The first book I can remember falling in love with was Louisa May Alcott's 'Little Women', it compelled me with its ties of sisterhood, and how utterly different their lives were in comparison to my own. As I continue to grow and my ability to read texts analytically has improved I can appreciate other aspects in the novel, such as the growing feminist theme of strong women. I had previously assumed that the patriarchy confined and oppressed women, Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' has challenged my perceptions on 19th century women.
Throughout my life literature and reading have been of the utmost importance, and academically this quickly translated into my love for English. In particular it intrigues me that two people can read a novel, and have completely different interpretations, I find this incredibly exciting as literature can have so many pathways and discussions. English has taught me how to have a keener sense of language, to delve past the superficial appearance of a text and look at every aspect; from punctuation to word choice. English A-levels have given me more independence in what I want to study, and what interests me, as I begin exploring literature.
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It has taught me to debate, understand and be interested in the world around me; this is vital in that nothing is apolitical. Authors often gain inspiration through world affairs, and George Orwell had seen the danger of complete political authority in Spain, Germany and the Soviet Union. His novel '1984' warns similarly of a futuristic totalitarian government that bans any expression of individuality. The government control through constant monitoring, and contextually this is very relevant as we live in the technologically advanced 21st century where everything we do is recorded. Therefore, Orwell has made a novel written in 1949 very relatable to a modern