Crafting Texts: 'Identity & Belonging' - VCE - Unit 1 & 2 English Study Guide - Research guides at Westbourne Grammar School at Westbourne Grammar School

Crafting Texts

TSE Tuition (2 March 2023) NEW VCE English/EAL study design: Crafting/Creating Texts! [video], TSE Tuition, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Millburn J.F (31 May 2023) How to Improve Your Sentences when Writing [video], How to Write Better, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Brock E (15 December 2022) 12 Ways to Write Better Sentences for Creative Writers [video], Ellen Brock, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Using a writing process
A six step process to get writing done by Melbourne University.
A complete guide to the writing process: 6 Stages of writing
Understanding how and why you write the way you do allows you to treat your writing like the job it is, while allowing your creativity to run wild.
The Writer's Process
A humerous and honest article about the writers process from the persepective of a writer.
The Complete Writing Process
The writing process is the process or steps a writer goes through to complete a writing piece. This process can also include other people, not just the writer, who help take the piece of writing through the steps it needs to go through to be publisher ready.
Improve your academic English
Monash has created a great guide to help students to lean new strategies for listening, reading and communicating.
The writing process
Griffith University have produced a helpful video on the writing process that is supported by research.

The Yellow Wallpaper

'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

'This short story is regarded as an important early work of American feminist literature, illustrating attitudes in the 19th century toward women's health, both physical and mental. Presented in the first person, the story is a collection of journal entries written by a woman whose physician husband (John) has rented an old mansion for the summer. Forgoing other rooms in the house, the couple moves into the upstairs nursery. As a form of treatment, the unnamed woman is forbidden from working, and is encouraged to eat well and get plenty of exercise and air, so she can recuperate from what he calls a "temporary nervous depression – a slight hysterical tendency", a diagnosis common to women in that period. Gilman used her writing to explore the role of women in America at the time. She explored issues such as the lack of a life outside the home and the oppressive forces of the patriarchal society. Through her work Gilman paved the way for writers such as Alice Walker and Sylvia Plath.' (Amazon (n.d.) The Yellow Wallpaper Paperback – 6 June 2018, Amazon.com.au, accessed 8 February 2024.)

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Project Gutenberg offers free eBooks of titles that are free from copyright. Downlaod a copy of 'The Yellow Wallpaper' or read offline.
House of horror: the poisonous power of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 'The Yellow Wallpaper'
It has inspired TV, stage, film – and now two new art shows. Kathryn Hughes strips back the layers of this classic tale to understand its enduring appeal.
The Yellow Wallpaper: a 19th-century short story of nervous exhaustion and the perils of women’s ‘rest cures’
“These nervous troubles are dreadfully depressing”, wrote Charlotte Perkins Gilman in her short story, The Yellow Wallpaper. Though later gaining recognition as a journalist and social critic rather than an author of fiction, Gilman is best known for this brief and extraordinary piece of writing published in 1892.
Feminist Gothic in "The Yellow Wallpaper"
This story contains many typical gothic trappings, but beneath the conventional façade lies a tale of repression and freedom told in intricate symbolism as seen through the eyes of a mad narrator.
The Yellow Wallpaper
Stream the 2021 film, 'The Yellow Wallpaper' based on Charlotte Perkins Gilman short story of the same name.

HorrorBabble Production (28 April 2017) "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman [video], HorrorBabble, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Green J (11 January 2018) The Yellow Wallpaper: Crash Course Literature 407 [video], CrashCourse, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Northeast Georgia History Centre (31 October 2021) Short Film: The Yellow Wallpaper [video], Northeast Georgia History Centre, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

The Yellow Wallpaper
Sparknotes study guide of this text gives you section summaries, character analysis, literary devices, questions, devices and deeper study.
The Yellow Wallpaper
Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper. Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Take risks and tell the truth: how to write a great short story
Drawing on writers from Anton Chekhov to Kit de Waal, Donal Ryan explores the art of writing short fiction. Plus Chris Power on the best books for budding short story writers

The Reading and Writing of Short Stories
A Southerner born in Jackson, M ississippi, and educated at the M ississippi State College fo r Women, the University of Wisconsin, and Columbia. Eudora Welty is one of the most versatile and talented of our shortstory writers.

