SoP - Spanish

[sew8d]

I accidentally hit "enter" before editting this! But here's a rough version of what I've been working on. It's set up for UC-Boulder, but the last paragraph obviously can be changed based on the school. After reading it over and over, I'm just not satisfied... I think it sounds forced and cheesy. I was terrible at the Personal Statement for undergrad too. HELP!!!!

"Cuando despertó, el dinosaurio todavía estaba allí." One of the shortest short stories ever written, Augusto Monterroso's "Dinosaurio" has stayed with me since encountering it in a Latin American literature course. I was struck by how one simple sentence could be so thought provoking, requiring the reader to engage his or her own imagination in order to conceptualize the full story. At the time, I was studying abroad in Spain, marking the second time I had traveled to a Spanish speaking nation and the first time I knew that Spanish was something more than just a passing caprice. For me Spanish is more than a language; it is the culture, the people, and the heritage. I hope to build upon my past experiences in order to pursue a career as a professor, able to share what I have learned.

Combined with my own recent personal travels in Peru and Guatemala, I have discovered a few areas of specific interest. With respect to peninsular studies, I have delved into the impact of the Spanish Civil War on both the culture and literature in Spain, particularly post-Franco era cinema. More and more Spaniards are using the cinema as a way to address what happened during both the war and the Franco era through a myriad of genres. As to another peninsular topic, Federico Garcia Lorca claimed in interviews that his rural trilogy did not represent his “true” work, but instead served to provide the means to pursue his real passions. This statement begs to be investigated. Why did he consider his more avant-garde/surrealist influenced plays to be truly reflective of his style? What possible influence did current events or even his interactions with other artistic minds of the era have on his work? More recently a couple of social concerns have caught my attention. For instance, what effect does the pattern of Brazilian immigration to America have both on the area they choose to populate, specifically Massachusetts, but also the homes they leave behind in Brazil? In a similar vein, I would love to explore how external demand for one of a nation’s cash crops affects the national situation, such as coffee and the Antigua region of Guatemala. It is apparent that these topics are not centered around the same area, but I view my varied interests as a benefit rather than a hindrance. They represent the kind of career I aim for, one where I can impart the ability to combine multiple considerations into one cohesive result.

In terms of my writing experience, I feel my undergraduate thesis demonstrates my ability to connect different ideas from separate fields, identify problems or areas for consideration, and synthesize current events and other relevant happenings in an effort to provide a new view or interpretation of a topic. In it I addressed the current hot button issue of same-sex marriage within the context of Habermas' conception of the public sphere, with reference to matters of public and private self. Although my thesis was unrelated to Spanish, I have used these same skills in all of my essays produced for undergraduate Spanish courses, relating to the works of Federico Garcia Lorca, Jorge Luis Borges, Carmen Laforet, Gabriel García Marquez, and Pedro Calderón de la Barca, among others. Furthermore, the courses I have taken provide me with a spectrum of influences to draw upon, including basic media theory, philosophy, political theory, and film studies. I am not satisfied reviewing and understanding another’s opinion without trying to put forth additional insight or commentary, or even hopefully to address a matter I feel has been overlooked. This connection is indicative of my general outlook on life; what motivates me when evaluating a situation is the purpose involved.

I think this aspect of my personality is one of the main reasons I wish to continue my education in a graduate program. While I believe my Spanish major to have been a great foundation, it is just that - a starting point. The Spanish and Portuguese Department at University of Colorado-Boulder's incorporation of Arabic is an aspect that initially drew me to the program. Knowledge of the Arabic language would be instrumental to fully understanding the Arabs’ lasting influence on Spanish language and culture, and just one way that UC-Boulder’s Spanish program would allow me to expand upon my undergraduate education. Given that I want to examine multiple fields with relation to Spanish and Portuguese language and culture, UC-Boulder’s cooperative attitude among departments would be ideal for my further education. With a PhD from UC-Boulder, a strong research university itself, I would be able to pursue a career as a professor at a research university, bestowing what I have learned and actively pursuing my interests at the same time.

