1 Autobiographical character of the Memoirs of the Oratory

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Autobiographical Autobiographical character of the character of the Memoirs of the Memoirs of the

OratorOratoryy

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The Oratory as a focal point The Oratory as a focal point 11

Above all, DB did Above all, DB did notnot want to outline his want to outline his own life story,own life story,

butbut the story and identity of the the story and identity of the Oratory:Oratory:– Initial inspirationInitial inspiration– Those for whom it existedThose for whom it existed– Positive and negative circumstancesPositive and negative circumstances– Distinctive elements of method and missionDistinctive elements of method and mission– Characteristic featuresCharacteristic features

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The MO is different from earlier The MO is different from earlier accounts accounts – These concentrated on the motives and These concentrated on the motives and

events tied to a “Catechism classes” events tied to a “Catechism classes” which became the “Oratory”: purpose, which became the “Oratory”: purpose, spelling out, activities, workers, results;spelling out, activities, workers, results;

– They were meant for authorities and the They were meant for authorities and the public, supporters and benefactors;public, supporters and benefactors;

– Without any connection with the author’s Without any connection with the author’s inner story.inner story.

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In the MO, at the level of narrative, In the MO, at the level of narrative, the the story of the Oratorystory of the Oratory is connected is connected with the with the inner storyinner story

– of the narrator of the narrator – and of disciples who would continue the and of disciples who would continue the

work work

from the past and take it forwardfrom the past and take it forward

And it has a normative functionAnd it has a normative function

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The interlocuters in the The interlocuters in the discourse 1discourse 1

The “dear Salesian children”The “dear Salesian children” “ “forbidding that these things be forbidding that these things be

made public before my death or made public before my death or after”after”

Then:Then:– Handing on an intimate family heritage Handing on an intimate family heritage

(shared by author and readers)(shared by author and readers)– Formation and animation, a mission, Formation and animation, a mission,

identity, method.identity, method.

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The interlocuters in the The interlocuters in the discourse 2discourse 2

DB brings in those who benefit from these DB brings in those who benefit from these adventures in the adventures in the MemoirsMemoirs: He has them : He has them play an active partplay an active part– In as much as they are In as much as they are disciplesdisciples who share the who share the

perspective in which he places the story of how perspective in which he places the story of how he sets up an identity;he sets up an identity;

– In as much as they are In as much as they are interlocutersinterlocuters whom he whom he asks to accept his view of the facts (historical asks to accept his view of the facts (historical and personal, real and poetic)and personal, real and poetic)

The presence of the readers condition The presence of the readers condition DB’s narrative (he dialogues with them)DB’s narrative (he dialogues with them)

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Purpose for writing 1Purpose for writing 1

“ “It will be a record that will help It will be a record that will help people overcome problems by people overcome problems by learning from the past”learning from the past”

“ “it will serve to make known how God it will serve to make known how God himself has always been our guide”himself has always been our guide”

“ “it will give my sons some it will give my sons some entertainment, to read about their entertainment, to read about their father’s adventures…”father’s adventures…”

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The motivation for writing is more The motivation for writing is more necessary and internal to the text necessary and internal to the text than something “literary”than something “literary”

He refers to things “outside the text” He refers to things “outside the text” as is characteristic of this genre as is characteristic of this genre (autobiography)(autobiography)

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5 reasons for autobiographical 5 reasons for autobiographical writing:writing:

1.1. Requests from authority and others,Requests from authority and others,

2.2. Defence,Defence,

3.3. Affirming identity,Affirming identity,

4.4. Transmitting witness, teaching, values, Transmitting witness, teaching, values, exemplary experiences,exemplary experiences,

5.5. Approach of old age: recovering the Approach of old age: recovering the pastpast

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These reasons urge DB to direct his writing These reasons urge DB to direct his writing by:by:

– A complex, articulated and evocative A complex, articulated and evocative construction,construction,

– that goes beyond the description of the Oratory that goes beyond the description of the Oratory (a work with its own purposes and method);(a work with its own purposes and method);

– It is a kind of theological-ideological viewpoint,It is a kind of theological-ideological viewpoint,

– that sets the birth of the Oratory within an inner that sets the birth of the Oratory within an inner and “spiritual” (vocational and missionary) and “spiritual” (vocational and missionary) range of eventsrange of events

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The beginning of the The beginning of the account 1account 1

The MO begins with DB’s birth:The MO begins with DB’s birth:

– A providential perspective on historyA providential perspective on history– A personal event is filled with meaning that A personal event is filled with meaning that

transcends its particular details.transcends its particular details.