How to write a short story: The short story checklist
Whether you want to master the elements of fiction, experiment with novel ideas, or simply have fun with storytelling, here’s everything you need on how to write a short story step by step.
Writers On Writing / The power of short stories with Ryan O’Neill
‘Writing a novel is like flying a 747, with plenty of time for take-off, flight and landing. Writing a short story is like trying to get a plane off the ground as you are in the process of building it. It teaches a writer all kinds of skills.’
How to Begin a Short Story: 5 Ways to Hook Your Readers Quickly
This MasterClass looks at the importance of a strong beginning in a short story and 5 ways to start.
How Reading Short Stories Can Improve Your Writing (No Matter What You Write)
I’m here to encourage you to seek out short stories. Lots of them. Even if you never intend to write one. Because reading short stories can help improve your writing no matter what genre you write in. Here are 5 key reasons why:
How to write a short story
Penning short stories is a great way to improve your writing. The form demands your idea be delivered with clarity and be structured tightly. We asked our authors for their best tips on writing short fiction to help you with your next story.
Why We Read (And Write) Short Stories
The following is adapted from the introduction to 100 Years of the Best American Short Stories.
How to Write a Short Story In 5 Steps: Writing Tips for Great Story Ideas
What is a short story? How do you write a short story? what is the history of short story and what makes a good short story?

The Yellow Wallpaper
This Britannica article includes a brief explanation of the text and a bio of Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “Why I Wrote The Yellow Wallpaper” (1913)
Charlotte Perkins Gilman won much attention in 1892 for publishing “The Yellow Wallpaper,” a semi-autobiographical short story dealing with mental health and contemporary social expectations for women. In the following piece, Gilman reflected on writing and publishing the piece.
The Trouble with Charlotte Perkins Gilman
The story is based on Gilman’s experiences with Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell, late-nineteenth-century physician to the stars. Mitchell administered this cure of extended bed rest and isolation to intellectual, active white women of high social standing.
Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman
A short bio of Gilman life and career and links to her poems.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman Did More Than Write One Classic Short Story
This article dicusses the portion of Gilman's life when she write The Yellow Wallpaper and the challenges she faced trying to publish her work in the 19th century.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
This is a deeper look at who Charlotte Perkins Gilamn was and what she wrote.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
This is a short bio of Charlotte Perkins Gilman and includes a link to a speech she wrote and gave in 1909 - 1910, called 'The Humanness of Women'

Mama's Boy

At the center of this thought-provoking memoir, Black, who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for Milk, offers a heartfelt tribute to Anne, his courageously inspiring yet deeply religious and politically conservative mother. Released April 30 2019.

Kirkus Reviews (2 February 2019) Mama's Boy: A story from our Americas, Kirkus Reviews, accessed 6 February 2024.

Book Review: Mama's Boy by Dustin Lance Black
This book review expresses some of the reviewers personl life and includes an excerpt of Dustin Lance Black reading his own book.
How A 'Mama's Boy' And His Mama Found A Path Beyond Politics
This a written and audio transcript of the interview with Dustin Lance Black on his text 'Mam's Boy' on Weekend Edition Sunday on 28 April 2019.
Mama's Boy: A Story from Our Americas
“Black’s tender and heartfelt love letter to his remarkable mother is an act of courage and reclamation. It’s a well-deserved tribute. Clearly, she was something.”
Dustin Lance Black Shares The ‘Emotionally Brutal’ Process Behind Creating ‘Mama's Boy’
The Oscar winner's HBO documentary shows him reconnecting with conservative family members — and he's urging more LGBTQ people to do the same.

Breaking Down the Key Elements of a Memoir
This article discusses what is a memoir and the 6 elements of a memoir.
5 Ways to Find the Themes of Your Memoir or Nonfiction Book
Writing a good memoir requires you to dive below the surface of what happened to you and when it happened. The simple and straightforward recounting of a period in your life is fine if the only people reading your book are your friends and family. But if you want a stranger to read your memoir, it should touch on deeper issues. In other words: you need a theme.
10 Tips for Finding the Theme of Your Memoir
Here are a few things you can do to dig deep and get to the kernel of what your memoir is really about...
Memoir
What Is a Memoir? Definition, Usage, and Literary Examples.
Memoir: writing on the family
3 August 2019: Writers Vicki Laveau-Harvie, Rick Morton, and Andrew Stafford all show that they are capable of writing family memoirs full of the darkness and suffering, whilst also leaning towards the light-hearted humour that can silver-line all aspects of life.

