Band 3/4 2019 HSC English Extension 2 Sample 1 Annotation: This is a clever, substantial and sustained postmodern Short Fiction reflecting on recent political events. Writing through a feminist lens it uses mythological tales and appropriates these to engage the audience with the ideas offered in the Major Work. It uses a variety of different forms, reflecting on the ways events are reported across traditional forms and emerging forms of social media. It is coherent and confident with well-developed skills in articulating and reflecting on the process of investigation. NOTE: All redacted quotes are awaiting copyright approval Band 3/4 2019 HSC English Extension 2 Sample 1 The Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus MEDIA RELEASE PuBlished January 2020 The Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus has announced that hearings will commence in April 2020, to Be held internationally in multiple secure and private locations. The Commission is inviting suBmissions for any information aBout the misconduct of Zeus, the King of Gods. Those wishing to make a suBmission will have until 31 March 2020. Zeus currently resides in Mount Olympus with other gods and goddesses, as he has done for millennia, and has Been made aware of the future investigation. The Commission has sought an agreement from the gods and goddesses that there will Be no godly interference with witnesses. For further information contact the Commission via the weBsite or directly By email [email protected]. NOTE: All redacted quotes are awaiting copyright approval Zeus @RealKingofGods The RC has hit a new low. Supporters of Mount Olympus showed up in THOUSANDS across the world. No “godly interference”, just the truth. 3 Band 3/4 2019 HSC English Extension 2 Sample 1 PRELIMINARY REPORT – EXTRACT The Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus seeks to investigate what really happened Between Zeus and the women who allege to have Been aBused By him, and whether the events that took place were consensual or not. Some of this conduct has Been known and celeBrated in Greek stories for thousands of years; some has not. It is crucial to determine exactly what took place and to dispel common misconceptions that have Been widely accepted today. The Commission poses the question whether Zeus, the King of Gods, has in fact committed these heinous rapes. And if so, what steps can Be taken to prevent further misconduct? If the allegations aBout Zeus are true, how is the phenomenon of raping those weaker than you explained? So far in the Commission, it seems that power, particularly the aBuse of power, is the key. What will be the next step to prevent this abuse of power? It is difficult to determine the law in these matters due to the period of time over which they haveNOTE: occurred. All redacted More oftenquotes than are not awaiting this misconduct copyright approvalis frowned upon, But without any significant consequence to deter these acts or even condemn the perpetrator, it continues to occur. The Commission aims to identify and share the accounts of the women who have Been forced into silence due to fear, as well as to address this aBusive conduct which is presently illegal But continues to occur as it has for thousands of years. The Commission’s Final Report will Be released as more findings are made regarding the King of Gods, Zeus, and these extreme cases of his aBuse of power. Content warning: The stories provided during the inquiry and to the Commission may detail sexual assault committed By our god, Zeus. This may Be disturBing or confronting for some due to the strong language and opinions expressed aBout Zeus and the explicit references to sexual assault. 4 Band 3/4 2019 HSC English Extension 2 Sample 1 Disclaimer: These stories are transcripts of interviews that were recorded during either puBlic or private sessions during the Royal Commission into the Misconduct of Zeus. Real names of witnesses have not Been used to protect confidentiality; however, in the circumstances of either a puBlic session or the statements of puBlic figures, names have remained unchanged. The Commission operates on the assumption that statements are not falsified and are honest; however, witnesses are not Bound to tell the truth. Nothing in the witness statements is to Be interpreted as the opinion or Belief of the Commission. The Commission is a neutral Body, providing the authentic statements of individuals affected By the conduct of Zeus throughout his millennia-long reign. NOTE: All redacted quotes are awaiting copyright approval 5 Band 3/4 2019 HSC English Extension 2 Sample 1 The Custodian – Sex, lies and gods: Zeus rocked by the Royal