How does religion contribute to the shaping of a life? How, in turn, does individual life experience shape one's personal religion? What matters about one's life? Is it possible to know the self fully or to write about it honestly? What is autobiography? What kind of truth can it produce or tell?

What particular spiritual struggle or depth does the completed form of an autobiography convey? What structural and stylistic decisions has an autobiographer made in order to tell the story which reconstructs his or her actual life in the image he or she wishes to promote?

We will explore seven literary “lives” in which religion of some sort plays a significant role as a major instrument of self-definition. Literary and historical background, theology, and psychological theory of personality formation will be introduced where relevant.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce
Waiting for God, Simone Weil
Sun and Steel, Yukio Mishima
Night, Elie Wiesel
Black Elk Speaks, John Neihardt
Briggflatts, Basil Bunting (Packet, copy Pick-up)
Fatal Interview, Edna St. Vincent Millay (Packet, copy Pick-up)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Two 6-10 page essays on two of the writers discussed in class(one will form the basis of a report in class). The first due by Week 5. The second due by Week 12. (60%)

Final Exam (30%)

COURSE SCHEDULE:

Keep up with the reading. Class participation expected. (10%)

Week 1

Introduction
Introduction

Week 2

The Confessions
The Confessions

Week 3

The Confessions
The Confessions

Week 4

Portrait of the Artist
Portrait of the Artist

Week 5

Portrait of the Artist
Portrait of the Artist

Week 6

Freud and Erikson on the life trajectory
Briggflatts

Week 7

Briggflatts
Briggflatts

Week 8

Black Elk Speaks
Black Elk Speaks

Week 9

Black Elk Speaks
Black Elk Speaks

Week 10

Fatal Interview
Fatal Interview

Week 11

Waiting for God
Waiting for God

Week 12

Waiting for God
Waiting for God

Week 13

Night
Night

Week 14

Night Night
FINAL EXAM