About the Site
The Literature Blog, founded and written by members with Masters and Bachelor of Arts degrees, offers commentary and analysis on works of Literature, Philosophy and Art. Began in 2018, the blog has a number of regular contributing writers with specific interests that span the breadth of time periods, genres, and critical theories.
About Us
Stephanie Reeves
MA(Hons) English Literature
English Teacher (Secondary)
Founder, Editor and Contributing Writer
‘Having had an interest in the arts from a very young age, I decided to translate my love of the written word in particular into the pursuit of an English Literature degree. This passion ultimately resulted in me obtaining a First Class Honours degree from Cardiff University, which has in turn inspired me to continue my studies further through a Masters degree. I decided to create The Literature Blog to share both my own personal readings of texts, as well as the readings of other contributing authors, to (hopefully!) inspire not only new ways of viewing philosophical, literary and artistic works, but also the next generation of critical thinkers.’
Specific Interests
Feminist Studies, The Work of Shakespeare, Nineteenth Century Science
Favourite Book
Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
Amy Fretwell
BA (Hons) English Language and Literature
Contributing Writer
‘I chose to study a degree in both English Language and Literature, as I not only love literature in a wide variety of genres and styles, but I am fascinated by the technicalities and history of the English language. In particular, I am fascinated by the application of language and the influence it has over the world. I have decided to contribute to the Literature Blog as I would like to share my take on the types of literature I enjoyed reading and studying during my time at university. I have written extensively on contemporary women’s writing and would like to share my feminist perspective on the world of literature. I am looking to enter a career in publishing; through this, I hope to further develop my passion for the subject.’
Specific Interests
Contemporary Women’s Writing, Wartime Literature and The American Short Story
Favourite Book
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Imogen Barker
BA (Hons) English Language and Literature
Contributing Writer
‘I chose to undertake a degree in English Language and Literature in order to allow me to explore every aspect of the subject itself. Through studying English Language, I have been able to view communications from a different angle; in particular, I have studied extensively the use of linguistics in forensics, as well as the art of persuasion. Studying English Literature further encouraged me to discover a range of texts from a variety of different time periods, expanding my passion and knowledge for the written word further. With this in mind, I hope to share the information and interpretations that I gained from my degree through my contributions to The Literature Blog.’
Specific Interests
Wartime Fiction and American Literature
Favourite Book
Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird
Ashleigh Edwards
BA (Hons) English Language and Literature
Contributing Writer
‘I began my degree in the hopes of pursuing a creative career; it is through contributions to The Literature Blog that I hope to kick-start my love of writing again! In particular, I have always been fascinated by the representation of women across literature; Margaret Atwood, Sylvia Plath and Virginia Woolf in particular have proved hugely influential to my literary studies. I am also a huge ‘fan’ of the Brontë sisters. Their progressive and intricately-crafted works of literature, published at a time when the ‘female writer’ was essentially dismissed and ridiculed, have also proved fascinating to study. Although I am currently undecided on a career path, I hope to take a year out to both travel and explore my passion for both writing (and reading!) the written word.’
Specific Interests
Post-1945 American Novel and Contemporary Women’s Writing
Favourite Book
Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights
Dionne Rowe
BA (Hons) English Language and Literature
Contributing Writer
‘From a young age, I have always been excited by literature; in particular, I am fascinated by the way in which one singular text can be interpreted in a number of different ways. This interest subsequently led me to pursue an English Literature and Language degree; through my studies, this has allowed to explore philosophical, cultural, political and historical theories (to name a few!) and apply them to a variety of different texts. From September, I will be beginning a PGCE at Swansea University; the idea of teaching has always interested me as it will not only allow me to teach a new generation of literary thinkers, but will also allow me to continue my passion for literary studies. It is my future wish to continue my academic studies in English Literature and Language through further postgraduate study.’
