Re: Need some help here! personal statement for UCAS english lit

Mister Micawber — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:26:43 GMT

Far, far too wordy. I have simply trimmed out much of the unnecessary chaff. You will have to go over it for continuity:

What is literature? I have not found the answer, but I had an idea it is composed of novels, plays and poems. A friend of mine recently asked whether magazines can be considered literature too. Then I realized there is no exact definition of literaturet. It depends on how the audience/ reader perceives them and interprets these texts; s/he has the freedom to criticize, explore and exploit without having certain guidelines.

The beauty of literature is that its language is used to create effects on its audience by juxtaposing words. Through literature, we learn to appreciate the language more, for it is the basis of communication among people of different cultural backgrounds. Mandarin and French are slowly taking over English's position as the most widely-learned language, but its significance in constructing todayâs international global community should not be ignored.

In the small community where I grew up, appreciation of the language and its literature is not apparent. Though almost half of the populace can speak English, not many realize how Charles Dickens and James Joyce can help us understand the periods they lived in. I want to raise their awareness that literature is as important as history. Both offer freedom of judgment and analysis. I am curious about the past, of people and societies who came before me, and history and literature help to quench my curiosity.

I was inspired to take up English literature at a higher level by Frank McCourtâs âTis: a Memoir. Even if language is not a barrier, itâs not easy to teach a group of students who have misconceptions about the subject.

Being a member of my school Peer Group Helpers (PRS) and their official photographer gave me the chance to develop my interpersonal skills. My interest in journalism led me to PRS Publishing Bureau and I was also the vice-president of my school newsletter, MASA, where I learned how to work with people and manage a newsletter under pressure. By participating in the fourth Borneo Global Issues Conference, a Model United Nation, I discussed current world issues and debated with students from other nations,

I learned the value of team work and leadership skills when I participated in LiveWIRE Business Plan competition, in which my team was a finalist. The competition gave me a taste of professionalism, working together to start a business and giving presentations in front of professional juries.

I hope to acquire experience and a more mature outlook on life by the end of my three-year university course. Taking up the challenge, I want to expand my knowledge in both literature and history.

Need some help here! personal statement for UCAS english lit

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 01:36:56 GMT

What is literature? What can be considered literature? The first two questions that came into my head when I first stepped into my literature class four years ago. I have not really found the perfect answer to that question, but I have a rough idea what it composes of; novels, plays and poems. I was content with this shallow definition until a friend of mine recently posed a question whether magazines can be considered literature too. Her questions have my mind reeling for answers. Then I realized there is no exact definition as to, what literature is and what it is not. It all depends on how the audience/ reader perceive them to be and how one interprets these texts. This is the aspect of literature that I know of; the freedom to criticize, explore and exploit without having certain guide lines to live by.

The beauty of Literature lies in the way that, language is used to create certain effects on readers/ audience. It is not really about the usage of difficult or sophisticated words, but rather how one juxtaposes different words together. Through Literature, I learn to appreciate the language more, for it is the basis of communication which bridges people of different cultural background together. Irrefutably Mandarin and French are slowly taking over English pole position as the most widely-learned language in the world, but its significance in constructing todayâs international global community should not be ignored.

In the small community that I grow up in, such appreciation of the language and its literature isnât widely acknowledged. Though almost half of the populace can converse and understand the English language, it is to my regret that not many realized how literary works such as that of Dickensâs and Joyceâs help the modern generation understand the socio-cultural history of the respective period they lived in. I wish to change this, by raising their awareness of how literature is as important as history. History like literature offers freedom of judgment and analyzing which strongly attracts me as I value unconventionality. I am curious about the past, of people and society who lives before me and I found that History and literature help to quench my curiosity.

When one ask what motivates me exactly to take up English literature at a higher level, I could not exactly pin point to one particular reason. But irrefutably, I was inspired Frank McCourtâs âTisâa memoirâ, to take up the challenge of studying English literature. Even if the issue of language as a barrier is of no existence, but still itâs not easy to teach the subject to a group of students who have the biggest misconception about the subject.

Being a member of my school Peer Group Helpers (PRS) and the official photographer for the student group gave me the chance to develop my inter-personal skills. My interest in journalism led me to PRS Publishing bureau and I was also the vice-president of my school own newsletter, MASA, where I get to learn how to work with different people and how to manage a newsletter under pressure. Aside from that by participating in the fourth Borneo Global Issues Conference, a Model United Nation, I gained a taste of working with international people, discussing current world issues and debating.

I came to appreciate the value of team work and flex my leadership skills when I participated in LiveWIRE Business Plan competition in which, my team was a finalists. The competition gave me a taste of professionalism, in terms of working together as a team in fulfilling every aspect of starting a business and giving out presentations in front of professional juries. Thus having worked with different groups of people help to strengthen my inter-social skills and thus seminars or group discussion would not be a problem for me.

I hope to acquire priceless experience, maturity in thinking and a more philosophical outlook on life, by the end of my three year course in University. Aside from taking up a challenge, I want to pursue the course in order to expand and further polish my knowledge on both literature and history at a higher level of thinking.

please leave any comments or suggestions concerning this personal statement of mine. thank you so much

desperate girl

ESL Essay, Writing World

Re: Need some help here! personal statement for UCAS english lit

Need some help here! personal statement for UCAS english lit