or quotations
• considering the choice of related text carefully. Candidates often gave the impression that they were attempting to force their only related text to fit the question
• focusing on fewer poems in the response rather than presenting a superficial coverage of too many poems
• evaluating Auden’s deliberate choice of textual form and features to address the given question.

Henry Reynolds, Why Weren’t We Told

Approaches to the question often showed a specific understanding of the features of polemic texts. They understood Reynolds’ deliberately provocative representation and its challenges to established historical narrative. Most responses accepted that Reynolds successfully portrays the powerlessness of ‘ordinary people’ in his discussion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Some valid responses argued for the value of a more objective approach.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• perceptively developing a thesis with a controlled exploration of Reynolds’ text
• demonstrating the capacity to recognise and analyse the rhetorical and structural features of Why Weren’t We Told rather than simply repeating the key arguments
• skilfully examining the political nature of the text and the deliberate construction of an argument meant to influence, challenge and shape contemporary attitudes
• developing arguments that judiciously selected material from across the different features of this multi-modal text. Effective related material was often drawn from other overtly political texts, including speeches and editorials
• displaying a perceptive evaluation of the construction of ordinary people and their relationship to powerful people and institutions in both texts
• writing responses which were well argued, confident and controlled.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• exploring rhetorical techniques and their effect rather than re-telling experiences or events outlined in the texts
• selecting textual references from across the text
• demonstrating control of evaluative language, driven by an understanding of the module and the elective.

Elective 2: Representing people and landscapes

Different approaches to the question:

Candidates viewed ‘the past’ in several ways, one being that of the individual. Other candidates saw the past as being the significant events of history or the memory of changing landscapes. Many candidates supported the view expressed in their evaluation although some candidates wrote valid responses that challenged aspects of the question. Some students argued successfully that present experiences were of more relevance in shaping an individual’s perception of landscape than the past .

Candidates showed strengths in these areas:

• establishing and maintaining a thoughtful thesis
• understanding the composers’ purpose is revealed by their representation of ideas and how that affects an audience
• selecting evidence and using it judiciously in a sustained and developed response to the question
• writing in a controlled and deliberate manner to enhance textual discussion.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• moving away from explanations of content, driven by plot and character, towards more conceptual material integrating elements of the texts into a sustained argument
• building sophisticated evaluation based on the comparison of features in their prescribed and other related text.

Melissa Harrison, Clay

Candidates approached the concept of people and landscapes in different ways including remembered, past and present, imagined and artistic.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• clearly articulating a perceptive position on the view of the question in a sustained thesis
• demonstrating comprehensive textual knowledge for both texts which allowed a thorough exploration of intrinsic links between individuals and landscapes
• developing an integrated textual discussion to deepen their analytical commentary on landscapes
• skilfully evaluating representation by both composers in a purposeful, sustained, and often integrated manner and selecting judicious and detailed textual evidence to substantiate their discussion
• making purposeful and skilful language choices to communicate their thesis and arguments in a succinct and articulate fashion, without being verbose
• carefully selecting related texts to allow for a more meaningful connection to the question and prescribed text
• writing sustained and fluent arguments.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• exploring all aspects of the question, including a focus on the module concept of representation and the relationship between people and landscapes demonstrating recognition of context and the composers’ impact on the audience through a perceptive understanding of the module, elective, question and texts.
• evaluating aspects of representation to foreground the composer’s purpose. Parallels should be drawn between the composers’ purpose and means of representation
• selecting textual references that reflect a broader understanding of the texts, to allow for deeper analysis and evaluation
• developing responses which go beyond discussion of more simplistic textual features such as plot and characterisation
• demonstrating a more confident control of expression and elevation in vocabulary.

Colm Toibin, Brooklyn

The candidature explored ‘an individual’s perception of landscapes’ and its ‘intrinsic links to past’ primarily by contrasting characters’ perceptions of rural and urban landscapes.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• perceptively drawing comparisons between the physical landscape of Brooklyn and Ireland, focusing on Eilis’s changing perspective, how emotion and nostalgia coloured her view of past landscapes and how the strength of her relationship with Tony and others contributed to her sense of place
• skilfully demonstrating understanding of Toibin’s purpose and cultural context and how his choice of textual form facilitated an exploration of real and romanticised landscapes
• developing an integrated response with well-chosen textual support from core and related texts to evaluate ‘intrinsic links to the past’
• developing a sustained and fluent response which featured a strong personal voice.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• focusing on the tools of representation and evaluating their effectiveness rather than recounting plot and character development
• understanding the ‘intrinsic’ connection between people and landscapes and how relationships affect perceptions of landscape.

