Content Category
Literary Criticism
Abstract/Description
Psychology and religion are often viewed as separate realms of thought, yet they have a tendency to bleed into one other. In this paper, I take a psychoanalytical approach to explore the connection between Flannery O’Connor’s reflections on obtaining God’s grace and Carl Jung’s concept of achieving individuation. I give explanation and analysis of two of Jung’s prominent psychological theories and how they present themselves in O’Connor’s short stories and personal interests. First, I explore the use of natural imagery, such as trees and stars, as a part of the collective unconscious. Then, I discuss the symbol of the “shadow figure” as a vehicle to achieving a higher state of being. These theories demonstrate how O’Connor’s reluctant fascination with psychology influences her religious writings and adds a deeper layer of symbolic and spiritual meaning to the interpretation of her works.
Copyright and Licensing of My Content
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Origin of Submission
as part of a class
Faculty Involvement
Jeffrey Tucker
On Symbols and Shadows: Flannery O’Connor’s Jungian Concept of Grace
Psychology and religion are often viewed as separate realms of thought, yet they have a tendency to bleed into one other. In this paper, I take a psychoanalytical approach to explore the connection between Flannery O’Connor’s reflections on obtaining God’s grace and Carl Jung’s concept of achieving individuation. I give explanation and analysis of two of Jung’s prominent psychological theories and how they present themselves in O’Connor’s short stories and personal interests. First, I explore the use of natural imagery, such as trees and stars, as a part of the collective unconscious. Then, I discuss the symbol of the “shadow figure” as a vehicle to achieving a higher state of being. These theories demonstrate how O’Connor’s reluctant fascination with psychology influences her religious writings and adds a deeper layer of symbolic and spiritual meaning to the interpretation of her works.