Commission EXCLUSIVE DANIEL PLATO Heading into the Commission’s third With the release of the Preliminary Report, week, Zeus has distanced himself further booksellers have reported a surge in sales from the investigation and announced that of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the original he will take no part in the proceedings. version of Zeus’s romantic affairs. Members of the popular online feminist “I will not be involved in the politically group Chrysalis hope the testimonies will motivated Royal Commission against me shed a new light on the Commission and and hope that those who are a part of the address the consequences of the epic poem process come to the realisation of what it with the women being remembered as truly is,” read an excerpt from our King of sexual objects and their legendary Gods’ media statement. transformations for millennia. Other leaders around the world have also The Commission is expected to run for made statements in support of Zeus, with NOTE: All redacted quotes are awaitingmonths morecopyright than originallyapproval planned as many, such as the President of the United more women come forward with States of America, dismissing the assault interwoven tales of lies, rape and deceit. and rape allegations as “fabricated and a disgrace”. Zeus @RealKingofGods The Royal Commission is creating FAKE stories to undermine my position, played up By the media to mask their own insecurities. Be aware! 6 Band 3/4 2019 HSC English Extension 2 Sample 1 Day 34 – Personal Inquiry No. 8 [puBlic] Everyone, I’m sure, is aware of my fate; that or they at least know of my scandalous reputation. The reputation that has followed me like a shadow, a dark part of me that has never left, no matter how much light I create. Artemis, the goddess of chastity and hunting, once viewed me as her favourite nymph. The other nymphs in the priesthood knew it. How could they not? We would often spend time together, just us two, hunting, talking, Bathing, sharing secret stares and laughing at our private jokes. In case you haven’t picked up on the oBvious requirement for a priestess to the goddess of purity, I had to remain chaste - which wasn’t hard in such a tight community. That was until I encountered Zeus. By all accounts it was my Beauty that attracted him, But who really knows? It was like any other day of hunting. Breathless, fatigued. I had hunted so deep into the forest I Became surrounded By untouched, virginal creation. It’s funny how the mind works. I can rememBer the trees that lined the forest: large and rough, their sweet green leavesNOTE: that All redactedfloated effortlessly quotes are in awaiting the Breeze, copyright down approvalonto the unkept grass. A natural sanctuary that I had disturBed for the first time, deciding it would Be the optimal place to rest. I drifted through the haze of sleep until she approached me, emphasis on the ‘she’. A lot of people have since asked me why I didn’t think it suspicious that Artemis would visit me alone, But who would’ve thought that there would Be sinister intentions? It was common for us to meet in secluded places and sometimes even Be the pillow for one another as we slept. A casual conversation followed until I was no longer talking to Artemis. She had Become a he, and he was holding me tight. Zeus. My chastity taken like the purity of the forest we had disturBed. Apparently, the nymphs could sense my guilt. My guilt. The guilt created due to my wrongdoings, my Betrayal, my aBuse. I rememBer flinching as she approached, hurt and anger floating in her godly stare. I was so deluded, I Began to think Zeus was Artemis all along. All the memories and trust that had grown Between us, felled in one swift motion. (Once trust is taken from us we never really find it again, do we?) 7 Band 3/4 2019 HSC English Extension 2 Sample 1 I stood in fear. Fear from having Been left splintered and torn in the forest – no longer the pure priestess. I was convinced I had done this to myself. That I had put myself in a position to Be manipulated. That I should have realised what was happening Before Being friendly to Zeus, leading him on. Don’t think the humiliation, aBuse, rejection and self-hatred was the end. Hera, still waiting for Zeus to get over his “playboy” phase, had no mercy. She knew I was a hunter, a skilled one at that. I was transformed – slowly, Body part By Body part, pulled and twisted, joints Breaking, Bones Bending – into a Bear, losing all recognition of who I once was, all sense of humanity. A Bear to Be hunted, a Bear to Be left wandering alone and aimlessly, a Bear to Be killed (almost) By her own son. It’s not easy carrying the child of your aBuser.