Mama's Boy Summary & Study Guide
This Study Guide consists of approximately 47 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Mama's Boy.
Dustin Lance Black and Laurent Bouzereau on Untangling the Ties That Bind in “Mama’s Boy: A Story from Our Americas”
The Moveable Feast interviews Dustin Lance Black about his memoir and the 2022 film adaptation.

Dustin Lance Black, author of MAMA'S BOY and Academy Award winning screenwriter of MILK |
The podcast 'Books Connect Us' interview Dustin Lance Black on writing, the pandemic and his memoir 'Mama's Boy'.

Camilleri R (1 May 2019) Dustin Lance Black Speaks On His Book, "Mama's Boy" [video], BUILD Series, accessed 8 February 2024.

Black D.L (27 May 2014) Creative Spark: Dustin Lance Black [video], Academy Originals, accessed 8 February 2024.

Today (14 October 2022) Filmmaker Dustin Lance Black Talks ‘Mama’s Boy’ Documentary [video], TODAY, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Stan Grant - Speech

Stan Grant: racism and the Australian dream
On the IQ2 stage in 2015, Stan Grant opened the hearts and minds of the audience with his powerful speech on racism in Australia. This page has a link to the video as well as a written transcript.
Australians let us all reflect: the moment Stan Grant captured our attention
This page contains a video of a ...'speech given by Grant at The Ethics Centre, Sydney at the IQ2 Racism Debate (“Racism is destroying the Australian Dream”) and it had everybody watching and talking after it was uploaded a couple of days out from Australia Day this year.'

Grant S (20 January 2016) IQ2 Racism Debate: Stan Grant [video], The Ethics Centre, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

The Ethics Centre (21 January 2016) IQ2 Debate: Racism is Destroying the Australian Dream [video], The Ethics Centre, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Stan Grant (1963 - )
A biography of Stan Grant including education, employment and relationships.
A short bio of Stan Grant. Published in, Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, 2023.
For years I've been a media target for racism and paid a heavy price. For now, I want no part of it – I'm stepping away
Stan Grant writes an article for ABC about why he quit the media.
ABC Australia apologizes to host as he steps away due to ‘sickening’ racist attacks
Hong Kong
CNN
—
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has apologized to journalist Stan Grant, who accused the network of failing to defend him from racist abuse, some of which followed his commentary on the coronation of King Charles III.
Man who threatened Stan Grant online has charges dropped on mental health grounds
Thursday 23 November 2023: The man accused of making online threats against former ABC journalist Stan Grant on social media has had his charge dismissed on mental health grounds.

Grant S (1 August 2016) Stan Grant Wallace Wurth Lecture: From Reconciliation to Rights [video], UNSW, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Grant S (15 April 2019) Stan Grant on the battle for Australia Day | RN Breakfast [video], ABC News (Australia), YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Grant S (23 May 2023) Stan Grant: watch ABC host's impassioned Q+A leaving speech: 'I feel like I’m part of the problem’ [video], Guardian Australia, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

ABC News (19 May 2023) Stan Grant steps away from Q+A citing 'relentless' racist abuse [video], ANB News (Australia), YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Grant S (31 October 2023) JG Crawford Oration - delivered by Professor Stan Grant [video], ANU TV, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Here's how Australians are reacting to Stan Grant's speech on racism 'killing the Australian dream'
His address has since triggered strong responses from the Australian public:
Stan Grant’s ‘Racism is Destroying the Australian Dream’ speech
Payne reviews Grants speech and reflects on the reaction from people like Eddie McGuire.
‘I’m part of the problem’: Stan Grant delivers powerful speech on Q+A
Stan Grant said that he feels he is part of the problem afflicting the media during his final moments as host of Q+A on Monday night, before beginning an indefinite break from journalism.
Movie at a Glance: The Australian Dream
On one level, The Australian Dream is the life story of Adam Goodes, AFL legend and 2014 Australian of the Year. Much more importantly, it’s a shattering insight into the historical trauma and continuing racism that underpins contemporary Australian culture. And ultimately it’s a cautiously optimistic vision of what it might take to create a more just Australia.
Stan Grant's speech on racism in Australia
Canadian born John Zimmer analysis Grant's speech on his blog, Manner of Speaking'. John Zimmer is from Canada and now lives in Switzerland. He is an internationally recognized speaker and expert on public speaking, presentation skills and persuasion. With degrees in International Relations and Law, John has 30+ years of public speaking and presentation experience in a variety of forums.
How Stan Grant delivered Australia's 'greatest anti-racism speech' off-the-cuff
When journalist Stan Grant stepped onto the podium in a large Sydney hall on a cold October evening to address a crowd of about 100, he had only an idea of what he wanted to say.
Stan Grant
Join Stan as he outlines the four key themes of his award-winning documentary, The Australian Dream: History, Racism, Reconciliation, and Hope.
The Australian Dream: Blood, History and Becoming Stan Grant
Stan Grant's remarkable essay published in the Quarterly Review in November 2016, writes indigeous people back into the economic and multicultural history of Australia. With a free State Library of Victoria, Access Membership, you can read this edition of 'Quarterly Essay' online.

