“I decided to study English Literature because I love reading and learning what other times were like through literature. Here at Oxford we look at each period of literature for a whole term, from early medieval times with texts written in Old English, such as Beowulf, to books published much later in the 21st century. We also get to dabble in many other subjects in terms of historical context and sociology and theology in terms of learning about the beliefs and worries of readers in each time period and how they affected how books were written and how the literature was read.”
- Serena Arthur, English Language and Literature

If you want to find out more about how much value race should have, Serena recommends:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017)

A popular, powerful and award-winning young adult novel that tackles topics that are extremely important in the 21st century, such as racism, prejudice and police brutality.

The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shukla (2016)

In this collection of personal and striking essays twenty-one BAME (Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority) writers explore what it is like to be an ethnic minority in Britain today.

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker (1982)

This Pulitzer Prize winning novel, tells the story of Celie, a black girl born into both poverty at time of segregation and its publication made Alice Walker a well-known name.