English Literature Personal Statement Example 22

The way in which a writer deliberately uses specific types of literary devices in order to implicitly express their thoughts and views on particular concepts such as: Philosophy, Politics and society shows that words have the power to influence the mind of a reader. Nevertheless, I believe that throughout history, Literature has had an impact on the world because it allows individuals to get an insight of a new universe and to become open-minded and can also impact upon the type of character a person is. From Roald Dahl’s Matilda to J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre…such childhood protagonists influence the mind of a child who grows to become an adult who may forget magic and wander and ultimately creativity which is the most important element in one’s life. Therefore, I believe that Literature should be emphasised as it can change perspectives and ignorant ideas.

Sonnets and plays by Shakespeare are challenging to read and acknowledge but seeing the meaning behind each particular verse allowed me to see the bigger picture that Shakespeare illustrated through the use of his unusual language choices. Learning to read and write in Bengali has allowed me to gain a better understanding of the culture I was born into as I am now able to read Bengali works fluently.

Reading and analysing Ancient Greek Literature in Classics has developed my understanding of the importance of Literature in society; even to the present day Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad are influential for contemporary Literature. Studying Sociology has made me come to realisation that social factors and policies can impact an individual’s way of thinking and this links to why I love Literature. The reason for this is that writing creatively means abandoning the norms and rules of society for imagination and sub-conscious.

Completing an EPQ based on Oscar Wilde’s play, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and Victorian society and culture will allow me to gain an insight of what life was like for Victorian men and women considering Wilde’s use of humour and wit to satirise the society he was a part of. The project will allow me to think critically and analytically as I will be working independently therefore using my initiative to decide how to carry out research and the dissertation itself.

Extra-curricular activities such as organising a Christmas party for the children of a special needs school and helping students of a feeder primary school with an art project have allowed my teamwork and leadership skills to improve as I became more confident with my communication with different people. Being a member of a reading group in high school meant that I learnt how to debate critically and to listen and cooperate with others. Moreover, work experience as an Avon representative meant that my organisation and time-management skills had to be used efficiently as I was relied upon by members of my neighbourhood. Mentoring a younger student’s reading was a rewarding opportunity especially when seeing the confidence of his reading had improved.

My aspiration for the future is to become an author (most likely for children). I had not thought about this until the night I wrote my first children’s story written in the form of verse. I was inspired to write this piece after watching a documentary about children’s literature. Finally, I am confident that the study of English Literature and Creative Writing at degree level will allow me to gain new knowledge and skills that I can use to achieve well and pursue my dream; I hope to be a great asset to university.