The Violent Bear It Away and Wise Blood: Academic Retreat Led by Dr. Farrell O’Gorman
This retreat will explore the novels The Violent Bear It Away and Wise Blood by the Southern writer Flannery O’Connor. How do we hide from the ultimate realities of life, and what are the consequences? Through O’Connor’s characteristic juxtaposition of violence and grace, these novels illuminate the hidden workings of providence in the lives of those most resistant to its movement.
Guided by Dr. Farrell O’Gorman, a trustee of the Flannery O’Connor Estate, participants will explore both novels through a series of seminars and lectures. Walking alongside O’Connor’s poignant characters and their series of revelations, we will wonder at the author’s rich prose and meditate upon her keen understanding of the human person.
Retreat Details
Our multi-day academic retreats are small gatherings focused on great texts, thoughtful conversations, and intellectual friendship. Each retreat is led by a professor and centers on a specific thinker, theme, topic, or text.
The heart of the retreat is a robust academic program of twelve one-hour sessions—typically nine seminars and three lectures. Seminars are limited to 15 or fewer participants and emphasize close reading, intellectual humility, and the shared pursuit of truth. The professor's lectures synthesize themes and situate the readings within a broader whole.
The atmosphere is intentionally contemplative and relational—free from digital distraction and grounded in attentiveness, presence, and receptivity.
Location
Our academic retreats are held at our Kingfisher Center, which is located on the southwest side of Austin, Texas.
Cost
For accepted participants, the Valor Institute will cover the cost of the program fee, texts, lodging, and meals. We ask for participants to pay for their own travel to and from the retreat — though we do offer travel scholarships for those in need. We do not want cost to be a barrier for anyone desiring to participate in our programs.
Schedule
A typical retreat day runs from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. including time for lunch, dinner, and breaks.
Preparation
Participants are expected to carefully read and annotate all texts before arriving at the retreat. Because of academic retreats involve a significant amount of time in seminar, preparation is essential.
Registration & Questions
Space in our retreats is limited, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. For any questions, please contact us.
About the Leader
Dr. Farrell O’Gorman is Professor of English at Belmont Abbey College and has taught previously at both Mississippi State University and DePaul University. He earned his B.A at the University of Notre Dame and his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. O’Gorman is the author of two monographs: Peculiar Crossroads: Flannery O’Connor, Walker Percy, and Catholic Vision in Postwar Southern Fiction (2004), and Catholicism and American Borders in the Gothic Literary Imagination (2017). At Belmont Abbey College, his teaching focuses on O’Connor, Catholicism, and gender in American Gothic literature.
Dr. O’Gorman has spoken on Flannery O’Connor at a variety of regional and national events as well as international conferences in France and Italy. In 2014, he served on the organizing committee for “Flannery Abroad: A Conference in Celebration of Flannery O'Connor's Centenary” in Ireland. He is also co-trustee of the Flannery O'Connor Charitable Trust, which oversees the author’s literary estate.