Why would you like to study English at Unviversity?

Since I have been able to talk, the manipulation of language has fascinated me. I have explored my interest in literature beyond the A level syllabus, developing on my studies of victorian literature through reading Dickens’ ‘Oliver Twist’ and ‘A Tale of Two Cities’. Dickens immediately introduces the reader to the idea of parallels within ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ through the opening sentence: ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, This establishes the notion of contrast that is prevalent throughout the novel, for example the wealthy corrupted upper class against the starving working class in Paris. The contrast in class and living conditions is key to the novel’s plot and is introduced accordingly. Similarly in ‘Oliver Twist’ class is a key aspect to the plot, and is mimetic of victorian society. Dickens critiques the corruption of the upper class and explores the link between class and identity, through the mistaken identity of Oliver. I have discovered that the use social commentary is evident in Evelyn Waugh’s “Scoop” and “Decline and Fall”, as he uses humour to mock and highlight the absurdity of class systems and societal values.