Personal Statement - French

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

When I read “Notre Dame des Fleurs” by Jean Genet, the amalgamation of irrevocable truth, absurd surrealism and bizarre tenderness was an intoxicating combination that managed to both thrill and disturb me. It is easy to see the appeal of the world Genet created during his imprisonment; the ambiguity renders the reader perpetually subjected to the author’s whim. It is clear and refreshing to experience Genet writing to affirm, if not escape, his irrevocable solitude, both physical in his incarceration and spiritual in alienation. Genet was an artist who became a writer and his style is most certainly singular and uniquely exhilarating. This peculiar initiation into contemporary French literature opened up a literary landscape of the provocative and thoroughly unapologetic works of other authors of this time. This encouraged me to read other texts from his contemporaries, notably André Gide, Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre. The ways in which 20th century French thinkers perceive the world left an indelible mark on me; most notably, Albert Camus’ work and the succinct, graceful, almost playful style he manages to maintain even in more analytic work such as “Le mythe de Sisyphe.” Reading Sartre’s “Huis Clos” in its script form was a dissimilar yet equally appealing way of immersing myself in the French language and experiencing Sartre’s signature school of thought.

The French language has always struck me as both beautiful and appealing, I appreciate the logic and patterns that underpin it whilst being engrossed in the idiosyncrasies of a foreign language. Naturally, the best way to truly understand a culture is to experience it; I did a week’s work experience last year in Lyon in an “école maternelle” , allowing me to experience the culture first hand and nurture the spontaneity of my spoken ability.

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

The progression was to explore French literature, firstly in translation, then aiming to overcome the challenge of the original text; the reward of decoding entire novels in the French language and contrasting the two versions was not only a challenging experience, but an enriching one. Unless I have a book in my hand, I feel like half a person: this profound affinity to the written word has led me to read avidly and extensively. I have recently most enjoyed contemporary American literature such as the razor-sharp prose of Chuck Palanhuik and the satirical and occasionally horrifying work of Bret Easton Ellis. These authors are skilfully confrontational in portraying the darker sides of the human condition without being belligerent. However, the outwardly simple tale in George Eliot’s “Silas Marner” echoes the same realism of these contemporary works but its light and joyous ending enchanted me.

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

Outside of the classroom, the freedom of the stage allows me to unleash my creative energies and provides both an artistic release and expansion through theatrical performance; I perform regularly with both a local theatre group and within the school. Recently, I was challenged by the famous role of Eponine in the musical Les Misérables and I train classically in singing and violin, in which I have achieved a Grade 7 standard, signifying my commitment to the world of music and performing arts. My significant contribution to school is illustrated through my position on the student leadership team, demonstrating both commitment and responsibility for the welfare of my fellow student peers; I often undertake organisational roles and pride myself on my unwavering dedication as illustrated when I single-handedly organised the production and manufacture of a Christmas CD with which I raised £300 for charity.

"Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow" once stated Oliver Wendell Holmes, succinctly encapsulating both my yearning to develop my linguistic abilities and literary understanding as well as my unfaltering fervour and enthusiasm for the study of Language.

Universities applied to:

• University of Oxford
• University of Bristol
• University College London
• King's College London
• Royal Holloway, University of London

Grades achieved:

• French (AS/A2) - Grade A/A (predicted)
• English Literature (AS/A2) - Grade A/A* (predicted)
• Religious Studies (AS/A2) - Grade A/A* (predicted)
• Spanish (AS) - Grade A

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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