Beyond the writing there is God who Beyond the writing there is God who governs the individual’s and society’s governs the individual’s and society’s history with a view to salvation, giving rise history with a view to salvation, giving rise to vocations and inspiring ‘journeys',to vocations and inspiring ‘journeys',

But there is also a human being telling the But there is also a human being telling the storystory

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The beginning of the The beginning of the account 2account 2

Second beginning: the dream at 9 Second beginning: the dream at 9 years of age (detailed and dramatic years of age (detailed and dramatic account)account)

Inserted into the text as the real Inserted into the text as the real beginning of ‘memory’ for the Oratorybeginning of ‘memory’ for the Oratory

He decides to break it up into He decides to break it up into subdivisions of a decade eachsubdivisions of a decade each

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Symbolic events in the MOSymbolic events in the MO

The dream at 9 years of age: The dream at 9 years of age: – Anticipates meanings, strategies, structures; Anticipates meanings, strategies, structures; – Offers the outline for rhetorical organisation of Offers the outline for rhetorical organisation of

the MO according to the intentions of the the MO according to the intentions of the authorauthor

The encounter with Bartholomew Garelli: The encounter with Bartholomew Garelli: At the chronological and symbolic centre At the chronological and symbolic centre of the MO (2 decade, ch. 12)of the MO (2 decade, ch. 12)

The orphan lad from Valsesia (3rd decade, The orphan lad from Valsesia (3rd decade, ch. 7)ch. 7)

Concludes the narrative span already prefigured in the Concludes the narrative span already prefigured in the dream at 9 years of age…dream at 9 years of age…

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The missing conclusionThe missing conclusion

3rd decade, ch. 8: narrative is broken, 3rd decade, ch. 8: narrative is broken, seems to vary with respect to the unity of seems to vary with respect to the unity of the preceding composition.the preceding composition.

Plot and intrigue are lacking:Plot and intrigue are lacking:– A series of events ordered chronologically, but A series of events ordered chronologically, but

without the narrative weave,without the narrative weave,– And without the personal and intimate And without the personal and intimate

involvement of the earlier account;involvement of the earlier account;– narrative vignettes with less significance for narrative vignettes with less significance for

the Oratory vocation (weak ending: Grigio).the Oratory vocation (weak ending: Grigio).

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Autobiographical steps 1Autobiographical steps 1 Autobiographies: effort to provide unity and Autobiographies: effort to provide unity and

meaning, historical sense, to experiencemeaning, historical sense, to experience DB, starting from perspectives that guided DB, starting from perspectives that guided

him at the timehim at the time– Reconstruction of facts from the past attributing Reconstruction of facts from the past attributing

meaning to themmeaning to them– Reveals to us and himself how much he has Reveals to us and himself how much he has

been helped or prevented as he develops his been helped or prevented as he develops his oratorian callingoratorian calling

– And how many experiences became part of his And how many experiences became part of his awareness and methodawareness and method

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Procedimenti autobiografici Procedimenti autobiografici 22

DB transforms the revisited experience DB transforms the revisited experience into a resource which allows him to into a resource which allows him to construct a spiritual and pedagogical construct a spiritual and pedagogical “way of knowing” for his readers“way of knowing” for his readers

Complex dynamics of memory, selection Complex dynamics of memory, selection and interpretation of facts, their and interpretation of facts, their organisation into a plot, according to organisation into a plot, according to some superior and meaningful unitysome superior and meaningful unity

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Autobiographical steps 3Autobiographical steps 3

Filtering of events, in the Filtering of events, in the reconstruction of a part of life around reconstruction of a part of life around the unifying core of his Oratory the unifying core of his Oratory vocation/missionvocation/mission

An awareness “at a second level”: An awareness “at a second level”: the return to the steps he took in the return to the steps he took in recognising meaningful connections recognising meaningful connections and the harmonious outcome of the and the harmonious outcome of the various elementsvarious elements

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It is a work of self-formation, in which It is a work of self-formation, in which DB:DB:

– perceives the events of the past in a perceives the events of the past in a different way and acts on them,different way and acts on them, i.e. reconnects them to the history of the Oratoryi.e. reconnects them to the history of the Oratory

And organises them around this unified meaning,And organises them around this unified meaning,

– In fact gives new content to events In fact gives new content to events experienced which did not have that global experienced which did not have that global perceptionperception

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The process of The process of SELECTION SELECTION is put into is put into place:place:

– With regard to FACTS With regard to FACTS Selecting those most significant for the Selecting those most significant for the

overall meaning and discarding othersoverall meaning and discarding others

– For their SIGNIFICANCE For their SIGNIFICANCE By interpreting them from a theolgocial By interpreting them from a theolgocial

point of view and according to concerns that point of view and according to concerns that moved him at the timemoved him at the time

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A process of A process of ORGANISATION ORGANISATION of of events according to the weight given events according to the weight given to each in the reconstruction of the to each in the reconstruction of the overall unified designoverall unified design

From this planning arises the plot, and From this planning arises the plot, and the way it is woven to control the the way it is woven to control the narrative strategy of his accountnarrative strategy of his account

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A retrospective view revealing the A retrospective view revealing the intimate connection between events intimate connection between events experienced at different periods in experienced at different periods in time (narrator's infancy, youth, time (narrator's infancy, youth, maturity and present)maturity and present)

He favours the story’s point of He favours the story’s point of arrival, gives meaning to all episodes arrival, gives meaning to all episodes by organising them into an by organising them into an intelligible wholeintelligible whole

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At the conclusion of the narrative the At the conclusion of the narrative the text of the MO seems to us to betext of the MO seems to us to be– a continuous a continuous search forsearch for and and highlightinghighlighting

of prefigured elements of the of prefigured elements of the Oratory’s Oratory’s characteristic featurescharacteristic features

– in weaving an existence that the author in weaving an existence that the author feels is marked by a divine callfeels is marked by a divine call (situations anticipating the Oratory; (situations anticipating the Oratory;

characters who represent the Oratory’s style characters who represent the Oratory’s style and method)and method)

Documents

1 Autobiographical character of the Memoirs of the Oratory