Should I mention these books in my personal statement?

Asked by MaisyS (734

) January 14th, 2023

I’m putting together my personal statement for English Literature right now. Two of my all-time favourite books are Crime and Punishment, and The Catcher in the Rye. The thing is, it’s been a while since I’ve read them, and when I did read them it was purely for leisure. As such, I don’t think I could talk very cleverly about them right now.
My personal statement feels wrong without them though. If I included them in my statement, and studied them later in preparation for my interview, would that be risky in any way?

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3 Answers

I would include them and definitely mention that they are two of your favorites and that you read them for pleasure. Then skim them or read a synopsis before the interview.

janbb (63256

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I would.

Good luck to you on your interview!

gorillapaws (30864

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I would too.

Is this a personal statement for declaring a major in English lit, or something else? Those two titles alone demonstrate both range and depth.

I agree with @janbb that it would be good to refresh your memory, but even without remembering plot particulars, perhaps you can recall their impact on you. I read C&P when I was about 14, and only a few scattered parts of it remain as specific recollections, but it did have a memorable impact.

Jeruba (56105

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