Patrick White, The Tree of Man

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• perceptively exploring the landscape’s intrinsic connections to the past through the portrayal of the influential nature of the land on individual identity
• demonstrating a conceptual understanding of representation, the elective and the question
• foregrounding the composer’s purpose in evoking the culture of Australia
• synthesising the thesis throughout the response and making evaluative links
• developing the argument through judicious selection of textual material in a fluent and skilful manner.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• demonstrating a deeper understanding of the module and the composer’s purpose
• selecting textual references that further the argument
• engaging with the module and elective and answering all aspects of the question.

Rolf de Heer, Ten Canoes

Candidates approved the view in the question through an effective discussion of the Indigenous Australian's relationship with the landscape over time. Most related texts also explored the relationship of Indigenous Australians with the landscape over time. Their discussion demonstrated clear links between the module, elective and the question, providing clear understanding of composers' purpose.

Another valid approach was the use of forming one's identity through connections with the landscape over time. Some candidates, through their choice of related text, challenged the statement and argued that the present experience of landscape was more important than the past.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• perceptively addressing how the complexity of the present Indigenous perception of landscape is linked to past experiences. This was sustained throughout the response
• demonstrating a clear understanding of how the text explored key characteristics of the module and elective
• skilfully evaluating well-selected aspects of representation to argue and evaluate the composers' purpose
• developing an integrated response by choosing relevant textual evidence from the prescribed and related text to support the thesis
• skilfully evaluating the use of form as well as film and language techniques to represent the continued connection of inhabitants to their landscape over time.
• writing responses which were well-structured, fluent and developed. The choice of language provided a succinct and articulate argument.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• exploring all elements of the question, module and elective
• selecting textual references which support the thesis and demonstrate deeper understanding of the composers' purpose
• demonstrating understanding of the composers' context and choice of form
• selecting related material which has relevance to the prescribed text, beyond basic thematic concerns.
• addressing the question rather than recounting the plot line.

Judith Wright, Judith Wright: Collected Poems 1942–1985

“Responses often explored the impact of Wright’s European heritage on the environment and indigenous culture. The ‘past’ was interpreted through previous experiences, relationships, places and memories.

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• exploring how Wright represented connections and disconnections of various personae amidst the ruggedness of Australian highland landscapes
• demonstrating a deep understanding of the composer’s voice
• evaluating how her work was influenced by her personal context
• providing insightful evaluation of at least two prescribed poems through judicious selection of textual evidence and examples that enhanced the thesis and in particular addressed the question.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• developing a thesis that explores authorial intent, rather than providing a commentary on isolated textual references or quotations
• considering the choice of related text carefully. Candidates often gave the impression that they were attempting to force their only related text to fit the question
• avoiding introducing too many poems in their response.

Alain de Botton, The Art of Travel

The multimodal nature of this text posed particular challenges for students. Some candidates, for example, focused on de Botton’s personal anecdotes or his use of ‘guides’ rather than seeing these as features of his chosen medium, hybridised popular philosophy. Some approaches explored how de Botton’s construction used ‘guides’ from the past to inspire his audience to consider more deeply their own responses to landscape., Candidates often chose related texts that explored the dynamic interaction of people and landscapes.

A number of responses focused on the restorative power of the ‘travel mindset’ and the necessity for receptivity when experiencing landscapes both past and present. The deliberate search for connections with the past as a way of interpreting individual experience was another equally valid approach

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• perceptively exploring the dynamic interaction of people and landscapes and evaluating the significance of the past in shaping individual perception
• demonstrating the capacity to analyse the multi-modal features of the text, dealing with anecdote, artwork, philosophy, photography and other features in an integrated way
• exhibiting a highly conceptual understanding of de Botton’s deliberate construction throughout The Art of Travel
• analysing the significance of landscapes for particular individuals, or the way previous experiences shaped present perceptions. The transformative power of landscape and its capacity to create sublime experiences or a greater understanding of self was foregrounded
• viewing The Art of Travel holistically and developing arguments that drew on relevant examples from across the text
• selecting sophisticated related texts which allowed for an integrated evaluation of the different representations of the composers and the contribution of their choices to the meaning of texts.
• writing responses which were fluent, sophisticated and sustained, exhibiting a confident control of language.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• exploring composers’ purposes more closely, focusing on the reason for the deliberate choices that make up particular representations
• selecting textual references from across the entire text as opposed to focusing on individual sections. Some responses selected textual reference from individual chapters or limited discussion to a particular ‘guide’ or anecdote; a more holistic response is required to effectively convey an understanding of this text
• demonstrating a control of evaluative language, driven by an understanding of the module and the elective.