Sample Personal Statements

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English
  • Oxford
My appetite for English Literature was aroused in my third year of secondary school. Through studies done in English class, I have been taught how to truly appreciate literary works and encouraged to have a personal response to them. Until then, I had never paid particular attention to words or structure, enjoying Literature superficially. Recalling that year, two poems instantly spring to my mind: “Full Moon and Little Frieda” by Ted Hughes and “Amends” by Adrienne Rich. These are the first literary compositions that I have treasured, for their lucid style and stimulating images that have left a strong impact on my mind.

My passion for Literature has originated from the creativity of expression that I could find in many literary achievements, even in those dealing with prosaic subjects. I was particularly impressed by the personification of a sickly lethargic atmosphere in T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, describing the evening as “a patient etherized upon a table”. Another aspect of Literature that I admire is the way in which it reveals the intricacy residing in a single being, creating a beautiful piece of art at the same time. Heathcliff in ‘Wuthering Heights’ is a character who I think represents faithfully the difficulty to understand a complex human being. I consider him as the most endearing character as he has moved me by his sincerity in following his passions and the dual forces that reside in him seem to reflect my own soul. In addition, Literature connects me to the enigmatic world in which I live. ‘Waiting for Godot’ is a play which, by expressing a frustrating sense of being lost, paradoxically made me feel comforted about my existence in this world. I have also found in John Donne’s “No man is an Island” a call for solidarity and compassion between men, and the sharp revelation of the last line has awakened my conscience with a stab.

I envision Literature as a fine tapestry that needs to be unravelled in order to better admire its beauty and the dexterity of the weaver. When reading a truly unique piece of work, I always feel the need to dismantle its components in order to attempt to discover how the writer produces such memorable effects on readers. Moreover, my experience of reading is to delve into a writer’s world to come out of it more perceptive and knowledgeable about myself. In this perspective, Literature is a rewarding subject that leads me to self-discovery.
Ali Smith’s ‘Hotel World’ has led me to question my indifference towards invisible individuals of society, by giving me insight to their consciences through the changing first-person narrative voices. Literary studies are for me an endless process of interpretation and analysis, as one’s opinion about a work can be constantly reshaped by time and experience. This is another reason why I regard Literature as an engaging and dynamic subject. When I first read Virginia Woolf’s ‘Mrs. Dalloway’, I thought that its internal monologues were only pervaded by melancholy and nostalgia, but when I read it a second time, I could discern a flicker of hope and enjoyment of life, especially through Septimus’s sensibility towards nature, “the human voice in certain atmospheric conditions (…) can quicken trees into life!” and his union with nature conveyed by the use of synaesthesia.

Besides Literature, I also enjoy other forms of culture, and while living in Paris, I have had the privilege of accessing its rich cultural asset. Thus in my spare time, I often draw, play the piano, and visit exhibitions. With my dual nationality, French and Korean, I have approached English Literature with the external view of a foreigner, regarding it as a powerful bridge that connects me not only to British culture but to the world as well. I still have many unresolved questions on Literature and for this reason, I am deeply motivated to study English Literature in the United Kingdom, the motherland of this invaluable subject.