---through takeaway/backswing?

I am attempting to correct swing issues by struggling to keep my left arm perfectly straight on the backswing, but it feels unnatural---though my accuracy improves somewhat when I am successful. I am also hung up on when my wrists should be breaking on the takeaway, and try to keep them straight/firm, for almost too long it seems before letting them "break", but do hit better when I pull this off.

Any advice would be helpful as to if I'm "doing the right thing" in firming up my left arm, and whether or not I just need to get used to the feeling of this---BTW, I think my right arm is doing what it should on the backswing by being not too knit to my side, but close.


Len