Personal Statement #2

The art of writing is genius. Nothing within literature is purely coincidental. Every letter, every symbol is as purposeful as a painter's brush stroke, creating a whole, magnificent picture. The enrichment of reading extends far beyond a literary context; to philosophy, history, culture and politics through the formation of these words on a page; their paragraphs and chapters, their rhythm and rhyme to stage directions and setting. Every literary device is a secret communication between writer and reader; Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is a prime example of this. Take the 'green light' at the end of Daisy's dock, in a literal sense it's just a green light, but Fitzgerald's intentions are far more than this. The 'green light' is an emblem of the American Dream, the 'dark water' separating Gatsby from this light, and ultimately Daisy, highlights the impossibility of this ideal and the constraints of society as well as a fear of the unknown, the interpretations are endless. The beauty of such symbols within literature is their subjectivity, creating an intimate relationship between writer and reader and inspiring further writers. I have been inspired by such literature, and have consequently started my own blog(www.philosophycomm entary.blogspot.co.uk) where I comment and offer insight on current affairs including the Jimmy Savile scandal, the Olympics, political engagement and the American presidential election; to name a few,indicating my own passion for writing.

Nothing complements the study of literature more than History. History is the study of our genome, the movement of our species since time began: the history of lost societies and those that still hold prevalence in the present. What can be more fundamentally intriguing and poignant than learning and analysing the history of our entire existence? Nothing. A whole historical period is embodied by the literature of it's age; Jane Austen's reserved novels highlighting the society of the early 1800s, Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire capturing post-war dissent in America, and Philip Larkin's High Windows expressing the social change in the 1960s. The harmony between the study of English Literature and History became evident during my A levels where my study of 1920s America coincided with my reading of The Great Gatsby in English. The theme of the unreachable American Dream, and questions of morality, symbolised by the eyes of Dr. T.J Eckleburg, underpinned my understanding of the 'boom' and 'bust' years of America, and in some respects brought facts into a reality, enhancing my understanding of this period, as well as permitting me to enjoy my two passions simultaneously; English Literature and History.

My interest in literature and history strove me to write for myself, starting with my school newspaper, whereby I wrote articles on political pieces including the student protests against the, then proposed, raise in tuition fees. Finding this rather limited I endeavoured to start my own blog where I could write on a range of topics. Alongside my studies and interest in writing I have also worked at The Royal Bank of Scotland Group for 18 months as a Customer Service Associate within the Collections department. Through this I have gained the communication skills necessary to negotiate with customers, the confidence to discuss issues with managers, the experience to train other members of staff and the responsibility of managing my team in my own manager's absence whilst also meeting individual and team targets through which I have won The People's Choice Award in my department.

Overall, I regard myself to be a persevering, imaginative individual driven by challenges. Thus I feel that Queen Mary University of London will be the ideal environment for immersing myself in the studies of English and History and to expand my own skills as a writer.