Personal Statement - English Literature 6

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

The written word allows a unique range of expression; picking up where empiricism falters and communicating subtleties that music can only hint at. English Literature will further my understanding of the world by engaging both my critical and creative aptitude in equal measure.

A-Level English has expanded my awareness regarding the subject's wider implications. As a fluent Japanese speaker, the inevitable loss of meaning in translation is a frustrating phenomenon I have experienced first hand. It was interesting to see this examined in a colonialist context through 'Translations'. Friel's linkage of language and cartography elucidates the influential force of words to great effect, most powerfully in the line "We name a thing and bang! It leaps into existence". It deepened my fascination with the power of language - how the arbitrary placement of letters can both move and educate is an idea that invigorates everything I read with a sense of wonder. Developing a critical approach has augmented my enjoyment of reading, firing my motivation to study texts beyond the constraints of the A-Level syllabus.

In 'Everything is Illuminated' Jonathan Safran Foer depicts language as a prism through which the past may be enlightened or distorted, furthering my view that literature can alter our perceptions of the world immensely. I came to appreciate the parallels between history and English. The interpretative element of A-Level history has challenged the notion that the subject simply reiterates the past. The idea that a single event may elicit multiple perceptions is explored by Virginia Woolf's 'The Waves'. Her 'six-sided' flower encapsulates the raison d'etre of literature. To be able to view something from many perspectives is for me a very valuable thing.

Meaningful debate in any sphere rests upon the freedom of expression. My international relations module has made me mindful of the need to uphold our collective rights and responsibilities. I now try to keep abreast of current affairs in order to anchor theoretical debate in contemporary concerns. In May I voted for the first time in the EU elections. The historical depiction of women I have encountered in literature was part of what made me feel a keen pride in being able to cast a free and fair vote. Works that explore the darker aspects of power are gripping. Shakespeare's skepticism about the compatibility of virtue and ambition seem ever relevant and his plays demonstrate the power of universal themes in literature to withstand the test of time.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

A-Level English has expanded my awareness regarding the subject's wider implications. As a fluent Japanese speaker, the inevitable loss of meaning in translation is a frustrating phenomenon I have experienced first hand. It was interesting to see this examined in a colonialist context through 'Translations'. Friel's linkage of language and cartography elucidates the influential force of words to great effect, most powerfully in the line "We name a thing and bang! It leaps into existence". It deepened my fascination with the power of language - how the arbitrary placement of letters can both move and educate is an idea that invigorates everything I read with a sense of wonder. Developing a critical approach has augmented my enjoyment of reading, firing my motivation to study texts beyond the constraints of the A-Level syllabus.

In 'Everything is Illuminated' Jonathan Safran Foer depicts language as a prism through which the past may be enlightened or distorted, furthering my view that literature can alter our perceptions of the world immensely. I came to appreciate the parallels between history and English. The interpretative element of A-Level history has challenged the notion that the subject simply reiterates the past. The idea that a single event may elicit multiple perceptions is explored by Virginia Woolf's 'The Waves'. Her 'six-sided' flower encapsulates the raison d'etre of literature. To be able to view something from many perspectives is for me a very valuable thing.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

I am a committed student but echo Pollyanna's sentiments about timetables that leave no room simply to 'live'. I am fond of exploring London's cultural offerings and recently saw the National Gallery's 'Corot to Monet' exhibition. It sparked an interest as to how and where landscapes are used by writers as symbols and devices, for example how a sense of isolation is evoked by the city in T. S Eliot's 'Preludes' or the moors of Emily Bronte. At home I play a self-taught repertoire on the piano to a high standard, having achieved ABRSM Grade 5 distinction in 2001. My early introduction to classical music has stayed with me though my taste has since branched out into 60s psychedelia and 80s new-wave. Self expression is vital to me, reflected in my love of writing, drawing and my interest in fashion and alternative music.

My gap year will mean I can begin university as a more self-aware adult and I plan to travel South-East Asia in spring 2010. Experiencing the world in ways other than the vicarious ones I have been used to at school is naturally an exciting prospect. More than ever I feel ready to immerse myself in the new challenges promised by undergraduate life. Determined to avoid the wistful regrets of a certain J. Alfred Prufrock, I intend to live and learn to my very highest potential.

Universities applied to:

• St Andrews
• York
• UCL
• Oxford
• Edinburgh

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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