Public Affairs Council
Solid speechwriting skills can help launch and sustain a successful career. What you need are forethought and methodical preparation.
Speech Analysis #1: How to Study and Critique a Speech
Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses and coaches speakers. Here are his tips on how to study and critque a speech.
Audience Analysis
Audience analysis involves identifying the audience and adapting a speech to their interests, level of understanding, attitudes, and beliefs. Taking an audience-centered approach is important because a speaker’s effectiveness will be improved if the presentation is created and delivered in an appropriate manner.
From A - Z Analysis of speeches
On this site you will find several speech analyses. For each speech, Zimmer has noted what he likes and make suggestions for improvement.

Speech Analysis Questions
Question you should ask when analysing a speech. Covering the elements of purpose, audience, content, tone, structure and delivery.

VCE - Unit 1 & 2 English Study Guide

Library Resources

Crafting Texts

TSE Tuition (2 March 2023) NEW VCE English/EAL study design: Crafting/Creating Texts! [video], TSE Tuition, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Millburn J.F (31 May 2023) How to Improve Your Sentences when Writing [video], How to Write Better, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Brock E (15 December 2022) 12 Ways to Write Better Sentences for Creative Writers [video], Ellen Brock, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

The Yellow Wallpaper

'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

HorrorBabble Production (28 April 2017) "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman [video], HorrorBabble, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Green J (11 January 2018) The Yellow Wallpaper: Crash Course Literature 407 [video], CrashCourse, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Northeast Georgia History Centre (31 October 2021) Short Film: The Yellow Wallpaper [video], Northeast Georgia History Centre, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Mama's Boy

At the center of this thought-provoking memoir, Black, who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for Milk, offers a heartfelt tribute to Anne, his courageously inspiring yet deeply religious and politically conservative mother. Released April 30 2019.

Kirkus Reviews (2 February 2019) Mama's Boy: A story from our Americas, Kirkus Reviews, accessed 6 February 2024.

Camilleri R (1 May 2019) Dustin Lance Black Speaks On His Book, "Mama's Boy" [video], BUILD Series, accessed 8 February 2024.

Black D.L (27 May 2014) Creative Spark: Dustin Lance Black [video], Academy Originals, accessed 8 February 2024.

Today (14 October 2022) Filmmaker Dustin Lance Black Talks ‘Mama’s Boy’ Documentary [video], TODAY, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Stan Grant - Speech

Grant S (20 January 2016) IQ2 Racism Debate: Stan Grant [video], The Ethics Centre, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

The Ethics Centre (21 January 2016) IQ2 Debate: Racism is Destroying the Australian Dream [video], The Ethics Centre, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Grant S (1 August 2016) Stan Grant Wallace Wurth Lecture: From Reconciliation to Rights [video], UNSW, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Grant S (15 April 2019) Stan Grant on the battle for Australia Day | RN Breakfast [video], ABC News (Australia), YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Grant S (23 May 2023) Stan Grant: watch ABC host's impassioned Q+A leaving speech: 'I feel like I’m part of the problem’ [video], Guardian Australia, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

ABC News (19 May 2023) Stan Grant steps away from Q+A citing 'relentless' racist abuse [video], ANB News (Australia), YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Grant S (31 October 2023) JG Crawford Oration - delivered by Professor Stan Grant [video], ANU TV, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.

Keenan C (13 November 2019) How to write a perfect speech [video], BBC Ideas, YouTube, accessed 8 February 2024.