ENGLISH HSC STUDY NOTES
MODULE A: TEXTS AND HUMAN EXPERIENCES
Module A: they make increasingly informed judgements about how aspects of these texts, for
example context, purpose, structure, stylistic and grammatical features, and form shape
meaning. In addition, students select one related text and draw from personal experience to
make connections between themselves, the world of the text and their wider world.
Billy Elliot
Themes
- Struggle pursuit of dreams:
Key scene: Billy pirouette practise
Theme
Struggle
with
adversity
Example
Analysis
Rubric terms
Scene
where The use of full shot Collective
Jackie
is camera
angle
destroying
the represents the symbolic
piano
representation of the
mother caring for the
family even though she
is not physically there.
Also represents the
important motif of music
as the piano is seen to
assist him in the
struggles he faces.
> Demonstrates the
collective experience of
struggle with adversity
as the family needs to
destroy such a deep
connection
to
essentially survive.
Audience impact
Influences
the
audience
to
empathises with
the text, in which
they
gain
a
deeper
appreciation for
the text as it
conveys a deeper
recognition of the
hardships
that
collective
individuals may
face.
Struggle
with
adversity
Struggle
with
adversity
Following
the
scene
where
Billy finds his
grandma in the
field, it is noticed
that there is a
group of police in
the background.
Long shot indicates the Illustrates
compositional
juxtaposition
that
indicates one of the key
tensions within the film,
between Billy’s creative
spirit
and
his
oppressive
struggle
with adversity. Also
illustrates the collective
struggle
that
is
experienced by the
community.
The scene where The use of slow motion Emotions,
techniques anomaly
Billy’s coach is editing
captures
the
fall
and hurt
yelling at Billy
emotions
of
Billy
that his
during training,
coach causes as he
“Jesus
Christ
expresses
his
Elliot, you’re a stereotypical assumptions
disgrace to them of males being good at
blokes,
your boxing. It suggest the an
father and the anomaly
will
be
tradition of this experienced by Billy as he
does not show any
boxing ring.”
interest or motivation in
boxing.
Struggle
with
adversity
Begging of the
film,
scene
where he finds
his grandma in
the field
Mid shot examines his
facial expression that
displays the human
emotions of wariness
and scared that he is
experiencing.
Demonstrates
his
responsibility for his
grandma
and
the
compassion
and
mature behaviour he
has. Displays struggle
with adversity as he is a
young child that has to
care for an elder.
Pursuit of Opening scene Close up shot clearly
dreams
where billy plays establishes
the
the record player symbolic importance of
music
and
foreshadowing a key
focus of the film, the
world of music and
dance.
It
also
introduces
and
highlights the important
Audience gain an
insight of how the
struggle
with
adversity can be
experienced
collectively, even
when it is not
specifically
noticed.
Encourages the
audience to feel
empathy for Billy,
which results in
the
audience
challenging the
norm
of
stereotyping boys
due
to
the
appreciation that
is reflected with
Billy.
Presents
emotions and
qualities
of
responsibility
and
compassion.
Behaviour.
Introduces
and
challenges
the
audience view as
gain
a
new
perspectives on a
young
male
caring for his
grandma.
Audience gain an
appreciation
of
the
Encompasses
subjective
individual
experience
Ignites new idea
of importance that
music plays in
one’s life.
Pursuit of The scene where
dreams
Billy plays the
main character
for
the
performance of
‘swan lake’ at the
Theatre Royal in
London
-
motif of music that links
to Billy’s life.
Illustrates the triumph of Encompasses
Billy
pursuing
his Individual
dreams. The use of the experience
full shot camera angle
with Billy being the
salient image, captures
the gran leap of Billy,
demonstrating that he
has reached his dream
of
becoming
a
professional
dancer.
Significance of this
scene symbolises the
flight of Billy’s struggle
to achieve his dream
has finally come to an
end.
Challenges
the
audience ways of
thinking as it
introduces
the
success of a male
succeeding in a
commonly
stereotyped
female sport.