Edited November 14, 2009 by sew8d

[JerryLandis]

This looks pretty good, and covers all the basic areas. However, is it for a PhD or Masters program? If it's for a PhD program you should expand it to discuss who in particular you would work with at that department. Also, your interests are too varied for a PhD proposal. I would say to focus more on the Brazilian immigration issue - I know this is going to come out sounding way more offensive than I would like, but García Lorca's plays and post-Franco Spanish film are pretty popular topics that at least in my experience are generally covered by your average undergraduate Spanish student in the first year. That's not to say you won't have anything new or original to say about them, but they do sound like more cliche topics than the third one. Then again, I am not a Spanish major, so I may be wrong. With regards to the discussion of Guatemalan cash crops, I think you should put that sentence closer to your mention of your time spent in Guatemala and Peru. This sentence is awkwardly placed: "Combined with my own recent personal travels in Peru and Guatemala, I have discovered a few areas of specific interest." Jumping right to Spain after that sentence makes it seem like all you have to say about your experiences in Guatemala and Peru was that you went there. But if you mention your travels later in the paragraph, they will be integrated more effectively and it will be more apparent how your travel experience and cultural immersion can be related to your research.

Also, just how famous is this dinosaur story? I'm assuming you're expecting that any Spanish professor would recognize it immediately, but if not, it needs to be clarified. I am not familiar with the story, so I think I am missing something when I read your first section. I don't entirely get it.

"I think this aspect of my personality is one of the main reasons I wish to continue my education in a graduate program." Cut out the "I think." It makes it sound like you're grabbing for straws and you aren't sure if you really are interested for that reason.

Lastly, does this program teach Arabic as part of a specific Spanish and/or Portuguese degree? Seems kind of random. Do you really think there is that much lasting Muslim/Arabic influence on Spain aside from almohada and some archaeological sites? I ask this because your final statement about the connection between Spanish and Arabic seems a bit vague. My general understanding, possibly misguided, is that after 1492 the Muslim influence was essentially erased from the peninsula. Perhaps you should add an example or two to clarify exactly what kind of connection you'd be interested in learning about.

Best of luck to you. Sorry if I seem kind of rude in my critique, just doing for you what I've appreciated others doing for me!

[sew8d]

This looks pretty good, and covers all the basic areas. However, is it for a PhD or Masters program? If it's for a PhD program you should expand it to discuss who in particular you would work with at that department. Also, your interests are too varied for a PhD proposal. I would say to focus more on the Brazilian immigration issue - I know this is going to come out sounding way more offensive than I would like, but García Lorca's plays and post-Franco Spanish film are pretty popular topics that at least in my experience are generally covered by your average undergraduate Spanish student in the first year. That's not to say you won't have anything new or original to say about them, but they do sound like more cliche topics than the third one. Then again, I am not a Spanish major, so I may be wrong. With regards to the discussion of Guatemalan cash crops, I think you should put that sentence closer to your mention of your time spent in Guatemala and Peru. This sentence is awkwardly placed: "Combined with my own recent personal travels in Peru and Guatemala, I have discovered a few areas of specific interest." Jumping right to Spain after that sentence makes it seem like all you have to say about your experiences in Guatemala and Peru was that you went there. But if you mention your travels later in the paragraph, they will be integrated more effectively and it will be more apparent how your travel experience and cultural immersion can be related to your research.

Also, just how famous is this dinosaur story? I'm assuming you're expecting that any Spanish professor would recognize it immediately, but if not, it needs to be clarified. I am not familiar with the story, so I think I am missing something when I read your first section. I don't entirely get it.

"I think this aspect of my personality is one of the main reasons I wish to continue my education in a graduate program." Cut out the "I think." It makes it sound like you're grabbing for straws and you aren't sure if you really are interested for that reason.

Lastly, does this program teach Arabic as part of a specific Spanish and/or Portuguese degree? Seems kind of random. Do you really think there is that much lasting Muslim/Arabic influence on Spain aside from almohada and some archaeological sites? I ask this because your final statement about the connection between Spanish and Arabic seems a bit vague. My general understanding, possibly misguided, is that after 1492 the Muslim influence was essentially erased from the peninsula. Perhaps you should add an example or two to clarify exactly what kind of connection you'd be interested in learning about.

