Exceptional Achievement in English Literature
We were delighted to hear this week of the success of Zach in Year 12 in the Quotation Bank Essay Prize. Zach won the Year 12 competition for 2024/5 for his essay on Moby Dick.
Zach has won a fantastic prize, including a day at University College Oxford where he will have a full tour of the college and meet current students to get an understanding of what life is like at Oxford, as well as meeting College Tutors. There will also be an Awards lunch in The Great Hall, and maybe even an appearance by the College Master!
The judges saw Zach’s essay as “truly outstanding”.
This is an absolutely brilliant and erudite essay, one that deeply engages with Melville’s Moby Dick and its intricate metaphysical and philosophical underpinnings. Your exploration of attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate as necessary to human existence is not only highly sophisticated but also remarkably ambitious in its depth and breadth of analysis.
Zach’s success in this national competition is inspiring: hard work, determination and inspiration paying off.
We would also like to celebrate the achievement of all our entrants from Wilson’s: Naman, Ravith and Arjun in Year 11, and Kaloyan and Charles in Year 12. The judges were roundly impressed by the quality of their writing and analysis, exploring texts of their own choice and showing exceptional qualities of scholarship.
Kaloyan and Charles focused on Wuthering Heights; the judges commented that Kaloyan’s essay was “a brilliant essay that showcases exceptional critical thinking, textual analysis, and literary insight”, while Charles’ was particularly commended for his analysis of Heathcliff: “Your interpretation of Heathcliff as a character who embodies the full spectrum of human emotion is particularly striking. The way you track his journey from intense passion to eventual exhaustion and acceptance is beautifully articulated.”
The style of Naman’s work on The Great Gatsby was similarly very well received, with the judges commenting that “the way you integrate quotes into your argument is seamless, enhancing your discussion without disrupting the flow of your essay.” Ravith’s work on The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida impressed by its depth and sophistication: “This is a truly outstanding piece of work that demonstrates not just a deep understanding of The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida but also an ability to think critically and independently about literature and philosophy.” Arjun chose to write on Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, a modern classic. The judges celebrated the nuance in Arjun’s work:
Rather than presenting a definitive answer, you acknowledge the complexities of repression and desire, arguing that desires evolve alongside personal growth and societal circumstances. This makes for a highly compelling argument that moves beyond a simple affirmation or rejection of the question and instead engages with it in a deeply analytical way.
Well done to all these role models of scholarship!