Specific Interests
Utopian Fiction, Shakespeare’s Tragedies, Feminist Studies and 1920’s American Fiction
Favourite Book
Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale
Sophie Shepherd
BA (Hons) English Literature
Contributing Writer
‘I have always had an interest in books and reading and, as a child, I often attended children’s literature festivals and library events. throughout school, my passion for English literature really came through as I loved writing about all the books I had read; this passion was only strengthened through a deeper understanding of the language used in them. As I wasn’t sure what career I wanted to pursue after completed Sixth Form, I decided to pursue a degree in the subject I loved most. This led me to apply for an English Literature degree at Cardiff University. I am currently working in non-fiction publishing; however, with this site, I hope to continue developing my passion for fiction by sharing my views and opinions on some of my favourite texts and genres.’
Specific Interests
Dystopian Fiction, Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Favourite Book
George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four
Estelle Luck
BA (Hons) English Literature
Contributing Writer
‘They say that you either excel in Science or Maths or English- for me, I was firmly rooted in the English camp! Fuelled by my inspirational teacher, my love of literature began when I was very young. When it came to deciding what I wanted to do for my degree, there was no competition; it was always going to be English! During my degree, I particularly enjoyed looking at the Experimentalism deployed by female writers within the interwar years of World War One and Two; for someone who was always hell-bent on unpicking clear textual interpretations, my studies in this area provided me with a refreshing approach to literature as I came to realise that not all texts are meant to be clearly understood. I am currently in the process of applying for internships and the assistant jobs in the publishing industry. I decided to contribute to The Literature Blog as it will not only allow me to continue using the analytical and critical skills that I harnessed throughout my degree, but will make a refreshing change from writing about myself on application forms!’
Specific Interests
Feminist Literature during the Interwar Years (World War One and World War Two)
Favourite Book
Rosamond Lehmann’s, The Weather in the Streets
Sarah Culham
BA (Hons) English Literature
Contributing Writer
‘Choosing to study English Literature at university was an easy decision for me. Reading and writing have always been passions of mine and I knew that I wanted the opportunity to think creatively and critically during my degree. After three inspiring years at Cardiff University I have decided to take a year off of academic study in order to travel and work; after this, I intend to return to university to pursue further postgraduate study. Despite being out of the university environment, I look forward to contributing my critical interpretations of literary works through The Literature Blog. In doing so, I hope to connect with those who share similar interests to me.’
Specific Interests
Contemporary Women’s Writing and Dystopian Fiction
Favourite Book
Sarah Waters, The Paying Guests
Emily Warren
BA (Hons) English Language and Literature
Contributing Writer
‘Studying an English degree has given me the freedom to write beyond the words on the page. After graduating from Cardiff University I wanted to pursue my love of English Literature further; as a result, I jumped at the chance to contribute my ideas to The Literature Blog. My interests mostly lie within the Romanticist genre; I have both read and written extensively on the literature, philosophy and historicism that comprise this intriguing literary period. More generally, I also enjoy critically analysing poetry.’
Specific Interests
Romanticist Poetry
Favourite Book
Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights
Aki Gurung
MA (Hons) English Literature
Contributing Writer
Not to sound like a clichéd UCAS application but, ever since I was young, I’ve always been an avid reader; one of the earliest books I remember reading (and which I’m fairly sure I still possess lying around somewhere in the attic) is a copy of the Usborne illustrated guide to Greek myths. Fast forward several years and my love of reading has led to me pursuing a BA and, subsequently, an MA in English Literature at Cardiff University. During my studies, my interests have also expanded to include the iconography of Christian saints, Italian Baroque art (especially that of Artemisia Gentileschi), and the Pre-Raphaelites -– although I can hardly claim to be an expert in any of those three. Through contributing posts to The Literature Blog, I hope to both share my interests in art, film, and literature with anyone who’s interested, and learn more myself (because there’s still so much left to learn) along the way.
Specific Interests
Medieval literature (c.800-c.1450, with an especial interest in Christian hagiography and historiography) and early to mid-twentieth century medievalism; twentieth century women’s writing; art history (specifically the works of Artemisia Gentileschi, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and David Jones)
Favourite Book
Ali Smith, Autumn
Disclaimer
This blog uses ideas, quotes and critical arguments from a plethora of different sources; these sources are always references and accredited in our posts. if your work is reproduced on the site and you wish for it to be used, please feel free to contact us; this can be done through our specific ‘Contact’ page. We will then remove all associated material from the blog, along with any other affiliated links.
The Literature Blog 