Best of luck to you. Sorry if I seem kind of rude in my critique, just doing for you what I've appreciated others doing for me!

Not offended at all!! I really appreciate whatever advice I can get. Your comments about my opening/closing - I find those to be the most awkward parts with writing this, so as for the story, I picked it because it seemed like a good way to open, and because I really do love that writer. And as for the interest in Arabic - I guess it's better put that I think an understanding of Arabic (the language and culture of that time) would be better than just having the instruction you get in any Spanish class about what happened; that it would help provide a better background, if that makes any sense? I agree with the stuff about Spanish Civil War and cinema - it´s definitely a worry I´ve thought about, but I think I might end up taking it out and replacing it with something I've been considering from my travels (I'm actually about to leave Guatemala tomorrow) - I think I want to replace it with something about the political state of Guatemala. Specifically... situations here can either be handled officially (via police, courts, etc) or through a citizen response. This is complicated by the persistent government corruption (which is present in almost every latin american country to some degree, but then again, whatever government has some sort of corruption), and add in the easily available weapons post their civil war.... so with that brief sketchy background, what I'm interested in is exploring what is more effective - leaving it up to the police or letting common citizens handle it? What sends a better message? What are the implications? I think clarifying that (I know it's pretty messy) could be a good addition because it hints at my background in political philosophy too.

But anyway, thanks for offering your advice!

Edited November 15, 2009 by sew8d

[JerryLandis]

Well then maybe you should mention how your background in political philosophy would be useful in discussing that topic?

It's not that I think you should remove the parts about García Lorca/the Spanish Civil War, just that I think you should mention those interests more fleetingly and focus more on your other one, because that will make your application stand out more against other people citing the civil war and García Lorca as their major interests (I know if I were applying somewhere for Spanish I'd write about him, as will a million other people).

You never specified, though, if you are applying to a PhD or MA program. If it's PhD, definitely get more specific about your interests (I'd suggest writing a long stream-of-consciousness rant about what you imagine writing about for your thesis, then re-writing it and editing it down considerably), however if it's MA then I don't think it's so much of a problem, and your range of interests sounds good.

[sew8d]

Well then maybe you should mention how your background in political philosophy would be useful in discussing that topic?

It's not that I think you should remove the parts about García Lorca/the Spanish Civil War, just that I think you should mention those interests more fleetingly and focus more on your other one, because that will make your application stand out more against other people citing the civil war and García Lorca as their major interests (I know if I were applying somewhere for Spanish I'd write about him, as will a million other people).

You never specified, though, if you are applying to a PhD or MA program. If it's PhD, definitely get more specific about your interests (I'd suggest writing a long stream-of-consciousness rant about what you imagine writing about for your thesis, then re-writing it and editing it down considerably), however if it's MA then I don't think it's so much of a problem, and your range of interests sounds good.

I just graduated undergrad in May, so I'd be applying for the MA. However, some places you just apply straight to the PhD (implying you'll complete the MA in the process). I wouldn-t think so, but do you think that those schools would want something more specific, like what you were referencing?

[JerryLandis]

Yes, they will want something slightly more specific. Of course, you should keep other interests in there so you keep the air of flexibility, but having one particular strong interest would probably be a good idea. It's pretty ridiculous that we essentially have to have PhD ideas ready when applying for a Masters, but that's just the way it goes. I'm applying to history programs that are also MA on the way to PhD, and my SOP lists general interests, offers a suggestion of what I would want to write a thesis about (specific but also flexible to whatever changes may be necessary), as well as some interests I would like to explore as a graduate student that I haven't been able to take classes on as an undergrad. I think organizing my interests like this has made my SOP more coherent than the original drafts - you're on the way to having that too, but I think restructuring your general interests paragraph would be beneficial to making you seem more decisive about your interests. Basically, it's a matter of keeping the exact same subject matter and wording it in a more bs kind of way.