In this high school course, students will go deep into Tolkien’s Catholic faith and its impact on his writing. Meet Mr. O’Brien here:
Total Classes: 6
Duration: 55 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade
Suggested credit: ½ semester Literature
Instructor: Kevin O’Brien
Instructor Email: kevin@classeswithkevin.
Course description: JRR Tolkien was able to create the most popular work of literature of the 20th century, The Lord of the Rings, out of the depth of his spiritual insight and because of his profound Catholic faith. This course will examine Tolkien’s spirituality by reading his letters, by studying his life story, and by examining the works he created. We will thereby learn, through Tolkien’s example, how faith and personal sanctity can and should play itself out in the life and works of every Christian. This course will be more than an examination of JRR Tolkien; it will also be a glimpse into the power of God’s grace working through an artist and his art.
Course outline: These are the general subjects we will be covering, but they are subject to change or re-arrangement.
Intro - Tolkien’s Life
His Friendships
Mythopoeia and Fairy Stories
Themes in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
Subcreation
The Long Defeat and the Glimpse of Final Victory
Course materials: The Letters of JRR Tolkien (https://amzn.to/3UWHHwl); Tree and Leaf (https://amzn.to/3CrZoNc) and PDFs provided by the instructor.
Homework: Students will be expected to complete the assigned reading for each class meeting as well as interaction and questions for each class; a Final Exam will also be assigned. Estimated homework time: about an hour per day outside of class.
- Teacher: Kevin OBrien