English Personal Statement 6
English Literature has broadened my understanding of society and culture. It has helped me gain a deeper insight into important aspects of my life by not only presenting me with many different perspectives but also challenging my previous ideas. Therefore I am delighted at the prospect of studying this subject at University.
Studying "Wuthering Heights" confirmed my love for Victorian Literature. At first I found the often nihilistic speeches of Heathcliff shocking and his wild, animalistic actions left me feeling disgusted. However I eventually discovered sympathy for Heathcliff as underneath his ferocity was his unchanging love for Cathy and it is that which I felt was responsible for being ultimately destructive. I greatly enjoyed writing a transformational piece of text in the voice of Heathcliff from which I began to appreciate Bronte’s skill of depicting this Byronic hero and the passionate yet demonic love that penetrates this whole novel.
Literature has always been able to test my previous ideas. When reading George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-four", I found his presentation of love through the cold, metallic realism of Winston's everyday routine allowed me to appreciate the complexity of this emotion. Having been brought up in a Communist country, it challenged me to find a balance between the morals of my childhood with the new ideas presented. The importance of language is greatly explored in this text through the "destruction of words" in "Newspeak" created by Orwell and I became interested in the creation of language within literature. This led me to read "A Clockwork Orange". While reading the speech "nadsat" created by Burgess, the learning of this language played a huge part in helping me understand the youth culture that Burgess was trying to portray. I feel that this paralleled to the time when I was first learning English as a foreign language and discovered its importance in reflecting the new world around me.
I tutor GCSE English Literature. I particularly enjoyed teaching the pre-1914 poetry bank drawing upon my study and interest in Victorian verse in particular Hardy’s Emma poetry of 1912-13. While these poems moved me partly through the startling Hardyesque imagery and his attempts at keeping her alive through these works of mourning, I found his varied depictions of his wife from a "girlish form benighted" to a reproachful ghost oddly unsettling as he was unsure of whether she is "past love, praise, indifference" or "blame".
My Christian faith has always been a central part of my life and I am interested in its influence of English Literature. Reading "A Woman of No Importance" by Oscar Wilde for my AS studies, I uncovered many interesting links to the Bible such as the symbolic nature of the garden in Wilde’s play parallels to the "Garden of Eden" as a ground for love as well as sin. My interest in religious influence over literature also expanded to Chinese literature. The emphasis on reincarnation and the balancing of nature are explored in the first chapter of "The Story of the Stone" with the stone claiming: "unfit to repair the azure sky, long years a foolish mortal man was I" which coincides with the strong influence of Taoism and Buddhism in china during 19th century China.
In my role as head girl at my previous secondary school I was required to speak at public events and this developed my speech writing ability and gained encouragement to lead. I participate regularly in musical performances in school. As well as being a member of the chamber choir, I play violin in my school orchestra, giving me the opportunity to work together with my fellow musicians. Along with tutoring English, I also tutor piano and regularly teach Sunday school in my church, which not only helps me towards my future ambition of working with children but also gain a better sense of responsibility.
Universities Applied to:
- Oxford - Offer (AAA) Firm
- Birmingham - Offer (AAB) Insurance
