English Personal Statement Example 25

I have always had an interest in language and the arts. This has led to a fascination with literature and fundamentally, the poignancy and exuberance one can convey through the written word.

For me, English Literature feels more uninhibited and complete, mainly because a text is something very personal to its creator, giving it a more individual dimension than other subjects, feeding the imagination as well as the intellect. However, I can't truly be immersed in something without finding it challenging.

I find the task of searching for a message in a book a demanding affair, forcing myself to focus every inch of my emotional and rational faculties to extract the author's possible meanings and present an original, credible interpretation.

My favourite writers include Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and others from the Beat Generation. In addition, I enjoy Victorian authors including Dickens and Joseph Conrad. This wide scope of British and American literature houses a myriad of genres, topics and plots which directly or indirectly apply to the way we live in present day Western society.

For example, I've found On the Road by Kerouac to be a poignant expression of a man's journey outside the perimeters of the average American life which Kerouac paints as banal. His only motivation to travel is to experience, 'the ragged and ecstatic joy of pure being'.

I am enthusiastic about all the subjects I've taken at A Level, consequently my college experience has been rewarding both personally and academically. Through Modern History and Philosophy I've developed the skill of formulating cogent arguments and articulating them succinctly, either orally or in writing.

Furthermore, all my subjects have taught me to confidently express my opinions while maintaining open-mindedness in evaluating opposing ones. The content of my subjects and the concepts and knowledge assessed in them has led me to transfer skills I've learnt from one subject to another.

For example, I assessed the play, The Birthday Party in relation to existential ontology, illustrating the extent to which my subjects complement each other.

My cultural interests reflect my academic pursuits and the way I express myself in said academic domain. Attending the Politics Society of my college has expanded my understanding of differing opinions on current affairs as well as learning the information which substantiates those claims. This has been accomplished through attending lectures by academics and politicians such as Tony Benn.

I am also a huge fan of cinema and my favourite directors. His idiosyncratic fusion of Surrealism and Expressionism make his works aesthetically original as well as thought provoking. More recently I've been nurturing my creative side by writing a sitcom and recently completed the pilot episode.

Being a keen photographer I enjoy taking photographs whenever the opportunity arises and am currently taking an evening course on 35mm film photography. This allows me to channel a vague image in my head to something rewardingly tangible.

More recently, I travelled Western Europe. I found it culturally fruitful and instrumental to my personal growth. I visited many historical landmarks and most notably the Louvre in Paris, a Monastic hospice in the Swiss Alps and the Royal Palace in Madrid.

I also climbed two mountains, forcing me to give total focus to the task at hand and synchronise my body and mind as one. I find it essential to my well-being to express myself through whichever medium I'm interested in at the time. Fortunately, the printed page remains a constant source of inspiration and interest for me, resulting in me being a committed and fervent person.

I am confident that I have the qualities and drive to succeed at university and look forward to making a significant contribution to university life.