Personal Statement - English Literature and Creative Writing 1

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Since the evolution of human society, stories have been an integral part of every culture. Our intrinsic need for storytelling is a huge part of my desire to unravel and weave both poetry and prose.

My own interpretation of and love for English Literature has been influenced by various things, including the many novels I read in my formative years. Some of my recent favourites include Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' and its commentary on Victorian society and aestheticism, and Louisa May Alcott's 'Little Women', compelling in its reflection of poverty and women's roles at the time, despite its surface appearance as little more than a children's book. This deeper analysis and understanding of books such as these leads me to my desire to study English Literature, a subject in which one can critically examine and analyse literature of all kinds, whilst also appreciating the narrative for what it is.

I also have a strong interest in examining literature and its prejudices both in the context of our time and of the time in which it was written, such as in Edgar Allen Poe's short story 'The Gold Bug', which contains casual racism of the sort that would be unacceptable today, but at the time was completely overlooked. Because of my interest in the context of literature and the effect of stories on the world, I chose to do my Extended Essay comparing Marlowe's 'The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus' and Yana Toboso's Faust-inspired manga, 'Kuroshitsuji'. Whilst doing this, I learnt a considerable amount about the process of analysing and comparing literature in different forms.

I also came to fully appreciate the ability of stories to embed themselves in the collective subconscious; for example, in 2012, long before I had read any Faust-inspired literature, one of my own novels revolved around a Faustian bargain and the consequences thereof, with startling similarities to the original Faust legend, even to the point of borrowing the concept of a limited timeframe and tormenting devils – despite knowing only the gist of the Faustian legend at that stage in my life.

Throughout my life, stories have played a formative role. In my earliest years at primary school, I went from having no interest in reading to devouring every published Harry Potter book in a matter of days. My voracious desire for books has only grown since then, along with my passion for creating my own stories. The chance to study both the analysis and the creation of literature in a university environment, alongside other like-minded students, would be an opportunity that I would whole-heartedly embrace, and I feel that it would open to me an immense field of potential literary pursuits.

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

My own experience of writing has also led me to have a unique perspective on literary analysis. By writing my own novels, I am able to see a piece of literature both from the reader's perspective, and from the perspective of an author; for example, in my reading of Orwell's '1984', I was able to see and understand Orwell's literary choices whilst also becoming engrossed in the story itself.

Every year since 2010, I have taken part in National Novel Writing Month, where the goal is to write 50,000 words in one month. So far, I have finished (and am currently revising) one novel, and I have several others in progress, including the sequel to my finished novel. Participating in National Novel Writing Month has also given me a greater appreciation for and understanding of the process of constructing a story, from the original idea to the final creation. This has also helped me to develop my understanding of literature in general, allowing me to fully understand an author's deliberate choices in the creation of their poetry or prose, both now and in hindsight.

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

Originally intended to go to UEA dependent on grades, with Reading as insurance, but Sussex gave me an unconditional-if-firm offer, which I accepted. UEA & Royal Holloway both asked for creative writing samples, UEA for a general portfolio and Royal Holloway for a response to a prompt. Did not have time to complete Royal Holloway prompts due to exams, so I got an offer for straight English Lit rather than English Lit with Creative Writing.

My tutor remarked that it was unusual to critically discuss Little Women as a social commentary because it's often dismissed as just a children's book, so it could be good to mention insights you had into unexpected books.

Universities applied to:

• University of Sussex
• University of East Anglia
• University of Reading
• University of Surrey
• Royal Holloway

Grades achieved:

• IB - awaiting results
• HL English
• HL Philosophy
• HL History
• SL Biology
• SL Maths Studies
• SL Spanish ab initio

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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