Against the Grain · Theme
Religion and Spirituality
How Against the Grain develops Religion and Spirituality.
Despite his skepticism, Des Esseintes is drawn to Catholic ritual, Latin hymns, and theological debates, experiencing a conflicted yearning for faith that manifests in his appreciation of ecclesiastical art and his childhood memories of Jesuit education.
Where it surfaces
- VII
Des Esseintes' reflections on his Jesuit education and his conflicted feelings toward faith and conversion are central to the chapter.
- XV
The chapter delves into Des Esseintes' nostalgia for the plainsong and liturgical music of his Jesuit upbringing, contrasting it with modern, secularized religious music.
- XVI
Des Esseintes reflects on the failure of religion, the adulteration of sacraments, and the impossibility of belief, deepening his despair.